Rail grinding device

Abstract

The present invention provides a rail grinding device that can reduce the labor required to grind down irregularities formed on rails while minimizing the impact on work efficiency. [Solution] The rail grinding apparatus is a rail grinding apparatus that grinds irregularities formed on at least the upper surface of a rail as a grinding target object, and comprises a grinding unit having a grinding body that grinds the grinding target object with a rotating grinding surface, a multi-joint robot arm to which the grinding unit is attached at its tip, and a first controller that controls the movement of the robot arm. The first controller controls the robot arm to tilt the grinding surface at a distance from the upper surface of the rail, move the tilted grinding surface in parallel until it contacts the grinding target object, and move the tilted grinding surface back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while keeping it in contact with the grinding target object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rail grinding device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a device for scraping off a welded portion protruding from the surface of a rail member at a joint portion between adjacent rail members has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The device for trimming the welded residue at the rail head joint described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of clamping devices that sandwich both sides of the joint portion in the longitudinal direction of the rail, a lateral movement frame supported by the clamping devices, and a cutter body that moves along the lateral movement frame. By moving the cutter body along the upper surface of the rail, the welded residue protruding from the upper surface of the rail can be trimmed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the trimming device described in Patent Document 1 requires manual attachment and detachment of the clamping device every time the welded residue at the joint portion is trimmed, resulting in poor workability. For this reason, ultimately, the operator often performs the grinding work manually using a grinding device such as a disk grinder.

[0005] However, manual grinding work has problems in that the operator has to work in a bent position for a long time, resulting in a poor working environment, and requires strong force.

[0006] One of the objects of the present disclosure is to provide a rail grinding device that can reduce the labor required to grind the unevenness formed on the rail while reducing the impairment of workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A rail grinding apparatus according to this disclosure is a rail grinding apparatus for grinding irregularities formed on at least the upper surface of a rail as a grinding target, and comprises a grinding unit having a grinding body that grinds the grinding target with a rotating grinding surface, a multi-joint robot arm to which the grinding unit is attached at its tip, and a first controller for controlling the movement of the robot arm. The first controller controls the robot arm to tilt the grinding surface at a distance from the upper surface of the rail, move the tilted grinding surface in parallel until it contacts the grinding target, and move the tilted grinding surface back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while keeping it in contact with the grinding target. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The rail grinding apparatus described above can reduce the labor required to grind the irregularities formed on the rails while minimizing the impact on workability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a rail grinding apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2(A) is a schematic plan view of the moving body in the rail grinding apparatus according to the embodiment. Figure 2(B) is a schematic side view of the moving body according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a schematic plan view of the robot arm according to the embodiment. Figure 3(B) is a schematic front view of the robot arm according to the embodiment. Figure 3(C) is a schematic side view of the robot arm according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic front view of a grinding unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a rail grinding apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic front view of the rail grinding apparatus according to the embodiment, showing the state in which the grinding surface is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the rail. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described first. The rail grinding apparatus of the present disclosure is a rail grinding apparatus that grinds irregularities formed on at least the upper surface of a rail as a grinding target. The rail grinding apparatus comprises a grinding unit having a grinding body that grinds the grinding target with a rotating grinding surface, a multi-joint robot arm to which the grinding unit is attached as the tip, and a first controller that controls the movement of the robot arm. The first controller controls the robot arm to tilt the grinding surface at a distance from the upper surface of the rail, move the tilted grinding surface in parallel until it contacts the grinding target, and move the tilted grinding surface back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while keeping it in contact with the grinding target.

[0011] In the rail grinding apparatus of this disclosure, at least the upper surface of the rail can be ground using a robotic arm, thus reducing the labor required to grind the irregularities on the rail. Because grinding is performed using a robotic arm, there are fewer constraints on the installation location. Therefore, the rail grinding apparatus of this disclosure can reduce the labor required to grind the irregularities formed on the rail while minimizing the impact on workability.

[0012] In the rail grinding apparatus described above, the first controller may, after grinding the object to be ground with the inclined grinding surface, leave a portion of the object to be ground intact, then move the grinding surface parallel to the upper surface of the rail at a distance from it, move the grinding surface parallel to the object to be ground until it contacts a portion of the object to be ground, and then control the robot arm to move the grinding surface back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while it is in contact with a portion of the object to be ground. This configuration can improve the finish of the upper surface of the ground rail.

[0013] In the rail grinding apparatus described above, the grinding unit may further include a drive mechanism for moving the grinding body in a direction perpendicular to the grinding surface. The rail grinding apparatus may further include a second controller for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism. The second controller may control the drive mechanism so that, after the grinding surface comes into contact with the object to be ground, the grinding surface is pressed against the object to be ground. This configuration makes it possible to increase the grinding speed of the object to be ground and to easily achieve a reduction in the time required for the work.

