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 falls within the railway field and relates more specifically to the renovation of the paintwork on catenary supports, and in particular on 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 railway traffic, railway rolling stock is mostly powered by electricity via overhead catenaries (catenaries) positioned above the railway track. These catenaries are held above the railway track by catenary supports, each support typically comprising a fitting directly connected to the conductor wire(s) of the catenary, and a vertical pole attached to the fitting and driven into the ground near the railway rails. This pole is typically several meters high, up to about ten meters.

[0004] These catenary supports – and in particular the poles of said supports – are coated with a protective paint that protects said supports from corrosion. It is therefore necessary to regularly repaint the catenary supports by spraying products onto them.

[0005] These renovation projects involve numerous constraints, in particular the marking of work sites, the presence of qualified personnel, and the interruption of power to the overhead lines, resulting in a temporary halt to rail traffic. In addition to these constraints, there are those related to the safety of the personnel carrying out the renovation, since they must climb the poles and protect themselves from the risk of falls, the possibility of passing trains, and paint debris resulting from the manual stripping of the overhead line 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 catenary support products which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. Description of the invention

[0008] To this end, the protection system for at least one product on a catenary support comprises: • Means of projecting the product onto said support; • Means of controlling said means of projecting the product; • A moving arm for the product projection means, which moving arm is multi-axis articulated, enabling the projection means to be moved around the catenary support, and controlled by the control means, and • A lifting platform for the moving arm, controlled by the control means.

[0009] The system of the invention may also include the following optional features considered individually or according to all possible technical combinations: - Projection means include means for applying fresh paint to the catenary support. - The projection means include means for mechanically stripping old paint previously applied to the catenary support. - The stripping means and the means for applying fresh paint comprise respectively a sandblasting or air-blasting nozzle and a fresh paint spraying nozzle attached to a frame, which frame is attached to one end of the travel arm. - The system includes image acquisition means attached to the chassis. - The system includes means for cleaning image acquisition means. - The cleaning means include a compressed air blowing nozzle attached to the chassis. - The system includes protective means configured to surround at least part of the catenary support. - The protective means include two articulated protective arms between a folded position and a deployed position in which said two protective arms are able to surround at least part of the catenary support, and two protective tarpaulins each including an edge attached to the protective arm in question, each tarpaulin extending along the entire length of the protective arm in question. - The system includes means of obstacle detection, including time-of-flight detection means. - The control means include a control lever for the movement arm, which lever includes at least one dead man's trigger.

[0010] The invention also relates to a projection installation comprising a catenary support and a projection system for at least one product onto the catenary support, characterized in that the projection system comprises: - means of projecting the product onto said support, - means of controlling said means of projecting the product, - a moving arm for 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 THE FIGURES

[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description given below, by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying figures, among which:

[0012] [Fig. 1] The [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of the renovation system of the invention installed around a catenary support post;

[0013] [Fig.2] Fig.2 represents a side view of the system of Fig.1 positioned at the base and around the post;

[0014] [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 represents a side view of the system of Fig. 1 positioned in height around the post;

[0015] [Fig.4a] The [Fig.4a] represents an articulated protective arm in a folded position;

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

[0017] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] shows a detail of the planned renovation system of [Fig. 1] to be fixed to the end of an articulated moving arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is first 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 easily be found by referring to another figure.

[0019] It is also specified that the figures essentially represent one embodiment of the object 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 catenary supports 17, and more particularly onto the vertical poles 18 of these catenary supports 17.

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

[0022] With reference to figures 1 and 5, the projection system includes a product projection device 2 onto the catenary support 17, which projection device 2 includes mechanical stripping means 3 of the old paint previously applied to the support 17 and the post 18, for example by air blasting or sandblasting, and means of applying fresh paint 4 by spraying onto the catenary support 17 previously stripped.

