1. A rail fastener looseness detection robot is characterized in that a group of force hammer (6) and sensor (7) assemblies are correspondingly arranged on two transverse sides of one end of the detection robot; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

the force hammer (6) is connected with a corresponding pneumatic system (15) through a force hammer transmission rod (17), and the force hammer transmission rod (17) is controlled to move up and down through the pneumatic system (15); the sensor (7) is connected with a corresponding worm gear system (14) through a sensor transmission rod (16), and the up-and-down movement of the sensor transmission rod (16) is realized through the worm gear system (14); and meanwhile, the sensor (7) collects vibration signals generated after the corresponding force hammer (6) strikes the rail surface of the steel rail.

2. A rail fastener release detecting robot according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic system (15) comprises an air chamber (23) and a pneumatic pump (25); the pneumatic pump (25) is connected with the air chamber (23), and the air in the air chamber (23) enters and exits to control the force hammer transmission rod (17) to move up and down.

3. A rail fastener loosening detection robot according to claim 2, wherein a solenoid valve (24) is provided between the pneumatic pump (25) and the air chamber (23), and the solenoid valve (24) controls the gas to flow in and out of the air chamber (23).

4. A rail fastener release detecting robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the worm gear and worm system (14) comprises a worm wheel (18), a worm (19) and a motor (20) connected to the worm wheel and the worm (19), the motor (20) being configured to drive the worm wheel (18) and the worm (19) to control the sensor transmission rod (16) to move up and down.

5. A rail fastener release detecting robot according to claim 4, characterized in that the worm gear system (14) further comprises a couplant storage device (21), a couplant conduit (22) connected thereto, the couplant conduit (22) being connected to the sensor (7) along the sensor transmission rod (16) for transmitting the couplant thereto.

6. A steel rail fastener loosening detection robot as claimed in claim 1 or 5, wherein the detection robot is provided with a camera (4) and a position marker (5), and the camera (4) and the position marker (5) are provided with at least two groups, which are respectively arranged at two transverse sides of the detection robot and respectively correspond to the tracks at the two sides.

7. A rail fastener looseness detecting robot according to claim 6, wherein a storage battery (1), a main control computer (2) and a transmission case (3) are further integrated on the detecting robot; the main control machine (2) is a control system of the robot, and a motor is arranged in the transmission case (3) and corresponds to wheels of the detection robot.

8. A rail fastener loosening detection robot as claimed in claim 1 or 7, wherein the detection robot is provided with a standby power hammer (13) at the other end thereof at both lateral sides thereof, and each standby power hammer (13) is provided with a sensor (7) correspondingly.

9. A detection method of a rail fastener looseness detection robot, which is suitable for the rail fastener looseness detection robot of any one of claims 1 to 8, and is characterized by comprising the following steps:

s1, the inspection robot moves forward along the steel rail under the control of the control system, after the cameras arranged at the two sides of the inspection robot identify the first fastener, the robot stops, and the position calibrator calibrates the position;

the S2 sensor descends to be closely attached to the surface of the track through a worm gear system, and the couplant carried by the sensor coats the surface of the steel rail;

s3, the hammer is controlled by a pneumatic system to knock the rail surface of the steel rail downwards and then is immediately retracted, and the sensor detects corresponding vibration signals and transmits the signals to the main control computer for collection and analysis;

the S4 sensor is retracted through the worm gear system, the robot continues to move forward to detect the next fastener, and the operation is repeated in a circulating mode.

Background

The fastener is an important part for connecting the steel rail and the sleeper, provides fastening pressure for the steel rail, ensures that the steel rail does not generate longitudinal and axial deviation, and is a key part for ensuring the operation safety of the railway. With the development of high-speed heavy-duty railways, the undersized foundation of the track structure may be damaged under the action of repeated loads of trains, so that the fasteners are loosened. The loosening of one fastener often induces the loosening of surrounding fasteners very easily, aggravates track structure destruction, will produce very big influence to train driving safety. Therefore, people have been actively searching for a detection method capable of automatically, efficiently and accurately detecting the fastener loosening along the line for a long time.

At present, there are three main methods for detecting the loosening of fasteners: methods based on manual routing inspection, computer vision, and vibration signals; the method based on manual inspection has low efficiency, high cost and easy omission inspection; the computer vision method can effectively identify whether the fastener is missing or not, but cannot identify the loosening degree of the fastener, and the train vibration has great influence on the image quality; the method is based on vibration signals, the loosening of the fastener is identified by a self-power spectral density method, the method is low in sensitivity, easy to be influenced by input excitation, and poor in fastener loosening identification result.

