System for projecting a product onto a catenary support.

Abstract

Product projection system onto a catenary support. The invention relates mainly to a projection system (1) for at least one product onto a catenary support (17), characterized in that it comprises: means for projecting the product (2) onto said support (17), means for controlling said projection means (2) of the product, a movement arm (5) for the projection means of the product (2), which movement arm (5) is multi-axis articulated, making the projection means (2) capable of being moved around the catenary support (17), and controlled by the control means, and a lifting platform (6) for the movement arm (5) and controlled by the control means. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: System for projecting a product onto a catenary support. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the railway field and more specifically concerns the renovation of the paintwork on catenary supports, and in particular catenary poles.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a system for renovating a catenary support. PRIOR ART AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIOR ART

[0003] In the field of rail traffic, the vast majority of railway rolling stock is supplied with electricity via catenaries arranged above the railway track. These catenaries are held above the railway track by catenary supports, each support typically comprising an arm directly connected to the conductive wire(s) of the catenary, and a vertical post secured to the arm and planted in the ground near the rails of the railway track. This post typically measures several meters in height, up to around ten meters.

[0004] These catenary supports - and in particular the posts of said supports - are covered with a protective paint which protects said supports from corrosion. It is therefore necessary to regularly renovate the paint of the catenary supports, by spraying products onto these catenary supports.

[0005] These renovation projects involve numerous constraints, in particular the marking of sites, the presence of qualified personnel, the cutting of the power supply to the catenaries resulting in a temporary halt to rail traffic. In addition to these constraints, there are constraints linked to the safety of the personnel responsible for the renovation, since they must climb the poles and protect themselves from the risk of falling, from possible passage of trains and from paint debris following manual stripping of the catenary supports.

[0006] All these operations are long and complex to implement, present a risk to the safety of personnel, and are costly. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The invention thus aims to propose a system for projecting products from catenary supports which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. Statement of the invention

[0008] For this purpose, the system for protecting at least one product on a catenary support comprises: • Means for projecting the product onto said support; • Means for controlling said product projection means; • An arm for moving the product projection means, which moving arm is multi-axis articulated making the projection means capable of being moved around the catenary support, and controlled by the control means, and • A lifting platform for the moving arm and controlled by the control means.

[0009] The system of the invention may also include the following optional characteristics considered in isolation or according to all possible technical combinations: - The projection means include means for applying fresh paint to the catenary support. - The projection means include means of mechanical stripping of old paint previously applied to the catenary support. - The stripping means and the means for applying fresh paint respectively comprise a sandblasting or aerogommage nozzle and a fresh paint spray nozzle secured to a chassis, which chassis is secured to one end of the moving arm. - The system includes image acquisition means attached to the chassis. - The system includes means for cleaning the acquisition means of images. - The cleaning means include a compressed air blowing nozzle attached to the chassis. - The system includes protective means configured to surround at least a portion of the catenary support. - The protection means comprise two articulated protection arms between a folded position and a deployed position in which said two protection arms are capable of surrounding at least part of the catenary support, and two protective tarpaulins each comprising an edge secured to the protection arm in question, each tarpaulin extending along the entire length of the protection arm in question. - The system includes means of obstacle detection, in particular time-of-flight detection means. - The control means comprise a joystick for controlling the movement arm, which joystick comprises at least one dead man's trigger.

[0010] The invention also relates to a projection installation comprising a catenary support and a system for projection of at least one product onto the catenary support, characterized in that the projection system comprises: - means for projecting the product onto said support, - means for controlling said product projection means, - an arm for moving the product projection means, which moving arm is multi-axis articulated making the projection means movable around the catenary support, and controlled by the control means, and - a lifting platform for the moving arm controlled by the control means. PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0011] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended figures, among which:

[0012] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of the renovation system of the invention installed around a post of a catenary support;

[0013] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a side view of the system of [Fig.l] positioned at the base and around the post;

[0014] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a side view of the system of [Fig.l] positioned in height around the post;

[0015] [Fig.4a] [Fig.4a] shows an articulated protective arm in the folded position;

[0016] [Fig.4b] [Fig.4b] represents an articulated protection arm in the deployed position;

[0017] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] represents a detail of the renovation system of [Fig.l] planned to be attached to the end of an articulated moving arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is first of all specified that in the figures, the same references designate the same elements regardless of the figure in which they appear and regardless of the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of the figures, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure.

