EP2483127B1 - Method and assembly for monitoring current collectors, clearance gauges, and horizontal and vertical contact wire positions on vehicle combinations - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the control of vehicle associations, in particular to electrified railroad associations, the compliance of prescribed contact wire positions and the standard-compliant implementation of pantographs is checked.

Rail freight transport will rise sharply over the next few years, according to forecasts. For this reason, intelligent solutions are required for the processing and control of the upcoming goods flows. Today's rail freight transport is characterized by competition with road freight transport. To be successful here, factors such as cost-effectiveness, performance and reliability are of crucial importance.

For the organization of a flexible compilation of vehicle associations, for example, in the German patent DE 19508730 C1 to call described method for verification of data sets of a vehicle association (corresponds to the European Patent EP 0877695 B1 ). It deals in particular with rules for the correct dismantling and the formation of a new association. What is essential is a recognition security for individual wagons of a vehicle association, so that an assignment to a previously reported list that reproduces the vehicle association can be checked. This system, which leads to a significant improvement in the control and monitoring of operational processes, ensures the safe detection and control of the wagons, which are strung to a vehicle association.

• Kontrolle der Reihung einfahrender Züge im Zulauf von Zugbildungsanlagen,
• Erfassung der Wagen und deren Reihung an Übergabe- und Übernahmepunkten für die Steuerung betrieblicher Abläufe,
• Basisdatenerfassung für Abrechnungszwecke,
• Input für die Steuerung automatischer Be- und Endladeprozesse,
• Dokumentation für Sicherheit/Security und andere Aufgaben.

In so-called terminals, train formation systems and the loading and unloading points of ports and works railways, it is for the Efficient handling of the processes makes it important to know the exact arrangement of goods wagons of incoming and outgoing freight trains. In addition, in large ports and factory areas, it may be necessary to identify the freight wagons at certain locations such as loading points, area boundaries, etc. The demand is derived from different applications such. B .:

• Control of the sequence of incoming trains in the inflow of train formation systems,
• Registration of the wagons and their ranking at transfer and acceptance points for the control of operational processes,
• Basic data acquisition for billing purposes,
• Input for controlling automatic loading and unloading processes,
• Documentation for security / security and other tasks.

The principle of the subject matter according to the patent DE 19508730 C1 is that the collection of goods and passenger cars and their ranking in the train may be used while driving past a reading station carrying out the procedure. It is recorded with the help of a fast line camera with a number of 2048 pixels during the passage of the train formation an image. This process is triggered by one or more wheel sensors. For illumination, a lighting unit, in particular with light-emitting diodes / LED is present in addition to the railway line.

The recorded data of a train are compared with the desired car series from a previous message. The sensors of the system are used to record features of freight wagons which allow conclusions to be drawn about their identity. Typical features are axle pattern, axle weight and car number. Depending on the characteristic and feature combination, the degree of novelty of the recognition can be determined down to uniqueness. In train formation systems, the actual wagon series is compared with the previously reported desired wagon series and the consistency of the data is checked.

The method according to DE 19508730 C1 describes a video-optical system, which fulfills only one task. This is the reading of individual car numbers on each individual car or locomotive and their evaluation. The results can be fed to a post-processing software, whereby then in principle a special form of the "Optical Character Recognition / OCR" exists. Further results are not provided by the cited method.

The Fahrdrahthub is determined according to the current state of the art, for example with the aid of a cable potentiometer, in which on one side a rope is attached via a guide roller points on the contact wire and at the other end of the rope, the lifting or lowering movement via a resistance change to a Cable pull potentiometer is detected. A disadvantage of this form of lifting measurement is the need for attachment of the cable by means of a contact wire clamp at a high voltage potential of typically 15 kV. To install the system, the corresponding section of road must be decoupled in terms of voltage and traffic. This means significant costs and downtime. Furthermore, design-related measurement errors result from hysteresis, precipitation such as snow or ice and general temperature changes. Furthermore, there have been various incidents in recent years in which the cable pull off and caused damage to passing trains. In addition to the classic contact wire lifting measurement with a cable, developments with regard to a so-called video portal are becoming apparent in private railways, for example. In this case, standard sensors are used, in particular triangulation sensors, which record a red laser line irradiated onto the test object, such as a train carriage or wagon, with the aid of a video camera arranged laterally at an angle. The measurement result is a three-dimensional overall picture of the train. This is compared with the allowable for the railway line section tolerance bands for example gauge of the locomotive and the utility vehicle and from this a stop-go decision is derived. The named system has been in the experimental operating phase for some time.

