Analysis system for a catenary contact wire

Abstract

Title: Catenary Contact Wire Analysis System The invention relates to a system (1) for analyzing a contact wire (10) of a catenary extending above a railway track, the contact wire (10) being intended to be in contact with a pantograph of a railway vehicle traveling on the railway track, the system (1) comprising a device (2) delimiting an engagement passage (20) of the contact wire (10), the device (2) comprising:- rolling elements (41) intended to roll on the contact wire (10) inserted in the engagement passage (20), the rolling elements (41) forming means for suspending the device (2) on the contact wire (10), and defining a rolling plane (410) of the device (2) on the contact wire (10);- at least one sensor (51) intended to perform a measurement on a contact wire (10) on which the device (2) is suspended, the sensor or sensors (51) being carried by the device (2) opposite the rolling elements (41) with respect to the engagement passage (20), at a fixed distance (F) from the rolling surface (410). Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1;

Description

Title of the invention: System for analyzing a contact wire of a catenary

[0001] The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of maintenance equipment for railway installations.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a device for maintaining equipment for supplying electric current to locomotives of trains running on a railway track.

[0003] The transmission of electric current to the train running on a railway track can be carried out by means of at least one contact wire located above the railway track.

[0004] Such a contact wire supplies current to pantographs carried by a locomotive. The pantograph is a device which allows a locomotive to capture current by friction on the contact wire of a catenary.

[0005] The contact wire is suspended from a carrier cable by means of a succession of vertical cables called pendulums, the lengths of which are adapted to keep the contact wire substantially horizontal. The assembly formed by the contact wire, the pendulums and the carrier cable is conventionally referred to as a "catenary" (or overhead contact line).

[0006] Such a catenary is supported above the railway track by support posts arranged, at intervals, along the railway track.

[0007] A contact wire of a catenary is conventionally in the form of a longitudinal element and comprises on each lateral face a longitudinal fixing groove to allow, in particular, the connection of the contact wire with the pendulums of the catenary using a jaw.

[0008] Of course, as the trains pass, the locomotive pantographs rub against the underside of the contact wires, causing wear. In practice, this wear results in a flat spot forming on the underside of the contact wire, which is reduced in thickness.

[0009] When a contact wire is worn, it can break and thus cause significant damage to the catenary. Conventionally, a wear limit is defined for a contact wire, this limit corresponding to a minimum thickness of the contact wire before its replacement.

[0010] In order to limit the risk of breakage, the state of wear of the contact wire, i.e. its thickness, is monitored to detect weak points that could lead to breakage. To do this, the wear of the contact wire is monitored periodically, manually or automatically.

[0011] A device for measuring the thickness of a contact wire intended to be carried by a pole has been proposed. Such a measuring device is described in the French patent document published under number FR3033883.

[0012] This measuring device comprises a frame assembled at the upper end of a pole. The frame has means for suspending the frame on a contact wire, the frame carrying a first element and a second element forming a passage for engaging the contact wire, and comprising means for measuring the thickness of the contact wire inside the engagement passage.

[0013] According to this technique, the operator mounts the measuring device at the end of a pole to suspend the device on a contact wire in order to measure the thickness of the contact wire. In this device, the measuring means comprise two elements forming a jaw closing on the contact wire to mechanically measure the thickness of this contact wire. The operator handling the pole must move the frame along the contact wire by pulling or pushing the pole to obtain a thickness measurement of the contact wire.

[0014] Such a device has several drawbacks in use.

[0015] Indeed, it appears that the mechanical measurement can induce uncertainty in the measurement carried out due to the fact that the jaw may not close exactly on the thickness of the contact wire.

[0016] For example, it is possible that the flat spot caused by wear is not parallel to the ground and / or to the running plane formed by the railway track (a contact wire may in particular be located next to a central axis of the railway track, and the flat spot may then be oblique to the running plane depending on the way in which the pantographs come into contact on the contact wire).

[0017] Thus, if the device is positioned on the contact wire with its jaw closed parallel to the rolling plane, then the dimension measured using the device does not correspond to the actual thickness of the contact wire from the flat.

[0018] In practice, it is found that the movement of the measuring device along the contact wire occurs in jerks due to successive arcings, which can harm the measurement and proves, in any case, very unpleasant for the operator.

[0019] Finally, the accuracy of the measurement may not be as good as that measured manually by an operator using a caliper or micrometer.

[0020] Another device intended to be carried by a pole is described in the patent document published under number FR3091919.

[0021] This device is designed to perform a laser profilometer of a contact wire.

[0022] For this purpose, the device comprises a frame delimiting a passage for receiving the contact wire, within which the profile of the contact wire is determined by means of the analysis of a projected shadow.

