JP2004238141A - Rail wear detection device and remaining thickness measuring method for rail using this detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rail wear detection device allowing a worker to automatically know remaining thickness of a worn part. <P>SOLUTION: This rail wear detection device 10 is provided with a first detection means 12 and a second detection means 13 in a main body 11. The first detection means 12 is constituted by attaching a detection roller 12b in contact with an upper bottom part 3a to a tip of a swing arm 12a energized in the upward direction by an energizing means such as a spring. A detection roller 13b in contact with a longitudinal plate part 5 is attached to a tip of a swing arm 13a energized in the inward direction of the second detection means 13. Swing amount of these swing arms 12a, 13a is measured by a potentiometer. An interval between the rail upper bottom part 3a and a rail lower bottom part 4a is calculated from the swing amount of the swing arm 12a, and an interval in the lateral direction between the rail longitudinal plate part and a central position of the worn part is calculated from the swing amount of the swing arm 13a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for detecting wear of a rail of an overhead conveyor used for a work transfer line of an automobile, for example, and a method for measuring a remaining rail thickness using the device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an overhead conveyor has been used as a work transfer line in a factory or the like. As shown in FIG. 5, a general configuration of the overhead conveyor is such that a joint member 101 is connected to a chain 100, and a guide roller 102 attached to the joint member 101 is engaged with a rail 103. It runs along. The chain 100 is provided with hooks (not shown) for attaching a pallet or a work at equal intervals.
[0003]
The guide roller 102 is always in contact with the rail 103, and particularly at a boundary between a horizontal portion and a down slope or an up slope, the guide roller 102 makes strong contact with the same portion, so that a part of the rail 103 is used. Will wear out. When the wear becomes severe, the rail 103 must be replaced, and it is difficult to inspect the rail 103 manually over the entire length of the line.
[0004]
Therefore, a swing arm 104 is attached to the joint member 101, and a detection roller 105 provided at the tip of the swing arm 104 is brought into contact with a portion where the guide roller 102 does not wear. As shown in FIG. 6A, the guide roller 102 and the detection roller 105 run on the same surface, and when wear occurs, only the guide roller 102 runs on the worn surface as shown in FIG. 6B. Then, the joint member 101 to which the guide roller 102 is attached is worn down, whereby the swing arm 104 swings. The swing amount is detected by a potentiometer or the like and input to a computer, and the wear amount is calculated from the detected value. The rails whose wear amount exceeds a predetermined value are replaced.
[0005]
Also, there is known an apparatus that continuously detects the position of a vehicle running on a rail, not an overhead conveyor. (Patent Document 1)
Although not related to the wear of the rails, in order to measure the electric field strength of each spot on the floor, the sphere is brought into contact with the floor surface, and the sphere is driven to rotate by the movement of the measuring device. A device that outputs the amount of movement in the Y direction is known. (Patent Document 2)
Further, there has been proposed a system in which a test vehicle is made to run on a rail of a railway, and a displacement of the rail is obtained as measurement data. (Patent Document 3)
[0006]
[Patent Document]
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 11-504723, page 4, lines 23 to 24 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-196984, paragraph 0005, 0008
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2001-317930, paragraph 0002
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wear amount can be known, but the remaining thickness cannot be known.
That is, the rails used for overhead conveyors and the like have a horizontal H-shaped cross section, and the upper and lower bottoms are thicker at the center and thinner toward the outside for the purpose of reducing vibration during running. Has become. As a result, even if the amount of wear is known, the thickness at that location is not known, so that the remaining thickness cannot be known. Since the remaining thickness is not known, the rail may be replaced even though the rail does not need to be replaced yet.
[0008]
Further, even if the contents disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are applied to a rail used for an overhead conveyor or the like, the remaining thickness of the rail cannot be known.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the rail wear detection device according to the present invention is a rail top bottom or a rail bottom bottom that is worn by contact with a guide roller and an unworn rail bottom bottom or a rail top bottom opposed thereto. And a second detector for measuring a horizontal distance from the vertical rail portion to the center of the worn portion.
The guide roller travels in contact with either the upper bottom or the lower bottom of the rail. In particular, at a portion where the gradient changes, the guide roller comes into strong contact, so that abrasion becomes severe.
