PRECISE PLACEMENT OF A SENSOR DEVICE ON A RAIL TRACK

Abstract

A sensor device for placement on a rail track and a method for placing the sensor device. The sensor device includes one or more permanent magnets positioned such that the sensor device is mountable on the lateral side of the rail track by magnetic attraction. A housing includes a base side, a mounting side, and a top side opposite the base side, where the mounting side includes first, second and third contact edge regions configured to be in contact with the rail track. The second contact edge region is positioned outwardly from a first plane through both the first contact edge region and the third contact edge region, and the second contact edge region is positioned between a second plane parallel to the top side and through the first contact edge region and a third plane parallel to the second plane and through the third contact edge region.

Claims

1. A sensor device configured to be placed on a lateral side of a rail track, the sensor device comprising: one or more permanent magnets positioned such that the sensor device is mountable on the lateral side of the rail track by magnetic attraction between the magnets and the rail track; and a housing comprising a base side, a top side opposite the base side, and a mounting side connecting the base side and the top side, wherein the mounting side comprises a first, a second and a third contact edge region configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track, and wherein the second contact edge region is positioned outwardly from a first plane extending through both the first contact edge region and the third contact edge region, and wherein the second contact edge region is further positioned between a second plane extending parallel to the top side and through the first contact edge region and a third plane extending parallel to the second plane and through the third contact edge region.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is configured such that, when the sensor device is placed on the rail track, at most the first, second and third contact edge regions are in contact with the rail track.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device is configured for sensing wheels of a rail vehicle passing the sensor device.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact edge region is adjacent to the top side.

5. The sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting side comprises a side portion positioned at a lateral side of the housing and connecting the second contact edge region and the third contact edge region, and a slanted portion between the top side and the side portion, wherein the first contact edge region is an edge region between the top side and the slanted portion, the second contact edge region is an edge region between the side portion and the slanted portion, and the third contact edge region is an edge region between the side portion and the base side.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the rail track in cross section comprises a base portion, a head portion for receiving wheels of rail vehicles, and a neck portion connecting the base portion and the head portion, wherein the second and third contact edge regions are configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the neck portion thereof, and wherein the first contact edge region is configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the head portion thereof.

7. The sensor device according to claim 6, wherein the head portion broadens from the neck portion in a direction away from the base portion thereby defining a base portion facing surface of the head portion adjacent to the neck portion, and wherein the housing is configured such that the first contact edge region is in contact with the base portion facing surface when the second and third edge regions are in contact with the neck portion of the rail track.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a first distance between the second contact edge region and the second plane in a direction normal to the second plane is in the range of 3 to 40 mm.

9. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a fourth plane extends through the first contact edge region and is perpendicular to the second plane, wherein a second distance between the second contact edge region and the fourth plane in a direction normal to the fourth plane is in the range of 8 to 25 mm.

10. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third contact edge regions are positioned substantially along a curve following a cross section surface profile of the rail track.

11. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third contact edge regions extend along the mounting side such that, when the device is placed on the rail track, the first, second and third contact edge regions extend in a longitudinal direction of the rail track.

12. A method of placing a sensor device according to claim 1 on a lateral side of a rail track, the method comprising: placing the sensor device with either the first and the second contact edge regions or the second and the third contact edge regions in contact with the rail track; and sliding the sensor device in a sliding direction in order to place the remaining contact edge region in contact with the rail track, wherein during the sliding respectively the first and second or the second and third contact edge regions remain in contact with the lateral side of the rail track.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the sensor device is placed with the second and third contact edge regions in contact with the lateral side of the rail track; and wherein the sensor device is slid in a sliding direction at least partially along a normal direction of the top side of the sensor device in order to place the first contact edge region in contact with the rail track, and wherein during the sliding the second and third contact edge regions remain in contact with the lateral side of the rail track.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the rail track in cross section comprises a base portion, a head portion for receiving wheels of rail vehicles, and a neck portion connecting the base portion and the head portion, and wherein the second and third contact edge regions are placed in contact with a surface of the neck portion of the rail track.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sliding direction is towards the head portion such that after sliding the first contact edge region is placed in contact with a base portion facing surface of the head portion.