[0023] When the contact wire is inserted into the receiving passage, it rests on cylinders mounted freely in rotation on the frame. In this way, the operator manipulating the pole can move the device forward or backward along the contact wire in order to determine the profile of the contact wire.

[0024] This device nevertheless shows limits, in particular with regard to its inability to determine certain anomalies of the contact wire, such as a deformation of the contact wire, or that the measurement of the thickness of the contact wire by the projected shadow can be distorted if the flat is oblique with respect to the rolling plane.

[0025] The invention aims in particular to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

[0026] More specifically, the invention aims to propose a system for analyzing a contact wire of a catenary which can better determine anomalies of the contact wire, for example too little thickness, than the systems and devices according to the prior art.

[0027] This objective, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which has as its subject a system for analyzing a contact wire of a catenary extending above a railway track, the contact wire being intended to be in contact with a pantograph of a railway vehicle traveling on the railway track, the system comprising a device delimiting a passage for engaging the contact wire, the device comprising: - rolling members intended to roll on the contact wire inserted in the engagement passage, the rolling members forming means for suspending the device on the contact wire, and defining a rolling plane of the device on the contact wire; - at least one sensor intended to carry out a measurement on a contact wire on which the device is suspended; characterized in that the or each sensor is carried by the device opposite the rolling members relative to the engagement passage, at a fixed distance from the rolling plane, the sensor or sensors being designed to measure variations in the spacing separating the sensor or sensors from the lower face of a contact wire, and in that the system comprises an electronic processing unit configured to process data from the sensor(s).

[0028] Thanks to the system according to the invention, it is possible to carry out a better analysis of the state of a contact wire than what is possible thanks to the systems according to the prior art.

[0029] Indeed, the system according to the invention performs a measurement from below the contact wire. Consequently, the measurement of the thickness of the contact wire is not biased by the measurement of the height resulting from a lateral projection of the shadow of the contact wire.

[0030] From the fixed distance between the sensor and the rolling plane, a thickness of the contact wire can be deduced by subtracting, from the fixed distance, the measured gap between the sensor and the lower face of the contact wire.

[0031] In addition, a measurement from below the contact wire makes it possible to detect anomalies, in addition to wear, such as deformation of the contact wire. Indeed, for example, if it is determined that the contact wire has an abnormal height relative to the rolling plane, then it can be concluded that this contact wire is deformed.

[0032] Advantageously, at each point along the contact wire where a variation in spacing is measured, the sensor(s) are designed to take a plurality of measurements at different locations along the transverse relief of the lower face of the contact wire.

[0033] It is thus possible to detect a flat extending obliquely relative to the rolling plane, and to determine a more precise thickness of the contact wire.

[0034] According to an advantageous characteristic, the or at least one of the sensors is a profilometer, preferably a laser profilometer.

[0035] In this way, the profile of the contact wire seen from below, i.e. the profile of the underside of the contact wire, can be determined exactly.

[0036] A particularly fine analysis of the wear of the contact wire is thus possible.

[0037] According to a preferred design, the sensors are formed, at least in part, by two profilometers, advantageously three profilometers, regularly distributed in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the engagement passage.

[0038] A more comprehensive view of the profile of the underside of the contact wire can be obtained in this way.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the sensor(s) are carried by the device, outside a zone, called the rolling zone, along a longitudinal axis of the engagement passage where the rolling members are carried by the device.

[0040] A longitudinal deformation of the contact wire is thus not expected to induce an error in analyzing the state of the contact wire if this deformation is not located in the rolling zone.

[0041] Preferably, the sensor(s) are placed at a distance from the rolling zone.

[0042] The risk of making an analysis error in the presence of a longitudinal deformation of the contact wire. The sensor(s) being carried at a distance from the rolling zone, then the longitudinal deformation is even further away from the rolling elements of the device.

[0043] According to a preferred characteristic, the electronic processing unit is configured to identify anomalies of the contact wire from the relief of the lower face of the contact wire, and from the fixed distance separating the sensor from the rolling plane.

[0044] A particularly precise three-dimensional analysis of the lower surface of the contact wire, and the height of this lower surface of the contact wire relative to the rolling plane.

[0045] Advantageously, the device comprises motor means designed to drive the movement of the device along the contact wire received in the engagement passage.

[0046] The device can thus evolve autonomously to map the lower surface of the contact wire and its anomalies.

