An APM track switch lock pin monitoring device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of APM line turnout locking pin monitoring devices, comprising: control unit, video unit, position detection unit and displacement detection unit;Displacement detection unit is used to generate acquisition start signal or acquisition end signal according to the action of turnout locking pin;Control unit is connected with video unit, position detection unit, displacement detection unit, for receiving acquisition start signal or acquisition end signal, and according to acquisition start signal drive video unit, position detection unit, or according to acquisition end signal close video unit, position detection unit;Video unit is used to collect the video information of turnout locking pin action;Position detection unit is used to collect the position information of turnout.The utility model sets displacement detection unit generates acquisition start signal and acquisition end signal, realizes the automatic opening and closing of video unit, position detection unit, facilitates the patrol inspection of turnout locking pin working state for operation and maintenance personnel, reduces maintenance cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of turnout monitoring technology, specifically relating to a turnout locking pin monitoring device for APM lines. Background Technology

[0002] As a crucial piece of equipment for controlling train direction, APM (Automated People Mover) turnouts are equipped with turnout locking pin devices. When the turnout is rotated to the correct position, the turnout control system pushes the locking pin into the locking pin hole, locking the turnout position and preventing it from changing as a train passes, thus ensuring train safety. If the locking pin fails to push correctly into the locking pin hole, or if the pushing displacement is insufficient, the turnout position cannot be properly locked, leading to turnout instability and compromising train safety.

[0003] Currently, monitoring of turnout locking pins can only be done through on-site inspections during routine maintenance. It's impossible to monitor their operational status in real time, requiring maintenance personnel to conduct periodic on-site inspections, resulting in high maintenance costs. Furthermore, when potential faults appear in the turnout locking pins, maintenance personnel cannot detect and address them promptly, potentially leading to turnout malfunctions and disrupting train operations. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the above-mentioned technical defects, this utility model provides an APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device, which can automatically monitor the turnout locking pin.

[0005] This utility model is achieved through the following solution: A turnout locking pin monitoring device for APM lines includes: a control unit, a video unit, a position detection unit, and a displacement detection unit; The displacement detection unit is located beside the turnout locking pin and is used to generate a start signal or end signal for data acquisition based on the movement of the turnout locking pin. The control unit is connected to the video unit, the position detection unit, and the displacement detection unit, and is used to receive the acquisition start signal or the acquisition end signal, and drive the video unit and the position detection unit according to the acquisition start signal, or turn off the video unit and the position detection unit according to the acquisition end signal; The video unit is used to collect video information about the action of the turnout locking pin; The position detection unit is located directly below the movable track beam and is used to collect the position information of the turnout.

[0006] As a further improvement of this utility model, the displacement detection unit includes: a displacement sensor and an operational amplifier circuit; The displacement sensor generates the acquisition start signal based on the distance of the turnout locking pin and generates the acquisition end signal based on the distance of the turnout locking pin. The operational amplifier circuit is connected to the displacement sensor and is used to condition the acquisition start signal and the acquisition end signal, and send them to the control unit.

[0007] As a further improvement of this utility model, the displacement sensor is a laser displacement sensor.

[0008] As a further improvement of this utility model, the position detection unit includes: a first photoelectric sensor and a second photoelectric sensor; The first photoelectric sensor is positioned directly below the first movable track beam, and the second photoelectric sensor is positioned directly below the second movable track beam. When the first movable track beam is aligned with the turnout fixed beam, the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor send the first information that the turnout is currently in the right position to the control unit. When the second movable track beam aligns with the turnout fixed beam, the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor send second information indicating that the turnout is currently in the left position to the control unit.

[0009] As a further improvement of this utility model, the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor are emission type photoelectric switches.

[0010] As a further improvement of this utility model, the video unit includes: a camera and a video processing circuit; The camera is connected to the control unit and is turned on according to the acquisition start signal or turned off according to the acquisition end signal, and is used to acquire video information of the turnout locking pin action. The video processing circuit is connected to the camera and the control unit, and is used to process the video information and send it to the control unit.

[0011] As a further improvement of this utility model, this utility model also includes: a power supply unit connected to the control unit, the video unit, the position detection unit, and the displacement detection unit, for providing working power.