16. An assembly comprising a sensor device according to claim 1 and at least one rail track.

17. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor device comprises a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field influence of the passing wheel.

18. The sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the rail track is a flat-bottomed rail track.

19. The sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the rail track is a 54E1 rail profile, a 54E2 rail profile and/or manufactured according to European Standard EN 13674-1 or 13674-4

Description

[0034] The accompanying drawings are used to illustrate presently preferred non-limiting exemplary embodiments of devices of the present disclosure. The above and other advantages of the features and objects of the disclosure will become more apparent and the aspects and embodiments will be better understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the sensor device according to the present disclosure positioned on a lateral inner side of a rail track carrying a rail vehicle;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a schematic view in perspective of an embodiment of the sensor device according to the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section view of an embodiment of the sensor device in a direction opposite to the z-direction indicated in FIG. 2;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section view in a longitudinal direction of the rail as indicated in FIG. 1;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross section view of the sensor device of FIG. 3 being in a position prior to contacting a lateral side of a rail track;

[0040] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section view of the sensor device of FIG. 5 being in a first contacting position with a lateral side of the rail track;

[0041] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross section view of the sensor device of FIG. 6 being in a final contacting position with a lateral side of the rail track;

[0042] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross section view of another embodiment of the sensor device being in a final contacting position with a lateral side of a rail track; and

[0043] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross section view of yet another embodiment of the sensor device being in a final contacting position with a lateral side of a rail track.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, a sensor device 1 is placed on an inner lateral side of a rail track 2. Rail vehicle 3, having wheels 3, is passing the sensor device.

[0045] The sensor device 1, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises a housing 8 which includes a base side 12, a top side 10 opposite the base side 12, and a mounting side 14 connecting the base side 12 and the top side 10. Opposite the mounting side 14, the housing comprises an outer side 18, connecting the base side 12 to the top side 10 opposite the mounting side 14. The housing can be a solid body wherein parts such as the magnet 8 and, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, magnets 5 and 6 can be embedded. The body can for instance be made by resin casting. A suitable resin is polyurethane resin. When the body is made of polyurethane, the friction between the first, second and third contact edge portions suitable for magnetic attachment of the device to the lateral side of the rail track.

[0046] The mounting side 14 comprises a first 20, a second 22 and a third 23 contact edge region. The sensor device 1 comprises a permanent magnet 8 positioned such that the sensor device 1 is mountable on the lateral side of the rail track by magnetic attraction between the magnets and the rail track. The magnet 8 may extend along a longitudinal direction of the housing 9, viz. along the z-direction indicated in FIG. 2. There may additionally or alternatively be more magnets, such as a magnet positioned in the housing 9 adjacent the first contact edge region 20.

[0047] The second contact edge region 22 is positioned outwardly from a first plane 200 extending through both the first contact edge region 20 and the third contact edge region 24. The second contact edge region 22 is further positioned between a second plane 202 extending parallel to the top side 10 and through the first contact edge region 20 and a third plane 204 extending parallel to the second plane 202 and through the third contact edge region 24. In this embodiment of the sensor device 1, the third plane 204 extends parallel to the base side 12.

[0048] The housing 9 is configured such that, when the sensor device 1 is placed on the rail track, at most the first 20, second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions are in contact with the rail track.

[0049] In certain variants of the sensor device 1, the mounting side 14 comprises a side portion 32 positioned at a lateral side of the housing 9 and connecting the second contact edge region 22 and the third contact edge region 24, and a slanted surface 30 between the top side 10 and the side surface 32. Herein, the first contact edge region 20 is an edge region between the top side 10 and the slanted surface 30, the second contact edge region 22 is an edge region between the side surface 32 and the slanted surface 30, and the third contact edge region 24 is an edge region between the side surface 32 and the base side 12.

[0050] It will be understood that the slanted surface 30 can alternatively be replaced by any other shape, as long as it not in mechanical contact the rail track 2 when the device is in a mounted position.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, there is a first distance 212 between the second contact edge region 22 and the second plane 202 in a direction normal to the second plane 202. The first distance 212 is preferably in the range of 3 to 40 mm, more preferably 4 to 20 mm. These ranges of the first distance 212 are particularly beneficial for flat-bottom rail tracks.

