Measurement vehicle, measurement device, overhead wiring measurement method, and measurement data

Abstract

A measurement vehicle (100) is provided with a first laser scanner (111) and a second laser scanner (112) that are used for measuring overhead wiring, and a first slide mechanism (115) and a second slide mechanism (116). When the measurement vehicle (100) travels on a road, the first slide mechanism (115) and the second slide mechanism (116) slide in the transverse direction to fit within the width of the vehicle, thereby placing the first laser scanner (111) and the second laser scanner (112) within the width of the vehicle. When the measurement vehicle (100) moves along a railway track to measure overhead wiring, the first slide mechanism (115) and the second slide mechanism (116) spread to the outside of the width of the vehicle to place the first laser scanner (111) and the second laser scanner (112) outside the width of the vehicle.

Description

Measuring Vehicle, Measuring Device, Overhead Line Measuring Method, and Measurement Data

[0008]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mobile measuring device used for measuring railway overhead lines.

[0002] Railway overhead lines include trolley wires, auxiliary suspension wires, and suspension wires, which are connected by hangers. These are regularly inspected, maintained, and replaced. The length of the hanger is measured on-site. If the length of the hanger is inappropriate, fatal problems such as the overhead line being cut may occur. The length measurement is performed visually using an on-site elevated work vehicle. Therefore, a great deal of cost is incurred.

[0003] The lengths of the hangers vary depending on the location, and it is necessary to prepare hangers suitable for the site. The inspection is basically performed visually, and in some cases, inspection using a camera is carried out. However, the length of the hanger cannot be calculated using a camera. Therefore, elevated work at the site is required. Basically, the work is carried out at night, which is costly. Furthermore, there are problems such as the inspection frequency cannot be increased and the work is dangerous.

[0004] Matsumura Shu, Nezu Kazuyoshi, "Measuring Electric Train Lines Using Images and Lasers", RRR Vol. 74 No. 7 2017.7

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to enable safe measurement of railway overhead lines.

[0006] The measuring vehicle of the present disclosure is a measuring vehicle used for measuring an overhead line installed above a railway track, a measuring instrument used for measuring the overhead line, a slide mechanism in which the measuring instrument is installed and slides in the transverse direction, and when the measuring vehicle travels on a road, it fits within the vehicle width and arranges the measuring instrument within the vehicle width, and when the measuring vehicle moves on the railway track and the measurement of the overhead line is carried out, it spreads outside the vehicle width and arranges the measuring instrument outside the vehicle width.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is not necessary to visually measure the railway overhead line, and it is possible to safely measure the railway overhead line.

[0008] A plan view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A side view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A front view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A rear view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A rear view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A rear view of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing an example of the overhead wire 200 in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the main overhead wire 200 in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the measurement vehicle 100 during railway measurement in Embodiment 1. A conceptual diagram of a conventional measurement vehicle. A conceptual diagram of a conventional measurement vehicle and the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A conceptual diagram of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing an example of the laser point cloud of the overhead wire 200 in Embodiment 1. A conceptual diagram of the measurement vehicle 100 in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the measurement vehicle 100 in railway and road conditions in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the measurement vehicle 100 in railway and road conditions in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the relationship between the measurement vehicle 100 and the vehicle clearance in Embodiment 1. A diagram showing the relationship between the measurement vehicle 100 and the vehicle clearance in Embodiment 1.

[0009] In the embodiments and drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numeral. The descriptions of elements denoted by the same reference numeral as the described elements are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0010] Embodiment 1. The measurement vehicle 100 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 16.

[0011] ***Explanation of Configuration*** The configuration of the measurement vehicle 100 will be explained based on Figures 1 and 2. The measurement vehicle 100 is a specific example of a vehicle (measurement vehicle) used to measure the overhead wires 200 installed above the railway tracks. The overhead wires 200 will be described later.

