Measurement system for measuring the wear state of a contact element

Abstract

The present invention relates to a measurement system (1) and a method for measuring the wear state of a contact element (32) of a current collector plate (3) that supplies current by catenary connection to a vehicle, by means of a sensor device (4). The current collector plate (3) has a current collector plate support (31) and a contact element (32) held on the current collector plate support. At least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) are formed in the current collector plate (3), these holes penetrate the current collector plate support (31), and at least one pocket hole (51, 61, 71) is formed in the contact element (32). The sensor device (4) of the measurement system (1) is removably fixed outside the current collector plate (3) and below the current collector plate support (31). Light radiation can be detected using a photodetector (52, 62, 72) of the sensor device (4). When the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state, at least one of the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) (5, 6, 7) forms an optical path, and light radiation is incident on the photodetector (52, 62, 72) through the optical path. The measurement system (1) has a processing device, and the wear state of the contact element (32) can be determined from the light radiation detected by the processing device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement system and a method for measuring the wear state of a contact element of a slip plate that supplies current through overhead line connection to a vehicle. The slip plate has a slip plate support and a contact element held within the slip plate support, and at least two holes are formed in the slip plate, which penetrate the slip plate support and form at least one pocket hole in the contact element.

Background Art

[0002] To supply current to a vehicle that is rail - coupled or not rail - coupled via an overhead line, a skid plate made of a carbon material is usually used. This type of skid plate is always subject to wear due to the friction of a material that is mostly a carbon material. When using such a skid plate, for example, on a locomotive of a train, it is necessary to replace it in advance before reaching a clear wear limit to avoid dangerous driving conditions, malfunctions or accidents. Usually, an emergency - off function is built into the skid plate, which already lowers the skid plate in advance when a critical degree of wear is reached, or when the skid plate is damaged or broken. However, after such an emergency cut - off, further current supply by this skid plate and subsequent driving of the vehicle are no longer possible. To avoid such a situation, skid plates are inspected in a certain order regarding their degree of wear. These inspections are usually carried out by employees and are quite cumbersome. This is because the skid plate is attached to the roof of a vehicle such as a locomotive and a high voltage is supplied to the overhead line, so special safety measures must be observed. Therefore, such inspections are carried out at a railway workshop at a predetermined interval. To avoid these cumbersome inspections, a partially automated wear monitoring system that notifies when the wear limit is reached is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a skid plate having a wear - indicating marking detectable by an infrared camera. When passing a camera positioned in the running section, the skid plate can be detected by the camera, and the wear - indicating marking can be recognized by image processing. The degree of wear of the skid plate can be estimated according to the appearance image of the wear - indicating marking. The drawback here is that continuous monitoring of the wear state of the skid plate is not possible, and a great deal of technical effort is required to install such a monitoring system along the rail network. Therefore, a wear recognition system integrated into the skid plate that does not require complex installation of monitoring devices along the rail network is known. Here, an electrical contact or switch of a contact element that can notify the arrival of the wear limit is known.Furthermore, a solution means is also known in which a compressed air conduit is provided inside the thrust plate to monitor the wear state, and the wear state is detected based on the decrease in the compressed air in the compressed air conduit. However, installing such a compressed air conduit and preparing compressed air is technically and economically time-consuming. Also, arranging a sensor inside the contact element of the thrust plate to detect wear of the thrust plate is known. However, here too, relatively complicated technical procedures are required to integrate the sensor inside the contact element and especially to wire the sensor. Furthermore, a drawback in the already known systems is that damage to the sensor due to progressive wear cannot be excluded, and the sensor is not suitable for continuously monitoring multiple thrust plates over time in terms of reusability because of the complex arrangement inside the thrust plate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a measurement system and a method for measuring the wear state of a thrust plate that can automatically and without much effort determine the wear state. Furthermore, this measurement system is easy to install and can be installed independently of the thrust plate, thereby enabling reuse of the measurement system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This problem is solved by a measurement system having the features of claim 1, a method having the features of claim 11, a thrust plate having the features of claim 16, a current collector device having the features of claim 17, and a vehicle having the features of claim 18.

