JP3258529B2 - Lighting equipment for rail vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To radiate light to only a really recognized place and around by determining a forward monitoring distance for forward recognition to a current position of a rolling stock for reference based on placement information of tracks, and position information and speed information of the rolling stock, and controlling the radiation direction, radiation angle, and light quantity based on the monitoring distance. CONSTITUTION: An illuminator provided with a turning motor 5, an elevation motor 11, an integrator 15, and a power supply unit 14, in which light radiation direction, light radiation width, and light quantity are changeable is provided on a track vehicle, and this is controlled by a control device 21. The control device 21 takes inputs of measurement signals of a vehicle position measuring device 22 to measure the position of a rolling stock, and a speed measuring device 23 to measure the speed, and placement information, that is data of plane linear form and vertical linear form expression track placement conditions memorized in a data memorizing device 24. A forward monitoring distance for forward recognition is then determined to a current position of the rolling stock for reference, and the optimum radiation direction, radiation angle, and light quantity are determined based on the monitoring distance to control the illuminator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminating device for a track vehicle for illuminating a vehicle traveling along a predetermined track such as a railway for safety confirmation in front of the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle (track vehicle) traveling on a predetermined track (track) is equipped with a headlight for illuminating the front in the traveling direction as a track vehicle lighting device. Such a headlight is directed only in a fixed direction in the left-right direction, and only emits light in the up-down direction by switching between high and low only.

[0003] In addition, even the headlight of a confirmation vehicle, which is a vehicle for confirming the completion of the track maintenance work before the departure of the Shinkansen, turns on a large number of illuminators to increase the illumination range, and some illuminators are manually operated. The structure allows the crew to move in the desired direction.

[0004]

Incidentally, it is desirable that a vehicle can confirm a really necessary front portion for reasons such as safety confirmation. However, with the above-described headlight (illumination device), although the front is certainly illuminated, it is not known whether the front to be really checked is sufficiently illuminated.

[0005] In the case of headlamps with a large number of illuminators, since the irradiation range is widened, light may enter into inhabitants along the road near the track or vehicles running on the surrounding roads, resulting in a good sleep. There is a risk of causing trouble such as obstruction and dazzling a person who drives the car.

Particularly, in the case of a track vehicle, since there is no steering unlike a passenger car or the like, a device for controlling the headlight to the left or right in accordance with the angle of turning the steering, which is proposed for a passenger car or the like, is adopted. It is difficult to do so, and there is a demand for an illumination device that provides irradiation characteristics according to the tracked vehicle.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to irrespective of the driving state of the tracked vehicle, only in the vicinity of the place that the user really wants to check, and in other parts, the light is not reflected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device for a railroad vehicle that can irradiate the light without any trouble.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a tracked vehicle with an illuminator capable of changing a light irradiation direction, a light column angle, and a light amount, and detects a current position of the tracked vehicle. Providing position detecting means, providing vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed of the vehicle, providing storage means for storing laying information indicating the laying state of the track, laying information, position information of the tracked vehicle, Determining means for determining a forward monitoring distance for forward monitoring based on the current position of the tracked vehicle from the speed information is provided, and based on the determined forward monitoring distance, an irradiation direction is determined according to the laying information and a forward monitoring position is determined. A setting means for determining a light column angle for irradiating a certain range and further setting a light amount according to the maximum monitoring distance is provided, and a control means for controlling an illuminator so that the determined irradiation direction, light column angle, and light amount are provided. In the door.

[0009]

According to the present invention, while the tracked vehicle is traveling on a curved and undulating track, the determining means determines the current position of the tracked vehicle by referring to the track laying information (horizontal alignment, vertical alignment) and the position information of the tracked vehicle. It recognizes the direction in which the track in front of the tracked vehicle is laid.

At the same time, the determining means determines how much the braking distance is required from the running speed of the tracked vehicle and the laying information (track gradient). The forward monitoring distance to the vicinity of the front part of the vehicle based on the current position is calculated. Specifically, a distance in which a margin such as an idling distance is added to the braking distance is obtained as a forward monitoring distance.

The setting means determines the forward irradiation direction based on the forward monitoring distance. Specifically, the setting means geometrically obtains the turning angle and the elevation angle of the illuminator according to the laying information so that the center of the light is at the center of the gauge in front of the monitoring distance.

In the setting means, based on the forward monitoring distance,
Find the prism angle . Specifically, the setting means sets an angle (illumination) for irradiating light for irradiating a certain range due to a building limit (a region where a building or other building is not allowed around the rail) at the front monitoring position. Range).

