RU2848238C2 - Autonomous track condition monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: railways.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an autonomous track condition monitoring system (100). The system (100) is an unmanned robotic vehicle designed to move along railway tracks and inspect them for any irregularities, obstructions, cracks, ballast density, deviations, track angles, and dimensional violations. The system (100) comprises a chassis (10), a sensor unit mounted on the chassis (10), at least two linear actuators (22), at least two wheel units (20), at least four vertical linear actuators (28), a microcontroller, communication means, and a power source for supplying power to the microcontroller and sensor unit. The system (100) can detect an approaching train on the track (50) and can retract to the centre of the track (50) so that trains do not have to stop and can pass over the system (100).

EFFECT: elimination of manual defect detection during track maintenance, prevention of train stoppages during track condition monitoring, ability to collect data on the location of frequently failing rail tracks, as well as on the types of faults.

6 cl, 5 dwg

Description

Field of technology:

The present invention relates to a field system for monitoring track conditions and, in particular, the present invention relates to an autonomous system for monitoring track conditions, especially for monitoring the condition of railway tracks.

State of the art

Today, the Indian railway network has 113,617 km (70,598 mi) of track along a 63,974 km (39,752 mi) route, with 7,083 stations. Specifically, India has the fourth-largest railway network in the world, second only to the United States, Russia, and China.

Good track quality plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of this vast railway network. However, track quality depends on the quality of its construction and maintenance. For maintenance purposes, railway workers manually inspect the tracks daily, and if any issues arise, they are repaired. Manual track inspection is carried out by engineers and workers on the tracks.

However, tracks undergoing inspection must be temporarily closed, which disrupts train traffic and leads to delays. Furthermore, in many cases, manual inspection fails to detect certain potential defects, such as internal cracks, which could lead to serious failure and the risk of an accident.

To address these shortcomings of manual track inspection, automatic track condition monitoring devices have been tried in the past.

One such device is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 1,0029,708. Patent No. 1,0029,708 describes a reconnaissance vehicle system for a railroad that comprises a reconnaissance vehicle and a data processing unit. The reconnaissance vehicle may comprise at least two wheels configured to interact with a set of railroad tracks, a motor mechanically connected to at least one of the wheels, a speed controller, an electromagnetic sensor directed toward the set of railroad tracks, a positioning receiver, a local speed measuring device, and a transceiver. The speed controller may be connected to the motor and configured to control the speed of the reconnaissance vehicle in order to maintain the required distance between the reconnaissance vehicle and a train following behind. The data processing unit may be configured to transmit track condition information via the transceiver, as well as to receive signals from the train regarding the speed and location of the train via the said transceiver.

The track condition monitoring device described in the aforementioned U.S. patent sends a signal to the engineer of a locomotive driving a train on the same track if any track defect is detected, allowing the engineer to stop the train and thereby avoid an accident. However, the device mentioned in the prior art patent must be removed from the track if the train is traveling on the same track where the track condition monitoring device is located, and if there are no damages or defects on the track. This is the main drawback of the prior art device, which stops normal train operation if the tracks are in good condition, thus rendering the track condition monitoring device useless.

Accordingly, there is a need to create an autonomous track condition monitoring system that overcomes the above mentioned shortcomings.

Objectives of the invention:

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate manual search for defects during track maintenance.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent train stops during track condition monitoring.

Another object of the present invention is to significantly reduce inspection costs during maintenance.

Another object of the present invention is to collect data on the location of frequently failing tracks, as well as on the types of failures.

The essence of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides an autonomous track condition monitoring system (100) for inspecting railway tracks (50) and the like. The autonomous track condition monitoring system (100) comprises a chassis (10) that has a front side (A), a rear side (B), a first side (C) and a second side (D), and a sensor node formed on the chassis (10).

The sensor unit comprises at least one image capturing unit (14) arranged centrally on the front part (A) and the rear part (B) of the chassis (10), at least two depth sensors (16) arranged on each side of the front part (A) and the rear part (B) of the chassis (10), a vibration sensor operatively connected to a horizontal linear drive (22) and a vertical linear drive (28), as well as a folding image capturing unit (18) arranged on the wheel assembly on each side for inspecting the outer side of the track;

The system further comprises at least one horizontal linear drive (22) formed in the first side and the second side of the chassis (10), as well as a wheel assembly (20) attached to each horizontal linear drive (20). The wheel assembly (20) is configured to be retracted and extended by means of the horizontal linear drives (22), wherein the wheel assembly (20) is configured to be placed on the track in an extended position.

The system additionally comprises at least four vertical linear drives (28) formed at the bottom of the chassis (10) for raising and lowering the chassis (10), communication means formed on the chassis; a microcontroller for controlling the sensor node and a power source for powering the microcontroller and the sensor node.