[0012] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with laser scanners (111-114). The first laser scanner 111 and the second laser scanner 112 are laser scanners mainly used for measuring the overhead wires 200. The third laser scanner 113 is a laser scanner used for measuring the area behind the measurement vehicle 100. The fourth laser scanner 114 is a laser scanner used for measuring the area above the measurement vehicle 100. The laser scanners perform measurements by emitting laser light while rotating.

[0013] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with an overhead line camera 121 and a dedicated camera light 122. The overhead line camera 121 is a camera used to photograph the overhead line 200. For example, the overhead line camera 121 is a monochrome camera. The dedicated camera light 122 is a light used to photograph the overhead line 200.

[0014] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with sliding mechanisms (115, 116). The first sliding mechanism 115 is a mechanism in which the first laser scanner 111 is installed and slides in the transverse direction. The second sliding mechanism 116 is a mechanism in which the second laser scanner 112, the overhead line camera 121, and the camera-specific lighting 122 are installed and slide in the transverse direction. The transverse direction corresponds to the left-right direction of the measurement vehicle 100.

[0015] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with cameras (130-132). The 360-degree camera 130 is used to photograph the entire circumference of the vehicle, including the front, back, left, and right. The front camera 131 is used to photograph the area in front of the measurement vehicle 100. The rear camera 132 is used to photograph the area behind the measurement vehicle 100.

[0016] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with an antenna 140. The antenna 140 is a device for positioning the measurement vehicle 100 using a satellite positioning system. An example of a satellite positioning system is the Global Positioning System (GPS).

[0017] Figure 3 shows the front view of the measurement vehicle 100. Figures 4 to 6 show the rear view of the measurement vehicle 100. In Figures 3 to 6, some components of the measurement vehicle 100 have been omitted for clarity. In particular, the measurement equipment on one side (left or right) has been omitted. In Figures 3 and 4, the measurement equipment on the right side of the measurement vehicle 100 is omitted. In Figures 5 and 6, the measurement equipment on the left side of the measurement vehicle 100 is omitted.

[0018] The following is an overview of the configuration's features. In the explanation, the symbols of the corresponding elements are indicated in parentheses. The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with measurement equipment (first laser scanner 111, second laser scanner 112, overhead line camera 121), a dedicated camera light 122, and a sliding mechanism (115, 116). The measurement equipment is used to measure the overhead line 200. The sliding mechanism is a mechanism that slides in the transverse direction, and the measurement equipment is installed on it. When the measurement vehicle 100 is traveling on a road, the sliding mechanism fits within the vehicle width, positioning the measurement equipment within the vehicle width (see Figure 5). When the measurement vehicle 100 moves along the railway tracks to measure the overhead line 200, the sliding mechanism extends beyond the vehicle width, positioning the measurement equipment outside the vehicle width (see Figures 3, 4, and 6).

[0019] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with a first measuring instrument (first laser scanner 111) and a second measuring instrument (second laser scanner 112) of the same type. The first sliding mechanism 115 is a sliding mechanism on which the first measuring instrument is installed. When the overhead wire 200 is measured, the first sliding mechanism 115 slides in the first direction in the transverse direction, positioning the first measuring instrument outside the width of the vehicle on the first direction side (see Figures 3 and 4). The first measuring instrument performs measurements facing the overhead wire 200 from the first direction side. The second sliding mechanism 116 is a sliding mechanism on which the second measuring instrument is installed. When the overhead wire 200 is measured, the second sliding mechanism 116 slides in the second direction opposite to the first direction, positioning the second measuring instrument outside the width of the vehicle on the second direction side (see Figure 6). The second measuring instrument performs measurements facing the overhead wire 200 from the second direction side.