[0014] In the rail grinding apparatus described above, a pair of running rails may be laid on the installation surface. The rail grinding apparatus may further include a mobile body on which the robot arm is mounted and which is capable of traveling on the pair of running rails. At least one of the pair of running rails may be the rail having the object to be ground on at least its upper surface. The first controller may control the robot arm to cause the grinding surface to reciprocate along the upper surface of the rail, thereby causing the grinding surface to reciprocate along the upper surface and in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rail extends. With this configuration, the rail grinding apparatus can be moved along the running rails, thus reducing the effort required for transporting and installing the apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the labor required to grind the irregularities formed on the rail while minimizing the impact on workability.

[0015] In the above rail grinding device, the first controller may incline the grinding surface with respect to the upper surface of the rail so that the inclination angle is 15 degrees or more and 25 degrees or less. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the grinding amount of the grinding object formed on the upper surface of the rail and the wear amount on the grinding surface, and it is easy to achieve balanced grinding performance.

[0016] In the above rail grinding device, the second controller may control the drive mechanism so that the grinding surface contacts the grinding object with a force of 5 N or more and 15 N or less. With this configuration, while making the grinding amount for the grinding object formed on the upper surface of the rail an appropriate amount, it is easy to make the wear amount on the grinding surface an appropriate amount. As a result, it is easy to achieve the maximization of the grinding performance in the grinding body.

[0017] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Next, an embodiment of a rail grinding device 100 according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0018] (Outline of the Structure of Rail Grinding Device 100) FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view showing the overall configuration of a rail grinding device 100 according to the present embodiment. The rail grinding device 100 is a device for grinding at least a rail 1 having irregularities formed on its upper surface. The rail grinding device 100 uses the irregularities formed on the rail 1 as the grinding object. In the present embodiment, the irregularities as the grinding object are the excess that bulges at the joint portion 12 of adjacent rail members 11. By using the rail grinding device 100, the labor required for grinding the excess generated at the joint portion 12 between the plurality of rail members 11 can be reduced.

[0019] A plurality of rail members 11 can be joined by welding to form the rail 1. Examples of welding include gas pressure welding, thermite welding, and enclosed arc welding. By welding, a surplus is formed at the joint portion 12 between the rail members 11. Since the surplus rises at least from the upper surface of the head of the rail 1, it is necessary to grind it until it is flush with the upper surface of the head of the rail member 11.

[0020] The unevenness as the grinding object is not limited to the surplus, and may be rust formed on the upper surface of the rail 1, or the inner surface defining the depression. By grinding the surface (sometimes referred to as the undulating surface) that defines the unevenness with the rail grinding device 100, the portion where the grinding object was formed can be made flush with the upper surface of the rail 1.

[0021] Regarding the rail grinding device 100 according to the present embodiment, as an example of the grinding object, mainly, grinding of the unevenness formed on the upper surface of the head of the rail 1 (hereinafter, referred to as "the upper surface in the rail 1" or "the upper surface of the rail 1", etc.) will be described. The rail 1 is a pair of running rails laid on the installation surface so that the moving body 2 described later can run. The rail 1 having unevenness as the grinding object is at least one of the pair of running rails. The unevenness as the grinding object, as described above, includes, for example, surplus, rust, and depression, but can also be formed not only on the upper surface of the rail 1 but also on the side surface of the head of the rail 1, the side surface of the abdomen, and the outer peripheral surface of the bottom. The rail grinding device 100 may be used for grinding the unevenness formed on at least a part of the side surface of the rail 1, the side surface of the abdomen, and the outer peripheral surface of the bottom.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the rail grinding device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a moving body 2 movable on the rail 1, a robot arm 3, a grinding unit 4 attached to the robot arm 3, a control device 5, a gas supply device 8, and a power supply device 9. The control device 5, the gas supply device 8, and the robot arm 3 are mounted on the moving body 2. The power supply device 9 according to the present embodiment is installed on the ground.

[0023] In the following description, the direction in which the moving body 2 moves forward along the longitudinal direction of rail 1 is defined as "first direction D1," and the direction opposite to first direction D1 is defined as "second direction D2." On a plane perpendicular to first direction D1, the direction from bottom to top is defined as "third direction D3." The direction opposite to third direction D3 is defined as "fourth direction D4." With the moving body 2 viewed in first direction D1, the direction from left to right is defined as "fifth direction D5." The direction opposite to fifth direction D5 is defined as "sixth direction D6." In this disclosure, the ordinal numbers preceding terms such as "first direction D1," "second direction D2," "third direction D3," "fourth direction D4," "fifth direction D5," and "sixth direction D6" are merely markings to distinguish terms and do not indicate priority. These definitions of directions are made solely for the convenience of explanation. The definition of direction does not specify the manner in which the rail grinding device 100 is used.