The prior art is yet another system to mention, which is based on a capacitive distance measurement. In this case, an elastic sensor arm is suspended by a cross bar above the contact wire on the same and firmly connected with him. The changes in the contact wire height are detected as a capacitance change at the capacitor of the sensor arm. Such a system is used for example by a Norwegian company. The power supply at high voltage level is carried out optionally via battery / rechargeable battery or in combination with a solar panel. The data transfer from high voltage to zero potential occurs optically with fiber optics.

Out EP 1 600 351 A1 a method for controlling a train association is known, wherein a Lichtraummaß is checked, wherein by means of at least one next to a route of the train on the train, aligned stationary, lateral camera at the site of the at least one lateral camera, an upper limit of the train is detected by means of At least second laterally above the train of arranged cameras, the flanks of the train are detected and by means of an evaluation unit, the state of the Lichtraummaßes is determined and errors are displayed.

Out Maly et al: "Advances in train monitoring by networked checkpoints" factory communication systems, 2004, Proceedings, 2004 IEEE International Workshop on Vienna, Austria Sept. 22-24, 2004, pages 339 to 342 A method of checking trains at checkpoints is known. To ensure the trains function, the trains are checked for broken pantographs.

The invention has for its object to describe a method and an apparatus, which essential features controlled by train assemblies and contact wires in the overhead line, errors can be detected and quantified. Furthermore, a device in the manner of a measuring station on the route of a train is to describe.

The solution of this task is done by the respective feature combination of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments can be taken from the subclaims.

The invention is based on the finding that fixed cameras can be used to control train assemblies for the testing of at least the quality of current collectors or the actual position of the contact wire at a location of the route, recording the characteristics of the train or the elements to be controlled and perform an evaluation, so that at least one target-actual comparison for error detection is executable. At least one lateral camera is provided, which detects the overhead line area of a passing train and above all roof structures, Linkage of pantographs, and can detect the height of the contact wire in relation to a desired height.

By means of at least two mounted above the route of the train and each aligned perpendicularly from above on a flank of the train upper cameras adherence to a maximum Lichtraummaßes is advantageously controlled.

To measure a lifting height of the contact wire, the vertical position of the contact wire is measured directly at the location of the camera and thus determines a measure of the vertical pressure force of the pantograph to the contact wire of a passing train. For this purpose, the at least one lateral camera is used.

To measure the contact wire side deflection, the horizontal position of the contact wire is again measured directly at the location of the camera and thus a measure is determined, whereby the horizontal deflection forces can be achieved at one point of the overhead line. This is done by at least one upper camera.

To measure the clearance gauge of a train, the lateral dimensions of the flanks of the train and their exceedances or falls below the predetermined limits can be measured advantageously. For this, the flanks of the train are monitored parallel to their surface by at least one upper camera.

The measurement of the state of the contact strips, the pantograph, the pantograph linkage and the roof structures is also measured directly at the location of a lateral camera and compared with nominal values.

The cameras used can be two-dimensional cameras with a flat-trained camera chip. However, one-dimensionally resolving line scan cameras are particularly advantageous because the one-dimensional image is used to display a two-dimensional image Resolution of the camera is combined with the successive recording when passing train. In order to make optimum use of this advantage, the orientation of the line scan cameras must be such that their field of view or the resolution of the camera is transverse to the travel distance of the train or to its direction of movement.

The control system according to the invention can identify faults and assign them to a specific area of the train. It is particularly advantageous to determine the fault location on the train. Usable is a car identification system. This can be constructed and structured as desired, it being advantageous if, for example, codes attached to wagons can be triggered simultaneously with the cameras of the measuring system.

To increase the measuring reliability additional cameras are used. For example, at least one further camera is used for the at least one lateral camera if the area of the overhead line or the contact wire for detecting the contact wire height can not be detected simultaneously with a single camera and at the same time an encoding attached to a carriage is detected. In the case of two lateral cameras mounted one above the other at a certain distance from each other, the detection of one respective feature would be easily realizable.