[0020] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with a first laser scanner 111 and a second laser scanner 112 as measuring instruments. The first laser scanner 111 is set to a first rotation speed that is slower than the second rotation speed set for the second laser scanner 112. The first laser scanner 111 rotates at the first rotation speed and emits laser light, thereby performing measurements in the transverse direction at a density higher than the measurement density of the second laser scanner 112. The second laser scanner 112 is set to a second rotation speed that is faster than the first rotation speed set for the first laser scanner 111. The second laser scanner 112 rotates at the second rotation speed and emits laser light, thereby performing measurements in the direction of travel at a density higher than the measurement density of the first laser scanner 111. The direction of travel corresponds to the front and rear directions of the measurement vehicle 100. However, the rotation speed of the first laser scanner 111 (first rotation speed) may be faster than the rotation speed of the second laser scanner 112 (second rotation speed).

[0021] The measurement vehicle 100 is equipped with laser scanners (first laser scanner 111, second laser scanner 112) and a camera (overhead line camera 121) as measurement equipment. The laser scanners irradiate laser light onto multiple points on the overhead line 200 to obtain a laser point cloud. The laser point cloud indicates the positions of multiple points on the overhead line 200. The positions are indicated by coordinate values. The camera photographs the overhead line 200 to obtain an overhead line image. The overhead line image is an image showing the overhead line 200, and the laser point cloud is superimposed on the parts where the overhead line 200 is visible.

[0022] Figures 7 and 8 show the main types of overhead lines 200. The measurement vehicle 100 is used to measure overhead lines 200, including the suspension wire 201, trolley wire 202, hangers 203, signal wire 211, feeder wire 212, movable bracket 213, long-rod insulator 214, and messenger 215 (see Figure 7). The suspension wire 201, trolley wire 202, hangers 203, and auxiliary suspension wire 204 are mainly measured by the measurement vehicle 100.

[0023] ***Key Points of Embodiment 1*** The key points of Embodiment 1 will now be explained. The main purpose of the measurement vehicle 100 is to enable prediction of the height of the hanger 203 at the time of replacement before the hanger 203 is replaced. The height of the hanger 203 is adjusted on-site by adjusting its length to suit the current conditions. Current condition measurements are carried out at night when the railway is stopped, which is very inefficient and dangerous. Laser measurement using the measurement vehicle 100 makes it possible to efficiently and semi-automatically measure a wide area.

[0024] The measurement vehicle 100 is also used for measuring roads. Furthermore, roads are used for travel to the railway tracks. Therefore, the measurement vehicle 100 must comply with road regulations. In addition, road regulations stipulate that it is illegal for objects to be located beyond the width of the vehicle when traveling on the road. Therefore, when measuring roads and traveling on roads, the sliding mechanisms (115, 116) of the measurement vehicle 100 are pushed in, and the measurement equipment (first laser scanner 111, second laser scanner 112, overhead line camera 121) and camera-specific lighting 122 are housed within the width of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 9 shows the measurement vehicle 100 used for railway measurement. The configuration of the measurement vehicle 100 may be as shown in Figure 9. For example, the overhead line camera 121 and the camera-specific lighting 122 may be attached to the first slide mechanism 115 as shown in Figure 9. Railway measurement refers to the measurement of the overhead line 200. Railway measurement is performed with the measurement vehicle 100 mounted on a trolley bogie 190. During railway measurement, the laser scanners (111, 112) are extended to the width of the bogie (or vehicle clearance or building clearance). This makes it easier to acquire the laser point cloud of the overhead line 200. The third laser scanner 113 protrudes to the rear in order to acquire the laser point cloud of the rails.

[0026] ***Features of Embodiment 1*** ***1. Sliding Mechanism*** The first feature of the measurement vehicle 100 is the sliding mechanism (115, 116). In order to effectively measure the overhead wires 200 on railways using laser scanners (111, 112), the sliding mechanism (115, 116) slides transversely and spreads out to the left and right (see Figures 4 and 6). That is, when measuring roads, the laser scanners (111, 112) fit within the width of the vehicle, and when measuring railways, the laser scanners are positioned far from the center in order to accurately measure the height and width of the overhead wires 200. This is effective not only for the laser scanners but also for the camera (121).