Brief description of the drawings:

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the description in conjunction with the following figures, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of an autonomous track condition monitoring system in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the autonomous track condition monitoring system shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an isometric view of the autonomous track condition monitoring system after it has reached its highest position;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the autonomous track condition monitoring system in a position when it is raised to its maximum height, in a position of maximum height with the folding arm fully extended, in a position of maximum height with the folding arm fully extended, and when it rests on the rails by means of its wheels with the folding arm fully extended; and

Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of the operation of an autonomous track condition monitoring system in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of embodiments:

The above objectives of the present invention are achieved and the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome by the methods and approaches of the present invention, as described below in the preferred embodiments.

In the present description and the appended claims, the singular forms "a" and "an" include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, the term "sensor" includes a combination of two or more sensors, etc.

Referring now to Figs. 1-5, which show an autonomous system (100) for monitoring the condition of tracks (hereinafter referred to as the "system (100)") in accordance with the present invention. The system (100) in accordance with the present invention is an unmanned robotic vehicle configured to move along railway tracks and inspect the tracks for any irregularities, obstacles, cracks, density of stone fill, deviations, angles of inclination of tracks, violations of clearances, and the like. The track (50) mentioned in this document is a railway track (50). However, it may be obvious to those skilled in the art to use the system in accordance with the present invention for monitoring the condition of tracks, such as funicular tracks, subways, and the like.

The system (100) comprises a chassis (10), a sensor node formed on the chassis (10), at least two linear drives (22), at least two wheel assemblies (20), at least four vertical linear drives (28), a microcontroller (34), communication means and a power source (32) for providing power to the microcontroller (34) and the sensor node.

Fig. 1 shows a chassis (10). The chassis (10) can be made of a rectangular or hexagonal shape and include a front side (A), a rear side (B), a first side (C) and a second side (D). The chassis (10) is closed with a cover (12), forming a structure similar to a cabin. The chassis (10) contains at least one headlight (12a), formed on the front side (A) and the rear side (B). In one embodiment, the chassis (10) is designed in such a way that it can withstand the load of the self-resetting system and other electronic devices necessary for performing the inspection. In one embodiment, the chassis (10) is made of aluminum, steel, etc. The sensor unit is formed on the chassis (10).

The sensor unit comprises at least one image capturing unit (14), arranged centrally on the front part (A) and the rear part (B) of the chassis (10) in such a way that the system (100) can operate in both directions, i.e. in the forward and reverse directions.

In one embodiment, at least one image capturing unit (14) is a camera. The sensor assembly further comprises at least two depth sensors (16), arranged on either side of the front (A) or rear (B) of the chassis. Images obtained using the camera (14) and the depth sensors (16), when used together, provide the most reliable results for the microcontroller (34). The depth sensors (16) act as a complement to the camera (14).

The sensor assembly further comprises a foldable image capture unit (18), such as a camera mounted on the wheel assembly (20) on both sides, for inspecting the outer side of the track. The folding assembly of the folding camera (18) is folded to reduce the stroke length of both the horizontal and vertical linear actuators, ultimately reducing the overall dimensions of the robot, allowing the robot to hide between the tracks (50) while a train passes over it. In one embodiment, the folding of the folding camera (18) is accomplished by two rotary actuators (26) mounted on the wheel assembly (20).

Each horizontal linear actuator of the two horizontal linear actuators (22) is formed inside the first side (C) and the second side (D) of the chassis (10). In particular, a wheel assembly (20) is attached to each horizontal linear actuator (22). The wheel assembly (20) is configured to be retracted and extended by means of the horizontal linear actuators (22). In one embodiment, the linear actuators (22) are actuated by electromechanical switches (22a). In particular, the microcontroller (34) sends a signal to open or close individual electromechanical switches (22a) of the corresponding linear actuators (22), after which these switches control the linear actuator (22). These electromechanical switches are part of the main printed circuit board.

In one embodiment, each wheel assembly (20) comprises two wheels (24) driven by two rotary drives (26). In one embodiment, the rotary drive (26) is a bidirectional rotary drive, allowing the system (100) to inspect the paths (50) in both the forward and reverse directions. These rotary drives control the speed and direction of movement of the robot along the paths (50). In particular, the microcontroller (34) sends a forward or reverse motion signal to individual electromechanical switches of the corresponding rotary drives (26), and these electromechanical switches then control the rotary drives (26). These electromechanical switches are part of the main printed circuit board.

The wheel assembly (20) has an internal flange that holds the wheels on the tracks (50), as in railway wheels. Specifically, the wheel assembly (20) is designed to be mounted on the tracks (50) in an extended position using a horizontal linear drive (22).

In one embodiment, the horizontal linear actuator (22) provides a self-retracting mechanism for retracting the system (100) from the tracks (50). Specifically, the system (100) is concealed beneath the rail height at the center of the track so that the train can pass over it without the need for removal.

Four vertical linear drives (28) are mounted under the chassis (10), and they provide lifting and lowering of the chassis (10) when necessary.