[0006] A measurement system according to the present invention for measuring the wear state of a contact element of a sliding plate that supplies current by overhead line connection to a vehicle, the sliding plate having a sliding plate support and a contact element held by the sliding plate support, and at least two holes being formed in the sliding plate, the holes penetrating the sliding plate support and forming at least one pocket hole in the contact element, the measurement system having a sensor device, the sensor device being removably fixed outside the sliding plate and below the sliding plate support, light radiation being detectable using a photodetector of the sensor device, and when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state, at least one of the at least two holes forms an optical path, light radiation enters the photodetector through the optical path, and the measurement system has a processing device, and the wear state of the contact element can be determined using the processing device from the detected light radiation. Preferably, the wear state of the contact element can be determined based on the height of the contact element, in which case the height decreases due to wear on the overhead line as the service life increases.

[0007] The sliding plate has a contact element usually formed of a carbon material, and the contact element can form an electrical connection with the overhead line by abutting against the overhead line. This contact element is held by a sliding plate support, and the sliding plate support is attached to a so-called pantograph or rocking arm. This pantograph or rocking arm forms a positioning device for the sliding plate, and thus forms a so-called current collection device together with the sliding plate. This current collection device itself is attached to the roof of the vehicle in order to come into contact with the overhead line located above the vehicle.

[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a measurement system for placement on a wear plate, the measurement system having a sensor device. This sensor device is removably fixed as close as possible to the wear plate, outside the wear plate and below the wear plate support. Removably fixing in the context of the present invention means that the sensor device can be removed without being destroyed and can thus be replaced and / or reused. For example, the sensor device can be arranged on the wear plate support to monitor a first contact element held by the first wear plate support, and after the first contact element of the first wear plate support reaches the wear limit, it can be removed and arranged on another wear plate support to monitor another contact element of the other wear plate support. It is conceivable to removably fix the sensor device to the wear plate, in particular to the wear plate support, or to a positioning device that holds the wear plate adjacent to the wear plate. Preferably, the sensor device, in particular the housing of the sensor device, is removably fixed by screws. By removably fixing the sensor device outside the wear plate, the sensor device is formed independently of the wear plate. In that case, the measurement system, in particular the sensor device, can be arranged or integrated independently of the wear plate, both spatially and / or functionally. Advantageously, this also makes it possible that a connection, in particular an electrical connection, between the measurement system and the rail vehicle is not necessarily required. Rather, this measurement system can be driven, for example, by a battery, an accumulator or environmental power generation without connection to the low-voltage network of the rail vehicle. That is, this measurement system can be used regardless of the type of rail vehicle and without special certification from the rail vehicle manufacturer. Nevertheless, optionally, the measurement system can be connected to the rail vehicle, for example to the driver's cab of the rail vehicle, to inform the vehicle driver of the measured values. It is known that the measured values are the measured quantities supplied by the sensor device. Within the framework of the present invention, the measured values can relate, for example, to the height H of the wear plate, the degree of wear of the wear plate, the detected light incidence and / or the temperature. That is, within the driver's cab, for example, the wear of the contact element can be indicated, or other measured values can be provided within the driver's cab.However, preferably, the sensor device of the measurement system can be used independently of the rail vehicle.

[0009] Light radiation can be detected using a sensor device having at least one photodetector, and the light radiation enters the photodetector through an optical path when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state. The light radiation detected by the detector is light radiation based on daylight entering one of the holes. This hole is exposed based on wear caused by friction between the contact element and the overhead line during driving of the slip plate. When the predetermined wear state is reached, no pocket hole is formed in the contact element anymore, and the exposure of the hole forms an optical path, and the optical path leads from above the contact element to the photodetector of the sensor device. The photodetector is preferably formed in the form of a photodiode. According to the present invention, at least two holes are formed in the slip plate, and at least one of the holes forms a pocket hole in the contact element, thereby forming an optical path by the exposure of this hole according to the wear state of the contact element respectively. Preferably, the other hole that penetrates only the slip plate support and ends below the contact element can be used to detect other measured values such as temperature. Therefore, advantageously, the correlation between the wear of the contact element and other measured values such as temperature can be determined and incorporated into, for example, a maintenance plan.