[0027] Based on Figures 10 and 11, the installation position of the laser scanners (111, 112) for measuring the overhead wire 200 (hanger 203) will be explained. Figure 10 conceptually shows a conventional measurement vehicle. (1) If the laser scanner is installed in the center, the suspension wire 201 will be obscured by the trolley wire 202. However, since the rails are used as a reference, a central laser scanner is necessary to acquire the laser point cloud of the rails. (2) By shifting the laser scanner from the center, the suspension wire 201 becomes visible. However, in order to measure the length of the hanger 203, the angle between the line of sight to the suspension wire 201 and the line of sight to the trolley wire 202 needs to be wide. However, if the laser scanner is installed within the width of the vehicle, a wide angle cannot be secured. Figure 11 conceptually shows a conventional measurement vehicle and measurement vehicle 100. (1) As mentioned above, it is advantageous for the laser scanner to be off-center. (2) If the measurement vehicle is shifted to one side of the trolley cart, measurements cannot be taken from the opposite side. (3) Therefore, in the measurement vehicle 100, the laser scanners (111, 112) are pulled outwards by a sliding mechanism (115, 116).

[0028] The longer the sliding mechanism (115, 116) is extended laterally, the more advantageous it is for distinguishing between the trolley wire 202 and the suspension wire 201 from the laser scanner (111, 112). However, the upper limit is approximately -5 centimeters relative to the railway vehicle clearance (or building clearance), so the length the sliding mechanism can be extended is approximately 1.6 meters from the center of the measuring vehicle 100.

[0029] ***2. Multiple Laser Scanners*** The second feature of the measurement vehicle 100 is the installation of multiple laser scanners (111, 112). Laser point clouds of the overhead wires 200 may not be acquired due to dirt or shielding on the overhead wires 200. To prevent this phenomenon, multiple laser scanners complement each other by irradiating laser light from multiple directions. This makes it possible to prevent omissions in the acquisition of laser point clouds of the overhead wires 200.

[0030] Figure 12 conceptually shows the measurement vehicle 100. The overhead wires (201, 202, 203) may be dirty, making it impossible to acquire laser point cloud data. The measurement vehicle 100 prevents missed laser point cloud acquisition by performing laser measurements from multiple directions. (1) The first laser scanner 111 performs laser measurements from the left side to acquire the laser point cloud data from the left side of the overhead wire. (2) The second laser scanner 112 performs laser measurements from the right side to acquire the laser point cloud data from the right side of the overhead wire. (3) The fourth laser scanner 114 performs laser measurements from below to acquire the laser point cloud data from the underside of the overhead wire. By combining the three laser point clouds in post-processing, no missing laser points are eliminated.

[0031] ***3. Laser Scanner Settings*** The third feature of the measurement vehicle 100 is that the settings can be changed for multiple laser scanners (111, 112). In some cases, slowing down the rotation speed of the laser scanner and reducing the acquisition angle can result in a larger laser point cloud. Also, in some cases, increasing the rotation speed of the laser scanner and increasing the number of cross-sectional points, although the data is coarser in the direction of travel, can be advantageous.

[0032] Figure 13 shows the change in the laser point cloud with respect to rotation speed. In Figure 13, the diameter of the overhead wire 200 is 2 centimeters. (1) When the laser scanner performs laser measurement while rotating 15 times per second, 15 laser point clouds can be acquired for the width of the overhead wire 200. (2) When the laser scanner performs laser measurement while rotating 100 times per second, 9 laser point clouds can be acquired for the width of the overhead wire 200. (3) When the laser scanner performs laser measurement while rotating 200 times per second, 7 laser point clouds can be acquired for the width of the overhead wire 200. When the rotation speed is increased, the number of points in the laser point cloud decreases even when measuring the same overhead wire 200. This is because the number of points that can be acquired in one rotation decreases. In other words, it is advantageous to acquire the laser point cloud at a low rotation speed for detecting the overhead wire 200. However, at low rotation speeds, the laser point cloud becomes coarser in the direction of travel, so low rotation speeds are not suitable for general measurements. Therefore, it is best to set the rotation speed of one of the laser scanners to a low speed.