[0024] In this embodiment, the plane containing the first direction D1, the second direction D2, the fifth direction D5, and the sixth direction D6 is described as a horizontal plane. However, in this disclosure, the plane containing the first direction D1, the second direction D2, the fifth direction D5, and the sixth direction D6 may be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. In this disclosure, "parallel" includes not only cases where two lines, edges, planes, etc., when extended, do not intersect each other, but also cases where they intersect but the angle between them is within 3 degrees. "Orthogonal" includes not only cases where two lines, edges, planes, etc., when extended, intersect each other at 90 degrees, but also cases where they intersect within a range of 90 degrees ± 3 degrees.

[0025] (Mobile Unit 2) Figures 2(A) and 2(B) show schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the mobile body 2. Figure 2(A) is a schematic plan view of the mobile body 2 with a portion cut off, and Figure 2(B) is a schematic side view of the mobile body 2. Referring to Figures 2(A) and 2(B), the mobile body 2 comprises a plurality of wheels 21, a plurality of shafts 22 connected to a pair of wheels 21, and a base 26 supporting the plurality of shafts 22. The mobile body 2 is a vehicle. The mobile body 2 according to this embodiment is a vehicle without a drive unit, but it may be a vehicle with a drive unit. Examples of drive units include electric motors, air motors, hydraulic motors, engines, etc.

[0026] The wheel 21 rotates on the rail 1 while in contact with the upper surface of the rail 1. The axis of rotation of the wheel 21 extends in the fifth direction D5 and is coaxial with the central axis of the shaft 22. The wheel 21 is a flanged roller. The flanges of the wheel 21 are positioned to face the inner surfaces of the pair of rails 1. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the wheel 21, but examples include metal, synthetic resin, and carbon.

[0027] The shaft 22 is formed in a rod shape extending in the fifth direction D5. The central axis of the shaft 22 is the axis of rotation of the wheel 21 and the shaft 22. A pair of wheels 21 are fixed to the first end 233 and the second end 243 in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 22, respectively.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2(B), the shaft 22 comprises a first shaft member 23 having a first end 233, a second shaft member 24 having a second end 243, and an insulating portion 25 that electrically insulates the first shaft member 23 and the second shaft member 24. The first shaft member 23 has a first flange 232 connected to a first shaft 231. The second shaft member 24 has a second flange 242 connected to a second shaft 241. The insulating portion 25 is positioned between the first flange 232 and the second flange 242. The first flange 232 and the second flange 242 are fixed to each other by a plurality of connectors (e.g., bolts and nuts) with the insulating portion 25 positioned between them. As a result, the first shaft 231 and the second shaft 241 are positioned in a straight line. There are no particular restrictions on the insulating portion 25, but examples include synthetic resin and rubber. By having an insulating section 25 in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the shaft 22, the shaft 22 can electrically insulate the pair of connected wheels 21.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, a robot arm 3 is mounted on the base 26. In this embodiment, in addition to the robot arm 3, a gas supply device 8 and a control device 5 are also mounted on the base 26. As shown in Figure 2(B), the base 26 is formed in a flat plate shape. The upper surface of the base 26 is the mounting surface 261 for the robot arm 3. The mounting surface 261 is a flat surface, but it does not have to be flat.

[0030] Multiple bearings 262 are attached to the underside of the base 26. The multiple bearings 262 are spaced apart in the fifth direction D5. The shaft 22 is rotatably mounted to the base 26 by the multiple bearings 262. The bearings 262 are, for example, bearing units having ball bearings. The bearings 262 are not limited to rolling bearings such as ball bearings; sliding bearings may also be used.

[0031] (Robot Arm 3) Figures 3(A) to 3(C) show schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a robot arm 3. Figure 3(A) is a schematic plan view of the robot arm 3 according to this embodiment. Figure 3(B) is a schematic front view of the robot arm 3 according to this embodiment. Figure 3(C) is a schematic side view of the robot arm 3 according to this embodiment.

[0032] Referring to Figures 3(A) to 3(C), the robot arm 3 is a multi-joint robot arm. The robot arm 3 according to this embodiment is a 6-axis multi-joint robot arm. The robot arm 3 comprises a base portion 31 fixed to the mounting surface 261 of the base 26, a first link portion 32, a second link portion 33, a third link portion 34, a fourth link portion 35, a fifth link portion 36, and a grinding unit mounting portion 37.

[0033] The first link portion 32 is rotatably mounted to the base portion 31. The axis of rotation of the first link portion 32 (hereinafter referred to as the first rotation axis 321) is parallel to the third direction D3. In this embodiment, the first rotation axis 321 is coaxial with the central axis of the base portion 31 that is parallel to the third direction D3.

[0034] The second link section 33 is rotatably attached to the first link section 32. The axis of rotation of the second link section 33 (hereinafter referred to as the second rotation axis 331) is perpendicular to the first rotation axis 321. The second link section 33 is attached to the upper end of the first link section 32. The second link section 33 extends in one direction. The first link section 32 is attached to the first end 332 of the longitudinal ends of the second link section 33, and the third link section 34 is attached to the second end 333.