[0047] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of different preferred embodiments of the invention, given as illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the appended drawings among which: • [Fig.l] [Fig.l] is a schematic representation seen from the side of a system according to the invention; • [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic illustration according to a sectional view transverse of the measurement made by the device on a contact wire housed in an engagement passage of the device; • [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of the relief of a lower face of a contact wire which is not worn, placed in relation to a rolling plane of the device on the contact wire; • [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic representation of the relief of a face in lower part of a worn contact wire which has a flat extending parallel to the rolling plane of the device on the contact wire; • [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a schematic representation of the relief of a lower face of a worn contact wire which has a flat extending obliquely relative to the rolling plane of the device on the contact wire; • [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a schematic representation of the relief of a lower face of a very worn contact wire which has a flat extending parallel to the rolling plane of the device on the contact wire.

[0048] With reference to [Fig.l], a system 1 for analyzing a contact wire 10 of a catenary extending above a railway track is shown.

[0049] As previously explained, a contact wire 10 is intended to be in contact with a pantograph of a railway vehicle which travels on the railway track.

[0050] The friction of the pantograph on the contact wire 10 produces wear. Figures 3 to 6 show different types of state of the lower face 100 of a contact wire 10.

[0051] In [Fig. 3], the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10 is in a new state and extends in a continuous arc of a circle 101.

[0052] In Figures 4 to 6, the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10 is worn and has a flat 102.

[0053] In Figures 4 and 6, the flats 102 extend horizontally, while in [Fig. 5], the flat extends obliquely relative to the horizontal. The wear of the contact wire 10 illustrated by [Fig. 6] is particularly significant, and this contact wire 10 thus has a very low thickness E.

[0054] As will appear later, the system 1 according to the invention makes it possible to identify anomalies of the contact wire 10, and in particular the wear illustrated by FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0055] The analysis system 1 comprises a device 2 designed to be suspended on the contact wire 10 in order to carry out the analysis of the contact wire 10.

[0056] For this purpose, the device 2 delimits an engagement passage 20 of the contact wire 10.

[0057] The contact wire 10 is intended to be located in the engagement passage 20, shown in [Fig.2], when the device 2 is suspended on the contact wire 10.

[0058] Although not illustrated, the device 2 also comprises means for inserting a contact wire 10 into the engagement passage 20, such as for example a secondary passage opening into the engagement passage 20 and outside the device 2 in order to allow the contact wire to be inserted into the engagement passage 20 by passing it through the secondary passage, or means for opening the device 2 in order to make it close on the contact wire 10 by housing the contact wire 10 in the engagement passage 20.

[0059] As can be seen in [Fig.l], the device 2 comprises a frame.

[0060] According to the present embodiment, the frame comprises a spar 31.

[0061] The device 2 also comprises rolling members 41 which are intended to roll on the contact wire 10 inserted in the engagement passage 20. These rolling members 41 form means for suspending the device 2 on the contact wire 10. These rolling means thus define a rolling plane 410 of the device 2 on the contact wire 10.

[0062] The rolling plane 410 corresponds to a plane in which tangents of all the rolling members 41 are inscribed, and on which an upper longitudinal end 110 of a contact wire 10 inserted into the engagement passage 20 comes into contact.

[0063] The rolling members 41 are in this case formed by cylinders mounted to rotate freely relative to the frame.

[0064] According to the present embodiment, the frame comprises arms 32 extending from the side member 31 to carry the cylinders forming the rolling members 4L

[0065] As can be understood, the cylinders, the arms 32, as well as the spar 31 define the engagement passage 20 of the contact wire 10.

[0066] Indeed, the arms 32 are positioned in pairs with one arm 32 intended to be located on one side of the contact wire 10, and another arm 32 intended to be located on the other side of the contact wire 10.

[0067] The means for inserting a contact wire 10 into the engagement passage 20 can thus be formed by articulations of the arms 32 on the spar 31 in order to cause the arms 32 and the rolling members 41 to move apart, and in particular to cause the two arms 32 of each pair to move apart relative to each other.

[0068] The device 2 also comprises guiding and centering means making it possible to keep the contact wire 10 centered in the engagement passage.

[0069] These guiding and centering means are for example formed by cylinders mounted freely in rotation directly on the side member and forming a groove intended to center and guide the contact wire, by rolling on the lateral faces and / or the lower face of the contact wire.

[0070] The device 2 also comprises at least one sensor 51 intended to carry out a measurement on a contact wire 10 on which the device 2 is suspended.

[0071] According to one embodiment envisaged, the device 2 may comprise a plurality of sensors 51 each formed by feelers.

[0072] According to the present embodiment illustrated by figures 1 and 2, the device 2 comprises three sensors 51 which are each profilometers, and which are preferably laser profilometers.