[0052] A fourth plane 206 extends through the first contact edge region 20 and is perpendicular to the second plane 202. A second distance 216 between the second contact edge region 22 and the fourth plane 206 in a direction normal to the fourth plane 206 is shown and is preferably in the range of 8 to 25 mm, more preferably 15 to 20 mm. These ranges of the second distance 216 are also particularly beneficial for flat-bottom rail tracks, resulting in a stable placement of the sensor device 1. The resulting distance of the top surface 10 from the top of the head portion of the rail in this way can be set to anywhere between about 35 mm to about 55 mm.

[0053] In one embodiment, the sensor device 1 is configured for sensing wheels of a rail vehicle passing the sensor device. Such a sensor device is described in patent document NL 2023451, which is incorporated herein by reference. Noted in particular are pages 9-16 thereof, which describe a preferred embodiment. As can be seen in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the sensor device 1 comprises a magnetic field sensor unit 7 for sensing a magnetic field influence of a passing wheel 4. In addition, the device comprises magnets 5 and 6, which provide a magnetic field around the device. When a wheel of a train passes the device of FIG. 2, the magnetic field senses by the sensor in sensor unit 7 will change, and is recorded to detect wheels and/or detect a direction of motion of the wheels 4 of the rail vehicle 3.

[0054] A flat-bottomed rail track 2 is shown in FIG. 4. It is noted that the sensor devices described herein are applicable to bullhead type rail tracks as well. The rail track 2 can be a 54E1 type rail track. The rail track can alternatively be 54E2 rail track and/or manufactured according to European Standard EN 13674-1 or 13674-4.

[0055] The rail track 2 in cross section comprises a base portion 40, a head portion 44 for receiving wheels of rail vehicles, and a neck portion 42 connecting the base portion 40 and the head portion 44. The head portion 44 broadens from a neck portion side thereof in a direction away from the base portion 40 thereby defining a base portion facing surface 54 of the head portion 44 adjacent to the neck portion 50. A first intermediate part 52 between the neck portion and the head portion 54 has a smallest radius of curvature relative to the radius of curvature of the neck portion 50.

[0056] Similar to the head portion 44, the base portion 40 broadens from a neck portion 42 side thereof in a direction away from the head portion 44, thereby defining a head portion facing surface 56 of the base portion 40. A second intermediate part 51 between the base portion 40 and the head portion 54 has a smallest radius of curvature relative to the radius of curvature of the neck portion 50. The rail track 2 has a symmetry plane 58. In FIGS. 5-9, only one side of the rail is shown.

[0057] FIGS. 5-7 depict a method of placing the sensor device 1 on the lateral side of a rail track 2. The method comprises placing the sensor device 1 with the second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions in contact with the lateral side of the rail track 2. To achieve this, the sensor device 1 can be moved toward the neck portion 42 as shown in FIG. 5, wherein the movement direction is indicated with the double lined arrow. A position as shown in FIG. 6 is then achieved. Here the second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions are placed on the neck portion 42 of the rail track 2. Many rail track profiles, including the 54E1 and 54E2 type profiles, have neck portions that have concave surfaces. Therefore, even though the surface between the second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions can be flat, only the second and third contact edge regions will be in contact with the neck portion 42 when it is placed in a position as shown in FIG. 6.

[0058] Once the device is placed, the device 1 is slid in a sliding direction at least partially along a normal direction 600 of the top side 10 of the sensor device1 in order to place the first contact edge region 20 in contact with the rail track, in particular with the base portion facing surface 54. During the sliding the second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions remain in contact with the neck portion 42 of the rail track. Then the position of the device 1 shown in FIG. 7 is reached. In this way, one defined position of the device 1 relative to the rail track 2 is achieved. Since there are three points/regions in contact with the rail track 2, the position of the device 1 is furthermore stable.

[0059] The alternative is to first place the first and second contact edge regions in contact with the rail track. The first contact edge region would then be in contact with the surface 54. Thereafter the sensor device can be slid in a direction such that the third contact edge region moves closer to the neck portion of the rail track until it finally touches the rail track.

[0060] The second and third contact edge regions are configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the neck portion thereof, and wherein the first contact edge region is configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the head portion thereof.