[0019] It is also specified that the figures essentially represent an embodiment of the subject of the invention but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of the invention.

[0020] The present invention relates to a system for projecting products in powder form and / or in aerosol form onto the catenary supports 17, and more particularly onto the vertical posts 18 of these catenary supports 17.

[0021] Such a post 18, as indicated above, is conventionally covered with a paint intended to protect it from humidity and other climatic hazards. When this paint is worn, and / or begins to flake, it is necessary to renovate this catenary pole 18, and where appropriate the entire catenary support 17, using the projection device 1 of the invention.

[0022] With reference to Figures 1 and 5, the projection system comprises a device 2 for projecting products onto the catenary support 17, which projection device 2 comprises means 3 for mechanically stripping the old paint previously applied to the support 17 and the post 18, for example by airbrushing or sandblasting, and means 4 for applying fresh paint by spraying onto the previously stripped catenary support 17.

[0023] The stripping means 3 comprise a sandblasting or preferably aerogommage nozzle 7, which is designed to project at low pressure onto the surface to be stripped a mixture of compressed air and a natural abrasive (mineral or vegetable). The stripping means 3 are therefore connected to an abrasive tank and to an air compressor to form a stripping assembly. Typically, the air flow rate supplied by the compressor is between 1000 and 10000 L / min, and is preferably of the order of 5000 L / min.

[0024] The means for applying the fresh paint 4 comprise a nozzle for spraying said paint 8, which spray nozzle 8 is connected to the compressed air tank and to a fresh paint tank to form an assembly for applying fresh paint to the support 17, preferably stripped beforehand by the stripping means 3. The sprayed paint is a water-based paint.

[0025] The paint spray nozzles 8 and the airbrush nozzles 7 are integrated into a chassis 9. The chassis 9 is typically a box, preferably of parallelepiped shape, and the nozzles 7, 8 are secured to one or more internal faces of the walls of the chassis 9. Furthermore, the chassis 9 comprises at least two openings 19 formed in one or more of the walls of the chassis 9, preferably in a single wall of the chassis 9: the outlet of each of the airbrush nozzles 7 and the paint spray nozzles 8 is then opposite the opening in question 19 to allow the projection of product (fresh paint and / or air / abrasive mixture) outside the chassis 9 in the direction of the catenary support 17.

[0026] Still with reference to [Fig. 5], the projection system 2 comprises image acquisition means 10, typically a digital camera, installed in the chassis 9 and whose lens is opposite a third through opening 20 formed in one of the walls of the chassis 9, to enable the sandblasting and / or painting operations on the catenary support 17 to be followed. Preferably, this third opening 20 is blocked by a transparent window 21 so as to protect the lens of the camera 10.

[0027] Advantageously, the projection system 2 comprises means 11 for cleaning the window 21 (or the lens of the camera 10 in the absence of the window 21). These cleaning means 11 are preferably contactless, and typically comprise a blowing nozzle 12, secured to an external face of one of the walls of the chassis 9 and connected to the air compressor. This blowing nozzle 12 is capable of blowing compressed air onto the window 21 or the lens of the camera 10 to remove stains and dust.

[0028] The projection system 2 also comprises control means electrically connected to the stripping means 3, to the fresh paint application means 4 and to the camera 10, which control means are configured to control said stripping means 3 and fresh paint application means 4 and the camera 10.

[0029] In order to move the stripping means 3 and the fresh paint application means 4 all around the post 18 of the catenary support 17, and more generally all around the catenary support 17, the projection system 2 comprises a multi-axis articulated arm 5 whose free end is connected to the chassis 9 via an adapter 22 secured to a wall of said chassis 9. Advantageously, the articulated arm 5 is a six-axis robotic arm controlled by a human-machine interface forming an integral part of the control means of the invention, which human-machine interface typically comprises a control joystick provided with a safety trigger of the deadman type. Advantageously, the joystick also comprises buttons for activating the stripping means 3 and applying fresh paint 4.

