A single cycle ball-passing test main pipe foreign object positioning device

Abstract

A single vehicle passes ball test main pipe foreign matter positioning device, including handle (1), buzzer (2), switch (3), distance display screen (4), main rod (5), locking nut (6), universal ball head (7), ultrasonic matrix probe (8), ultrasonic ball (9), distance sensor (10) and ultrasonic receiver (11). The buzzer, switch, distance display screen are installed on the main rod, the top of the main rod is provided with the locking nut and the universal ball head matched connection, for fixing the ultrasonic matrix probe, the ultrasonic matrix probe is composed of 8 ultrasonic receivers and 1 distance sensor. The utility model can effectively avoid the electromagnetic interference caused by metal pipeline in the process of single vehicle passes ball test main pipe foreign matter positioning, realize high-precision positioning, have the characteristics such as miniaturization, light weight, convenient, be applicable to the narrow operation environment of vehicle depot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe, belonging to the field of railway locomotive inspection technology. Background Technology

[0002] The main brake pipe (or simply main pipe) is the pipeline in the railway vehicle braking system responsible for supplying compressed air. It runs the entire length of the train and is responsible for transmitting braking control signals, coordinating the braking actions of each vehicle, and ensuring the overall response of the train's braking system.

[0003] During railway freight car maintenance, to ensure operational safety, it is essential to ensure that the train's brake main pipe is free of foreign objects. According to the "Single-Car Test of Railway Vehicle Brakes," a ball-passing test must be performed on the brake main pipe. This involves using compressed air to push a solid nylon ball through the brake main pipe to detect the presence of foreign objects. While this method is simple, low-cost, and compliant with existing maintenance standards, it has significant drawbacks: when the ball becomes displaced and stuck, the blockage cannot be precisely located, requiring maintenance personnel to disassemble the main pipe section by section for inspection. This is labor-intensive and inefficient, averaging approximately 40 minutes. Furthermore, the metallic material of the brake main pipe can interfere with non-destructive testing technologies such as eddy current detection and electromagnetic wave detection. Existing test balls with built-in RFID chips are not designed to resist metal interference, and existing detection methods are susceptible to accuracy issues due to metal interference. They also heavily rely on complex equipment, making it difficult to meet the demands of efficient on-site maintenance. Signal reading is difficult in metallic environments, and modifications are limited by procurement standards, making it challenging for traditional technologies to accurately locate foreign objects within the brake main pipe. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem of accurately locating foreign objects in the brake main pipe by proposing a foreign object locating device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe.

[0005] The technical solution implemented by this utility model is as follows: a foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main tube includes a handle, a main rod, a switch, a buzzer, a locking nut, a universal ball joint, a distance display screen, a distance sensor, an ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic matrix probe, and an ultrasonic ball; the buzzer, switch, and distance display screen are sequentially installed on the main rod; the top end of the main rod is connected to and locked to the universal ball joint through a locking nut, and the ultrasonic matrix probe is fixedly installed on the end of the ball joint shaft at the other end of the ball joint; the ultrasonic matrix probe consists of eight ultrasonic receivers and one distance sensor; a handle is installed at the rear end of the main rod.

[0006] The ultrasonic matrix probe has a disc-shaped structure. The end of the ball head shaft is vertically connected and fixed to the center of one side of the ultrasonic matrix probe. A distance sensor is installed at the center of the other side of the ultrasonic matrix probe, and eight ultrasonic receivers are evenly distributed around the circumference.

[0007] The outer surface of the handle has evenly distributed grooves for easy gripping during operation.

[0008] The main rod is made of hollow engineering plastic, which reduces the weight of the device while ensuring structural strength.

[0009] The ultrasonic ball uses 20kHz ultrasound as the signal carrier to avoid the electromagnetic shielding effect of the metal pipe; the ultrasonic ball and the ultrasonic matrix probe form a closed-loop detection system.

[0010] The buzzer is triggered to sound an alarm when the ultrasonic matrix probe approaches the target sphere within a range of 200-300mm.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this utility model are that it solves the problems of accuracy being affected by metal interference and the reliance on complex equipment, making it difficult to meet the needs of efficient on-site maintenance. It achieves miniaturization, specialization, convenience, and precision in the foreign object positioning device for the ball-passing test main pipe; it can maintain high sensitivity within a distance of 200–300 mm and locate small balls that continuously emit specific sound waves. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the foreign object positioning device for the main tube of the single-vehicle ball-passing test according to this utility model; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the foreign object positioning device used in the single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe for off-site positioning. In the diagram, 1 is the handle; 2 is the buzzer; 3 is the switch; 4 is the distance display; 5 is the main rod; 6 is the locking nut; 7 is the universal ball joint; 8 is the ultrasonic matrix probe; 9 is the ultrasonic ball; 10 is the distance sensor; 11 is the ultrasonic receiver; and 12 is the main tube. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The structure of the foreign object positioning device for the main tube of the single-vehicle ball-passing test of this utility model is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0014] This embodiment is a special instrument for a foreign object positioning device in a single-vehicle ball-passing test main tube, including a handle 1, a main rod 5, a switch 3, a buzzer 2, a locking nut 6, a universal ball joint 7, a distance display screen 4, a distance sensor 10, an ultrasonic receiver 11, an ultrasonic matrix probe 8, and an ultrasonic ball; the buzzer 2, switch 3, and distance display screen 4 are mounted on the main rod 5, and the top of the main rod 5 is equipped with a locking nut 6 and a universal ball joint 7. The locking nut 6 is used to fix or lock the universal ball joint 7, or to adjust the orientation of the universal ball joint.