[0033] The lower the rotation speed of the laser scanners (111-114), the cleaner the laser point cloud can be obtained, but the overall picture becomes harder to see. Therefore, for example, the rotation speed of the laser scanner (111) installed at the front is set to a low speed, while the rotation speeds of the other laser scanners (112-114) are set to a high speed. Multiple laser point clouds obtained at different rotation speeds are used as follows: Since a part of the overhead wire 200 is missing from one laser point cloud, the missing part is filled in with the other laser point clouds. For example, the laser point cloud from the low-speed laser scanner is used as the base, and the remaining parts are supplemented with the laser point cloud from the high-speed laser scanner.

[0034] ***4. Combined Use of Cameras*** The fourth feature of the measurement vehicle 100 is the combined use of a laser scanner (111, 112), a camera (121), and a dedicated camera light 122. A camera (121) and a dedicated camera light (122) are provided to image the overhead wire 200 from a diagonal downward angle, and the overhead wire 200 is imaged. By superimposing the laser measurement onto the image, the distance to the overhead wire 200 can be determined, and the thickness of the overhead wire 200 can be predicted using the image. In other words, wear on the overhead wire 200 can be predicted. In addition, parts that cannot be confirmed by the laser point cloud can be confirmed using the image.

[0035] Figure 14 conceptually shows the measurement vehicle 100. An overhead line camera 121 and a dedicated camera light 122 are provided. To prevent the trolley wire 202 from overlapping with the suspension wire 201, the overhead line camera 121 takes images from a diagonal angle below, not directly below. The overhead line camera 121 is calibrated by a mobile mapping system (MMS) so that a laser point cloud can be superimposed on the image. Distance cannot be determined from the image of a normal camera, so the thickness of the power line cannot be determined from the number of dots on the power line. However, since a laser point cloud can be superimposed on the image of the overhead line camera 121, the thickness of the overhead line 200 can be predicted using the image of the overhead line camera 121. Since worn parts become thinner, there are cases where it is not necessary to know the exact thickness of the overhead line 200. However, since the overhead line 200 may be worn uniformly, it is better to know the exact thickness of the overhead line 200. Multiple overhead line cameras 121 may be used. By using multiple overhead line cameras 121, it may be possible to predict wear in one direction in some cases.

[0036] Since there are no missed shots with the camera (121), only one set of camera and dedicated camera lighting 122 is needed on each side.

[0037] ***Effects of Embodiment 1*** The measurement vehicle 100 plays an important role in the digital transformation (DX) of overhead line maintenance by measuring railway overhead lines (e.g., hangers) with a laser scanner. The measurement vehicle 100 can also be used for road measurements, and when measuring railways, it acquires a laser point cloud of overhead lines.

[0038] The measurement vehicle 100 measures the overhead wires, measuring the distance between the trolley wire, the auxiliary suspension wire, and the suspension wire. This automates the visual measurement of the overhead wires, providing a safe and efficient measurement method. The measurement vehicle 100 incorporates the following improvements to avoid conventional problems: 1. Laser placement: Conventional laser scanner placement can result in incorrect measurements. In particular, directly below the overhead wire, the lower wire prevents measurement of the upper wire. Therefore, the laser scanner is shifted as far to the left and right as possible relative to the overhead wire. 2. Use of multiple lasers: A single laser scanner inevitably leaves some parts of the overhead wire unmeasured, causing parts of the overhead wire to disappear. Therefore, laser data obtained from measurements taken from multiple different positions is used to measure the overhead wire. 3. Laser measurement settings: Normally, the rotation speed of the laser scanner is set to high, but in some cases, measuring at a low speed is advantageous to ensure that the overhead wire is measured without missing any parts. Therefore, one of the multiple laser scanners is rotated at a reduced speed for measurement. 4. Combined Use of Cameras In MMS, it is common to use cameras in addition to laser scanners for current condition surveys. Furthermore, laser point clouds can be overlaid on the image. In addition, it is possible to calculate the distance to objects shown in the image using specific technology. Therefore, a camera that images the overhead wires from a diagonal angle below and a dedicated camera light are prepared to image the overhead wires. By superimposing the laser point cloud, the distance can be determined, and the thickness of the overhead wires can be predicted from the image. This makes it possible to predict wear on the overhead wires. Since this measurement is performed at night, there is no sunlight, and interference from ambient light is almost eliminated. If backlighting occurs, the thickness of the overhead wires shown in the image changes, making it impossible to perform uniform measurements. In contrast, the light from the self-emitting lights at night is stable, so the thickness of the overhead wires can be predicted. Since this measurement requires high resolution, a monochrome camera is considered better than a color camera. These improvements result in the following effect: The height of the hangers can be measured using a mobile measuring device (100), significantly reducing the burden of on-site work.