In order to reliably receive the two flanks of a train formation, left and right flank, the at least two upper cameras must be aligned in such a way that they observe the pull flank in parallel from above. Since the cameras can resolve parallel to the direction of travel, protruding objects are visible to the outside.

For the representation of the possible entire train band possibly simultaneously with occurring errors and the corresponding error location, a band image is advantageously created, which can be generated at the complete passage of a train at a corresponding measuring point.

Figur 1

zeigt einen Zugverband 9, auf dem ein Stromabnehmer 9 sowie ein Fahrdraht 7 und ein Tragseil 6 sowie zwei seitliche Zeilenkameras 10, 1 angeordnet sind;

Figur 2

zeigt zu den Bildmerkmalen entsprechend Figur 1 zusätzlich die Beleuchtungseinheit 40, welche die Gesichtsfelder von oberen Kameras 20, 21, 22 beleuchtet sowie den Schnittpunkt 11 zwischen Fahrdraht 7 und dem Gesichtsfeld der oberen zusätzlichen Kamera 22;

Figur 3

zeigt eine vergrößerte Darstellung des oberen Bereiches entsprechend Figur 2;

Figur 4

zeigt eine Darstellung entsprechend dem Stand der Technik, wobei ein Wagen 8 gezeichnet ist sowie eine flächig abstrahlende Beleuchtungseinheit 2, welche den Waggon 8 von der Seite ausleuchtet, wobei die an der Fahrstrecke angebrachte, seitliche Kamera 1 lediglich zur Auslesung von Kodierungen, die am Wagen 8 angebracht sind, und ein Radsensor zur Triggerung entsprechender Aufnahmen dient;

Figur 5

zeigt eine Darstellung entsprechend dem Stand der Technik, an dem zur Auslesung von Kodierungen an einem Zugverband mit einer seitlichen Kamera 1, eine Zeilenkamera, platziert ist sowie eine Beleuchtungseinheit 2, ein Radschalter 3 sowie eine Auswerteeinheit 4 und eine Sichtblende 5 für die Kamera.

In the following, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to schematic figures accompanying the invention, but not limiting them.

FIG. 1

shows a train 9, on which a pantograph 9 and a contact wire 7 and a support cable 6 and two lateral line scan cameras 10, 1 are arranged;

FIG. 2

shows corresponding to the picture features FIG. 1 in addition, the illumination unit 40, which illuminates the fields of view of upper cameras 20, 21, 22, and the point of intersection 11 between the contact wire 7 and the visual field of the upper additional camera 22;

FIG. 3

shows an enlarged view of the upper area accordingly FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4

shows a representation according to the prior art, wherein a carriage 8 is drawn and a surface emitting illumination unit 2, which illuminates the car 8 from the side, wherein the mounted on the route, lateral camera 1 only for reading codes on the car 8 are mounted, and a wheel sensor for triggering appropriate recordings is used;

FIG. 5

shows a representation according to the prior art, is placed at the reading of codes on a train with a side camera 1, a line camera, and a lighting unit 2, a wheel switch. 3 and an evaluation unit 4 and a screen 5 for the camera.

For coordinating detected errors on a train with the determination of the fault location, for example, a car identification system can be used as described for example in the European patent EP 0 877 695 B1 is described.

As a gauge section a defined boundary line is called, which is usually determined for the vertical transverse plane of a track, for example, roads or railroad tracks. The clearance gauge on the one hand, the clear space is prescribed on the track of objects and is filled, on the other hand, it also serves as a design specification for the design of the proposed vehicles. These may not exceed the prescribed limits in cross-section.

To measure the height of the contact wire is generally noted that this contact wire position is the subject of acceptance tests of overhead line systems. For the permissible tolerances of the static rest position of the contact wire of standard overhead lines European standards apply.

To measure the contact wire height, the vertical position of the contact wire at the location of the line camera is determined and thus determines a measure of the vertical pressure force or contact force of the electric pantograph / pantograph of a passing train.

The measurement of the contact wire side deflection is essential, since the standards permitted by standards, resulting from different regulations or result from manufacturer's information. A strong lateral contact wire deflection can also be an indicator of a wrongly set or defective current collector or a defective contact strip. This is in serious cases, the continuation of the train to prevent in order to avoid a destruction of the overhead line.