[0030] Alternatively, and without departing from the scope of the invention, the articulated arm 5 is more sophisticated and can comprise more axes, and in particular be a seven-axis robot for greater maneuverability.

[0031] The fact that the robotic arm 5 is articulated around six axes ensures that it has a mechanical structure similar to a human arm, that is to say that it comprises a first and a second rectilinear segment 23, 24 connected to each other by a first hinge-type articulation 25 pivoting around a first axis, and reproducing the articulation of an elbow.

[0032] The opposite end of the first segment 23 comprises a second hinge joint 26 pivoting about a second axis parallel to the first pivot axis of the first hinge joint 25, which second hinge joint 26 is connected to a base 27 pivoted about an axis perpendicular to the pivot axes of the first and second hinge joints 25, 26. These two joints 26, 27 imitate the articulation of a shoulder.

[0033] Finally, the opposite end of the second segment 24, connected to the frames 9, comprises a ball joint 28 and reproduces the wrist joint.

[0034] The robotic arm 5 can therefore adopt a dynamic behavior close to that of an arm human, which allows him to position the airbrush nozzles 7 and the fresh paint spray nozzles 8 opposite the post 18 of the catenary support 17, and all around it.

[0035] In particular, the human-machine interface for controlling the six-axis robot 5 is configured to detect the movements and displacements in space of the controller by the user, and to have these movements reproduced by the six-axis robotic arm 5.

[0036] In order for this reproduction of movements and displacement to be made possible, the projection system 2 comprises means for detecting obstacles around the robotic arm 5, in particular time-of-flight detection means of the LIDAR type 16 (laser imaging detection and ranging) controlled by the control means. These time-of-flight detection means 16 scan the environment including the catenary support 17 and reconstruct a digital data map including all the obstacles (in particular the post 18 of the catenary support 17), by assigning to each point of the digitized map a position coordinate, recorded in a storage space of the control means.

[0037] Thanks to this operation of digitizing the environment, the speed of movement of the robotic arm 5 is adapted according to its proximity to a detected obstacle: the closer the arm 5 is to the obstacle, the lower its speed of movement is, until it becomes zero when the arm 5 is at a distance from the obstacle less than a determined value, and this independently of the speed of movement of the joystick.

[0038] Advantageously, the human-machine interface is configured to apply an adjustable multiplier coefficient between the distance traveled by the joystick and the distance traveled by the robotic arm 5. For example, if the joystick moves 50 centimeters along an X axis and 25 centimeters along a Y axis, and the multiplier coefficient is 2, then the robotic arm 5 will move 1 meter along the X axis and 50 centimeters along the Y axis.

[0039] For movements of the robotic arm 5 requiring more precision, and in particular near the catenary support 17, the multiplier coefficient may be less than 1. For example, if the joystick moves 10 centimeters along an X axis and 5 centimeters along a Y axis, and the multiplier coefficient is 0.5, then the robotic arm 5 will move 5 centimeters along the X axis and 2.5 centimeters along the Y axis.

[0040] Finally, and with reference to Figures 2 and 3, in order to move the stripping means 3 and the fresh paint application means 4 along the entire length of the post 18 of the catenary support 17, the projection system comprises a lifting platform 6 of the moving arm 5, controlled by the control means. The platform shape 6 is therefore able to move in translation along an axis parallel to the axis of the post 18 of the catenary support 17. In addition, the platform 6 is movable in so-called horizontal translation, along an axis perpendicular to the post 18, so as to move closer to or further away from the latter. Finally, the platform can also be pivotally mounted around an axis parallel to the post, so as to be able to move all around said post 18, which not only makes it possible to avoid obstacles and electrical cables connecting to the control means and to the articulated arm 5, but also to improve the positioning of the articulated arm 5.

[0041] Alternatively, the system 1 of the invention may comprise an articulated arm 5 having fewer pivot / rotation axes (for example 4 or 5 axes). In this case, the platform 6 is pivotally mounted around the rotation axis parallel to the post 18 so as to be able to move all around said post 18.