[0039] ***Summary of Embodiment 1*** To acquire overhead wires more effectively, it is desirable to shift the laser scanner further from the center. However, since the MMS also performs measurements on roads, it is basically not possible to shift the laser scanner further than the width of a vehicle. Therefore, a sliding system is installed that allows the laser scanner to be shifted beyond the width of the vehicle when measuring trains (overhead wires). In addition, by shifting the laser scanner not only to one side but also to the opposite side, temporary measurement errors can be compensated for. Furthermore, this arrangement has the advantage of being able to measure the front and rear of the target at the same time. In addition, by deliberately rotating the laser scanner mounted on the front at a low speed, the number of laser beam points hitting the overhead wire can be increased, reducing the loss of overhead wire data.

[0040] ***Supplement to Embodiment 1*** Figures 15 and 16 show the measurement vehicle 100 in (1) railway conditions and (2) road conditions. Railway conditions refer to the conditions during railway measurement, and road conditions refer to the conditions during road measurement. When changing from railway conditions to road conditions, the three laser scanners (111 to 113) are swapped. The reasons for this are as follows: 1. On roads, it is necessary to comply with regulations such as weight, vehicle width, and the field of view of license plates, and the configuration for railway conditions will not be permitted to drive on roads. 2. In particular, if the position of the first laser scanner 111 is not changed, obstruction will occur at the front of the vehicle. Note that in railway conditions, the vehicle is towed, so obstruction at the front lower side is not a problem.

[0041] The sliding mechanism (115, 116) is an object (support) that supports the laser scanner (111, 112). The support is attached to the body of the measurement vehicle 100, and the laser scanner is mounted on it.

[0042] The laser scanners (111, 112) are used, for example, to measure the trolley wire and the suspension wire above the track. The laser scanners scan a full 360-degree circumference. The scanning plane of the laser scanners intersects the moving direction of the measurement vehicle 100. Also, in the scanning line of the laser scanners, the range from the line connecting the laser scanner and the trolley wire to the line connecting the laser scanner and the suspension wire does not interfere with the measurement vehicle 100. The laser scanners are attached to the support with a fixed elevation angle of less than 90 degrees and irradiate laser light onto the overhead wire above the track.

[0043] The laser scanners (111, 112) are attached to the support. As a result, the laser scanners are arranged at a position that satisfies at least one of the conditions of the outer side of the track in the track width direction and the outer side of the vehicle body in the vehicle body width direction inside the vehicle limit of the track.

[0044] The laser scanners (111, 112) are attached to the support. As a result, the laser scanners are arranged at a position closer to the interface of the vehicle limit of the track than the vertical plane extending downward from the overhead wire above the track.

[0045] The measurement vehicle 100 includes two laser scanners (111, 112). One laser scanner (111) is arranged at the left end of the vehicle limit. The other laser scanner (112) is arranged at the right end of the vehicle limit.