[0023] The stripping means 3 comprise a sandblasting or, preferably, an air-blasting nozzle 7, which is designed to project a mixture of compressed air and a natural abrasive (mineral or vegetable) at low pressure onto the surface to be stripped. The stripping means 3 are therefore connected to an abrasive tank and an air compressor to form a stripping unit. Typically, the air flow rate supplied by the compressor is between 1,000 and 10,000 L / min, and is preferably in the order of 5,000 L / min.

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

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

[0026] Still referring to [Fig. 5], the projection system 2 includes image acquisition means 10, typically a digital camera, installed in the frame 9 and whose lens is opposite a third through-hole 20 provided in one of the walls of the frame 9, to allow monitoring of the sandblasting and / or painting operations on the catenary support 17. Preferably, this third opening 20 is blocked by a transparent glass 21 in order to protect the lens of the camera 10.

[0027] Advantageously, the projection system 2 includes means 11 for cleaning the glass 21 (or the camera lens 10 if there is no glass 21). These cleaning means 11 are preferably non-contact and typically include a blow nozzle 12, attached to an outer face of one of the walls of the frame 9 and connected to the air compressor. This blow nozzle 12 is capable of blowing compressed air onto the glass 21 or the camera lens 10 to remove stains and dust.

[0028] The projection system 2 also includes control means electrically connected to the stripping means 3, the fresh paint application means 4 and the camera 10, which control means are configured to drive 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 catenary support post 18 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 frame 9 via an adapter 22 attached to a wall of said frame 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 lever equipped with a deadman's switch. Advantageously, the lever also includes buttons for activating the stripping means 3 and the fresh paint application means 4.

[0030] Alternatively, and without departing from the scope of the invention, the articulated arm 5 is more advanced and can include 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 straight segments 23, 24 connected to each other by a first hinge-type joint 25 pivoting around a first axis, and reproducing the joint 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 for rotation about a perpendicular axis to the pivot axes of the first and second hinge joints 25, 26. These two joints 26, 27 mimic the joint of a shoulder.

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

[0034] The robotic arm 5 can therefore adopt a dynamic behavior close to a human arm, which allows it to position the sandblasting nozzles 7 and fresh paint spraying 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 joystick by the user, and to reproduce these movements by the six-axis robotic arm 5.

[0036] To make this reproduction of movements and displacement possible, the projection system 2 includes means for detecting obstacles around the robotic arm 5, in particular time-of-flight detection means 16 of the LIDAR type (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 obstacles (in particular the pole 18 of the catenary support 17), assigning to each point of the digitized map a position coordinate, recorded in a storage space of the control means.

[0037] Thanks to this environmental scanning operation, 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 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 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 greater precision, particularly near the catenary support 17, the multiplication factor can be less than 1. For example, if the joystick moves 10 centimeters along the X-axis and 5 centimeters along the Y-axis, and the multiplication factor is 0.5, then the arm Robotic 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 catenary support post 18 17, the projection system includes a lifting platform 6 of the movement arm 5, controlled by the control means. The platform 6 is therefore capable of moving in translation along an axis parallel to the axis of the catenary support post 18 17. In addition, the platform 6 can be moved in so-called horizontal translation, along an axis perpendicular to the post 18, so as to move closer to or further away from it. Finally, the platform can also be mounted to pivot around an axis parallel to the post, so as to be able to move all around said post 18, which not only avoids obstacles and electrical cables connecting to the control means and the articulated arm 5, but also improves the positioning of the articulated arm 5.

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

[0042] Furthermore, the detection means also include several cameras 29 attached to the platform 6 and controlled by the control means, in order to have an overview of the immediate environment around the pole 18 of the catenary support 17.

[0043] With reference to Figures 1 to 4b, the projection system 2 includes protective means 13 designed to surround at least part of the catenary support 17, and more specifically at least part of the post 18 of the catenary support 17. These protective means 13 thus prevent old paint peeling off the post 18 from being dispersed into the environment during the stripping operations. Similarly, the protective means 13 prevent fresh paint sprayed onto the catenary support 17 from being dispersed into the environment during the application of fresh paint.