Further, the setting means obtains the light quantity based on the forward monitoring distance. More specifically, the light amount is determined according to the maximum monitoring distance (a monitoring distance such that the light amount at the maximum monitoring distance is 100% and the brightness is substantially constant at any distance).

The illuminator is controlled by the control means so that the optimum irradiation direction, light prism angle , and optimum light amount determined in this manner are obtained.
Controlled while the vehicle is running. As a result, while the tracked vehicle is running, the illuminator is optimally illuminated by the illuminator so that only the area in front of the area that the user really wants to check always has no light in other parts.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a track (track) constituted by rails, and 2 denotes a track vehicle traveling on the track 1.

An illuminating device 3 is mounted on the front upper portion of the tracked vehicle 2 in the traveling direction. The structure of the lighting device 3 is shown in FIG. Explaining the structure of the lighting device 3, reference numeral 4 denotes a turntable provided on the upper part of the rail vehicle 2.

The swivel base 4 is supported on the upper part of the track vehicle 2 so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction with a turning center i defined on the front side as a fulcrum. An output shaft 5 is provided on the rear side of the turntable 4.
The turning motor 5 is installed upside down such that a passes through. A gear 7 is attached to the tip of the output shaft 5a.

The gear 7 meshes with an arc-shaped (circular arc centered on the turning center i) rack 8 provided on the upper part of the tracked vehicle 2. When the turning motor 6 is operated, the turning table 4 is moved. Rotate around the turning center i.

On the upper surface of the swivel table 4, there is provided a vertically rotatable substrate 9 which defines, for example, a point where the center of rotation i is extended as a fulcrum k. This substrate 9
Extends in the front-rear direction from the rotation center k.

At the rear end of the substrate 9, a rack 10 having, for example, an arc shape (an arc centered on a pivot point k) extending in the vertical direction is attached. The rack 10 is provided with an output shaft 11 a of an elevating motor 11 installed on the rear upper surface of the swivel 4.
When the elevating motor 11 is actuated, the substrate 9 turns around the turning fulcrum k.

A lamp 13 having an elliptical reflecting mirror 13a is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate near the rear portion from the rotation fulcrum k with the emission direction facing forward. That is, the lamp 13
The turning angle α in the left-right direction can be changed by the operation of the turning motor 5, the turning angle β can be changed by the operation of the raising motor 11, and the irradiation direction (turning angle α, the turning angle β) can be changed. It has a simple structure.

The lamp 13 is mounted on an upper part of the rail vehicle 2 and has a power supply device 14 having a variable power supply current value.
, And the light amount can be changed. On the upper surface of the substrate 9, a variable integrator 15 is provided at a converging point of the elliptical reflecting mirror 13a. A lens system 17 composed of a lens 16 is provided on a front upper surface of the substrate 9 at a position separated from the output end by a predetermined distance from the integrator 15, and an exit end of the integrator 15 is connected to a new light source. As lens system 1
7 allows irradiation at a certain distance.

The integrator 15 is configured such that the optical path 18 is contracted around the center of the optical path 18 as shown in FIG.
Four mirrors 19 are provided to surround the same center so that the diameter can be increased.
4A and 4B, a structure in which only the area of the optical path 18 can be continuously changed without changing the center portion, as shown in FIGS. Used.

Thus, the width of the light irradiated from the lamp 13, that is, the irradiation angle (light column angle) γ can be changed. From the structure of the lighting device 3, the irradiation direction,
An illuminator 20 whose light amount and irradiation angle are respectively variable is configured.

The illuminator 20 is connected to a control system for controlling the irradiation direction, the light quantity, and the beam angle. This control system is shown in FIG.

Referring to the control system, reference numeral 21 in the figure denotes a control device (corresponding to control means) constituted by, for example, a microcomputer, in which an arithmetic unit 21a is incorporated. The control device 21 is mounted on the rail vehicle 1.

The control device 21 includes a turning motor 5,
The elevating motor 11, the integrator 15, and the power supply device 14 are connected. A vehicle position measuring device 22 (corresponding to position detecting means) for measuring the position of the tracked vehicle 2 and a speed measuring device 23 (corresponding to vehicle speed detecting means) for measuring the speed of the tracked vehicle 2 are connected to the control device 21. Have been
Position information required to detect the current position of the tracked vehicle 2;
Speed information necessary to detect the vicinity of the location in front of the vehicle to be confirmed is output to the control device 21.