[0042] Furthermore, the detection means also comprise several cameras 29 secured to the platform 6 and controlled by the control means, in order to have an overall view of the immediate environment around the post 18 of the catenary support 17.

[0043] With reference to Figures 1 to 4b, the projection system 2 comprises protection means 13 provided to surround at least in part the catenary support 17, and more precisely at least a part of the post 18 of the catenary support 17. These protection means 13 thus make it possible to prevent, during stripping operations, old paint peeled off the post 18 from dispersing into the environment. In the same way, the protection means 13 make it possible to prevent, during operations of applying fresh paint, fresh paint sprayed onto the catenary support 17 from dispersing into the environment.

[0044] In order for these protection means 13 to be as effective as possible, the stripping and / or fresh paint application operations are carried out on the catenary support 17 in a space delimited between said support 17 and the protection means 13. This space will be called the confinement space in the remainder of the description.

[0045] These protection means 13 typically comprise two articulated protection arms 14 secured to the lifting platform 6, preferably arms articulated along three axes parallel to each other and to the axis of vertical translational movement of said platform 6. The movement of each articulated arm 14 is therefore circumscribed in a plane.

[0046] Each articulated protection arm 14 therefore comprises a base 30 secured to the platform 6 by means of a rail 31 extending from said platform 6 in a direction parallel to the translation axis of the platform 6, and three segments 32, 33, 34 connected to each other by two hinge joints 35, 36. The plane in which the movement of the articulated arm considered 14 is circumscribed is therefore parallel to the plane of platform 6.

[0047] Each protection arm 14 is controlled by the control means and is operable between a folded position ([Fig.4a]) and a deployed position ([Fig.4b]). In their folded position, the two arms 14 are substantially parallel to each other and extend on either side of the post 18 of the catenary support 17. In their deployed position, the end segments 34 of the two arms 14 are opposite each other and define a closed zone which surrounds a part of the post 18 of the catenary support 17. Finally, the two protection arms 14 are controlled by two joysticks forming part of the control means: the two protection arms 14 are therefore independent of each other.

[0048] Furthermore, the protection means 13 comprise two protective tarpaulins 15 respectively secured to the two articulated protection arms 14. Each tarpaulin 15 comprises an edge secured all along the articulated arm in question 14, which tarpaulin 15 extends perpendicular to the plane in which the movement of the articulated arm in question 14 is circumscribed. Thus, when the articulated protection arms 14 are in their deployed position, said arms 14 and the tarpaulins 15 define the substantially cylindrical confinement space surrounding a portion of the post 18 of the catenary support 17.

[0049] The assembly comprising the projection system 2 described above and the catenary support 17 forms a projection installation.

[0050] A method of projecting products onto a post 18 supporting a catenary 17 with a view to renovating it will now be described.

[0051] During a first step, the platform 6 is brought by the user via the control means into one of its extreme positions, either at the base of the post 18 of the catenary support 17 ([Fig.4a]), or at the top of the post 18 or of the catenary support 17 ([Fig.4b]).

[0052] During the second step, the control means control the deployment of the protection arms 14 to set up the confinement space around a part of the post 18 of the catenary support 17.

[0053] During the third step, the time-of-flight detection means 16, and in particular the LIDAR 16, scan the environment at the level of the post 18 of the catenary support 17 and assign to the detected obstacles (including the post 18) positioning coordinates recorded in the storage space of the control means.

[0054] During the fourth step, the user controls the six-axis robotic arm 5 in order to orient the chassis 9, in which the airbrushing nozzles 7 and the fresh paint application nozzles 8 are installed, towards a first portion of the post confined in the confinement space between the tarpaulins 15.

[0055] During the fifth step, the user controls the stripping means 3 to strip the entire first section of the post included in the containment space.

[0056] During the sixth step, once the first part of the post has been completely stripped, the control means control the movement of the platform 6 along the post 18 so that a second part of the post, adjacent to the first part, is confined between the tarpaulins 15 of the protection means 13.