[0010]
As described above, by measuring the horizontal distance from the rail vertical plate portion to the center position of the worn portion by the second detecting means, it is possible to know the remaining thickness of the rail at the worn portion.
[0011]
Specifically, the remaining thickness is calculated by a computer by the following method, and when the remaining thickness becomes a predetermined value or less, it is notified by means such as an alarm.
ΔZ = (H1-H2-2Ltanθ) / 2- (H3-H2-2Ltanθ)
However,
ΔZ: Remaining thickness of rail L: Horizontal distance from rail vertical plate part to center position of worn part H1: Total height of rail H2: Height of rail vertical plate part H3: Upper bottom of rail or lower bottom of rail The distance θ between the center position of the rail and the opposed lower bottom or upper rail of the rail which is not worn is the inclination angle of the upper rail or the lower bottom of the rail with respect to the horizontal plane.
[0012]
Further, as a specific example of the first and second detection means, a detection roller attached to a tip of a swing arm connected to a potentiometer can be considered. Further, in order to measure the height (H3) by the first detecting means including the swing arm and the detecting roller, the height (H3) of the upper rail or the lower lower rail of the rail may be measured at a position facing the first detecting means. It is conceivable to provide a reference roller that comes into contact with a surface that is not worn.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example in which the rail wear detecting device according to the present invention is applied to a conveyor chain conveyor, FIG. 2 is a side view of the rail wear detecting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a rail wear detecting device according to the present invention. It is a top view of an apparatus.
[0014]
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a chain, 2 denotes a rail, and the chain 1 alternately connects a center link 1a having a long ring shape and a side link 1b composed of a pair of upper and lower plates by inserting a connecting pin 1c into an end. It is composed by doing.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 4, the rail 2 has a horizontal H-shaped cross section in which the center of the upper plate portion 3 and the lower plate portion 4 are connected by a vertical plate portion 5, and has a symmetrical shape in the vertical and horizontal directions. The upper plate portion 3 and the lower plate portion 4 are thickest at the connection portion with the vertical plate portion 5 and become thinner toward the outside. That is, the upper bottom portion 3a (the lower surface of the upper plate portion 3) and the lower bottom portion 4a (the upper surface of the lower plate portion 4) are inclined by θ with respect to the horizontal plane.
[0016]
Joint members 6 are attached to the chain 1 at predetermined intervals. The joint member 6 joins the two brackets to the chain 1 by abutting the lower end thereof to the chain 1. The upper part is formed by curving the two brackets outward to form a fork so as to face each side of the rail 2. A guide rail 7 that engages with the rail 2 is provided at the upper end of the guide rail.
[0017]
Further, the rail wear detecting device 10 according to the present invention is attached to a specific bracket among the brackets constituting the joint member 6. The rail wear detecting device 10 includes a first detecting means 12 and a second detecting means 13 on a main body 11.
[0018]
The first detecting means 12 has a detecting roller 12b which comes into contact with the upper bottom 3a attached to the tip of a swing arm 12a which is urged upward (in a direction contacting the upper bottom 3a) by a biasing means such as a spring. . The swing amount of the swing arm 12a is measured by a potentiometer, and the measured value is sent to a computer (not shown).
[0019]
On the other hand, a reference roller 11b, which comes into contact with the rail lower bottom 4a, is attached to the tip of a fixed arm 11a extending rearward from the main body 11, and based on the position of the reference roller 11b and the swing amount of the swing arm 12a, the worn rail It is possible to know the distance (H3) between the center position of the bottom 3a or the rail bottom bottom 4a and the unworn rail bottom bottom 4a or rail top bottom 3a opposed thereto.
[0020]
The second detecting means 13 is a detecting roller 13b which comes into contact with the vertical plate portion 5 at the tip of the swing arm 13a which is urged inward (in the direction of contacting the vertical plate portion 5) by a biasing means such as a spring. Is installed. The swing amount of the swing arm 13a is also measured by a potentiometer in the same manner as described above, and the horizontal distance (L) between the rail vertical plate portion and the center position of the worn portion is calculated from the measured value.