Further, a data storage device 24 (corresponding to a setting means) is connected to the control device 21. In the data storage device 24, laying information, for example, data of horizontal alignment and vertical alignment indicating the laying state of the track as shown in FIG. It is made to output.

The control device 21 is provided with functions necessary for appropriately irradiating the area in front of the vehicle that one really wants to check. That is, the following functions are set in the control device 21.

A. A function for recognizing how the track ahead of the currently running track vehicle 2 is to be laid based on the position information from the vehicle position measuring device 22 and the laying information 8 (horizontal alignment, vertical alignment) from the data recording device 24. .

B. A function of calculating the braking distance using the arithmetic unit 21a from the speed information from the speed measuring device 23 and the line gradient in the vertical alignment in addition to the result. c. A function of using the computing unit 21a to obtain a monitoring distance L (a distance at which a safety confirmation operation can be performed by illuminating the area near the front of the vehicle) with a margin such as an idling distance added to the braking distance.

D. A function of geometrically obtaining a turning angle α and an elevation angle β for setting the center of the irradiation light to the center of the gauge in front of the monitoring distance L from the obtained monitoring distance L. e. According to the laying information, the angle at which the light for irradiating a certain range such as the building limit (area where the building and other buildings should not be installed around the rail) at the obtained forward monitoring position, that is, Irradiation angle (light column angle) γ
A function determined using the arithmetic unit 21a.

F. Further, a function of calculating a light amount corresponding to a maximum monitoring distance (a monitoring distance in which the light amount when the monitoring distance L is the maximum is 100% and the brightness is substantially constant at any distance). g. At each point of the tracked vehicle 2, the obtained turning angle α,
A function of controlling the turning motor 5, the raising motor 11, the power supply device 14, and the integrator 15 so as to obtain the elevation angle β, the irradiation angle γ, and the light amount.

With such a function, it is possible to irradiate only the vicinity of the place in front of the vehicle that one really wants to check. Next, the operation of the lighting device 3 configured as described above will be described.

At night, as shown in FIG. 1, the tracked vehicle 2 irradiates the front with a lamp 13 (headlight).
It is assumed that the vehicle is traveling on a curved and undulating track 1. At this time, the irradiation direction, the irradiation angle, and the light amount of the lamp 13 are sequentially controlled by the control device 21 so as to irradiate the front portion of the tracked vehicle 2 for which it is really desired to confirm safety.

That is, the control device 21 inquires the track laying information (horizontal alignment, vertical alignment) and the position information of the tracked vehicle 2 to determine the direction of the track ahead of the tracked vehicle 2 at the current position. We know what is laid.

Then, the control unit 21 determines the monitoring distance L from the track gradient at that point and the traveling speed of the track vehicle 2 based on the current vehicle position information, using the arithmetic unit 21a. ing.

That is, monitoring is performed based on the current position information from the vehicle position measurement device 22, the vertical alignment at the point searched from the data storage device 24 based on the current position information, and the speed information from the speed measurement device 22. The distance L is determined.

For example, if a vehicle traveling at 50 km / h enters an uphill gradient of 5 par mils, the control device 20 calculates that the monitoring distance L is required to be 200 m. Here, the monitoring distance L means a total distance obtained by adding the free running distance and a margin to the braking distance of the tracked vehicle 2 determined according to the track gradient.

Such calculations are performed, for example, at a speed of 1 km / h. The monitoring distance L may be set by dividing the speed range into several stages, and there is no problem if the distance is set so that the speed can be stopped sufficiently at the maximum speed in each speed range. Of course, the gradient condition may be divided into several stages.

When the monitoring distance L is determined, the control device 2
0 determines the irradiation direction in front of the vehicle, the light column angle γ, and the light amount P. To determine the irradiation direction, when a coordinate system O-XYZ centered on the track surface at an arbitrary vehicle position is considered as shown in FIG. 1, a point separated by the monitoring distance L along the track is the coordinates of the coordinate system. What point s (x, y, z) should be calculated in the system O-XYZ.

Specifically, assuming that the lamp position (illumination position) is t (0, 0, h) as shown in FIGS. And the elevation angle β can be obtained by the following equation. However, it was assumed that the lamp was mounted at a height h at the center of the gauge.

Α = tan ⁻¹ (x / y), β = tan
⁻¹ [(h−z) / y] The light column angle γ is determined according to the following formula based on the monitoring distance L, since the irradiation width is determined as a certain range W such as a building limit from the laying information.