[0010] Furthermore, the measurement system has a processing device, and the wear state of the contact element can be determined using the processing device based on the detected light radiation, preferably the light incidence. In that case, it is important that the respective measured values of the sensors can be correlated with each other. Thereby, it is possible to obtain further advanced information regarding the driving state of the contact element, the current collector device and / or the overhead line.

[0011] In the gist of the present invention, the concept of "hole" refers to each notch that penetrates the slip plate support and can preferably be formed in the slip plate by a manufacturing method of cutting. For example, the hole can be formed in a conical or cylindrical shape, and preferably a cylindrical hole is formed in the slip plate.

[0012] Since the concepts of "downward", "upward", "lower side" and "upper side" always relate to the state in which the slip plate is attached to the vehicle, for example, the upper side of the contact element is the side that abuts against the overhead line when driving the slip plate, and the lower side of the contact element is the side of the contact element that is arranged on the slip plate support. Similarly, the upper side of the slip plate support is the side where the contact element abuts, and the lower side of the slip plate support is located on the opposite side to the upper side, and thus is the side opposite to the contact element. Similarly, the upper side of the sensor device or the upper side of the housing of the sensor device faces the slip plate support, and the lower side is separated from the slip plate support in the opposite direction to the upper side, or faces in the opposite direction.

[0013] Those skilled in the art are usually aware that the length L of the slip plate is greater than its width B. The sensor device is preferably arranged at the center of the length L of the slip plate. The hole is preferably formed at the center of the width B of the slip plate. This provides the advantage that wear can be detected at the location where the maximum wear is predicted. Furthermore, since the concepts of the width B and the length L of the slip plate also relate to the attached state of the slip plate, the length L of the slip plate is horizontal with respect to the traveling direction of the rail vehicle to which the slip plate is attached, and the width B extends along the traveling direction.

[0014] The gist of the present invention is that the sensor device can be used independently of the slip plate to detect the wear state of the contact element of the slip plate, and by arranging the sensor device of the measurement system outside the slip plate, the measurement system can be reused. This is because it is only necessary to form holes in the slip plate, and there is no need to insert other wirings and / or sensors into the slip plate, so the sensor device of the measurement system can be easily removed and reused by attaching it to another slip plate. In addition, due to the structure and arrangement of the present invention of the measurement system, damage to the sensor device or costly conductor elements is avoided. This is because, especially when the contact element is excessively worn, wear that causes contact between the sensor device and the overhead line and subsequent destruction of the sensor device by the overhead line is surely prevented. Furthermore, advantageously, the measurement system according to the present invention can detect at least one other measured value in addition to the wear state and associate it with the wear state. Moreover, the structure and arrangement of the measurement system can be realized in a particularly simple manner, and the drive of the measurement system can also be carried out particularly energy-efficiently. This is because, for example, there is no need to prepare a medium such as compressed air or a connecting conductor inside the slip plate support for energy supply. Instead, when a predetermined wear state is reached, light radiation directly enters the optical path and reaches the sensor device from there, and no other components are required in the contact member.

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims. Furthermore, all combinations of at least two features disclosed in the specification, claims or figures fall within the scope of the present invention. Note that the description of the measurement system also relates to the slip plate according to the present invention, the current collector according to the present invention and the vehicle according to the present invention, and no separate description is given thereof. Similarly, all features and embodiments disclosed for the measurement system relate to the method according to the present invention, even if the words are not identical.