[0061] As can be seen from FIG. 7, the relative positions of the first 20, second 22, and third 24 contact edge regions can be altered to a certain extent. What is beneficial is that compared to the first contact edge region 20, the second contact edge region 22 is moved outwards, and the first contact edge region 20 is moved upwards so that it contacts the surface 54 while the second 22 and third 24 contact edge regions are in contact with the neck portion 42 of the rail track 2.

[0062] In other words, the housing 9 is configured such that the first contact edge region 20 is in contact with the base portion facing surface 54 when the second 22 and third 24 edge regions are in contact with the neck portion.

[0063] By choosing the position of the first contact edge region 20 relative to the second contact edge region 22, the top surface 10 will have a certain distance 700 from the top 59 of the rail track 2, indicated with a tangent 702. In the configuration of FIG. 7, the first contact edge region 20 when placed on the rail track has a position 90 on the surface 54. Another configuration could be that the first contact edge region is at position 92, resulting in a distance 704 from the top 59 of the rail track 2. The distance 704 is somewhat larger than the distance 700. Distance 700 is approximately 39 mm, while the distance 704 is approximately 45 mm.

[0064] FIG. 8 shows a sensor device 801 according to another embodiment, having a base side 812, a top side 810, an outer side 818, a mounting side surface 832 and a slanted surface 830. The first contact edge portion 820 is now in contact with the base portion facing surface 54 at a position closer to the neck portion 42. The second contact edge portion 822 is positioned in an outward position as in the sensor device 1, but less so. This can be seen by the relatively short first distance 1012 and second distance 1016, which are defined in a way corresponding to the first distance 212 and the second distance 216 of the sensor device 1.

[0065] In addition, a distance between the third contact edge portion 824 and the second contact edge portion 822 is less than in the sensor device 1.

[0066] FIG. 9 shows a sensor device 901 according to another embodiment, having a base side 912, a top side 910, an outer side 918, a mounting side surface 932 and a slanted surface 930. The first contact edge portion 920 is in contact with the base portion facing surface 54 at a position similar to first contact edge portion 8f20 of FIG. 8. The second contact edge portion 922 is positioned in an outward position as in the sensor device 801. The difference between sensor device 801 and 901 is that the third contacting edge region 924 has a distance from the second contact edge region 922 that is larger than the distance between the second 822 and third 824 contact edge regions of sensor device 801 of FIG. 8. The sensor device in general is placed most stable and reproducibly when both the second and the third contact edge regions are in contact with the neck portion 42. The dimensions of the sensor device can differ based on the needs of the specific device.

[0067] Herein, examples of the sensor device are shown for rail tracks having a concave neck portion. Rail tracks exist with a flat neck portion. For those types of rail, the second and third contact edge regions can be made to extend from the housing 9, and/or the side surface 32 can be made concave such that it does not interfere with the placement of the device.

[0068] The use of magnets, such as the magnet 8, for mounting the sensor device has an additional advantage in particular for sensor devices for measuring magnetic fields. The mounting magnet cause the suppression of magnetic fields induced in the rail by rail vehicles passing the rail near the device. The additional magnet(s) apply a magnetic field to the rail, due to which the device can more accurately measure the effect of the wheel onto the magnetic field measured by the magnetic field sensor. Without this magnetic field of the mounting magnet(s) such as magnet 8 applied to the rail, when a train or other typically heavy rail vehicle passes by, a magnetic field is induced by the force introduced onto the rail. This effect is known as the Villari effect or the inverse magnetostrictive effect. This effect can be described as the change of the magnetic susceptibility of a material when subjected to a mechanical stress. More generally, with the mounting magnet, the effect of the force exerted by the vehicle is at least reduced or even eliminated, since most, if not all, of the magnetic domains in the rail will substantially align with the magnetic field induced by the additional magnets.

[0069] The disclosure comprises the following clauses:

[0070] 1. Sensor device configured to be placed on a lateral side of a rail track, the sensor device comprising: [0071] one or more permanent magnets positioned such that the sensor device is mountable on the lateral side of the rail track by magnetic attraction between the magnets and the rail track; and [0072] a housing comprising a base side, a top side opposite the base side, and a mounting side connecting the base side and the top side, [0073] wherein the mounting side comprises a first, a second and a third contact edge region configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track, and [0074] wherein the second contact edge region is positioned outwardly from a first plane extending through both the first contact edge region and the third contact edge region, wherein the second contact edge region is further positioned between a second plane extending parallel to the top side and through the first contact edge region and a third plane extending parallel to the second plane and through the third contact edge region.