[0046] Fig. 17 shows the relationship between the measurement vehicle 100 and the vehicle limit. The solid line surrounding the measurement vehicle 100 represents the vehicle limit. The dotted line represents the limit (A) when the current collector is folded. The dashed-dotted line represents the limit (B) when the current collector is operating. The long dashed line surrounding the measurement vehicle 100 represents the building limit. The long double-dashed line represents the upper limit (C) in the DC electrified section. The long dashed-dotted line represents the upper limit (D) in the AC electrified section. By arranging the laser scanner (111) inside the vehicle limit and at the end of the vehicle limit, the overhead wire (black circle) located in the vertical direction can be efficiently measured.

[0047] Figure 18 shows the relationship between the measurement vehicle 100 and the vehicle clearance. The two solid lines sandwiching the measurement vehicle 100 represent the vehicle clearance. By arranging the first laser scanner 111 at the left end of the vehicle clearance and the second laser scanner 112 on the right side of the vehicle clearance, it is possible to prevent measurement omission of the overhead line. For example, even if one side of the overhead line is dirty, the opposite side of the overhead line can be measured.

[0048] Embodiment 1 discloses a method for measuring an overhead line as follows. The overhead line measurement method is a method for measuring an overhead line installed above a railway track using a measurement vehicle 100 equipped with measurement equipment and traveling on a road to measure the surroundings. First, the measurement vehicle 100 is placed on a carriage traveling on the railway track so that the traveling direction of the measurement vehicle 100 coincides with the length direction of the railway track. Further, a slide mechanism (115, 116) to which the measurement equipment is attached is slid in the lateral direction on the measurement vehicle 100 so that the measurement equipment is disposed outside the vehicle width of the measurement vehicle 100. Then, while the carriage is traveling on the railway track, the overhead line is measured using the measurement equipment disposed outside the vehicle width of the measurement vehicle 100. Measurement data is obtained by the overhead line measurement method. The measurement data represents the thickness of the measured overhead line.

[0049] The laser scanners (111, 112) do not have to be slid. That is, each slide mechanism (115, 116) may be replaced with a support that does not slide. The support is attached to the vehicle body of the measurement vehicle 100, like the slide mechanism, and the laser scanner is attached thereto.

[0050] The measurement vehicle 100 is an example of a measurement device for measuring an overhead line. The measurement device does not have to be a vehicle. The measurement device is moved on the track. The measurement device includes a laser scanner and a support. The support is an object attached to the main body of the measurement device and to which the laser scanner is attached. The laser scanner is attached to the support. Thereby, inside the vehicle clearance of the track, the laser scanner is disposed at a position satisfying at least one of the conditions of the outside of the track in the width direction of the track and the outside of the main body in the width direction of the main body.

[0051] Embodiment 1 is an example of a preferred embodiment and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure. Embodiment 1 may be implemented in part or in combination with other embodiments.

[0052] 100 Measurement vehicle, 111 First laser scanner, 112 Second laser scanner, 113 Third laser scanner, 114 Fourth laser scanner, 115 First slide mechanism, 116 Second slide mechanism, 121 Overhead line camera, 122 Camera-specific lighting, 130 360-degree camera, 131 Front camera, 132 Rear camera, 140 Antenna, 190 Trolley cart, 200 Overhead line, 201 Suspension wire, 202 Trolley wire, 203 Hanger, 204 Auxiliary suspension wire, 211 Signal line, 212 Feeder line, 213 Movable bracket, 214 Long-rod insulator, 215 Messenger.

Claims

1. A measuring vehicle used for measuring overhead wires installed above railway tracks, comprising: a measuring instrument used for measuring the overhead wires; and a sliding mechanism on which the measuring instrument is installed and which slides transversely to fit within the width of the vehicle when the measuring vehicle is traveling on a road, thereby positioning the measuring instrument within the width of the vehicle, and which expands outside the width of the vehicle when the measuring vehicle is moving along the railway tracks and measuring the overhead wires is performed, thereby positioning the measuring instrument outside the width of the vehicle.