Γ = 2 TAN ⁻¹ [(W / 2) / (x ² + y ² ) ^1/2 ] The light amount P is obtained using the square law of the distance according to the monitoring distance L. However, the monitoring distance LMAX at the maximum speed
Since the light amount PMAX at (a monitoring distance at which the light amount at the maximum monitoring distance is 100% and the brightness is almost constant at any distance) is used as a reference, an expression showing the relationship between each monitoring distance L and the light amount P. Becomes

P = PMAX × (L ² / L MAX ² ) The light quantity P is obtained according to this equation. Control device 2
0, the running motor 5, the raising motor 11, the power supply device 13, and the integrator 15 are sequentially set during running so that the optimum irradiation direction, the optimum light beam angle, and the optimum light amount obtained in this manner are obtained. Control.

By such control, the tracked vehicle 2
Is optimally illuminated by the illuminator 20 so that only the area in front of the area that the user really wants to check always has no light leaking to other parts.

Therefore, even if the driver of the tracked vehicle 2 is not conscious of the braking distance or the like, the required monitoring distance L can be automatically illuminated, and it becomes easy to confirm the forward running of the tracked vehicle at night.

In addition, since only the area in front of the area that one really wants to check is optimally illuminated, the light illuminates the inhabitants' houses along the road and causes trouble such as disturbing sleep, and the vehicle running on the surrounding road is dazzling when illuminated. This contributes to reducing the occurrence of such obstacles.

The driver may perform the checking operation, or the checking operation may be performed in combination with an automatic monitoring device synchronized with the camera. In particular, when combined with a camera for monitoring an autonomously driven vehicle without a driver, automation of the monitoring can be expected.

In the embodiment, the variable area integrator that continuously changes the irradiation range is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the monitoring distance is set to several stages, a mechanism for replacing several fixed integrators is used. May be used.

The above-described embodiment is based on the present invention, and it goes without saying that the embodiment can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, irrespective of the running condition of a tracked vehicle, only the vicinity of a place that is really desired to be checked is optimally illuminated so that light does not leak to other portions. can do.

As a result, it is possible to automatically irradiate the required monitoring distance, and it is possible to easily confirm the forward operation of the track vehicle at night. Moreover, since only the area in front of the area you really want to check is optimally illuminated, the light illuminates the residents' homes along the road, causing troubles such as disturbing sleep and illuminating cars running on nearby roads. Occurrence can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tracked vehicle equipped with a lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a description of how to determine an irradiation direction.

FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining an optimum irradiation direction and an optimum beam angle based on a vertical alignment of the tracked vehicle.
(B) is a figure for explaining the optimal irradiation direction and the optimal beam angle based on the horizontal alignment of the tracked vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining an illuminator structure of the illumination device.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a case where the light column angle is changed to a larger side by an integrator of the illuminator. (B)
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a case where the light column angle is similarly changed to a smaller side by an integrator.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a variable structure of an integrator.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining a control system that controls an irradiation direction, a light column angle, and a light amount of the illumination device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Track (track) 2 ... Track vehicle 4 ... Turning table 5 ... Turning motor 7 ... Gear 8 ... Rack 9 ... Substrate 10 ... Rack 11 ... Elevating motor 12 ... Gear 13 ... Lamp 13a ... Elliptical reflecting mirror 14 ... Power supply Supply device 15 ... Integrator 16 ... Lens 20 ... Illuminator 21 ... Control device (control means, determining means, setting means) 22 ... Vehicle position measuring device (position detecting means) 23 ... Speed measuring device (vehicle speed detecting means) 24 ... Data storage device (storage means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Sasaki 1-6-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo East Japan Railway Company (72) Inventor Hiroshi Yamashita 4-2-2 Kanonshinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture No. Within Hiroshima Research Laboratory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (72) Atsushi Nakamoto, Inventor 4-2-2 Kannon Shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima Research Laboratory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (56) Reference U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60Q 1/124 B61L 3/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light irradiation direction provided on a tracked vehicle,
An illuminator capable of changing the beam angle and light amount, position detecting means for detecting the current position of the tracked vehicle, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed of the vehicle, and laying information indicating the laying state of the track are stored. Determining means for determining a forward monitoring distance for forward monitoring based on the current position of the tracked vehicle from the laying information, the position information of the tracked vehicle, and the speed information of the tracked vehicle; Setting means for determining an irradiation direction according to the laying information, determining a light beam angle for irradiating a certain range of the front monitoring position, and further determining a light amount according to the maximum monitoring distance, based on the forward monitoring distance, And a control means for controlling the illuminator so as to obtain a light column angle and a light amount.