[0012] As a further improvement of this utility model, this utility model also includes: a communication unit connected to the control unit and the host computer of the detection center, wherein the communication unit is controlled by the control unit and sends the video information and the location information to the host computer of the detection center.

[0013] As a further improvement of this utility model, this utility model also includes: a display unit and a display interface unit; The display unit is connected to the control unit through the display interface unit and is used to display the location information.

[0014] As a further improvement of this utility model, this utility model also includes: a mounting base; The control unit, video unit, and displacement detection unit are mounted on the side of the track beam via the mounting base.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: a displacement detection unit is set up to generate acquisition start signal and acquisition end signal, realizing the automatic opening and closing of the video unit and the position detection unit. The displacement detection unit collects the position of the turnout locking pin and the displacement of the locking pin movement in real time, providing a data source for the analysis of historical displacement data of the turnout locking pin, so as to discover potential problems in the turnout locking pin in time and avoid the occurrence of faults. At the same time, the use of the video unit to collect video information of the turnout locking pin movement also greatly facilitates the maintenance personnel to inspect the working status of the turnout locking pin and reduces maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device described in this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the control unit described in this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the right position and locking pin action of the APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device described in this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the left position and locking pin action of the APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device described in this utility model; Figure 5a , 5b This is a schematic diagram of the position detection unit described in this utility model; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the displacement detection unit described in this utility model; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the video unit described in this utility model; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the power supply unit described in this utility model; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication unit described in this utility model. Figure 1 ; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication unit described in this utility model. Figure 2 ; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display unit and display interface unit described in this utility model; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Control unit; 2. Video unit; 3. Position detection unit; 31. First photoelectric sensor; 32. Second photoelectric sensor; 4. Displacement detection unit; 5. Power supply unit; 6. Communication unit; 7. Display unit; 8. Display interface unit; 100. Fixed track beam; 101. First movable track beam; 102. Second movable track beam; 103. Turnout locking pin; 104. Locking pin hole; 105. Mounting base. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0018] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0019] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that the utility model product is usually placed in during use. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0020] Furthermore, due to space limitations, the accompanying drawings cannot fully illustrate the specific connections between the various structures. As is common knowledge in the field, signal lines with the same wire number indicate that these signal lines are connected together.

[0021] This utility model provides a monitoring device for APM line turnout locking pins, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, it includes: a control unit 1, a video unit 2, a position detection unit 3, and a displacement detection unit 4; the displacement detection unit 4 is located beside the turnout locking pin 103 and is used to generate a data acquisition start signal or a data acquisition end signal based on the movement of the turnout locking pin 103; the control unit 1 is connected to the video unit 2, the position detection unit 3, and the displacement detection unit 4, and is used to receive the data acquisition start signal or the data acquisition end signal, and to drive the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3 according to the data acquisition start signal, or to turn off the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3 according to the data acquisition end signal; the video unit 2 is used to acquire video information of the movement of the turnout locking pin 103; the position detection unit 3 is located directly below the movable track beam and is used to acquire the position information of the turnout.

[0022] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, APM turnouts are generally in the left or right position for extended periods. When the turnout is in the left or right position, the turnout locking pin 103 does not move, and its displacement remains unchanged. Continuously collecting video information about the turnout locking pin 103 would consume significant network bandwidth, storage resources, and power. Therefore, this invention uses the displacement detection unit 4 to continuously detect the movement of the turnout locking pin 103. Figure 4 As shown, the second movable track beam 102 is aligned with the fixed beam 101, and the turnout is in the left position. When the turnout begins to rotate from the left position to the right position (i.e., from the left position to the right position), Figure 4 Switch left position switch Figure 3(When the turnout is in the right position), the turnout locking pin 103 starts to move. The displacement detection unit 4 detects that the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 continues to increase. When the displacement exceeds the threshold, it triggers the generation of a data acquisition start signal and sends it to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 drives the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3, and increases the acquisition frequency of the displacement detection unit 4. At this time, the second photoelectric sensor 32 of the position detection unit 3 cannot detect the second movable beam above it, while the first photoelectric sensor 31 detects the first movable beam above it. The position detection unit 3 outputs information indicating that the turnout is in the left position. After the turnout locking pin 103 is completely retracted, the first movable beam 101 and the second movable beam 102 begin to move until the first movable beam 101 is aligned with the fixed beam 100. At this time, the second photoelectric sensor 32 of the position detection unit 3 detects the second movable beam above it, while the first photoelectric sensor 31 cannot detect the first movable beam above it. The position detection unit 3 outputs information indicating that the turnout is in the right position. The turnout locking pin 103 begins to move, and the displacement detection unit 4 detects that the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 continues to decrease. When the displacement is lower than the threshold, a signal to end the acquisition is triggered and sent to the control unit 1, gradually reducing the acquisition frequency of the displacement detection unit. Finally, the control unit 1 shuts down the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3, entering a low-power mode. The displacement detection unit 4 can effectively provide the control unit 1 with start and stop signals for video and position information acquisition, thereby achieving accurate acquisition time control and saving network and storage resources.