[0075] 2. Sensor device according to clause 1, wherein the housing is configured such that, when the sensor device is placed on the rail track, at most the first, second and third contact edge regions are in contact with the rail track.

[0076] 3. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the sensor device is configured for sensing wheels of a rail vehicle passing the sensor device, wherein preferably the sensor device comprises a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field influence of the passing wheel.

[0077] 4. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the first contact edge region is adjacent to the top side.

[0078] 5. Sensor device according to clause 4, wherein the mounting side comprises a side portion positioned at a lateral side of the housing and connecting the second contact edge region and the third contact edge region, and a slanted portion between the top side and the side portion, wherein the first contact edge region is an edge region between the top side and the slanted portion, the second contact edge region is an edge region between the side portion and the slanted portion, and the third contact edge region is an edge region between the side portion and the base side.

[0079] 6. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the rail track in cross section comprises a base portion, a head portion for receiving wheels of rail vehicles, and a neck portion connecting the base portion and the head portion, [0080] wherein the second and third contact edge regions are configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the neck portion thereof, and wherein the first contact edge region is configured to be in contact with the lateral side of the rail track at the head portion thereof.

[0081] 7. Sensor device according to clause 6, wherein the head portion broadens from the neck portion in a direction away from the base portion thereby defining a base portion facing surface of the head portion adjacent to the neck portion, wherein the housing is configured such that the first contact edge region is in contact with the base portion facing surface when the second and third edge regions are in contact with the neck portion of the rail track.

[0082] 8. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein a first distance between the second contact edge region and the second plane in a direction normal to the second plane is in the range of 3 to 40 mm, preferably 4 to 20 mm.

[0083] 9. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein a fourth plane extends through the first contact edge region and is perpendicular to the second plane, wherein a second distance between the second contact edge region and the fourth plane in a direction normal to the fourth plane is in the range of 8 to 25 mm, preferably 15 to 20 mm,

[0084] 10. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the first, second and third contact edge regions are positioned substantially along a curve following a cross section surface profile of the rail track, wherein preferably the rail track is a flat-bottomed rail track, wherein more preferably the rail track is a 54E1 rail profile, a 54E2 rail profile and/or manufactured according to European Standard EN 13674-1 or 13674-4,

[0085] 11. Sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the first, second and third contact edge regions extend along the mounting side such that, when the device is placed on the rail track, the first, second and third contact edge regions extend in a longitudinal direction of the rail track.

[0086] 12. Method of placing a sensor device according to any one of the preceding clauses on a lateral side of a rail track, the method comprising: [0087] placing the sensor device with either the first and the second contact edge regions or the second and the third contact edge regions in contact with the rail track; [0088] sliding the sensor device in a sliding direction in order to place the remaining contact edge region in contact with the rail track, wherein during the sliding respectively the first and second or the second and third contact edge regions remain in contact with the lateral side of the rail track.

[0089] 13. Method according to clause 12, wherein the sensor device is placed with the second and third contact edge regions in contact with the lateral side of the rail track; and [0090] wherein the sensor device is slid in a sliding direction at least partially along a normal direction of the top side of the sensor device in order to place the first contact edge region in contact with the rail track, wherein during the sliding the second and third contact edge regions remain in contact with the lateral side of the rail track.

[0091] 14. Method according to clause 12 or 13, wherein the rail track in cross section comprises a base portion, a head portion for receiving wheels of rail vehicles, and a neck portion connecting the base portion and the head portion, wherein the second and third contact edge regions are placed in contact with a surface of the neck portion of the rail track.

[0092] 15. Method according to clause 14, wherein the sliding direction is towards the head portion such that after sliding the first contact edge region is placed in contact with a base portion facing surface of the head portion.

[0093] 16. Assembly comprising a sensor device according to any one of clauses 1-11 and at least one rail track.

[0094] Whilst the principles of the described methods and devices have been set out above in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that this description is merely made by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of protection which is determined by the appended claims.