Railway vehicle and method for detecting track passage

Abstract

A railway vehicle (1) having a vehicle frame (2) supported by a rail running device (3) and capable of running on a track (5), wherein the railway vehicle (1) is provided with a first gauge passing (V 1 ) for detecting a first gauge measurement system (9). Here, a second gauge measurement system (9) is arranged at intervals (a, a 2 , a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , a 4 ) in the vehicle longitudinal direction (10) to detect a second gauge passing (V 1 , V 2 ). The two gauge measurement systems (9) are connected to a higher-level evaluation device (20) provided with an algorithm for specifying the displacements (Δt, Δs, Δs’) of the two gauge passings (V 1 , V 2 ). In this way, the forward movement of the railway vehicle (1) can be specified using the displacements of the two gauge passings (V 1 , V 2 ).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a railway vehicle having a vehicle frame supported by a rail running device and capable of running on a track, and a first track gauge detection system for detecting a first track gauge passage is arranged on the railway vehicle. The present invention further relates to a method for operating such a railway vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] A railway vehicle equipped with a track gauge detection system and a method for operating a railway vehicle are known, for example, from the specification of Austrian Patent Application Publication No. 514667. First, position data of the track is detected by a detection vehicle, and target position data is formed therefrom. At the same time, continuous detection of the track gauge passage is performed. Subsequent track processing by a tamping machine is based on the target position data, and new track gauge detection is performed for position synchronization. At this time, characteristic characteristics of the track gauge, that is, slight changes during continuous execution along the track are utilized. Using this irregular change pattern of the track gauge, all locations of the track can be identified.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The underlying problem of the present invention is to improve a railway vehicle of the type described at the beginning and make the characteristic characteristics of the track gauge, known from the prior art, available for another purpose. Furthermore, a corresponding method is to be shown.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 7. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are shown in the dependent claims.

[0005] In a railway vehicle, a second gauge detection system is arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to detect the passage of the second gauge. The two gauge detection systems are connected to a higher-level evaluation device provided with an algorithm for identifying the displacement of the two gauge passages. Due to the characteristic passage of the gauge, the same result data is detected by the two gauge detection systems. However, the first gauge detection system detects the gauge data earlier than the second gauge detection system, and from this gauge data, a temporal displacement or a displacement in the longitudinal direction of the track occurs. In this way, the forward movement of the railway vehicle can be identified using the displacement of the two gauge passages.

[0006] In an advantageous development, the evaluation device is provided with an algorithm for calculating the running speed and / or the traveled running distance from the temporal displacement of the two gauge passages and the known distance between the two gauge detection systems. Thereby, the gauge detection system is used as a speedometer or as a distance meter for the traveled running distance of the railway vehicle on the track. Here, a synergy effect can also be achieved when the gauge detection system is used for another purpose, for example, to identify the track attitude or to detect the vacancy position.

[0007] In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, a distance measurement sensor (odometer) is arranged on one axle, and the distance measurement sensor is connected to the evaluation device to check the measured running distance. This solution is particularly effective in existing vehicles where the distance measurement sensor is already provided and the data of this sensor is utilized. By inspecting using the gauge detection system and the evaluation device, the slip phase of the wheels of the railway vehicle can be identified. For example, the detected gauge data is recorded over the running distance measured by the distance measurement sensor. In such an evaluation, the displacement of the two gauge passages corresponds to the distance between the two gauge detection systems only when no slip occurs between the wheel and the track. As soon as a deviation can be identified, a corresponding correction of the running distance detected by the distance measurement sensor is performed.

[0008] Each track gauge detection system preferably includes two rail detection units, in particular laser stripe sensors, which are configured to detect the rails of the track in a non-contact manner. Using such a non-contact system, track gauge detection can be performed even at high speeds. Mechanical systems with expansion axes or detection sensors are typically designed only for low detection speeds.

[0009] In a preferred variant, a working unit for processing the track is arranged on the vehicle frame, and the distance between the working unit and at least one of the track gauge detection systems is stored in an evaluation device. In this way, the position of the working unit relative to the track can be accurately determined. For example, this enables the tamping unit to be accurately positioned above the sleeper to be tamped.