[0015] In this embodiment, the ultrasonic matrix probe 8 consists of eight ultrasonic receivers 11 and one distance sensor 10. The distance sensor 10 is installed in the middle of the circular surface of the ultrasonic matrix probe 8, and the eight ultrasonic receivers 11 are evenly distributed on the circumference of the circular surface.

[0016] The ultrasonic ball used in this embodiment employs 20kHz ultrasound as the signal carrier, avoiding the electromagnetic shielding effect of metal pipes. The dedicated ultrasonic ball can emit 20kHz ultrasonic signals, forming a closed-loop detection system with the probe.

[0017] In this embodiment, the foreign object positioning device for the single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe is applied to foreign object positioning, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0018] This embodiment describes a method for locating foreign objects in a main tube of a single-vehicle ball-passing test. The steps are as follows: (1) Press and hold the switch for 3 seconds to start the foreign object positioning device in this embodiment.

[0019] (2) Loosen the locking nut 6, adjust the universal ball head, change the angle between the ultrasonic matrix probe 8 and the main tube 12, and make the ultrasonic matrix probe 8 and the main tube 12 as parallel as possible.

[0020] (3) The worker grips the device handle 1 tightly, holds the foreign object positioning device, squats down directly below the vehicle main pipe 12, points the probe at the vehicle main pipe, and scans the pipe one by one.

[0021] (4) To ensure the accuracy and sensitivity of the positioning, the worker needs to keep the distance between the ultrasonic matrix probe 8 and the main pipe 12 within 200-300mm at all times during the positioning process. Therefore, during positioning, the distance sensor 10 should be able to project infrared light onto the main pipe 12, and the distance display screen 4 on the main rod 5 of the positioning device should be observed. The distance display screen 4 will display the current distance between the ultrasonic matrix probe 8 and the main pipe 12 in real time. If the distance is not within the range of 200-300mm, it should be adjusted immediately.

[0022] (5) When the stuck ultrasonic ball 9 enters the detection radius (300mm), the buzzer 2 triggers an alarm, thereby quickly determining the location of the foreign object.

[0023] (6) Press and hold the switch for 3 seconds to turn off the foreign object positioning device in this embodiment.

[0024] In practical applications, a ball-passing test is conducted. A small ball (9) is placed at one end of the main pipe, connected to a ventilation source, and blown into the main pipe. If there are no foreign objects, the ball will be blown out at the other end of the main pipe by the air pressure. If there are foreign objects, the ball and the foreign object will be blocked in the same position and cannot be blown out by the air pressure. Therefore, the single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe foreign object positioning device of this embodiment can be used to scan the main pipe according to the positioning method described above. The main pipe is generally composed of 6-8 flange sections. According to the positioning method described in this embodiment, the positioning device detects the position of the ball, which also detects the position of the foreign object. Only this section of pipe needs to be disassembled to remove the foreign object and the ball, thus achieving the purpose of locating and removing the foreign object.

Claims

1. A foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe, characterized in that, The device includes a handle, a main rod, a switch, a buzzer, a locking nut, a universal ball joint, a distance display screen, a distance sensor, an ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic matrix probe, and an ultrasonic ball. The buzzer, switch, and distance display screen are sequentially mounted on the main rod. The top of the main rod is connected to and locked to the universal ball joint via a locking nut, and the ultrasonic matrix probe is fixedly mounted on the end of the ball joint shaft at the other end. The ultrasonic matrix probe consists of eight ultrasonic receivers and one distance sensor. A handle is mounted on the rear end of the main rod.

2. The foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic matrix probe has a disc-shaped structure. The end of the ball head shaft is vertically connected and fixed to the center of one side of the ultrasonic matrix probe. A distance sensor is installed at the center of the other side of the ultrasonic matrix probe, and eight ultrasonic receivers are evenly distributed around the circumference.

3. The foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The handle has evenly distributed grooves.

4. The foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main rod is made of hollow engineering plastic.

5. The foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic ball uses 20kHz ultrasound as a signal carrier, and the ultrasonic ball and the ultrasonic matrix probe form a closed-loop detection system.

6. The foreign object positioning device for a single-vehicle ball-passing test main pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buzzer is triggered to sound an alarm when the ultrasonic matrix probe approaches the target sphere within a range of 200-300mm.

Images