For example, chinese patent publication No. CN103194942A discloses a rail vibration signal movement detection device and a detection method, but the method is to collect vibration signals generated during the movement of the rail inspection vehicle by the vibration detection device, and analyze and judge the loosening condition of the rail fastener by analyzing the vibration of the rail inspection vehicle during the movement. The rail inspection vehicle is complex in self vibration and difficult to control. There is still no inspection apparatus in which the detection means and the excitation means are integrated.

Disclosure of Invention

Aiming at one or more of the defects or the improvement requirements in the prior art, the invention provides a steel rail fastener loosening detection robot and a detection method thereof.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rail clip looseness detecting robot, wherein a set of force hammers and sensor assemblies are respectively disposed on two lateral sides of one end of the detecting robot; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

the force hammer is connected with a corresponding pneumatic system through a force hammer transmission rod, and the force hammer transmission rod is controlled to move up and down through the pneumatic system; the sensor is connected with a corresponding worm gear system through a sensor transmission rod, and the up-and-down movement of the sensor transmission rod is realized through the worm gear system; and meanwhile, the sensor collects vibration signals generated after the corresponding force hammer strikes the rail surface of the steel rail.

As a further improvement of the invention, the pneumatic system comprises an air chamber and a pneumatic pump; the pneumatic pump is connected with the air chamber, and the air in the air chamber enters and exits to control the force hammer transmission rod to move up and down.

As a further improvement of the invention, an electromagnetic valve is arranged between the pneumatic pump and the air chamber, and the electromagnetic valve controls the gas to enter and exit the air chamber.

As a further improvement of the invention, the worm gear-worm system comprises a worm gear, a worm and a motor connected with the worm gear and the worm, wherein the motor is used for driving the worm gear and the worm to control the sensor transmission rod to move up and down.

As a further improvement of the invention, the worm and gear system further comprises a couplant storage device and a couplant conduit connected with the couplant storage device, wherein the couplant conduit is connected to the sensor along the sensor transmission rod to transmit the couplant to the sensor.

As a further improvement of the invention, the detection robot is provided with at least two groups of cameras and position calibrators, which are respectively arranged at two transverse sides of the detection robot and respectively correspond to the tracks at the two sides.

As a further improvement of the invention, the detection robot is also integrated with a storage battery, a main control computer and a transmission case; the main control machine is a control system of the robot, and a motor is arranged in the transmission case and corresponds to wheels of the detection robot.

As a further improvement of the invention, the other end of the detection robot is provided with standby power hammers at two transverse sides, and each standby power hammer is correspondingly provided with a sensor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting a rail clip release detecting robot, which is adapted to the rail clip release detecting robot, including the steps of:

s1, the inspection robot moves forward along the steel rail under the control of the control system, after the cameras arranged at the two sides of the inspection robot identify the first fastener, the robot stops, and the position calibrator calibrates the position;

the S2 sensor descends to be closely attached to the surface of the track through a worm gear system, and the couplant carried by the sensor coats the surface of the steel rail;

s3, the hammer is controlled by a pneumatic system to knock the rail surface of the steel rail downwards and then is immediately retracted, and the sensor detects corresponding vibration signals and transmits the signals to the main control computer for collection and analysis;

the S4 sensor is retracted through the worm gear system, the robot continues to move forward to detect the next fastener, and the operation is repeated in a circulating mode.

Generally, compared with the prior art, the above technical solution conceived by the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

(1) according to the robot for detecting the looseness of the steel rail fastener, the robot carries the force hammer, and the obtained steel rail vibration signals are collected and analyzed through the excitation points generated by the knocking of the force hammer on the rail surface of the steel rail and the sensors arranged at the front end and the rear end of the robot, so that the looseness state of the steel rail fastener is known. Simultaneously, be provided with camera and position calibration ware in the both sides of robot, can realize the position calibration of track fastener, make things convenient for maintainer later stage to carry out the maintenance of rail fastener. The problems of low sensitivity, low efficiency, high cost and easy omission of detection in the traditional detection mode are solved.