[0010] One track gauge detection system is arranged on the front rail running gear, and the other track gauge detection system is arranged on the rear rail running gear, which is suitable for the purpose. The installation of the two track gauge detection systems on the two rail running gears can be carried out with the same structure, and the distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction is suitable for identifying the displacement of the two track gauges.

[0011] In the method according to the invention for operating a railway vehicle, the track gauge passage is detected using each track gauge detection system, the track gauge passage is supplied to a common evaluation device, and the displacement of the two track gauge passages is identified using an algorithm provided in the evaluation device. At this time, the slight deviation between the two track gauge passages due to the detection error remains unconsidered. For example, the matching of the two track gauge passages and the identification of the displacement based on the relative maximum value are performed.

[0012] In an advantageous development, using an algorithm provided in the evaluation device, the running speed and / or the traveled distance are identified from the temporal displacement of the two track gauge passages and the distance between the two track gauge detection systems. Such an extension of the method can be used as an alternative to an electromechanical distance measuring device or for inspection.

[0013] In another improved form of this method, the travel distance is measured using a distance measurement sensor arranged on one axle, and the travel distance measured in the evaluation device is inspected by comparing the displacements of the two track traverses, so that the vehicle width inspection system is utilized for the integrity test.

[0014] In an advantageous expansion form, based on the displacements of the two track traverses across the track, a work unit arranged on the vehicle frame is positioned. In this way, the travel distance detection using the track inspection system helps to improve the quality of the automatic or semi-automatic positioning of the work unit on the track.

[0015] Hereinafter, the present invention will be illustratively described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Figure 1 shows a railway vehicle 1 having a vehicle frame 2 that can travel on a rail 4 of a track 5 in a rail traveling device 3. The rail 4 is attached to a sleeper 7 supported by a ballast bed 6 at a predetermined gauge g. The present invention also relates to a ballastless track (not shown) in which the rail 4 is fixed to a fixed superstructure made of concrete. The standard gauge is, for example, 1435 mm in most of Europe. This indicates the distance between the inner edges of the rail heads of the track 5. What is utilized according to the present invention is a situation where the gauge g varies within an allowable range, and in this way each section of the track 5 has a characteristic course of the gauge g.

[0018] In the embodiments related to FIGS. 1 to 3, the measurement of the gauge g is performed by a non-contact gauge measurement system 9. A measurement system including a spreading shaft pressed against the inner edge of the rail 4 or a detection sensor in contact with the inner edge can also be used. According to the present invention, at least two gauge measurement systems 9 are arranged one after the other in the vehicle longitudinal direction 10. A total of seven gauge measurement systems 9 are arranged on the railway vehicle 1 in FIG. 1.

[0019] Each of the two rail traveling devices 3 includes two gauge measurement systems 9 in a common measurement frame 11. Each measurement frame 11 is coupled to the axle of the corresponding rail traveling device 3. By doing so, since the deflection of the spring of the rail traveling device 3 is not transmitted to the measurement frame 11, only the reciprocating movement on the side of the axle needs to be compensated during rail inspection. Using this gauge measurement system 9, for example, the exact position of an inertial measurement unit 12 (IMU: inertial measurement unit) attached to the measurement frame 11 with respect to each rail 4 can be detected.

[0020] Another gauge detection system 9 is arranged on the detection platform 13 in the front area of the railway vehicle 1. Thereby, the movement of the detection platform 13 and the sensor 14 attached to this detection platform 13 relative to the rail 4 can be detected. Another two gauge detection systems 9 are attached to the vehicle frame between the two rail running devices 3, enabling the detection of the movement of the vehicle frame 2 relative to the rail 4. Thereby, the position of the work unit 15 (for example, a tamping unit) arranged on the vehicle frame 2 relative to the track 5 can also be detected.

[0021] Each of the gauge detection systems 9 includes a rail detection unit 16 for each of the two rails 4 of the track 5, as shown in FIG. 2. Each rail detection unit 16 is, for example, a laser stripe sensor equipped with a laser source 17 and an optical detector 18. The two rail detection units 16 are preferably connected to a common control unit 19. The control unit 19 stores the fixed interval b between the two rail detection units 16. From this, the measured distances b 1 ,b 2 to the inner edges of the respective rails are used to obtain the currently measured gauge g.