2. The measuring vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a first measuring instrument and a second measuring instrument of the same type as the measuring instrument, comprising a first sliding mechanism and a second sliding mechanism as the sliding mechanism, wherein the first sliding mechanism slides in a first direction in the transverse direction when the first measuring instrument is installed and the overhead wire is measured, so that the first measuring instrument is positioned outside the width of the vehicle on the side of the first direction, the first measuring instrument performs measurements facing the overhead wire from the side of the first direction, and the second sliding mechanism slides in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the second measuring instrument is installed and the overhead wire is measured, so that the second measuring instrument is positioned outside the width of the vehicle on the side of the second direction, and the second measuring instrument performs measurements facing the overhead wire from the side of the second direction.

3. The measuring vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a first laser scanner and a second laser scanner that perform measurements by irradiating laser light while rotating, wherein the first laser scanner is set to a first rotational speed slower than the second rotational speed set for the second laser scanner, and performs measurements in the transverse direction at a density higher than the measurement density of the second laser scanner by irradiating laser light while rotating at the first rotational speed, and the second laser scanner is set to a second rotational speed faster than the first rotational speed set for the first laser scanner, and performs measurements in the direction of travel at a density higher than the measurement density of the first laser scanner by irradiating laser light while rotating at the second rotational speed.

4. The measuring vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a laser scanner and a camera as the measuring instrument, wherein the laser scanner irradiates laser light onto a plurality of locations on the overhead wire to obtain a laser point cloud indicating the positions of the plurality of locations, and the camera photographs the overhead wire to obtain an overhead wire image in which the overhead wire is visible and the laser point cloud is superimposed on the portion of the overhead wire that is visible.

5. A measurement vehicle that is movable along a railway track, comprising: a laser scanner; and a support attached to the body of the measurement vehicle to which the laser scanner is mounted, wherein the laser scanner is mounted to the support, and the measurement vehicle is positioned within the vehicle clearance of the railway track, satisfying at least one of the conditions of being outside the railway track in the width direction of the railway track and outside the vehicle body in the width direction of the vehicle body.

6. The measuring vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the laser scanner is used to measure the trolley wire and suspension wire above the railway track.

7. The measurement vehicle according to claim 5 or 6, comprising two laser scanners, one of which is positioned at the left end of the vehicle clearance and the other laser scanner at the right end of the vehicle clearance.

8. The measurement vehicle according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the laser scanner scans the entire circumference of 360 degrees, and the scanning surface of the laser scanner intersects with the direction of movement of the measurement vehicle.

9. The measurement vehicle according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the laser scanner is mounted on the support having a constant elevation angle of less than 90 degrees and irradiates laser light onto the overhead wire above the railway track.

10. A measurement vehicle that is movable along a railway track, comprising: a laser scanner; and a support attached to the body of the measurement vehicle to which the laser scanner is mounted, wherein the laser scanner is positioned closer to the interface of the vehicle clearance of the railway track than the vertical plane extending downward from the overhead wire above the railway track.

11. A measuring device that moves along a railway track, comprising: a laser scanner; and a support attached to the main body of the measuring device to which the laser scanner is mounted, wherein the laser scanner is mounted to the support, thereby positioning the measuring device within the vehicle clearance of the railway track, satisfying at least one of the conditions of being outside the railway track in the width direction of the railway track and outside the main body in the width direction of the main body.

12. A method for measuring overhead wires installed above railway tracks, using a measuring vehicle equipped with measuring instruments that travels on a road to measure its surroundings, wherein the measuring vehicle is placed on a trolley that travels on the railway tracks such that the direction of travel of the measuring vehicle coincides with the length direction of the railway tracks, the measuring instruments are attached to the measuring vehicle and a sliding mechanism is slid transversely to position the measuring instruments outside the width of the measuring vehicle, and the overhead wires are measured using the measuring instruments positioned outside the width of the measuring vehicle while the trolley is traveling on the railway tracks.

13. Measurement data that represents the thickness of the overhead wire obtained by the overhead wire measurement method described in claim 12.

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