[0073] According to other embodiments envisaged, the device 2 may comprise a single laser profilometer, or two laser profilometers.

[0074] As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, each sensor 51 is carried by the device 2 opposite the rolling members 41 relative to the engagement passage 20.

[0075] In other words, and with reference to [Fig.2], with respect to an axis A passing through the center of the contact wire 10 located in the engagement passage 20, and separating the contact wire 10 into an upper part and a lower part, then the rolling members 41 are located on the side of the upper part of the contact wire 10, while the sensors 51 are located on the side of the lower part of the contact wire 10.

[0076] In a catenary installation, the lower part of the contact wire 10 is intended to be located towards the ground, while the upper part of the contact wire 10 is intended to be oriented towards the sky.

[0077] The rolling members 41 forming suspension means, the device 2 is then suspended on the contact wire 10 following the axis of gravity. Of course, the device 2 is configured so that its center of gravity orients the sensors towards the lower face of the contact wire 10 when the device 2 is suspended on a contact wire 10.

[0078] In addition, each sensor 51 is carried by the device 2 at a fixed distance F from the plane 410 bearing.

[0079] This fixed distance F separating each sensor 51 from the rolling plane 410 is specific to each sensor 51.

[0080] For example, and still with reference to [Fig.2], a central sensor 5 IC is located at a first distance Fl from the rolling plane 410, according to a measurement orthogonal to this rolling plane 410, while the two lateral sensors 5 IL are each located at a second distance F2 from the rolling plane 410, which is less than the first distance, according to a measurement orthogonal to this rolling plane 410.

[0081] These sensors 51 are designed to measure variations in the distance separating the sensor(s) 51 from the lower face 100 of a contact wire 10 located in the engagement passage 20.

[0082] Thanks to the rolling members 41, the device 2 can circulate along the contact wire 10. Thus, the device 2, thanks to its sensors 51, makes it possible to measure variations in spacing at different points along the contact wire 10.

[0083] According to the present embodiment, the sensors 51 are designed to take a plurality of measurements at different locations along the transverse relief of the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10. In this way, for example, a flat extending obliquely relative to the rolling plane 410 can be identified, as illustrated in [Fig. 5].

[0084] More precisely, the sensors 51 each define a detection triangle 510 of the isosceles triangle type whose axis of symmetry, forming the orientation axis 511 of the sensor 51, is oriented towards the contact wire 10.

[0085] The system 1 further comprises an electronic processing unit 6 which is configured to process the data from the sensors 51.

[0086] According to the embodiment illustrated by [Fig. 1], the electronic processing unit 6 is distinct from the device 2.

[0087] In this case, the electronic processing unit 6 may correspond, for example, to a mobile electronic unit such as a smartphone. The electronic processing unit 6 and the device 2 then each comprise telecommunications means enabling them to exchange data. The device 2 may also comprise telecommunications means enabling data to be sent and exchanged with a remote server.

[0088] According to another conceivable embodiment, the electronic processing unit 6 can be integrated directly into the device 2.

[0089] The electronic processing unit 6 is configured to identify anomalies of the contact wire 10 from the relief of the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10, and from the fixed distance separating the sensor from the rolling plane 410.

[0090] This identification also integrates the measurement of the thickness E of the contact wire 10 from the relief of the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10, and the fixed distance separating the sensor from the rolling plane 410.

[0091] With reference to [Fig.l], and according to the present embodiment, the sensors 51 are carried by the device 2 outside a zone called the rolling zone, along a longitudinal axis of the engagement passage 20, in which the rolling members 41 are carried by the device 2.

[0092] The sensors 51 are notably carried by the device 2 at a distance from the rolling zone. For this purpose, the spar 31 has an extension zone along which it does not have any arm 32 for carrying rolling members 41, and at the end of which is located a support 33 carrying the sensors 51.

[0093] This makes it possible to move the rolling members 41 which form the rolling plane 410 away from the zone where measurements are taken by the sensors 51 of the device 2 on the contact wire 10.

[0094] As can be seen in [Fig.l], a deformation D in height of the contact wire 10 is schematically represented. This configuration of the device 2 makes it easy to identify this type of anomaly.

[0095] This anomaly could be likened to particularly significant wear of the contact wire 10, as illustrated by [Fig.6]. However, as explained below, the device 2 of the system 1 according to the invention makes it possible to correlate the data from the sensors 51 with the deformation D mentioned.

[0096] With reference to [Fig.2], the sensors 51 are formed by three profilometers which are regularly distributed in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the engagement passage 20, while being opposite the rolling members 41 with respect to the engagement passage 20 shown.