[0016] The sensor device has a temperature sensor, and the temperature sensor is arranged within the region of the orifice inlet of one of at least two orifices such that the temperature of the contact element can be detected by the temperature sensor. Since the temperature of the contact element is significantly affected by the wear of the wear plate, it is preferable to determine the wear state according to the temperature, so that when the temperature change or temperature load of the contact element is significant, for example, by replacing the contact element, it is possible to take countermeasures at an appropriate timing. Preferably, the temperature sensor is arranged below the orifice inlet. More preferably, the temperature sensor is formed as an infrared sensor, whereby non-contact measurement of the temperature of the contact element is possible. In that case, the orifice having the orifice inlet where the infrared sensor is arranged forms an infrared radiation path that reaches at least the lower side of the contact element through the support element. By means of non-contact measurement using the infrared sensor, it is possible to arrange the sensor as a separate member from the wear plate within the region of the orifice inlet. In particular, it is not necessary to project the temperature sensor into the wear plate for temperature measurement, and it will not be damaged when wear progresses. Advantageously, this also makes the sensor device having the temperature sensor reusable. This is because this sensor device can be arranged on the wear plate as a separate member from the wear plate, and the destruction of the temperature sensor can be eliminated both during the driving of the wear plate and when it is removed.

[0017] It is clearly preferable that the orifice having the temperature sensor arrangement at its orifice inlet extends through the wear plate support to the lower side of the contact element. Thereby, the temperature measurement can be carried out in a simple manner together with the detection of the light radiation from the lower side of the wear plate.

[0018] The sensor device of the measurement system can have a housing, and the housing has an opening overlapping at least two holes on the upper side of the housing that abuts against the strip plate support. This housing is used, on the one hand, to protect the sensor device and, on the other hand, to easily attach and remove the sensor device to and from the strip plate support. By means of the opening provided on the upper side that abuts against the strip plate support and overlaps at least two holes, the housing of the sensor device can preferably be formed and arranged such that the lower side of the strip plate support at least partially forms the upper side of the housing and the upper side of the housing is closed by the lower side of the strip plate support. Alternatively or additionally, the housing can have a plurality of openings, and these openings are arranged complementarily to at least two holes on the upper side of the housing. In that case, the sensor device is arranged on the strip plate support such that the openings in the housing and the holes in the strip plate at least partially overlap. Thus, in addition to easily fixing the sensor device to the strip plate, it can be ensured that light is incident on the photodetector through the strip plate and the openings in the housing, and / or that other passages, for example for temperature measurement, extend through the strip plate support and the upper side of the housing. The housing is preferably formed from a plastic or a pure metal material.

[0019] A plurality of holes with different depths can be formed in the slit plate to form an optical path when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state. That is to say, in other words, the slit plate has a plurality of pocket holes with different depths, and these pocket holes extend into the contact element through the slit plate support. Thereby, the wear state of the slit plate can be determined using a processing device. When wear progresses and other holes are exposed, thereby forming other optical paths and more light incidence is detected by one or more photodetectors, the wear degree of the contact element can be estimated based on this. Therefore, not only can it be determined whether the contact element is new or completely worn out, but also how much the contact element has been used can be determined. When the slit plate wears, the shape of the slit plate, particularly the height, may change, and preferably, the change in the height of the slit plate is used as a reference value for the wear degree. The remaining height of the contact element can be obtained according to the wear state by holes preferably extending vertically from the lower side of the slit plate support into the contact element. That is, the more holes are exposed, the lower the height of the contact element, and the greater the wear degree.

[0020] It has been clarified that it is preferable if a photodetector is provided for each hole that forms an optical path when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state. Thereby, preferably, the detection accuracy is improved. This is because each optical path is associated with a photodetector, and therefore, when other optical paths are formed due to the opening of other holes due to wear, other photodetectors output signals. Therefore, for example, measurement errors based on fluctuations in light incidence can be eliminated.

[0021] At least one hole can be filled by a temperature-resistant and transparent filling element formed from, preferably, plastic such as polyester resin, silicone resin or Teflon® (PTFE), or from glass such as acrylic glass. Preferably, this filling element withstands temperatures up to at least 200 °C, more preferably up to at least 300 °C. More preferably, the holes that form pocket holes in the contact element through the slat support are filled by the filling element. Most preferably, the holes that form the shallowest holes in the contact element through the slat support are filled with the filling element, and the remaining holes in the contact element are not filled. The filling element is coupled to the light detector via a sealing ring, preferably a sealing ring made of silicone, thereby enabling easy mounting, ensuring a reliable radiation path, and, in particular, guaranteeing high resistance to vibrations during running operation.