[0035] The third link section 34 is rotatably attached to the second link section 33. The axis of rotation of the third link section 34 (hereinafter referred to as the third rotation axis 341) is parallel to the second rotation axis 331.

[0036] The fourth link section 35 is rotatably attached to the third link section 34. The axis of rotation of the fourth link section 35 (hereinafter referred to as the fourth rotation axis 351) is perpendicular to the third rotation axis 341.

[0037] The fifth link section 36 is rotatably attached to the fourth link section 35. The axis of rotation of the fifth link section 36 (hereinafter referred to as the fifth rotation axis 361) is perpendicular to the fourth rotation axis 351.

[0038] The grinding unit mounting section 37 is rotatably attached to the fifth link section 36. The rotation axis of the grinding unit mounting section 37 (hereinafter referred to as the sixth rotation axis 371) is perpendicular to the fifth rotation axis 361. The grinding unit 4 is attached to the grinding unit mounting section 37.

[0039] Each of the first link section 32, second link section 33, third link section 34, fourth link section 35, fifth link section 36, and grinding unit mounting section 37 can rotate independently of each other. Each of the first link section 32, second link section 33, third link section 34, fourth link section 35, fifth link section 36, and grinding unit mounting section 37 is rotated by multiple built-in motors. The multiple motors are controlled by a controller included in the control device 5 (hereinafter referred to as the first controller 6). As a result, the robot arm 3 can move the grinding unit 4 to the desired position by rotating each part around the first rotation axis 321 to the sixth rotation axis 371.

[0040] (Grinding Unit 4) Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a grinding unit 4. Referring to Figure 4, the grinding unit 4 comprises a drive mechanism 44 and a grinding device 41 having a grinding body 42. The grinding unit 4 is attached to the grinding unit mounting portion 37 of the robot arm 3. Therefore, the grinding unit 4 can rotate together with the grinding unit mounting portion 37 around the sixth rotation axis 371.

[0041] The robot arm 3 can move the grinding unit 4 to a desired position. The robot arm 3 can also orient the grinding unit 4 to a desired orientation. Here, the position of the grinding unit 4 refers to the coordinates of the center of the grinding surface 421 when the object to be ground is set as the origin and the XYZ coordinates are defined accordingly. The orientation of the grinding unit 4 refers to the direction in which the grinding surface 421 faces.

[0042] (Grinding device 41) The grinding device 41 is a device for grinding an object to be ground. The grinding device 41 has a grinding body 42 that grinds the object to be ground with a rotating grinding surface 421, and a main body 43 that drives the grinding body 42. The grinding device 41 according to this embodiment is, for example, a disc grinder.

[0043] The grinding body 42 has a grinding surface 421. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the grinding body 42 (hereinafter referred to as the grinding rotation axis 422) is parallel to the sixth rotation axis 371. The grinding rotation axis 422 may be located at a different position from the sixth rotation axis 371, which is the rotation axis of the grinding unit 4, or it may be located on the same straight line. The angular velocity of the grinding body 42 rotating around the grinding rotation axis 422 is greater than the angular velocity of the grinding unit mounting portion 37 rotating around the sixth rotation axis 371.

[0044] The grinding surface 421 is formed by the retention of multiple abrasive grains. In this disclosure, "grinding surface 421" refers to a virtual surface in which the fine irregularities of the multiple abrasive grains are approximated as a smooth surface. The grinding surface 421 in this embodiment is planar. The grinding surface 421 is perpendicular to the sixth rotation axis 371. However, the grinding surface 421 does not necessarily have to be planar; for example, it may be a curved surface.

[0045] The main body 43 drives the grinding body 42. In this embodiment, the main body 43 is driven by electric power. The main body 43 is electrically connected to the control device 5, and the power supplied from the control device 5 can be used as the driving power. The driving of the main body 43 is not limited to electric power; it may also be driven by compressed gas (pneumatics) or hydraulics. The main body 43 driven by gas may use gas (for example, air) supplied from a gas supply device 8 mounted on the mobile body 2 as the driving source. Furthermore, the main body 43 driven by gas may use nitrogen gas as the driving source, not just air.

[0046] (Drive mechanism 44) The drive mechanism 44 moves the grinding body 42 in a direction perpendicular to the grinding surface 421 by moving the grinding device 41 in a direction parallel to the sixth rotation axis 371. This allows the drive mechanism 44 to adjust the contact pressure with respect to the workpiece during grinding. The drive mechanism 44 has a fixed part 45 attached to the grinding unit mounting part 37 and a movable part 46 that is movable relative to the fixed part 45. The drive mechanism 44 also has a contact pressure detection unit 47 (Figure 5) that detects the contact pressure applied to the movable part 46. The drive mechanism 44 is communicatively connected to the control device 5. The operation of the drive mechanism 44 is controlled by a controller (hereinafter referred to as the second controller 7) included in the control device 5. In this disclosure, "communicatively connected" means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via a relay or the like by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0047] The fixed part 45 is fixed to the grinding unit mounting part 37. The fixed part 45 has an actuator 48 that operates the movable part 46. The actuator 48 can move the movable part 46 linearly along the sixth rotation axis 371. The actuator 48 can move the movable part 46 by any distance in response to instructions from the second controller 7.