[0097] In other words, in the orthogonal plane mentioned, the lateral sensors 5IL are located at 45° from the central sensor 51C, and at 45° from the axis A, around a theoretical projection of the central longitudinal axis of the contact wire 10 in the engagement passage 20.

[0098] Other regular spacing intervals between the sensors are conceivable. For example, it is conceivable to have only two sensors located at 60° from each other, and at 60° each from the axis A, around the central longitudinal axis of the contact wire 10.

[0099] These configurations make it possible not only to have an image of the transverse relief of the lower face 100 of the contact wire 10, but also an image of the transverse relief of a part of the lateral faces 103 of the contact wire 10.

[0100] In this way, as schematically illustrated in [Fig.5], the arcuate shapes of the parts of the side faces 103 of the contact wire 10 can be used. in order to project the theoretical shape 1000 (represented in dotted lines) essentially circular of the contact wire 10 to determine its positioning relative to the rolling plane 410.

[0101] The level of wear of the contact wire 10 can also be determined, and the adjusted thickness E of the contact wire 10 can be derived from it, as mentioned above. The fixed distance(s) F separating the sensors 51 from the rolling plane 410 make it possible to calibrate the measurements taken.

[0102] In the case of deformation D illustrated in [Fig.l], the upper longitudinal end 110 of the contact wire 10 at the level of deformation D does not correspond to the rolling plane 410, nevertheless the arcuate shapes of the parts of the lateral faces of the contact wire 10 allow the electronic processing unit 6 to project the theoretical shape of the contact wire 10 and thus to precisely analyze the anomaly of the contact wire 10, and not to indicate a level of wear which does not correspond to reality.

[0103] With reference to [Fig.l], the device 2 further comprises motor means 7 which are designed to cause the device 2 to move along the contact wire 10 received in the engagement passage 20. These motor means 7 comprise a motor unit, as well as wheels 71 intended to be in contact with the contact wire in order to move the device 2 forward or backward along the contact wire 10.

[0104] These motor means thus allow the device to move in a semi-autonomous manner, or even in a totally autonomous manner on the contact wire 10.

[0105] Of course, the device 2 is provided with different means enabling it to operate in such ways, such as an electric accumulator, and electronic means for controlling the motor means.

[0106] The system 1 previously described makes it possible to finely analyze the anomalies of a contact wire 10.

[0107] Indeed, this system can evolve along a contact wire 10 and produce a map of its lower face, in particular to determine the evolution of the thickness E of the contact wire 10, but more generally to determine the presence of anomalies such as a thickness that is too small or a deformation of the contact wire 10.

Claims

Claims

1. System (1) for analyzing a contact wire (10) of a catenary extending above a railway track, the contact wire (10) being intended to be in contact with a pantograph of a railway vehicle traveling on the railway track, the system (1) comprising a device (2) delimiting an engagement passage (20) of the contact wire (10), the device (2) comprising: - rolling members (41) intended to roll on the contact wire (10) inserted in the engagement passage (20), the rolling members (41) forming means for suspending the device (2) on the contact wire (10), and defining a rolling plane (410) of the device (2) on the contact wire (10); - at least one sensor (51) intended to carry out a measurement on a contact wire (10) on which the device (2) is suspended;characterized in that the or each sensor (51) is carried by the device (2) opposite the rolling members (41) relative to the engagement passage (20), at a fixed distance (F) from the rolling plane (410), the sensor(s) (51) being designed to measure variations in the spacing separating the sensor(s) (51) from the lower face (100) of a contact wire (10), and in that the system (1) comprises an electronic processing unit (6) configured to process the data from the sensor(s) (51).;

2. System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, at each point along the contact wire (10) where a variation in spacing is measured, the sensor(s) (41) are designed to take a plurality of measurements at different locations along the transverse relief of the lower face (100) of the contact wire (10).

3. System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the or at least one of the sensors (51) is a profilometer, preferably a laser profilometer.

4. System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the sensors (51) are formed, at least in part, by two profilometers, advantageously three profilometers, regularly distributed in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the engagement passage (20).

5. System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the sensor(s) (51) are carried by the device (2), outside a zone, called the rolling zone, along a longitudinal axis of the passage

6.

7.

8. engagement (20) in which the rolling members (41) are carried by the device (2). System (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the sensor(s) (51) are carried at a distance from the rolling zone. System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic processing unit (6) is configured to identify anomalies of the contact wire (10) from the relief of the lower face (100) of the contact wire (10), and from the fixed distance (F) separating the sensor (51) from the rolling plane (410). System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (2) comprises motor means (7) adapted to cause the movement of the device (2) along the contact wire (10) received in the engagement passage (20).

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