[0023] like Figure 6 As shown, the displacement detection unit 4 includes a displacement sensor and an operational amplifier circuit. The displacement sensor collects the position information of the turnout locking pin 103. The conditioning circuit is connected to the displacement sensor and the control unit 1, and is used to convert the position information into a voltage signal and send it to the control unit 1. Since the position information output by the displacement sensor is a current signal, it needs to be converted into a voltage signal suitable for the control unit 1 to collect by the operational amplifier circuit. At the same time, the converted voltage signal needs to be within the input range of the A / D analog-to-digital converter of the control unit 1 to avoid the signal exceeding the acquisition range, which would lead to displacement calculation errors.

[0024] Preferably, the displacement sensor is a laser displacement sensor.

[0025] Specifically, the position detection unit 3 includes: a first photoelectric sensor 31 and a second photoelectric sensor 32; the first photoelectric sensor 31 is located directly below the first movable track beam 101, and the second photoelectric sensor 32 is located directly below the second movable track beam 102; in the specific implementation process, when the turnout is switched from the left position to the right position, the locking pin of the second movable track beam 102 of the current turnout needs to be removed first, and then the turnout is switched from the left position to the right position. After the turnout is switched to the correct position, the turnout locking pin 103 is inserted into the turnout hole. When the turnout locking pin 103 moves to the designated position, the turnout is locked, and the turnout switching is completed.

[0026] When the movable track beam rotates from the right position to the left position (i.e. from... Figure 3 State transition to Figure 4 (State), the turnout locking pin 103 starts to move, and the displacement detection unit 4 detects that the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 continues to increase. When the displacement exceeds the threshold, it triggers the generation of a data acquisition start signal and sends it to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 drives the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3, and increases the acquisition frequency of the displacement detection unit. At this time, the second photoelectric sensor 32 of the position detection unit 3 detects the second movable beam above it, while the first photoelectric sensor 31 does not detect the first movable beam above it. The position detection unit 3 outputs information that the turnout is in the right position. When the turnout locking pin 103 is completely retracted, the first movable track beam 101 and the second movable track beam 102 begin to move until the second movable track beam 102 is aligned with the fixed track beam 100. At this time, the second photoelectric sensor 32 of the position detection unit 3 does not detect the second movable beam above it, while the first photoelectric sensor 31 detects the first movable beam above it. The position detection unit 3 outputs information that the turnout is in the left position. The turnout locking pin 103 begins to move. The displacement detection unit 4 detects that the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 continues to decrease. When the displacement is lower than the threshold, it triggers the generation of a data acquisition end signal and sends it to the control unit 1, gradually reducing the acquisition frequency of the displacement detection unit. Finally, the control unit 1 shuts down the video unit 2 and the position detection unit 3, entering a low-power mode. The displacement detection unit 4 can effectively provide the control unit 1 with start and stop signals for video and position information acquisition, thereby achieving accurate acquisition time control and saving network and storage resources.

[0027] Preferably, both the first photoelectric sensor 31 and the second photoelectric sensor 32 are reflective photoelectric switches.