[0044] In order for these protective 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 delimited space between said support 17 and the protective means 13. This space will be referred to in the rest of the description as the containment space.

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

[0046] Each protective articulated arm 14 therefore comprises a base 30 attached to the platform 6 by means of a rail 31 extending from said platform 6 in a direction parallel to the axis of translation 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 the platform 6.

[0047] Each protective arm 14 is controlled by the control means and can be operated 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 catenary support post 18 17. In their deployed position, the end segments 34 of the two arms 14 are opposite each other and define an enclosed area that surrounds part of the catenary support post 18 17. Finally, the two protective arms 14 are controlled by two joysticks forming part of the control means: the two protective arms 14 are therefore independent of each other.

[0048] Furthermore, the protective means 13 comprise two protective tarpaulins 15 respectively attached to the two articulated protective arms 14. Each tarpaulin 15 comprises an edge attached along the entire length of the articulated arm 14, which tarpaulin 15 extends perpendicularly to the plane in which the movement of the articulated arm 14 is confined. Thus, when the articulated protective arms 14 are in their deployed position, said arms 14 and the tarpaulins 15 define the substantially cylindrical containment space surrounding a portion of the catenary support pole 18 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 catenary support pole 18 17 with a view to renovating it will now be described.

[0051] In 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 stage, the control means control the deployment of the protective arms 14 to put in place the containment space around part of the pole 18 of the catenary support 17.

[0053] During the third stage, the time-of-flight detection means 16, and in particular the LIDAR 16, scan the environment at the level of the support post 18 catenary 17 and assign to the detected obstacles (including 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 to orient the chassis 9, in which the sandblasting nozzles 7 and fresh paint application nozzles 8 are installed, towards a first part 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 part of the post contained within the containment space.

[0056] During the sixth step, once the first part of the pole has been completely stripped, the control means direct the movement of the platform 6 along the pole 18 so that a second part of the pole, 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, has been stripped. The post 18, and where applicable the catenary support 17, are then completely stripped.

[0058] During a seventh step, with the platform 6 in its extreme position opposite to 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 containment space delimited by the tarpaulins 15.

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

[0060] Steps seven and eight are then repeated until fresh paint has been applied to the entire first section of the post. Post 18, and where applicable 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 respectively to each part of the post 18.

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

[0063] The control means then direct 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 until the nth and final part of post 18.

[0064] This alternative embodiment has the advantage of allowing the restoration work on the catenary support 17 to be interrupted without leaving any stripped but unpainted portion. This avoids any risk of corrosion.

[0065] During the ninth step, the platform 6 is brought back - 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 protective articulated arms 14 towards their folded position.

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

Claims

Demands

1. Projection system (1) of at least one product onto a catenary support (17), characterized in that it comprises: - means for projecting (2) the product onto said support (17), - means for controlling said means for projecting (2) the product, - a displacement arm (5) of the means for projecting the product (2), which displacement 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, - a lifting platform (6) of the displacement arm (5) and controlled by the control means, and - protection means (13) configured to surround at least a part of the catenary support (17).

2. Projection system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the projection means (2) comprise means for applying fresh paint onto 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 an 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 comprise respectively a sandblasting or air-blasting nozzle (7) and a fresh paint spraying nozzle (8) attached to a frame (9), which frame (9) is attached to one end of the travel 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) and image acquisition means (10).

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

8. Projection system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, 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 able to surround at least a part of the catenary support (17), and two protective 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).

9. Projection system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes means for detecting obstacles, in particular means for detecting by time of flight (16).

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

11. Projection installation comprising a catenary support (17) and a projection system (1) for at least one product onto the catenary support (17), characterized in that the projection system (1) comprises: - means for projecting (2) the product onto said support (17), - means for controlling said means for projecting (2) the product, - a displacement arm (5) for 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, - a lifting platform (6) for the displacement arm (5) controlled by the control means, and - protection means (13) configured to surround at least a part of the catenary support (17).

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