[0048] The main body 43 of the grinding device 41 is attached to the movable part 46. In the direction along the sixth rotation axis 371, the movable range of the movable part 46 may be greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 30 mm. The upper limit of the movable range of the movable part 46 may be between 10 mm and 30 mm, or between 15 mm and 25 mm. By having a movable range of greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 30 mm, it is easier to adjust the contact pressure of the grinding device 41 with respect to the workpiece to be ground. However, the movable range of the movable part 46 described above is just an example and is not limited to the above range. The movable part 46 can move within its movable range in response to instructions from the second controller 7.

[0049] The contact pressure detection unit 47 is, for example, a pressure sensor. The detection signal detected by the contact pressure detection unit 47 is output to the second controller 7. The second controller 7 can adjust the contact pressure of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the workpiece to a desired pressure by, for example, adjusting the pressure applied to the movable part 46 by feedback control.

[0050] The drive mechanism 44 according to this embodiment is driven by compressed gas supplied from the gas supply device 8. However, the drive mechanism 44 may also be driven by electric power or by hydraulics.

[0051] (Control device 5) Figure 5 shows a block diagram illustrating the functions of the control device 5 according to this embodiment. The control device 5 controls the operation of the rail grinding machine 100. As shown in Figure 5, the control device 5 comprises a first controller 6 and a second controller 7. The first controller 6 and the second controller 7 mainly consist of a processor and memory as hardware components. The functions of the first controller 6 and the second controller 7 are realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory, provided via a telecommunications line, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card, optical disk, or hard disk drive. The processor consists of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated on a single chip or distributed across multiple chips.

[0052] (First controller 6) The first controller 6 controls the movement of the robot arm 3. As shown in Figure 5, the first controller 6 includes a grinding target receiving unit 61, a grinding surface angle processing unit 62, a lateral movement processing unit 63, an up-and-down movement processing unit 64, and a reciprocating movement processing unit 65.

[0053] (Grinding target receiving section 61) The grinding target receiving unit 61 performs a process to receive input information about the object to be ground. Information about the object to be ground includes, for example, the type of object to be ground (e.g., excess material, rust, depressions), the protrusion dimension of the object to be ground from the surface of the rail 1, the depression dimension of the object to be ground from the surface of the rail 1, the length of the object to be ground (length in the fifth direction D5), the width of the object to be ground (width in the first direction D1), and the material of the object to be ground.

[0054] Information may be input to the grinding target receiving unit 61 by an input device. Examples of input devices include a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, microphone, and camera. If the input device is a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, the operator can operate the input device to input information about the object to be ground to the grinding target receiving unit 61. If the input device is a microphone, the operator can input information about the object to be ground to the grinding target receiving unit 61 by voice input. If the input device is a camera, the grinding target receiving unit 61 can recognize the object to be ground and acquire information about it by performing image analysis on the image data captured using the camera.

[0055] (Grinding surface angle processing section 62) The grinding surface angle processing unit 62 moves the robot arm 3 to perform an angle adjustment process that controls the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1. For example, the grinding surface angle processing unit 62 determines the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1 based on information about the object to be ground, and controls the robot arm 3 to position the grinding surface 421 so that the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1 becomes that angle.

[0056] For example, when "excess material" is entered as the type of material to be ground, the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1 is increased compared to when "rust" is entered. In this case, the angle θ of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1 (see Figure 7) can be, for example, 15° or more and 30° or less.

[0057] For example, if "dent" is entered as the type of object to be ground, then "rust" will be entered. Compared to the previous case, the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface of the rail 1 is increased.

[0058] For example, if "rust" is entered as the type of object to be ground, the angle θ of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the upper surface of the rail 1 can be, for example, 5° or more and 10° or less.

[0059] The grinding surface angle processing unit 62 may determine the angle θ of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the upper surface of the rail 1 based on angle information input from the input device. Examples of angle information include numerical values ​​of the angle (e.g., 10°, 20°, 30°) and indicators showing the magnitude of the angle (e.g., "large", "medium", "small").

[0060] Referring to Figure 7, it is preferable that the first controller 6 inclines the grinding surface 421 to the upper surface of the rail 1 at an angle θ of 15 degrees or more and 25 degrees or less. In this case, it is preferable that the leading edge of the grinding surface 421 in the direction of travel (the leading edge in the first direction D1) is in contact with the upper surface of the rail 1, and that the base end side in the direction of travel (the leading edge side in the second direction D2) is inclined to be away from the upper surface of the rail 1.