[0022] The filling element can be formed complementary to the hole and slid into the hole. This makes it possible to insert the filling element as a member independent of the slat, in particular separately from the production of the slat, which is advantageous because the filling element can be inserted later. This is because, since the filling element can be inserted into the slat, it can also be inserted into an existing slat by drilling and inserting later, without having to consider limitations when forming the slat.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, three holes of different depths are formed in the slat, which penetrate the slat support and form three pocket holes in the contact element, and these three pocket holes form a light path when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state, and light radiation enters the light detector through this light path. This makes it possible to determine three different wear levels by means of three holes of different depths, so that the wear level can be determined economically and according to requirements.

[0024] Furthermore, when forming three holes with different depths in the slip plate (each of these forms a pocket hole in the contact element), it has been found to be preferable that two of the three holes are unfilled and the hole that fits into the contact element at the shallowest depth is filled with a temperature-resistant transparent filling element. The filling element inserted into the hole that fits into the contact element at the shallowest depth is preferably formed from plastic, such as a polyester resin, a silicone resin or Teflon® (PTFE) or glass, such as acrylic glass. More preferably, the filling element can be slid into the hole.

[0025] A method according to the present invention for measuring the wear state of a contact element of a slip plate that supplies current by catenary connection to a vehicle, wherein the slip plate has a slip plate support and a contact element held by the slip plate support, and at least two holes are formed in the slip plate, the holes penetrate the slip plate support and form at least one pocket hole in the contact element, and the incidence of light on the sensor device is detected using a photodetector of the sensor device. The detection of the incidence of light is performed by forming a light path for light emission by at least one of the at least two holes when the contact element reaches a predetermined wear state, and guiding the light emission through the light path to the photodetector. Using the processing device of the measurement system, the wear state of the contact element can be determined based on the incident light emission, in particular based on the signal of the photodetector generated by the light incidence. At least one other hole that penetrates the slip plate support but does not form a pocket hole in the contact element can be used to detect other characteristic values of the contact element and / or the slip plate, such as temperature. Preferably, the sensor device of the measurement system is adjacent to the slip plate on the slip plate and / or on the positioning device that holds the slip plate and is arranged outside the slip plate, so that the sensor device can be removed from the slip plate without damage and can be reused, for example, in a new slip plate after the slip plate is replaced. The advantages of the method for measuring the wear state of the contact element can be referred to the detailed description of the measurement system according to the present invention.

[0026] According to an embodiment of this method, the temperature of the contact element is detected using the temperature sensor of the sensor device. In order to be able to detect the temperature of the contact element as independently as possible from the wear plate, the temperature is preferably determined using an infrared sensor, which non - contactingly detects the temperature using infrared radiation reflected to the infrared sensor through a hole in the wear plate support.

[0027] The processing device can detect and store the measured values of the sensor device at regular time intervals and / or when a change occurs. Alternatively, the processing device can continuously detect and store the measured values of the sensor device. Thus, the measured values can be detected and / or stored only when the value changes in order to keep the amount of data low. Alternatively, continuous, i.e., continuous detection and storage, is possible. By storing the measured values, it becomes possible to further process the measured values at a location and / or time that is spatially and / or temporally separated even after the detection of the measured values. In that case, for example, the measured values can be detected during the running of a rail vehicle, and other characteristic values can be determined only when the rail vehicle is waiting in a parking lot. That is, for example, after running, the temperature measurement can be associated with and evaluated in relation to the wear measurement.