[0021]
Next, a measurement principle using the rail wear detecting device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure,
ΔZ: Remaining thickness of rail L: Horizontal distance from rail vertical plate part to center position of worn part H1: Total height of rail H2: Height of rail vertical plate part H3: Upper bottom of rail or lower bottom of rail H4: The thickness before the wear of the portion where the guide rail abuts before the wear H5: The upper bottom before the wear of the portion where the guide rail comes into contact Δh: average value of wear depth (depth at center of wear part)
θ: The inclination angle of the upper bottom of the rail or the lower bottom of the rail with respect to the horizontal plane is as follows:
ΔZ = H4−Δh (1)
Here, H4 = (H1-H5) / 2
Δh = H3-H5
H5 = H2 + 2Ltanθ
Substituting these into (1) gives
ΔZ = (H1-H2-2Ltanθ) / 2- (H3-H2-2Ltanθ) (2)
It becomes.
[0022]
Here, H3 is calculated from the swing amount of the swing arm 12a, L is calculated from the swing amount of the swing arm 13a, and H1, H2, and θ are values already known as the rail inherent values. Therefore, the remaining thickness of the rail wear portion can be known from the above equation (2).
[0023]
In the illustrated example, a rail wear detecting device that detects wear of the upper bottom portion 3a is shown. However, a similar detecting device can be used to detect wear of the lower bottom portion 4a. That is, in the case of a transport chain conveyor, only one of the upper rail 3a and the lower bottom 4a is usually worn, and both are not worn. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to the case where the wear of the lower bottom 4a is detected.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the rail wear detection device according to the present invention, it is possible to know not the amount of wear of the rail but the remaining thickness of the worn portion, so that the rail can be replaced without waste at an appropriate time. Can be.
In addition, since the above-mentioned remaining thickness can be constantly monitored, if it is applied to a transport line in a factory, production efficiency is improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example in which a rail wear detecting device according to the present invention is applied to a transport chain conveyor. FIG. 2 is a side view of a rail wear detecting device according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a detection device. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a measurement principle using a rail wear detection device according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view of a conventional overhead conveyor.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged views as viewed from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5, in which FIG. 6A shows a state in which the vehicle is traveling at an unworn location, and FIG. Diagram showing the status [Explanation of reference numerals]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Chain, 1a ... Center link, 1b ... Side link, 1c ... Connecting pin, 2 ... Rail, 3 ... Upper plate part, 3a ... Upper bottom part, 4 ... Lower plate part, 4a ... Lower bottom part, 5 ... Vertical plate part , 6 joint member, 7 guide rail, 10 rail wear detecting device, 11 rail wear detecting device main body, 11a fixed arm, 11b reference roller, 12 first detecting means, 12a swing arm, 12b: detection roller, 13: second detection means, 13a: swing arm, 13b: detection roller.

Claims (4)

A device for detecting wear of the rail of a transfer line on which a guide roller comes in contact with a rail, the device comprising a worn rail upper bottom portion or a rail lower bottom portion and an unworn rail lower bottom portion opposed thereto. A rail comprising: first detection means for measuring an interval between the rail upper and lower portions; and second detection means for measuring a horizontal interval between the rail vertical plate portion and a center position of the worn portion. Wear detection device. 2. The rail wear detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second detecting means include a detecting roller attached to a tip of a swing arm connected to a potentiometer. 2. The rail wear detecting device according to claim 1, wherein a reference roller is provided at a position facing the first detecting means so as to contact an unworn surface of the upper rail or the lower rail. Rail wear detector. A rail wear measuring method using the rail wear detecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the remaining wear of a worn portion is obtained from the following formula. Detection method.
ΔZ = (H1-H2-2Ltanθ) / 2- (H3-H2-2Ltanθ)
However,
ΔZ: Remaining thickness of rail L: Horizontal distance from rail vertical plate part to center position of worn part H1: Total height of rail H2: Height of rail vertical plate part H3: Upper bottom of rail or lower bottom of rail The distance θ between the center position of the rail and the opposed lower bottom or upper rail of the rail which is not worn is the inclination angle of the upper rail or the lower bottom of the rail with respect to the horizontal plane.

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