Device for detecting rail movement

• US 7,228,747 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siegfried Pieper
• Original Assignee: Siegfried Pieper
• Inventors: Pieper, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori; Max
• Application Number:
  US10/494,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 738/56
• US Class Current: 73/856
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/06 actuated by deformation of rail; actuated by vibration in rail

Abstract

A device for holding a transmitter and a receiver for detecting a deformation state of a component. The device includes a first holding part and a first receptacle, the transmitter being disposed on the first holding part via the first receptacle, wherein the first receptacle and the first holding part, together with the component, form at least one of a first connecting element, a first clamp, a first positive fit joint, a first glued joint, and a first welded joint. The device also includes a second holding part and a second receptacle, the receiver being disposed on the second holding part using the via receptacle, wherein the second receptacle and the second holding part, together with the component, form at least one of a second connecting element, a second clamp, a second positive fit joint, a second glued joint, and a second welded joint.

Claims

1. A device for holding a transmitter and a receiver for detecting a deformation state of a component, the device comprising:

a first holding part;

a first receptacle having a first opening for receiving the transmitter, the transmitter being disposed in the first opening, wherein a position of the first receptacle relative to the first holding part is fixed by a first fit joining the first receptacle to the first holding part, wherein the first receptacle and the first holding part, together with the component, form at least one of a first connecting element, a first clamp, a first positive fit joint, a first glued joint, and a first welded joint;

a second holding part; and

a second receptacle having a second opening for receiving the receiver, the receiver being disposed in the second opening, wherein a position of the second receptacle is fixed relative to the second holding part by a second fit joining the second receptacle to the second holding part, wherein the second receptacle and the second holding part, together with the component, form at least one of a second connecting element, a second clamp, a second positive fit joint, a second glued joint, and a second welded joint.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the component is a railroad rail having a foot, wherein the first holding part, the first receptacle, the second holding part and the second receptacle form a deformation sensor, and wherein the deformation sensor is disposed on the railroad rail-directly on the foot in a longitudinal direction of the railroad rail.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fit includes a portion of the first receptacle and a portion of the first holding part and the second fit includes a portion of the second holding part and the second receptacle.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second fits are configured as at least one of a groove-and-tongue joint and a location pin.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of a pin joint and a bolted joint, and wherein each of the first and second receptacles includes a lug and is connected to a respective one of the first and second holding parts using the at least one of the pin joint and the bolted joint.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first receptacle and the first holding part includes a clamping element in operative connection with the component.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the clamping element includes at least one of a bolt, a screw and a cam.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second openings includes a bore and a fastening element including a cap screw in operative connection with the bore.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an assembly device and wherein the first receptacle and the second receptacle each have at least one corresponding adjustment surface joined to one another using the assembly device.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the adjustment surface is configured as one of a groove, a bore and a bevel, and wherein the assembly device includes adjustment elements, each corresponding to one of the adjustment surfaces.

11. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an evaluation unit, in the measuring area and is in operative connection with the receiver.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, further comprising a further transmitter in operative connection with a further receiver, the further transmitter and further receiver being disposed on an opposite side of the component from the receiver and the transmitter.

13. A method for measuring the deformation of a component using the device of claim 12, the method comprising:

generating a first and second measuring currents by the receiver;

transforming the first and second measuring currents into respective first and second measuring voltages inside the evaluation unit in operative connection with the receiver;

determining an angular change Δ

α

₁ between the transmitter and the receiver according to the following formula;

$\frac{U_1-U_2}{U_1+U_2}=\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_1$

determining a load force F_Q in a vertical direction and a load force F_y in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the deformation state of the component being based on the load forces F_Q and F_y, the determining of the load forces being performed based on the following formulae;

$\begin{array}{c}{F}_Q=\frac{\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_1+\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_2}{2}\\ F_Y=\frac{\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_1-\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_2}{\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_1+\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>{\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}}_2}\end{array}$

wherein Δ

α

₁ is the angular change between the transmitter and the receiver, Δ

α

₂ is the angular change between the further transmitter and the further receiver, U₁ is the first measuring voltage and U₂ is the second measuring voltage.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a deformation Δ

X of the component as a function of a length L of the component, the deformation Δ

X being proportional to the detected angular change Δ

α

;

determining a mean value formation Δ

X′

from a plurality of deformation graphs of a load cycle;

normalizing a deformation graph “

X over L”

using the mean value formation Δ

X′

; and

calculating a ratio of the deformation Δ

X to the normalized deformation Δ

X′

.

15. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the component is a rail, the first and second holding parts are disposed underneath a foot of the rail, and the first and second receptacles are disposed on the first and second holding parts in a height-adjustable manner, wherein each of the first and second connecting elements is formed by a respective one of the first and second holding parts and by a respective one of the first and second receptacles, and wherein each of the first and second receptacles includes a first leg, a second leg, and a first screw and a second screw passing through the first leg, the first screw being disposed against the foot and the second screw providing a fixed connection between the holding part and the rail and pressing the second leg against the holding part.