[0028] Using the processing device, the degree of wear of the wear plate, particularly of the contact element, can be determined from the measured values of the sensor device. As wear progresses, the pocket holes in the contact element are exposed, thus forming an optical path, and the signal transmitted from the photodetector changes, or the signals of other photodetectors are added thereto. Therefore, the degree of wear of the wear plate can be estimated from these changes. When a plurality of pocket holes with different depths are formed in the contact element, the degree of use of the contact element can be determined by the processing device according to the depth of each exposed pocket hole. Preferably, the processing device determines the degree of wear of the wear plate based on the pocket holes exposed by wear and uses the height of the remaining contact element due to wear.

[0029] The measured values of the sensor device can be transmitted from the sensor device to the processing device using a transmission device. The processing device can be arranged remotely from the sensor device or can be built into the housing of the sensor device. When the processing device is built into the sensor device, the data connection can be formed as a cable connection in a simple manner. Alternatively, it is also possible to arrange the processing device spatially separated from the sensor device and transmit the measured values of the sensor device to the processing device, preferably wirelessly, for example using a radio signal. In that case, the processing device can be arranged at other locations on the vehicle or fixed far away from the rail vehicle, for example in a building. When transmitting the measured values, data exchange can be carried out, for example, based on a transmission protocol. The data connection can be formed continuously, at regular intervals, or based on events. That is, overall, it is possible to collect and evaluate the data detected by the sensor device.

[0030] The slip plate according to the present invention for supplying current to a vehicle has a measurement system according to the present invention arranged on the slip plate.

[0031] The current collector according to the present invention for supplying current to a vehicle by catenary connection has a positioning device and a slip plate according to the present invention arranged thereon.

[0032] The vehicle according to the present invention, particularly a rail vehicle or the like, has a current collector according to the present invention.

[0033] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a current collector 2 on the roof 21 of a rail vehicle, not shown in detail here, with a positioning device 23 formed as a pantograph 22. In the pantograph 22, two contact strips 3 are arranged on rockers 24 transversely to the overhead line 12. The rail vehicle moves relative to the overhead line 12 at a running speed V F At that time, the contact plate 3 moves with a pressing force F A The contact strip 3 is pressed against the overhead wire 12 transversely or perpendicularly to the overhead wire 12 by the contact strip 3. The contact strip 3 is formed of a contact element 32 and a contact strip support 31 made of a carbon material, not shown in detail here, and the movement of the contact strip 3 against the overhead wire 12 as described here causes the abrasion of the carbon material.

[0036] Figure 2 shows the wear plate 3 according to the present invention having the measurement system 1 according to the present invention, in which the housing 10 of the measurement system is arranged in the center of the wear plate 3 with respect to the length L and width B of the wear plate 3, and a sensor device 4 is provided in the housing. The wear plate 3 is substantially formed of a contact element 32 made of carbon or graphite and a wear plate support 31. The wear plate support 31 has a profile material, and the profile material is generally made of a metal material such as steel or aluminum, and the contact element 32 is fixed on the profile material. A fixed bearing 311 is formed on the profile material, and the fixed bearing is used to couple the wear plate 3 to a rocker (not shown here). The contact element 32 is arranged on the wear plate support 31, and thus substantially above the wear plate support 31. In contrast, the sensor device 4 is arranged below the wear plate support 31. Since the housing 10 is arranged in the center with respect to both the length L and the width B and is formed compactly, the housing 10 has little influence on the aerodynamics of the wear plate 3 or the current collector 2 (not shown here) during running drive.

[0037] Figure 3 shows a part of the wear plate 3 shown in Figure 2, in which the contact element 32 is shown in perspective, so that the holes 5, 6, 7 can be recognized. These holes 5, 6, 7 have different depths and penetrate the wear plate support 31 from the lower side of the wear plate support 31 and end inside the contact element 32. Since the contact element 32 shown in Figure 3 is not worn at all, the three holes 5, 6, 7 respectively form pocket holes 51, 61, 71. As the wear of the contact element 32 progresses, the pocket holes 51, 61, 71 are successively opened, each forming an optical path, and light radiation reaches the sensor device 4 through the optical path. As is apparent from Figure 3, the hole 5 that penetrates deepest into the contact element 32 is first exposed due to wear, then the hole 6, and finally the hole 7. Therefore, at least three stages of wear of the contact element 32 are determined by the wear plate 3 shown in Figure 3 and the measurement system 1 arranged therein.