[0022] At least two gauge detection systems 9 attached to the railway vehicle 1 have a fixed interval a, a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,a 4 in the longitudinal direction 10 of the vehicle with respect to each other. In FIG. 1, this fixed interval is respectively the interval a 1 ,a 2 between the gauge detection systems 9 attached to the rail running devices 3, as well as the interval a 3 ,a 4 between the gauge detection systems 9 arranged on the vehicle frame 2 and also on the front detection platform 13. Each interval a, a 1 ,a 2 ,a 3 ,a 4 is stored in a common evaluation device 20.

[0023] With reference to FIG. 3, one of the rail vehicles 3 equipped with two gauge detection systems 9 arranged one after another will be considered in more detail. The fixed interval a between the two gauge detection systems 9 is stored in the common evaluation device 20. The front gauge detection system 9 detects the gauge g at the first detection location 21 of the track 5, and the rear gauge detection system 9 detects the gauge g at the second detection location 22 of the track 5. Based on the allowable range of the gauge g, these two detection results deviate slightly from each other.

[0024] During the forward travel of the railway vehicle 1, each gauge detection system 9 detects the gauge progression V 1 ,V 2 over the travel time t or over the travel distance s. In the diagram of FIG. 3, the gauge progression V 1 ,V 2 is shown over the travel time t. Since the same track 4 is directly detected one after another by the two gauge detection systems 9, two substantially identical gauge progressions V 1 ,V 2 are obtained with a time displacement Δt. The gauge progression V 1 detected by the front gauge detection system 9 is shown by a solid line. To shift the time displacement Δt in the direction of the time axis t, the gauge progression V 2 detected by the rear gauge detection system 9 is written in a dotted line.

[0025] The current time displacement Δt is calculated in the evaluation device 20 by an evaluation algorithm. For example, the local maximum or minimum value of the first gauge progression V 1 is recorded, and the period until the same local maximum or minimum value of the second gauge progression V 2 appears is detected as the displacement Δt. Subsequently, using the interval a between the gauge detection systems 9, the current speed of the railway vehicle 1, that is, v = a / Δt, is calculated by the evaluation device 20. The traveled distance s is obtained by integrating the speed.

[0026] In an extended form of the present invention, the railway vehicle 1 includes an odometer 23 arranged on the axle of one of the rail running devices of the rail running device 3. The encoder is usually attached to one end of the axle. The odometer 23 is used as a distance measuring device for various functions of the railway vehicle 1. For example, the railway vehicle 1 is configured as an inspection vehicle or as a tamping machine equipped with a tamping unit 15. In both cases, the odometer 23 is used to identify mechanical forward travel. Another inspection device arranged on the railway vehicle 1 is collated with the data of the odometer 23. Therefore, the result data is the result of sensor fusion.

[0027] This also applies to the gauge inspection system 9. In this way, the continuously detected gauge data is recorded over the distance s measured by the odometer 23. The corresponding diagrams are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In these figures, the gauge progression V detected by the front gauge inspection system 9 1 is also shown here by a solid line. The gauge progression V detected by the rear gauge inspection system 9 2 is written in a dotted line.

[0028] Based on the gauge detection over the distance s, if the distance detection functions without error, the two gauge progressions V 1 , V 2 have a constant displacement regardless of the vehicle speed. This is the case in FIG. 4. Specifically, the displacement Δs of the two gauge progressions V 1 , V 2 corresponds to the distance a between the two gauge inspection systems 9.

[0029] The detection of the gauge progression V 1 , V 2 over the distance s is advantageously used for continuous inspection of the distance measurement. In this way, the slip of the axle on which the odometer 23 is arranged is identified and subsequently compensated. FIG. 5 shows a diagram in which the idling of the axle used for distance measurement is identified. In the distance section s1, the two gauge progressions V 1 , V 2has a displacement Δs’ that is significantly larger than the distance a between the two track detection systems 9.

[0030] As described above, in the evaluation device 20, based on the local minimum or maximum values of the two progressions V 1 , V 2 , the current displacements Δs, Δs’ are obtained using an evaluation algorithm. Immediately when the current displacement Δs occurs outside the allowable range around the distance a, the distance measurement data preset by the odometer 23 is correspondingly compensated. In this embodiment, the measurement result detected by the odometer 23 in the region s1 is shortened by only the difference between the distance a and the displacement Δs’ with an error.