To measure the gauge of the train formation, the lateral dimensions, ie the flanks of the train, are observed and their exceeding or falling below the statutory or supplied by the manufacturer data, based. The measurement of the state of the sanding strips, the pantograph rocker, the pantograph boom and the roof superstructures is also done directly at the location of a camera, in particular line camera, however, the entire number of pantographs and sanding strips is recorded and analyzed as the train passes by.

The tolerance limits for the maximum and minimum allowable contact wire travel for a specific catenary result from a standard specification, European standard EN 50119. Here, the so-called stationary force, the sum of static pressure force and aerodynamic force, with the pantograph and rocker and grinding strips presses against the contact wire described. The measurement of the contact wire lift thus gives a measure of the falling below or exceeding the predetermined contact force, which represents the vertical portion and thus dominating proportion of the quasi-stationary force.

The most wear-intensive element of a catenary is the contact wire, whose service life has a significant influence on the life cycle costs. The replacement of the contact wire under operating conditions is associated with high costs. The contact wire wear is therefore of great importance in terms of life-cycle costs. For the measurement of the lifting height of the contact wire is in particular FIG. 1 consider.

FIG. 1 shows an arrangement for measuring the contact wire height in the vertical direction by means of a line camera, which is arranged laterally next to the route of a train and is aligned with the overhead line area. A change in altitude of the contact wire is detected by an image evaluation, which may be element of an evaluation unit 4. Under certain circumstances, the image analysis can be simplified by an additional measure, for example, by the area of the catenary detected by the camera being particularly marked by aids such as miniature reflectors, reflective or suitable color strokes. Furthermore, the seasonal extension of the overhead line must be taken into account and a correspondingly long overhead line section marked. Above all, the described method is particularly advantageous in that the additional provision of a car identification system with corresponding data enables unambiguous identification of the caused traction vehicles or current collectors or individual wagons. This means a considerable effort reduction for subsequent repairs.

to FIG. 2 It should be noted that a trolley side deflection can be measured with an additional upper line camera, the upper camera 22. This is mounted vertically aligned above the contact wire to receive the lateral position of the contact wire. The non-regular position of the contact wire is detected in comparison with setpoints, with successive shots being made in a passing train. Again, the identification of particular wagons or particular wagon sequences results in the location of a fault within the train being readily determinable by a wagon identification system. This means for subsequent repairs a significant reduction in costs.

In FIG. 3 is an enlarged image section accordingly FIG. 2 shown. As described, the contact wire provided with the reference numeral 7 intersects the projection of the line camera 22 at the location 11. The contact wire will wobble up and down during the passage of a train due to the Fahrdrahtanhubes and move a few inches to the left and to the right. By the image recording according to the invention and the use of line scan cameras in combination with one or more lighting units 4, 40, the representation according to the Figures 2 and 3 be explained.

The line camera 20 and the line camera 21 are with their optical axes, each running vertically downwards and their distance from each other, the maximum permissible clear width, which may have the train, represents. Any exceeding of the dimensions of the right and left side of the car can as image information be read from the respective data sets. Thus, the train is controlled in terms of its lateral dimensions and protruding and slipped cargo parts, such as antennas, tarpaulins, etc., can, if they survive on the traction edge 13, are detected. This method is particularly advantageous since the combination with the car identification system makes it possible to identify the causing cars or locomotives or pantographs.

As in FIG. 1 it can be seen by the line scan camera 10 a contact wire stroke measurement. In addition, Zugaufbauten can be measured and also other parts of the overhead line. Furthermore, the exceeding of the permissible height of the Lichtraummaßes can be determined. This is in particular measured by the camera 10 according to their orientation such that it is determined where a roof height of a car or a traction vehicle exceeds the maximum allowable height. Exceeding the Lichtraummaßes upward is recognizable as an error in the recorded image of the train. An exception is of course the one or more pantographs, which are systematically pressed above the roof construction as a bracket to the contact wire.

As shown in FIG. 1 It is advantageous that not only the lateral section of the entire overhead line, ie the contact wire and the supporting cable are received, but also all roof structures of passing trains. Here in particular the pantographs with complete linkage and the other train structures are to be cited. This video-optical or photographic recording example of a pantograph has the particular advantage that the geometry of the pantograph is comparable to target templates and deviations that are due only to damage to the pantograph can be determined early. Triggering a signal followed by an action plan could thus bring the train with a damaged pantograph to a standstill or inspect for an evasion track.