In one embodiment, the system (100) comprises a vibration sensor (not shown) implemented on the chassis (10) and operatively connected to a horizontal linear actuator (22) and four vertical linear actuators (28). The vibration sensor records the vibration of the track (50) caused by an approaching train. When a train passes along the same track on which the system (100) is installed, the vibration sensor activates the vertical linear actuator (28) to raise the entire chassis (10) so that the wheel assembly (20) is above the tracks (50), and then the horizontal linear actuator (22) provides retraction so that the wheel assembly (20) is in the center of the chassis. Then, the vertical linear actuator (28) lowers the entire chassis (10) again so that the train can pass over the system (100). After the train passes, the system (100) is raised by vertical linear drives (28), and the wheel assembly (20) is pushed away from the center of the chassis (10) to place the wheels on the track.

The communication means are provided on a chassis (10). In one embodiment, the communication means comprise at least one foldable antenna (30) provided above the chassis (10) to ensure uninterrupted communication using the internet or similar communication methods.

Communication systems send collected data from sensors and cameras to a host computer on a cloud server. The host computer processes the data and provides results, including the type of fault and its magnitude, along with its precise location along the route (50).

The microcontroller (34) controls the sensor node and a power source, such as a battery (32), to provide power to the microcontroller (34), the sensor node, and other electronics of the system (100).

Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of the operation of an autonomous system (100) for monitoring the condition of tracks in accordance with the present invention. The system (100) is located in a resting state between tracks (50), and is supported by vertical linear drives (28) on a track block (52).

After this, the system (100) is raised by vertical linear drives (28), supported by track blocks (52).

Then the system (100) extends the wheel assembly (20) using horizontal linear drives (22) onto the track (50), while the system (100) is supported by vertical linear drives (28) on the rail blocks (52).

The system (100) then deploys its communication antenna (30) and external camera (18), while the system (100) is still supported by vertical linear actuators (28) on the track blocks (52).

Finally, the system (100) is supported by vertical linear drives (28) on the track blocks (52), and is also supported on the tracks (50) by means of the wheel assembly (20), since the wheel assembly (20) is designed with the possibility of being extended by means of the horizontal linear drive (22). Now the system (100) is ready to move along the track (50).

Conversely, the system (100) can detect an approaching train on the track (50) and pull towards the center of the track (50) so that trains do not have to stop and can pass over the system (100).

The system (100) in accordance with the present invention is configured to perform the following operations:

1. The system (100) detects any breaks and cracks in the tracks (50).

2. The system (100) detects any bends, deviations or dips in the tracks (50).

3. The system (100) detects foreign objects on the tracks (50) or outside them that may affect the passage of vehicles.

4. The system (100) detects any missing parts such as splice plates, splice bolts and elastic rail clamps, as well as other missing parts along the track (50).

5. The system (100) determines the position of the elastic rail clamps.

6. The system (100) detects faults at railway crossings.

7. The system (100) detects excess water, as well as stagnant water near the path.

8. The system (100) determines the state of altimeters near crossings.

9. The system (100) immediately reports an unsafe condition of the route to the appropriate authority.

10. The system (100) gives an alarm signal and stops the train or allows the train to move at reduced speed depending on the requirements of the situation.

11. The system (100) is designed to determine the state of the electric wires of an electric train.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of description and illustration. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and, obviously, numerous modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the foregoing. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and thereby to enable others skilled in the art to best use the present invention and the various embodiments with various modifications that are suitable for the specific intended use. It should be understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are considered depending on the circumstances or expediency, however, such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. An autonomous system (100) for monitoring the condition of tracks for inspecting railway tracks (50), wherein the autonomous system (100) for monitoring the condition of tracks comprises: a chassis (10) having a front side (A), a rear side (B), a first side (C) and a second side (D); a sensor node mounted on a chassis (10); at least one horizontal linear drive (22) formed inside the first side and the second side of the chassis (10); a wheel assembly (20) attached to each horizontal linear drive (20), wherein the wheel assembly (20) is configured to be retracted and extended by means of the horizontal linear drives (22), wherein the wheel assembly (20) is configured to be placed on the track in an extended position; at least four vertical linear drives (28) made under the chassis (10) for raising and lowering the chassis (10); communication equipment mounted on a chassis; a microcontroller (34) for controlling the sensor node; and power supply (32) for powering the microcontroller and sensor node. 2. The system according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the sensor node contains: at least one image capturing unit (14) formed in the center of the front part (A) and the rear part (B) of the chassis (10); at least two depth sensors (16) located on both sides of the front part (A) and the rear part (B) of the chassis; a vibration sensor operatively connected to the horizontal linear actuator (22) and the vertical linear actuator (28); and a folding image capturing unit (18) mounted on the wheel assembly on both sides for inspecting the outer side of the track. 3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal and vertical linear drives (22, 28) are actuated by electromechanical switches. 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the chassis (10) comprises at least one headlight on the front side and the rear side. 5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each wheel unit (20) contains two wheels (24) driven by means of rotary drives (26). 6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication means are at least one folding antenna (30) made above the chassis (10) to ensure uninterrupted communication.