[0031] In another method, the two track progressions V 1 , V 2 are superimposed and compared over the traveled distance s. For a predicted (known) location, when a matching image of the detected track progressions V 1 , V 2 is obtained, the odometer 23 is functioning properly over this distance.

[0032] In this way, a constant test of the odometer 23 or the detected encoder signal is possible, whereby any slip is identified and the process reliability is improved. Furthermore, by evaluating the detected track progressions V 1 , V 2 , the wheel wear of the rail vehicle 3 equipped with the odometer 23 can be identified. The evaluation device 20 recursively determines the decrease in the wheel diameter due to wheel wear, and the odometer 23 is automatically readjusted.

[0033] By arranging a plurality of gauge detection systems 9, calibration is facilitated in an improved embodiment. Here, in a first step of one of the gauge detection systems 9, at one track location, precise calibration is performed, for example, using a calibration bar. Subsequently, the railway vehicle 1 is moved to automatically calibrate the other gauge detection system 9. As soon as each gauge detection system 9 is positioned at the same track location, the detected values are compared with the detection results of the gauge detection system 9 that was precisely calibrated previously.

Claims

1. A railway vehicle (1) is provided with a vehicle frame (2) that is supported by a rail running device (3) and capable of running on a track (5), wherein the railway vehicle (1) has a first gauge length (V １ In a railway vehicle (1) equipped with a first gauge inspection system (9) for detecting the second gauge elapsed (V ２ To detect the gap (a, a) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (10), the second track gauge inspection system (9) １ , a ２ , a ３ , a ４ The two track gauge inspection systems (9) are arranged in such a way that the two track gauge lengths (V １ , V ２ A railway vehicle (1) is connected to a higher-level evaluation device (20) which is equipped with an algorithm for determining the displacement (Δt, Δs, Δs') of the vehicle.

2. The evaluation device (20) has an algorithm for calculating the running speed and / or the traveled distance (s) from the temporal displacement (Δt) of the two inter-track passages (V １ , V ２ ) and the known intervals (a, a １ , a ２ , a ３ , a ４ ) between the two inter-track detection systems (9). The railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1 is characterized in that it is provided with such an algorithm.

3. A railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a distance measuring sensor (23) is positioned on one axle, and the distance measuring sensor (23) is connected to the evaluation device (20) for inspection of the measured travel distance (s).

4. The railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each gauge inspection system (9) includes two rail detection units (16), in particular laser stripe sensors, each configured to detect the rails (4) of the track (5) in a non-contact manner.

5. The railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a work unit (15) for processing the track (5) is arranged on the vehicle frame (2), and the distance (c) between the work unit (15) and at least one of the track gauge inspection systems (9) is stored in the evaluation device (20).

6. The railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the track gauge inspection systems (9) is located on the front rail running device (3), and the other track gauge inspection system (9) is located on the rear rail running device (3).

7. A method for operating a railway vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the track gauge measurement system (9) is used to measure the track gauge elapsed (V １ , V ２ ) is detected and the track gauge elapsed (V) is sent to the common evaluation device (20). １ , V ２ ) is supplied, and the algorithm provided in the evaluation device (20) is used to determine the two track gauge elapsed times (V １ , V ２ A method characterized by identifying the displacement (Δt, Δs, Δs') of ).

8. Using the algorithm provided in the evaluation device (20), the two track gauge elapsed times (V １ , V ２ The temporal displacement (Δt) of the two gauge measurement systems (9) and the distance between them (a, a １ , a ２ , a ３ , a ４ The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the driving speed and / or the distance traveled (s) are determined from the above.

9. The distance traveled (s) is measured using a distance measuring sensor (23) located on one axle, and the evaluation device (20) measures the two track gauge elapsed times (V １ , V ２ The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the measured travel distance (s) is inspected by comparing the displacements (Δt, Δs, Δs') of the object.

10. The two track lengths (V) across the aforementioned track (5) １ , V ２ The method according to claim 7, characterized in that a work unit (15) arranged on the vehicle frame (2) is positioned based on the displacement (Δt, Δs, Δs') of the vehicle frame (2).

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