[0028] like Figure 7 As shown, video unit 2 includes a camera and a video processing circuit. The camera is connected to control unit 1 and is turned on according to a start signal or off according to a stop signal, used to acquire video information of the turnout locking pin 103's movement. The video processing circuit is connected to the camera and control unit 1, used to process the video information and send it to control unit 1. The camera is an OV7725 camera with a resolution of 640*480 pixels, capable of acquiring images at a maximum rate of 60fps. It can capture the entire movement process of the turnout locking pin 103.

[0029] The main functions of the video processing circuit can be implemented using a FIFO chip AL422B, a latch 74HC573, and a NAND gate 74HC00 chip. In actual use, to ensure that the control unit 1 can smoothly receive video information captured by the camera, a FIFO chip is added between the control unit 1 and the camera for buffering. When the control unit 1 reads the vsync signal from the camera, it controls the camera to input one frame of data into the FIFO chip. When the second vsync signal is read, the FIFO chip is full of one frame of image. The control unit 1 controls the FIFO_WEN signal to control the time for the camera to buffer data in the FIFO chip. At the same time, the control unit 1 reads the data in the FIFO chip for processing and transfers it to the communication module buffer for transmission. A NAND gate 74HC00 chip and a latch 74HC573 chip are used between the control unit 1 and the FIFO chip. The control unit 1 controls the write enable signal WE of the FIFO chip, which is toggled by the NAND gate 74HC00 to meet the write timing requirements of the FIFO chip. The latch 74HC573 ensures the stability of the RE / OE / RRST / RCL signals of the FIFO chip controlled by the control unit 1 and the WEN signal level of the NAND gate 74HC00.

[0030] like Figure 8 As shown, this utility model also includes a power supply unit connected to the control unit, video unit, position detection unit, and displacement detection unit, for providing working power.

[0031] like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention also includes a power supply unit 5 connected to the control unit 1, the video unit 2, the position detection unit 3, and the displacement detection unit 4, for providing working power.

[0032] In order to enable the monitoring center to obtain video information and location information in real time, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 The present invention also includes a communication unit 6 connected to the control unit 1 and the host computer of the detection center. The communication unit 6 is controlled by the control unit 1 and sends video information and location information to the host computer of the detection center. The communication unit 6 is implemented using a W5500 network chip with a hardware protocol stack. While collecting video information and location information, the collected video information and location information are packaged. After the video information and location information are packaged, the control unit 1 sends a communication request command to the communication unit 6 and synchronizes the data to be uploaded to the transmission buffer of the communication unit 6. After the communication unit 6 is ready, it uploads the data in the buffer to the host computer of the monitoring center. The communication unit 6 is also connected to an HR911105A chip.

[0033] like Figure 11As shown, this utility model also includes: a display unit 7 and a display interface unit 8; the display unit 7 is connected to the control unit 1 through the display interface unit 8 and is used to display location information. The display unit 7 can display on-site location information; wherein, the display unit 7 can be implemented using an OLED display screen.

[0034] For ease of installation, this utility model also includes: a mounting base 105 positioned opposite the locking pin hole 104 of the fixed track beam 100; the control unit 1, video unit 2, and displacement detection unit 4 are mounted on the side of the track beam via the mounting base 105, and the control unit 1, video unit 2, and displacement detection unit 4 are placed inside the housing. The front of the housing is equipped with a camera and a displacement sensor to achieve video and displacement acquisition. The top is an OLED display screen, and the back is equipped with the power supply interface of the power supply unit 5, the interface of the first photoelectric sensor 31, the interface of the second photoelectric sensor 32, and the network interface, which are installed inside the unit board.

[0035] The present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the specific implementation process, as follows: The fixed beam is non-rotatable and has a locking pin hole 104 at its bottom. The movable beam has a locking pin at its bottom. When the movable beam is aligned with the fixed beam, the locking pin of the movable beam inserts into the locking pin hole 104 of the fixed beam. When the locking pin is in position, it locks and stops moving. The displacement acquisition unit continuously acquires the locking pin displacement. When the turnout locking pin displacement is less than a threshold, it acquires at a low frequency. When the turnout locking pin displacement is greater than the threshold, it acquires at a high frequency and generates a start acquisition signal to control the video unit and position detection unit to start acquisition. When the turnout locking pin displacement is less than the threshold again, it indicates that the turnout rotation is about to end. The displacement acquisition unit reduces the acquisition frequency and sends a stop acquisition signal. The control unit controls the video unit and position detection unit to stop acquisition, while the displacement acquisition unit continues to acquire the turnout locking pin displacement at a low frequency to monitor its next rotation change.

