Buffer Stop Displacement Monitoring via Sensor Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for monitoring track buffer stops require on-site inspections to determine if they are ready for use and if any displacement is within tolerable limits, which is inefficient and often leads to missed preventive maintenance due to the lack of remote monitoring capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system with sensors and switches attached to the buffer stop frame or track, connected to a transmitting device that sends signals to a remote receiving device, allowing for real-time monitoring of buffer stop displacements and determining if they are within acceptable limits, using wireless or wired communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If on-site inspections are used to determine buffer stop condition, then maintenance personnel can directly observe the physical state, but frequent manual inspections are required and preventive maintenance is often missed
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer stop system performs self-monitoring through sensors that automatically detect displacement and generate signals without requiring external inspection. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring its own state and communicating operational readiness or fault conditions to the control system.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual visual inspection is replaced by an automated sensor-based detection system. Sensors mounted on the buffer stop frame detect displacement mechanically or optically and convert it to electrical signals for remote monitoring, eliminating the need for personnel to physically inspect each buffer stop.
2Reliability
If manual inspection intervals are used, then maintenance can be performed periodically, but the condition between inspections is unknown and preventive maintenance cannot be timely executed
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system provides continuous feedback about the buffer stop's operational state to the control system. When displacement exceeds thresholds or operational readiness changes, the system immediately transmits status information, enabling real-time monitoring and timely preventive maintenance without waiting for scheduled inspections.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors act as intermediaries between the buffer stop's physical state and the control system. They detect displacement and operational conditions, converting mechanical position into electrical signals that transmit information about buffer stop status without requiring direct human observation.
3Extent of automation
If sensors are mounted on the buffer stop frame, then displacement can be detected automatically, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: detecting buffer stop displacement, determining operational readiness, and providing status information for maintenance scheduling. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate systems or manual processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors serve as intermediaries that simplify the overall system by providing automated detection and signal transmission. Rather than requiring complex manual inspection procedures, the sensor-mediated system uses simple detect-transmit-respond logic to achieve reliable automated monitoring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automatic monitoring of buffer stop operational readiness, reducing the need for frequent on-site inspections and allowing for targeted and timely maintenance, improving the detection of displacement and maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor is preferably a proximity sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
System for monitoring a track buffer or a buffer of a buffer, comprising the following features: a sensor or switch is mounted on the frame of the buffer or fixed to the track; the sensor or switch is communicatively connected to a transmitter mounted on the frame or in the track area; at least one sensor detection point or an actuating section for a contact of the switch is mounted on the track or on the buffer, which in the original position of the buffer is aligned with the sensor or switch; the sensor or switch generates a switching signal and the transmitter converts the switching signal into an indication signal for a remotely arranged receiving device when the sensor detection point leaves the detection range of the sensor or the actuating section of the switch actuates or leaves the contact of the switch.