[0061] In this case, if the angle θ of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the upper surface is greater than 25 degrees, the amount of wear on the grinding surface 421 tends to increase, and depending on the contact pressure, the rotation of the grinding body 42 may stop. On the other hand, if the angle θ of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the upper surface is less than 15 degrees, it becomes difficult to obtain an appropriate amount of grinding on the workpiece, and depending on the contact pressure, the rotation of the grinding body 42 may stop. Therefore, by controlling the angle θ to be between 15 degrees and 25 degrees, not only is the likelihood of rotation stopping regardless of contact pressure reduced, but the imbalance between the amount of grinding on the workpiece formed on the upper surface of the rail 1 and the amount of wear on the grinding surface 421 can be reduced, making it easier to achieve well-balanced grinding performance.

[0062] (Lateral movement processing unit 63) The lateral movement processing unit 63 moves the robot arm 3 to perform a parallel movement process that moves the grinding surface 421 along a direction parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1. For example, the lateral movement processing unit 63 can move the grinding surface 421 by controlling the robot arm 3 to move the grinding device 41 on a plane that includes the first direction D1 and the fifth direction D5, which are parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1. In this embodiment, the lateral movement processing unit 63 can recognize the direction parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1 by setting a reference surface in advance for the moving body 2. For example, the mounting surface 261 on the moving body 2 can be set as the reference surface. As a result, even if the rail 1 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the moving body 2 will tilt according to the inclination of the rail 1, so the direction parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1 can be recognized.

[0063] The lateral movement processing unit 63 may determine the amount of movement in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1 from the distance between the current position of the grinding surface 421 and the object to be ground. The distance between the current position of the grinding surface 421 and the object to be ground may be input from an input device or detected by a distance measuring sensor. The distance measuring sensor may be mounted on, for example, a robot arm 3.

[0064] The lateral movement processing unit 63 may perform a parallel movement process while maintaining the angle of the grinding surface 421 during the movement of the robot arm 3. This simplifies the process. However, the lateral movement processing unit 63 may also perform the parallel movement process of the robot arm 3 while the grinding surface angle processing unit 62 performs the angle adjustment process.

[0065] (Vertical movement processing unit 64) The vertical movement processing unit 64 moves the robot arm 3 to perform a vertical movement process that moves the grinding surface 421 along a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the rail 1. For example, the vertical movement processing unit 64 can move the grinding surface 421 by controlling the robot arm 3 to move the grinding device 41 in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the rail 1.

[0066] The vertical movement processing unit 64 may determine the amount of movement in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the rail 1 based on the distance between the current position of the grinding surface 421 and the object to be ground. Alternatively, the vertical movement processing unit 64 may move the grinding surface 421 laterally using the horizontal movement processing unit 63, then move the grinding surface 421 downwards in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the rail 1, and stop the vertical movement of the grinding surface 421 when the grinding surface 421 comes into contact with the object to be ground. Contact of the grinding surface 421 with the object to be ground can be detected by the contact pressure detection unit 47 of the drive mechanism 44.

[0067] (Round-trip movement processing unit 65) The reciprocating movement processing unit 65 moves the robot arm 3 to perform a reciprocating movement process that moves the grinding surface 421 back and forth along the upper surface of the rail 1. For example, the reciprocating movement processing unit 65 moves the grinding surface 421 back and forth along the upper surface of the rail 1 and in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the rail 1 extends (the fifth direction D5 in this embodiment). The amount of reciprocating movement may be 100% to 115% of the width of the rail 1 (length in the fifth direction D5), or 105% to 110%.

[0068] The reciprocating movement processing unit 65 can set the number of reciprocating movements of the grinding surface 421. The number of reciprocating movements can be set by input from an input device or by pre-setting based on empirical values.

[0069] (Second controller 7) The second controller 7 controls the operation of the drive mechanism 44. As shown in Figure 5, the second controller 7 includes a contact pressure receiving unit 71, a push-in processing unit 72, and a contact pressure control processing unit 73.

[0070] (Contact pressure receiving section 71) The contact pressure receiving unit 71 performs a process to receive input information regarding the contact pressure applied from the grinding surface 421 to the object to be ground. The contact pressure receiving unit 71 can determine the contact pressure of the contact surface to the object to be ground from the contact pressure information. The contact pressure information of the contact pressure receiving unit 71 may be a pressure value input from an input device, the type of object to be ground (e.g., excess material, rust, depressions), or the material of the object to be ground.

[0071] (Indentation processing section 72) The pressing unit 72 brings the grinding surface 421 into contact with the workpiece to be ground, and then performs a pressing process that controls the drive mechanism 44 so that the grinding surface 421 contacts the workpiece with a predetermined pressure. The pressing unit 72 controls the drive mechanism 44 so that the contact pressure of the grinding surface 421 with respect to the workpiece reaches the contact pressure determined by the contact pressure receiving unit 71, while referring to the contact pressure information input from the contact pressure detection unit 47. The pressing unit 72 can control the movable part 46 by feedback control.