(2) According to the detection method of the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot, the detection robot carries the ultrasonic sensor and the force hammer, the force hammer is controlled by the control system to generate the excitation signal, and the steel rail fastener loosening detection in the detection range is realized by combining the nondestructive detection mode of the ultrasonic sensor, so that the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot has high structural damage sensitivity and test noise robustness.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view of a rail clip loosening detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a rail clip loosening detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a worm gear transmission mechanism of a rail fastener loosening detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the principle of an air pump transmission mechanism of the robot for detecting the looseness of the steel rail fastener according to the embodiment of the invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic view of a detection principle of the rail fastener loosening detection robot according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In all the figures, the same reference numerals denote the same features, in particular: 1-storage battery, 2-main control machine, 3-transmission box, 4-camera, 5-position calibrator, 6-force hammer, 7-sensor, 8-fixing seat, 9-steel rail, 10-fastener, 11-wheel, 12-sleeper, 13-spare force hammer, 14-worm gear system, 15-pneumatic system, 16-sensor transmission rod, 17-force hammer transmission rod, 18-turbine, 19-worm, 20-motor, 21-couplant storage device, 22-couplant conduit, 23-air chamber, 24-electromagnetic valve and 25-pneumatic pump.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more apparent, the present invention is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the embodiments of the present invention described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "central," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the orientations and positional relationships indicated in the drawings for convenience in describing the invention and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," and the like are to be construed broadly and can, for example, be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally formed; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be directly connected or indirectly connected through intervening media, or they may be connected internally or in any other suitable relationship, unless expressly stated otherwise. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may be directly contacting the first and second features or indirectly contacting the first and second features through an intermediate. Also, a first feature "on," "over," and "above" a second feature may be directly or diagonally above the second feature, or may simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "under," "below," and "beneath" a second feature may be directly under or obliquely under the first feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is at a lesser elevation than the second feature.

Based on the fact that no inspection device integrating a detection device and an excitation device in the prior art exists, the invention provides a steel rail fastener loosening detection robot and a detection method thereof, wherein fig. 1 and fig. 2 are a side view and a top view of the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot respectively, and the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot comprises a storage battery 1, a main control computer 2, a transmission case 3, a camera 4, a position calibrator 5, a force hammer 6, a sensor 7 and the like, in combination with fig. 1 and fig. 2.

Specifically, a group of force hammers 6 and a group of sensor 7 are correspondingly arranged on two transverse sides of the detection robot and are respectively used for detecting the loosening condition of fasteners on two sides of a track, wherein the force hammers 6 can realize knocking on a rail surface of a steel rail through a pneumatic control system so as to generate an excitation signal, and the sensor 7 is preferably an ultrasonic sensor and can realize acquisition of a vibration signal of the steel rail; in each group of the force hammer 6 and sensor 7 assembly, the sensor 7 collects vibration signals generated after the force hammer 6 strikes the rail surface of the steel rail; the force hammer 6 and the sensor 7 on the two transverse sides respectively correspond to the steel rails 9 on the two sides, the force hammer 6 and the sensor 7 are preferably located right above the steel rails 9 and respectively knock the steel rails on the two sides, and the loosening condition of the fasteners 10 on the two sides of the rail is detected. Preferably, the other end of the detection robot is provided with a standby power hammer 13 on two sides in the transverse direction, the standby power hammer is used as a standby and is used instead when the main power hammer has mechanical failure, and the standby power hammer 13 is also correspondingly provided with the sensor 7.

Be equipped with camera 4, position calibration ware 5 on the inspection robot, wherein camera 4 is used for detecting when this department fastener pine takes off, shoots the fastener of this department, and position calibration ware 5 is used for carrying out the position calibration to the pine fastener that takes off that corresponds. Camera 4, position calibration ware 5 mutually support, can realize the position calibration of track fastener, make things convenient for the maintainer later stage to carry out the maintenance of rail fastener. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 4 and the position calibrator 5 are at least two groups, and are respectively arranged on two transverse sides of the detection robot and respectively correspond to the tracks on the two sides, so that the fasteners on the two sides can be conveniently photographed and calibrated. And preferably, the camera 4 and the position marker 5 are fixed by a fixing seat 8, and the fixing seat 8 fixes the camera and the position marker on the vehicle body of the detection robot.