[0036] Video unit 2 is activated upon receiving the acquisition start signal and begins acquiring video information. The displacement sensor continuously acquires data on the turnout locking pin. When the turnout locking pin 103 appears within the sensor's range, the laser beam is reflected by the pin. The distance between the turnout locking pin 103 module and the turnout locking pin 103 can be calculated by measuring the time difference between receiving the reflected laser and emitting the laser. This distance changes as the turnout locking pin 103's displacement changes. The distance difference between the turnout locking pin 103 and the pin 103 within this time period is calculated to determine the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103. The displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 is continuously monitored. When the displacement of the turnout locking pin 103 remains consistently stable at a fixed value, it indicates that the turnout locking pin 103 has reached its insertion limit displacement. This value is compared with the set warning and alarm values ​​to determine the status of the turnout locking pin 103. When the value is less than or equal to the warning value, it indicates that the turnout locking pin 103 is in good condition. When the value is greater than the warning value but less than the alarm value, it indicates that there is a potential fault in the turnout locking pin 103. The control unit 1 sends a warning to the host computer to remind the maintenance personnel to go to the site for inspection and handling in a timely manner. When the value is greater than or equal to the alarm value, it indicates that the turnout locking pin 103 has malfunctioned and cannot work normally. It should be handled immediately. The control unit 1 immediately sends an alarm message to the host computer to remind the maintenance personnel to take immediate measures.

[0037] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for turnout locking pins on APM lines, characterized in that, include: Control unit, video unit, position detection unit, and displacement detection unit; The displacement detection unit is located beside the turnout locking pin and is used to generate a start signal or end signal for data acquisition based on the movement of the turnout locking pin. The control unit is connected to the video unit, the position detection unit, and the displacement detection unit, and is used to receive the acquisition start signal or the acquisition end signal, and drive the video unit and the position detection unit according to the acquisition start signal, or turn off the video unit and the position detection unit according to the acquisition end signal; The video unit is used to collect video information about the action of the turnout locking pin; The position detection unit is located directly below the movable track beam and is used to collect the position information of the turnout.

2. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement detection unit includes: a displacement sensor and an operational amplifier circuit; The displacement sensor generates the acquisition start signal based on the distance of the turnout locking pin and generates the acquisition end signal based on the distance of the turnout locking pin. The operational amplifier circuit is connected to the displacement sensor and is used to condition the acquisition start signal and the acquisition end signal, and send them to the control unit.

3. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The displacement sensor is a laser displacement sensor.

4. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The position detection unit includes: a first photoelectric sensor and a second photoelectric sensor; The first photoelectric sensor is positioned directly below the first movable track beam, and the second photoelectric sensor is positioned directly below the second movable track beam. When the first movable track beam is aligned with the turnout fixed beam, the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor send the first information that the turnout is currently in the right position to the control unit. When the second movable track beam aligns with the turnout fixed beam, the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor send second information indicating that the turnout is currently in the left position to the control unit.

5. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor are emission type photoelectric switches.

6. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The video unit includes: a camera and a video processing circuit; The camera is connected to the control unit and is turned on according to the acquisition start signal or turned off according to the acquisition end signal, and is used to acquire video information of the turnout locking pin action. The video processing circuit is connected to the camera and the control unit, and is used to process the video information and send it to the control unit.

7. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The power supply unit, connected to the control unit, the video unit, the position detection unit, and the displacement detection unit, is used to provide operating power.

8. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A communication unit connected to the control unit and the host computer of the detection center, the communication unit being controlled by the control unit, sends the video information and the location information to the host computer of the detection center.

9. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Display unit and display interface unit; The display unit is connected to the control unit through the display interface unit and is used to display the location information.

10. The APM line turnout locking pin monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Mounting base; The control unit, video unit, and displacement detection unit are mounted on the side of the track beam via the mounting base.

Images