[0072] The second controller 7 can control the drive mechanism 44 to bring the grinding surface 421 into contact with the workpiece at a force of, for example, 5N to 15N by performing a pushing process. This makes it easier to set the amount of grinding on the workpiece formed on the upper surface of the rail 1 to an appropriate amount, while also setting the amount of wear on the grinding surface 421 to an appropriate amount. As a result, it is easier to maximize the grinding performance of the grinding body 42.

[0073] By performing the pressing process, the grinding surface 421 can be brought into contact with the workpiece at a force of 5N to 15N. However, depending on the angle of the grinding surface 421 relative to the upper surface, the rotation of the grinding body 42 may stop, as described above. However, by performing an angle adjustment process and controlling the angle θ to be between 15 degrees and 25 degrees, the likelihood of the grinding body 42 stopping can be reduced even when the pressing process is performed simultaneously.

[0074] (Contact pressure control unit 73) The contact pressure control processing unit 73 performs a contact pressure process to bring the grinding surface 421 into contact with the workpiece at a constant pressure. The contact pressure control processing unit 73 controls the drive mechanism 44 to bring the grinding surface 421 into contact with the workpiece at a constant pressure, while referring to the contact pressure information input from the contact pressure detection unit 47. The contact pressure control processing unit 73 can control the drive mechanism 44, for example, by feedback control. By performing the contact pressure process, the grinding surface 421 can be kept in contact with the workpiece while maintaining the contact pressure achieved, for example, by performing a pressing process.

[0075] (Gas supply device 8) Referring to Figure 1, the gas supply device 8 supplies compressed gas to equipment that operates using compressed gas. The gas supply device 8 according to this embodiment includes an air compressor that supplies compressed air. The gas supply device 8 according to this embodiment can supply high-pressure air to the drive mechanism 44. The gas supply device 8 is not limited to an air compressor, but may also include, for example, a high-pressure cylinder that supplies high-pressure air, or a cylinder that supplies high-pressure nitrogen gas.

[0076] (Power supply 9) The power supply unit 9 supplies power to electrically powered equipment. The power supply unit 9 is, for example, installed on the ground. The power supply unit 9 according to this embodiment can supply power to the control device 5, the robot arm 3, the gas supply device 8, and the grinding device 41. The power supply unit 9 can output DC power.

[0077] The power supply device 9 is, for example, a generator. An example of a generator is an engine generator. The power supply device 9 is not limited to a generator; it may also be, for example, a storage battery, a flow battery, or a solar power generator.

[0078] (operation) Next, an example of the operation of the rail grinding device 100 according to this embodiment will be described based on a flowchart. Referring to Figure 6, the operator positions the mobile body 2 close to the object to be ground, and then starts operating the rail grinding device 100. When the rail grinding device 100 starts operating, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to tilt the grinding surface 421 with respect to the upper surface of the rail 1 (S1).

[0079] Subsequently, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to move the grinding surface 421 in parallel on a surface parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1, while maintaining the angle of the grinding surface 421. The first controller 6 also moves the robot arm 3 to move the grinding surface 421 in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the rail 1, while maintaining the angle of the grinding surface 421. This brings the grinding surface 421 into contact with the object to be ground (S2).

[0080] Subsequently, the control device 5 maintains the position of the robot arm 3 and, using the second controller 7, moves the drive mechanism 44 to press the grinding surface 421 against the workpiece (S3). After pressing the grinding surface 421 against the workpiece, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to reciprocate the grinding surface 421 along the upper surface of the rail 1. In this embodiment, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to reciprocate the grinding surface 421 along the upper surface of the rail 1 and in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rail 1 extends. At this time, the second controller 7 controls the drive mechanism 44 so that the pressure from the workpiece on the grinding surface 421 remains constant. As a result, the rail grinding device 100 grinds the workpiece, leaving a portion intact (S4).

[0081] Subsequently, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to lift the grinding surface 421 away from the upper surface of the rail 1 (S5). After the grinding surface 421 is lifted away from the rail 1, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to make the grinding surface 421 parallel to the upper surface of the rail 1 (S6).

[0082] Subsequently, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to maintain the angle of the grinding surface 421 and move it in parallel until it contacts the object to be ground (S7).

[0083] Subsequently, the control device 5 maintains the position of the robot arm 3 and, using the second controller 7, moves the drive mechanism 44 to press the grinding surface 421 against the workpiece to be ground (S8). After pressing the grinding surface 421 against the workpiece, the first controller 6 moves the robot arm 3 to move the grinding surface 421 back and forth along the upper surface of the rail 1 (S9). As a result, all the workpieces are ground, and the joints 12 between the rail members 11 become flush with the upper surface of the rail members 11.