Furthermore, the detection robot is also integrated with a storage battery 1, a main control machine 2 and a transmission case 3; the storage batteries 1 are arranged on the robot body, have large battery capacity and can be used for supplying power for long-distance detection of the robot, so that the long-distance detection requirement is met; the main control machine 2 is a control system of the robot and is used for controlling the detection action of the robot and collecting and analyzing vibration signals collected by the sensor 7; a motor is arranged in the transmission case 3, and the transmission case 3 corresponds to the wheels 11 and is used for driving the wheels of the robot to move forward along the steel rail 9.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a worm gear and worm transmission mechanism of the rail fastener loosening detection robot according to the embodiment of the invention. The sensor 7 is controlled by a worm gear system 14 and is used for realizing the up-and-down movement of the ultrasonic sensor and the coating of a coupling agent. The worm and gear system comprises a worm wheel 18, a worm 19, a motor 20, a couplant storage device 21 and a couplant conduit 22. The worm wheel 18 and the worm 19 are connected with the motor 20, the worm wheel 18 and the worm 19 exert direct acting force on the sensor transmission rod 16, the motor 20 drives the worm wheel 18 and the worm 19 to control the sensor transmission rod 16 to move up and down, and the sensor transmission rod 16 is connected with the sensor 7 and used for carrying the sensor to move up and down; the couplant guide pipe 22 is connected to the sensor 7 along the sensor transmission rod 16, the couplant guide pipe 22 is connected with the couplant storage device 21, the couplant is transmitted to the sensor 7 through the couplant guide pipe 22, the surface couplant of the steel rail is smeared before detection is achieved, and therefore the detection structure is accurate.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an air pump transmission mechanism related to the rail fastener loosening detection robot according to the embodiment of the invention. As shown in fig. 4, the force hammer 6 is controlled by a pneumatic system 15 for controlling the upward and downward movement of the force hammer. The pneumatic system comprises an air chamber 23, an electromagnetic valve 24 and a pneumatic pump 25, wherein the pneumatic pump 25 is connected with the air chamber 23, the air chamber 23 applies direct acting force to the force hammer transmission rod 17, and the air inlet and outlet control force hammer transmission rod moves up and down; an electromagnetic valve 24 is arranged between the pneumatic pump 25 and the air chamber 23, the electromagnetic valve 24 controls the air in the pneumatic pump 25 to enter and exit from the air chamber 23, the quick up-and-down motion of the force hammer transmission rod 17 is realized, the hammer transmission rod 17 is connected with a force hammer, and therefore the force hammer 6 is driven to knock the rail surface of the steel rail 9; and the knocking interval time and the knocking time of the hammer can be controlled to be reduced or increased by adjusting the electromagnetic valve 24. The force hammer is integrated on the inspection robot, and the excitation point with preset strength can be quickly generated through the pneumatic system, so that the accuracy of signal analysis is enhanced.

The structures of the worm gear system control and the pneumatic system control in fig. 3 and 4 are schematic structures, and the specific shapes of the components are not limited.

In addition, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the force hammers on the two sides of the inspection robot can knock the steel rails on the two sides simultaneously, the steel rails are collected by the corresponding sensors respectively, and the specific positions of the loose fasteners are distinguished through the analysis of the main control computer. In addition, the rail is knocked after the inspection robot is stopped stably, so that the acquired signals cannot be influenced by vibration of the inspection vehicle in the running process.

The robot is provided with a storage battery and a control system, the robot carries a force hammer, and an excitation point generated by knocking the force hammer on a rail surface of a steel rail is combined with sensors arranged at the front end and the rear end of the robot to collect and analyze an obtained vibration signal of the steel rail, so that the loosening state of the steel rail fastener is known. Simultaneously, be provided with camera and position calibration ware in the both sides of robot, can realize the position calibration of track fastener, make things convenient for maintainer later stage to carry out the maintenance of rail fastener. The problems of low sensitivity, low efficiency, high cost and easy omission of detection in the traditional detection mode are solved.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a detection principle of a rail fastener loosening detection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, and as shown in fig. 5, in an embodiment of the present invention, points a to D are corresponding positions of a sensor on a rail surface, and point E, F is an excitation point position of a force hammer on a rail, respectively, and a specific detection method of a rail fastener loosening detection robot according to the present invention includes the following steps:

(1) the inspection robot moves forward along the steel rail under the control of the main control machine 2, after the cameras arranged at two sides of the inspection robot identify a first fastener, the robot stops, and the position calibrator calibrates the position;

(2) the sensor descends to be closely attached to the surface of the track through a worm gear system, and the coupling agent carried by the sensor coats the surface of the steel rail;

(3) after the sensor is tightly attached, the force hammer is controlled by a pneumatic system to knock the rail surface of the steel rail downwards and then is immediately withdrawn, and the sensor detects corresponding vibration signals and transmits the signals to a main control machine for collection and analysis;

(4) the sensor is packed up through worm gear system, and the robot continues to move ahead, detects next fastener, so the circulation is reciprocal.

According to the detection method of the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot, the detection robot carries the ultrasonic sensor and the force hammer, the force hammer is controlled by the control system to generate the excitation signal, and the steel rail fastener loosening detection in the detection range is realized by combining the nondestructive detection mode of the ultrasonic sensor, so that the steel rail fastener loosening detection robot has high structural damage sensitivity and test noise robustness.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the invention, and that any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.