The control of a train can be carried out on the basis of various characteristics. Overall, certain dimensions or geometric configurations can be compared with setpoints that are stored on databases, and it can be detected in time an error.

Claims (13)

1. Method for monitoring a train set (9), wherein at least one current collector (12) or at least one actual position of a contact wire (7) or a combination thereof is checked, wherein

   - by means of at least one fixed, lateral camera (10) set up adjacent to a track section of the train set (9) and aligned with the train set, the vertical position of the contact wire (7) at the location of the at least one lateral camera (10) and at least one upper limit of the train set are recorded,

   - by means of at least two fixed upper cameras (20, 21) arranged over the track section of the train set (9) and aligned vertically from above in each case with one flank (13) of the train set (9), and at the same location on the track section as the at least one lateral camera (10), the flanks (13) of the train set (9), and by means of an additional camera arranged over the contact wire and aligned vertically downwards, the contact wire (7) is recorded in terms of their horizontal position, and

   - by means of an evaluation unit (4) the state of the at least one current collector (12) or the at least one actual position of a contact wire (7) or a combination thereof is determined, and faults indicated.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein
   at least one clearance dimension is also monitored, wherein

   - by means of at least two fixed upper cameras (20, 21) arranged over the track section of the train set (9) and aligned vertically from above in each case with one flank (13) of the train set, and at the same location on the track section as the at least one lateral camera (10), both the flanks (13) and also the contact wire (7) are recorded in terms of their horizontal position, and

   - by means of an evaluation unit (4) the state of the at least one current collector (12) or the at least one clearance dimension or the at least one actual position of a contact wire (7) or a combination thereof is determined, and faults indicated.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that deviations from prescribed standards are indicated as faults.
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that the at least one lateral camera (10) and the at least two upper cameras (20, 21) are line scan cameras, whose lines are in each case oriented transversely to the track section of the train set.
5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that a car identification system is additionally employed, wherein codes on the cars are recorded by means of at least one of the at least one lateral camera (10) and identified by the evaluation unit (4), so that faults occurring are allocated to the corresponding car.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that at least one further lateral camera (1) is used to read codes on the train set, in order to allocate detected faults to the particular car.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that additionally to the at least two upper cameras (20, 21) a further upper camera (22) is provided for separate recording of the horizontal position of the contact wire (7).
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that at least one strip-like image of the train set is created by the fixed cameras, wherein the detected faults are indicated on the strip-like image.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the monitoring of current collectors (12) relates to the measurements of the contact strips of the current collectors (12), wherein the linkage of the current collectors and various roof structures mounted on the train set are likewise measured.
10. Device for performing the method for monitoring a train set according to claims 1 - 9, comprising

    - at least one lateral camera (10),

    - at least two upper cameras (20, 21),

    - wherein the cameras (10, 20, 21) are arranged fixed to a track section laterally and above the train set, and by means of the at least one lateral camera (10) the area of the contact wire (7) with a carrier device and at least one current collector (12) can be recorded,
    wherein by means of the fixed, lateral camera (10) set up adjacent to the track section of the train set (9) and aligned with the train set, the vertical position of the contact wire (7) at the location of the at least one lateral camera (10) and at least one upper limit of the train set can be recorded, wherein by means of at least two fixed upper cameras (20, 21) arranged over the track section of the train set (9) and aligned vertically from above in each case with one flank (13) of the train set (9), and at the same location on the track section as the at least one lateral camera (10), the contact wire (7) can be recorded in terms of its horizontal position, and
    by means of an additional camera (22) arranged over the contact wire and aligned vertically downwards, the contact wire (7) can be recorded in terms of its horizontal position,

    - wherein an evaluation unit (4) is provided for determining the state of the at least one current collector (12), and the at least one actual position of the contact wire (7) or a combination thereof.
11. Device according to claim 10,
    having the at least two upper cameras (20, 21),

    - wherein the flanks of the train set can additionally be recorded.
12. Device according to claim 10 or 11,

    - wherein the evaluation unit (4) is additionally designed to determine the at least one clearance dimension of the train set.
13. Device according to one of claims 10 to 12,

    - wherein a lighting unit (2) is provided for the at least one lateral camera (10) and a lighting unit (40) is provided for the at least two upper cameras (20, 21) for illumination, respectively, of the field of vision assigned to each camera.

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