[0084] (modified version) In the rail grinding apparatus 100 according to the above embodiment, the grinding unit 4 has a drive mechanism 44, but the drive mechanism 44 is not required. The grinding apparatus 41 may be directly attached to the tip of the robot arm 3.

[0085] The grinding device 41 in the above embodiment was a disc grinder, but it may also be a belt grinder. In a belt grinder, the grinding body 42 moves as the pulley rotates. The grinding body 42 that follows the rotation of the pulley has a "rotating grinding surface 421". Alternatively, the grinding device 41 may be a straight grinder in which the grinding body 42 is axial.

[0086] Although the second controller 7 in the above embodiment is included in the control device 5, the second controller 7 may also be mounted on the grinding unit 4.

[0087] In the mobile body 2 according to the above embodiment, the shaft 22 connecting the pair of wheels 21 had an insulating portion 25, but the insulating portion 25 is not required.

[0088] In the above embodiment, it was explained that during grinding, the grinding surface 421 is inclined such that the tip in the first direction D1 contacts the upper surface of the rail 1, and the part in the second direction D2 is further away from the upper surface of the rail 1 than the tip. However, the inclination of the grinding surface 421 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, during grinding, the grinding surface 421 may be inclined such that the tip (base end) in the second direction D2 contacts the upper surface of the rail 1, and the part in the first direction D1 is further away from the upper surface of the rail 1 than that part.

[0089] The embodiments disclosed herein should be understood to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and not by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 100 Rail grinding device, 1 Rail, 11 Rail member, 12 Joint, 2 Moving body, 21 Wheel, 22 Shaft, 23 First shaft member, 231 First axis, 232 First flange, 233 First end, 24 Second shaft member, 241 Second axis, 242 Second flange, 243 Second end, 25 Insulation part, 26 Base, 261 Mounting surface, 262 Bearing, 3 Robot arm, 31 Base part, 32 First link part, 321 First rotating axis, 33 Second link part, 331 Second rotating axis, 34 Third link part, 341 Third rotating axis, 35 Fourth link part, 351 Fourth rotating axis, 36 Fifth link part, 361 Fifth rotating axis, 37 Grinding unit mounting part, 371 Sixth rotating axis, 4 Grinding unit, 41 Grinding device, 42 421 Grinding surface, 422 Grinding rotating shaft, 43 Main body, 44 Drive mechanism, 45 Fixed part, 46 Movable part, 47 Contact pressure detection part, 48 Actuator, 5 Control device, 6 First controller, 61 Grinding target receiving part, 62 Grinding surface angle processing part, 63 Lateral movement processing part, 64 Up and down movement processing part, 65 Reciprocating movement processing part, 7 Second controller, 71 Contact pressure receiving part, 72 Pushing processing part, 73 Contact pressure control processing part, 8 Gas supply device, 9 Power supply device.

Claims

1. A rail grinding apparatus for grinding irregularities formed on at least the upper surface of a rail as the object to be ground, A grinding unit having a grinding body that grinds the object to be ground with a rotating grinding surface, The aforementioned grinding unit is attached to the tip of a multi-jointed robot arm, A first controller that controls the movement of the robot arm, Equipped with, The first controller is, The grinding surface is inclined at a distance from the upper surface of the rail, The inclined grinding surface is moved parallel to the object to be ground until it comes into contact with it. The robot arm is controlled to move back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while keeping the inclined grinding surface in contact with the object to be ground. Rail grinding machine.

2. The first controller is, After grinding the object to be ground with the inclined grinding surface, leaving a portion of it intact, the grinding surface is made parallel to the upper surface of the rail at a distance from it. The grinding surface is moved in parallel until it comes into contact with a portion of the object to be ground. The robot arm is controlled to move back and forth along the upper surface of the rail while keeping the grinding surface in contact with a portion of the object to be ground. The rail grinding apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The grinding unit further includes a drive mechanism that moves the grinding body in a direction perpendicular to the grinding surface, The rail grinding apparatus further comprises a second controller that controls the operation of the drive mechanism, The second controller controls the drive mechanism so that, after the grinding surface comes into contact with the object to be ground, the grinding surface is pressed against the object to be ground. A rail grinding apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. A pair of running rails are laid on the mounting surface. The rail grinding apparatus further comprises a mobile body on which the robot arm is mounted and which is capable of traveling on a pair of the aforementioned rails, At least one of the pair of running rails is the rail having the object to be ground on at least its upper surface, The first controller controls the robot arm to cause the grinding surface to reciprocate along the upper surface of the rail, thereby causing the grinding surface to reciprocate in a direction that is along the upper surface and intersects the direction in which the rail extends. A rail grinding apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. The first controller inclins the grinding surface with respect to the upper surface of the rail at an angle of 15 degrees or more and 25 degrees or less. A rail grinding apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The second controller controls the drive mechanism so that the grinding surface comes into contact with the workpiece to be ground at a force of 5N to 15N. The rail grinding apparatus according to claim 3.

Images