[0038] As can be seen by looking at FIGS. 4 and 5 together, the slide plate 3 based on the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is shown in various cross-sections. The housing 10 of the measurement system 1 that protects the sensor device 4 from ambient influences is fixed to the lower side of the slide plate support by its upper side 101. It is recognized that the housing 10 is arranged on the slide plate support 31 such that the lower side of the slide plate support closes the upper side 101 having the opening 102 of the housing 10.

[0039] In the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 4, a pocket hole 51 is formed in the contact element 32, and a hole 5 passing through the slide plate support 31 is formed in the slide plate 3. To protect the sensor device 4 from environmental influences and in particular from dirt particles caused by wear of the contact element 32, a transparent filling element 53 designed as a cylindrical rod is inserted into the hole 5. As soon as the hole 5 is exposed due to a reduction in the height of the contact element 32 by wear, light can enter onto the photodetector 52 of the sensor device 4 through the transparent filling element 53 by means of this rod-shaped element. The incidence of light onto the photodetector 52 causes a signal change or signal activation of the photodetector 52, based on which a processing device (not shown) of the measurement system 1 can determine the degree of wear of the slide plate 3.

[0040] Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the slip plate 3 according to the present invention based on the embodiment shown in Figure 2. As is apparent in this longitudinal sectional view, a total of four holes 5, 6, 7, 8 are formed in the slip plate 3. Three holes 5, 6, 7 penetrate the slip plate support 31 to form pocket holes 51, 61, 71 in the contact element 32. Below the holes 5, 6, 7, photodetectors 52, 62, 72 are respectively arranged, and they are respectively associated with the holes 5, 6, 7. That is, when the hole 5 or the pocket hole 51 is exposed, light enters onto the photodetector 52 through the transparent filling element 53, and it outputs a signal to a processing device not shown here. Next, when the height H of the contact element 32 further decreases due to further wear and thereby the hole 6 is exposed, the photodetector 62 associated with the hole 6 outputs a signal change or a signal due to the incidence of light passing through the transparent filling element 63. The hole 7 is exposed last in terms of time based on wear, and at that time, light enters onto the photodetector 72 through the transparent filling element 73, and this photodetector 72 outputs a signal. Since the holes 5, 6, 7 have different depths, the holes 5, 6, 7 are exposed at different times in response to the decrease in the height H of the contact element 32 due to wear. When the two deep holes 5, 6 are exposed, an information or warning signal is output to the operator of the rail vehicle. Next, when the hole 7 is exposed, it is conceivable that the slip plate 3 is disconnected from the overhead line 12 based on the large wear of the contact element 32. Here too, it is recognized that the upper side 101 of the housing 10 of the sensor device 4 is arranged below the slip plate support 31. In that case, an opening 102 is arranged on the upper side 101 of the housing 10 as follows, that is, on the one hand, the slip plate support 31 closes the upper side 101 of the housing 10, and at the same time, the light passing through the holes 5, 6, 7 and the other light passing through the hole 8 can enter onto the sensor device 4. Different from the holes 5, 6, 7, the hole 8 penetrates only the slip plate support 31 and ends at the lower side 321 of the contact element 32. Based on the infrared radiation reflected from the contact element 32, a temperature sensor 44 formed as an infrared sensor can detect the temperature of the contact element 32.Thereby, the height H of the contact element 32, the degree of wear of the contact element 32, and the temperature of the contact element 32 can be related to each other within the processing device, and thus the wear behavior can be analyzed using a plurality of parameters.