[0057] The fifth and sixth steps are then repeated until the nth and last part of the post 18, and where applicable the catenary support 17, are stripped. The post 18, and where applicable the catenary support 17, are then completely stripped.

[0058] During a seventh step, the platform 6 being in its extreme position opposite that of the first step, the user controls the fresh paint application means 4 to apply fresh paint to the nth part of the post included in the confinement space delimited by the tarpaulins 15.

[0059] During the eighth step, once the nth portion of the post has been completely repainted, the control means control the movement of the platform 6 along the post 18 so that an nth portion of the post, adjacent to the nth portion, is confined between the tarpaulins 15 of the protection means 13.

[0060] The seventh and eighth steps are then repeated until fresh paint has been applied to the entire first part of the post. The post 18, and where appropriate the catenary support 17, are then completely repainted.

[0061] Alternatively, steps 6 to 8 are replaced by two successive operations of stripping and applying fresh paint to each part of the post 18.

[0062] More precisely, once the stripping of the first post part 18 has been carried out during the fifth step above, the control means control the fresh paint application means 4 so as to apply fresh paint to the entire stripped first post part 18.

[0063] The control means then control the vertical translation of the platform 6 towards the second part of the post 18, adjacent to the first part, and the successive operations of stripping and then applying fresh paint are carried out on this second part. These successive operations of stripping and then applying fresh paint are repeated up to the nth and last part of the post 18.

[0064] This alternative embodiment has the advantage of being able to interrupt the restoration activity of the catenary support 17 without leaving a stripped but unpainted portion. This avoids any risk of corrosion.

[0065] During the ninth step, the platform 6 is returned - if necessary - to its end position at the base of the post 18 by the control means.

[0066] During the tenth and final step, the control means actuate the articulated protection arms 14 towards their folded position.

[0067] The method described above can then be implemented on another catenary support 17 to be renovated.

Claims

Claims

1. System (1) for projecting at least one product onto a catenary support (17), characterized in that it comprises: - means (2) for projecting the product onto said support (17), - means for controlling said means (2) for projecting the product, - a moving arm (5) for the means for projecting the product (2), which moving arm (5) is multi-axis articulated making the projection means (2) capable of being moved around the catenary support (17), and controlled by the control means, and - a lifting platform (6) for the moving arm (5) and controlled by the control means.

2. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the projection means (2) comprise means for applying fresh paint to the catenary support (17).

3. Projection system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the projection means (2) comprise mechanical stripping means (3) of old paint previously applied to the catenary support (17).

4. Projection system (1) according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the stripping means (3) and the application means (4) of the fresh paint respectively comprise a sandblasting or aerogommage nozzle (7) and a spray nozzle (8) of the fresh paint secured to a chassis (9), which chassis (9) is secured to one end of the movement arm (5).

5. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises image acquisition means (10) integral with the chassis (9).

6. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises cleaning means (11) of the image acquisition means (10).

7. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the cleaning means (11) comprise a compressed air blowing nozzle (12) integral with the chassis (9).

8. Projection system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises protection means (13) configured to surround at least part of the catenary support (17).

9. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the protection means (13) comprise two articulated protection arms (14) between a folded position and a deployed position in which said two protection arms (14) are capable of surrounding at least part of the catenary support (17), and two protection tarpaulins (15) each comprising an edge integral with the protection arm in question (14), each tarpaulin (15) extending along the entire length of the protection arm in question (14).

10. Projection system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises obstacle detection means, in particular time-of-flight detection means (16).

11. Projection system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means comprise a joystick for controlling the movement arm (5), which joystick comprises at least one dead man trigger.

12. Projection installation comprising a catenary support (17) and a projection system (1) of at least one product onto the catenary support (17), characterized in that the projection system (1) comprises: - projection means (2) of the product onto said support (17), - means for controlling said projection means (2) of the product, - a displacement arm (5) of the projection means of the product (2), which displacement arm (5) is multi-axis articulated making the projection means (2) movable around the catenary support (17), and controlled by the control means, and - a lifting platform (6) of the displacement arm (5) controlled by the control means.

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