Claims

1. A measurement system (1) for measuring the wear state of a contact element (32) of a slip plate (3) that supplies current through overhead line connection to a vehicle, the measurement system (1) comprising a sensor device (4). The slip plate (3) has a slip plate support (31) and the contact element (32) held on the slip plate support, and at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) are formed in the slip plate (3). The holes penetrate the slip plate support (31) and form at least one pocket hole (51, 61, 71) within the contact element (32). In the measurement system (1), the sensor device (4) of the measurement system (1) is removably fixed outside the slip plate (3) and below the slip plate support (31). Light radiation can be detected using photodetectors (52, 62, 72) of the sensor device (4). At least one hole (5, 6, 7) of the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) forms an optical path when the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state. Light radiation enters onto the photodetectors (52, 62, 72) through the optical path. The measurement system (1) has a processing device, and the wear state of the contact element (32) can be determined from the detected light radiation using the processing device. A measurement system characterized by this.

2. The sensor device (4) has a temperature sensor (44), preferably an infrared sensor. The temperature sensor (44) is arranged within the region of the entrance of one hole (8) of the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) so that the temperature of the contact element (32) can be detected using the temperature sensor (44). The measurement system according to claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The hole (8) having the entrance where the temperature sensor (44) is arranged extends through the slip plate support (31) to the lower side (321) of the contact element (32). The measurement system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

4. The sensor device (4) of the measurement system (1) has a housing (10), and the housing has one opening (102) and / or a plurality of openings that cover the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) on the upper side (101) that abuts against the slide plate support (31). The opening is arranged on the upper side (101) of the housing (10) complementary to the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) in the slide plate (3). The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that.

5. A plurality of holes (5, 6, 7) with different depths form an optical path when the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. A photodetector (52, 62, 72) is provided in each hole (5, 6, 7) that forms an optical path when the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state. The measurement system according to claim 5, characterized in that.

7. At least one hole (5, 6, 7, 8) is filled with a temperature-resistant and transparent filling element (53, 63, 73). The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that.

8. The filling element (53, 63, 73) is formed complementary to the hole (5, 6, 7) and can be inserted into the hole (5, 6, 7). The measurement system according to claim 7, characterized in that.

9. Three holes (5, 6, 7) with different depths are formed in the slide plate (3), penetrate the slide plate support (31), and form three pocket holes (51, 61, 71) in the contact element (32). When the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state, the three holes (5, 6, 7) form an optical path, and light radiation is incident on the photodetector (52, 62, 72) through the optical path. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that.

10. The measuring system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least two holes (5, 6) are not filled, and the hole (7) formed in the contact element (32) at the shallowest depth is filled with a temperature-resistant and transparent filling element (73).

11. A method for measuring the wear state of a contact element (32) of a slip plate (3) that supplies current to a vehicle by overhead connection using a measuring system (1), wherein the slip plate (3) has a slip plate support (31) and a contact element (32) held on the slip plate support (31), and at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) are formed in the slip plate (3), passing through the slip plate support (31) and forming at least one pocket hole (51, 61, 71) in the contact element (32). Using a photodetector (52, 62, 72) of a sensor device (4), the incidence of light radiation on the sensor device (4) is detected. When the contact element (32) reaches a predetermined wear state, at least one hole (5, 6, 7) of the at least two holes (5, 6, 7, 8) forms an optical path, and light radiation is guided to the photodetector (52, 62, 72) through the optical path. The wear state of the contact element (32) is determined based on the incident light radiation by a processing device of the measuring system (1).

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the temperature of the contact element (32) is detected using a temperature sensor (44) of the sensor device (4), preferably using an infrared sensor.

13. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the processing device detects and stores the measured values of the sensor device (4) at regular time intervals, and / or when there is a change, or continuously.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the processing device determines the degree of wear of the slip plate (3), particularly the contact element (329), from the measured values of the sensor device (4).

15. The measured value of the sensor device (4) is transmitted from the sensor device (4) to the processing device, preferably wirelessly, using a transmission device, and the processing device is arranged at a spatially separated location from the sensor device (4), or is built into the housing (10) of the sensor device (4). The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that.

16. A wear plate (3) on which the measurement system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is arranged.

17. A current collector for supplying current to a vehicle by overhead connection, having a positioning device in which the wear plate (3) according to claim 16 is arranged.

18. A vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, having the current collector according to claim 17.

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