Monitoring device of an inductive sensor of a mechanical rope lift line
Monitoring device of an inductive sensor of a mechanical rope lift line A monitoring device of an inductive sensor of a mechanical ropeway comprises support means securedly affixed to a sheave assembly with sheaves associated with a pylon. The device comprises an actuating ramp arranged on a test carriage and able to make the sensor go from a first position detecting presence of the rope to a second position detecting absence of the rope. The support means of the sensor comprise a fixed part securedly affixed to the corresponding sheave assembly, and a movable part mounted pivoting with respect to the fixed part and operating in conjunction with the actuating ramp of the test carriage to incline the sensor to the second position detecting absence of the rope when the test carriage passes.
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The invention relates to a monitoring device of at least one inductive sensor of the line of a ropeway, said device comprising first support means of the sensor securedly attached to a sheave assembly associated with a pylon of the line, and second means able to make the gap between the rope and sensor vary.
TEST OF THE ARTTesting operation of the inductive sensors of a mechanical ropeway of the carrying-hauling type generally requires disassembly of the sensors or a local monitoring and testing operation on the different pylons of the mechanical ropeway. Implementation of this monitoring operation is long and complicated and is performed once only before the installation is put back into operation. In the event of a sensor malfunction during the operating period, a possible misalignment or disengagement of the rope when passing the pylon on which this malfunctioning sensor is fitted will not be detected quickly enough. This then results in a risk of derailment or breakdown jeopardizing the safety of the installation.
One solution for monitoring and testing operation of inductive sensors has already been proposed in particular in Patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,720,873 and DE 198 27 388. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,720,873 in particular describes monitoring of the position of an inductive sensor by installation of a non-magnetic sleeve making the gap between the rope and sensor vary. The latter is supported by the sheave assembly at the level of the pylon, and the sleeve acts as actuating means causing a sudden forced separation of the sensor from the rope between a first position in which the sensor detects the presence the rope (first gap value) and a second position in which the sensor detects the absence of the rope (second gap value). The sensor is preferably connected to a data management and processing system, in particular to indicate whether the sensor is operating properly in reaction to the sharp gap variation.
Installing such a sleeve is however fairly complicated, the sleeve being made up of two parts to be assembled around the rope, and such a monitoring device is difficult to implement as it in particular requires an operator to perform the installation and the checking between the rope and sleeve.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTIONThe object of the invention is to remedy all the above-mentioned shortcomings and has the object of providing an inductive sensor monitoring device improving existing operating tests while at the same time being easy to implement, monitoring being able to be performed at any time without disassembling the sensor.
The device according to the invention is characterized in that:
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- the second means for making the gap vary comprise an actuating ramp arranged on a test carriage designed to operate in conjunction with the monitoring device to make the sensor go from a first position detecting presence of the rope to a second position detecting absence of the rope,
- the first support means of the sensor comprise a fixed part securedly affixed to the corresponding sheave assembly and a movable part mounted pivoting with respect to the fixed part and operating in conjunction with the actuating ramp of the test carriage to incline the sensor from the first position detecting presence of the rope to the second position detecting absence of the rope.
Such an automatic actuation by a specific test carriage and such support and actuating means mean that a test sleeve does not have to be fitted on the rope and no human intervention is required. This results in fully automatic monitoring by means of the test carriage passing at the level of the sensors to be monitored. Such a monitoring device is therefore very simple to use.
The fixed part of the first support means comprises a jointed plate having a first side fixed to the sheave assembly and parallel to the sheaves and a second side perpendicular to the first side and provided at the end thereof with a swivel pin articulating the movable part of the support means.
The movable part of the first support means comprises:
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- a salient portion with a rounded edge along which the actuating ramp of the test carriage presses and slides,
- securing means of the sensor designed to raise the sensor with respect to the fixed part and to place the sensor near the rope in the first position detecting presence of the rope.
Flexible return means bias the movable part from the position detecting absence of the rope to the position detecting presence of the rope.
Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:
With reference to
Monitoring the operation of sensor 11 consists in making it take two characteristic positions, i.e. a first position detecting presence of rope 12, near sensor 11 (
In the first embodiment represented in
In
In
The first support means of sensor 11 also comprise a second movable part mounted pivoting with respect to jointed plate 18 around swivel pin 19. The movable part is for example in the form of a jointed cam 20 comprising a salient portion 21 extending substantially perpendicularly to sheaves 17 on the same side as the carriages running along the mechanical lift (
As represented in greater detail in
In
Operation of monitoring device 10 will be described in greater detail with regard to
In
Actuating ramp 24 is for example in the form of a fixed disk securedly affixed to test carriage 13 and comprising a bottom ramp 24a operating in conjunction with rounded edge 22 of salient portion 21 of mobile cam 20 of the support means. Bottom ramp 24a comes into contact with salient portion 21, sliding along rounded edge 22, then resulting in pivoting of mobile cam 20 around swivel pin 19, which then causes rotation of securing means 23 which then move sensor 11 away from rope 12 thereby forming a first angle of incline with respect to the vertical (
Device 10 further comprises a return spring 26 (
Test carriage 13 further comprises a top ramp 25b designed to operate in conjunction with movable part of the support means of a sensor 11 of a monitoring device 10 according to the invention securedly affixed to a compression sheave assembly 25, as described below for the alternative embodiment described in
In the alternative embodiment represented in
As represented in
As represented in
In
Operation of monitoring device 10 of sensor 11 associated with a compression sheave assembly 25 is therefore identical to operation of device 10 associated with support sheave assembly 16, as described before. Monitoring device 10 also comprises return spring 26 accompanying return of sensor 11 to the position detecting presence of rope 12, as represented in
Whatever the embodiment described above, such a monitoring device 10 according to the invention, with support means comprising a movable part actuated by a ramp 24 securedly affixed to a test carriage 13 for the purposes of making the sensor go from a position detecting presence of rope 12 to a position detecting absence of rope 12, is therefore very simple to use without any operator action and without any temporary installation of any kind. Automatic position change and a simple inclining of sensor 11 with respect to rope 12 when test carriage 13 passes at the level of the pylon associated with monitoring device 10 suffices to perform the tests checking correct operation of sensor 11, for it to be reactive in case of any problems of derailment or any other type occurring on rope 12.
Such testing enables operating safety of the mechanical rope lift installation to be checked without any disassembling of sensors 11 on all of the pylons. It is thus possible to quickly test the line performing automatic testing by running the test carriage along the mechanical rope lift line. If a sensor 11 is malfunctioning, monitoring device 10 of the pylon supporting the malfunctioning sensor is immediately spotted, thereby enabling swift action to be taken to replace it.
The invention is not limited to the different embodiments described above. The shape of the first support means and of the second actuating means of monitoring device 10 may be different, so long as it allows efficient and simple monitoring of sensor 11 without requiring operator action.
Monitoring device 10 according to the invention can be used with a support sheave assembly (
The invention applies in particular to any type of mechanical lift installation with a carrying-hauling rope. It is clear that testing of sensors 11 for a steel rope 12 used for a lift of the chair lift or cable car type can be applied to a rail when the installation involved is a funicular railway.
Claims
1. A monitoring device of at least one inductive sensor of a line of a mechanical ropeway, the device comprising first support means of the sensor securedly attached to a sheave assembly with sheaves associated with a pylon of the line, and second means able to make the gap between the rope and sensor vary,
- a device wherein: the second means to make the gap vary comprise an actuating ramp arranged on a test carriage designed to operate in conjunction with the monitoring device to make the sensor go from a first position detecting presence of the rope to a second position detecting absence of the rope, the first support means of the sensor comprise a fixed part securedly attached to the corresponding sheave assembly, and a movable part mounted pivoting with respect to the fixed part and operating in conjunction with the actuating ramp of the test carriage to incline the sensor from the first position detecting presence of the rope to the second position detecting absence of the rope.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed part of the first support means comprise a jointed plate having a first side fixed on the sheave assembly and parallel to the sheaves, and a second side perpendicular to the first side and provided at the end thereof with a swivel pin articulating the movable part of the support means.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the movable part of the first support means comprises:
- a salient portion with a rounded edge along which the actuating ramp of the test carriage presses and slides,
- securing means of the sensor designed to raise the sensor with respect to the fixed part and to place the sensor near the rope in the first position detecting presence of the rope.
4. The device according to claim 1, comprising flexible return means of the movable part of the first support means of the sensor from the position detecting absence of the rope to the position detecting presence of the rope.
5. The device according to claim 1, associated with a support sheave assembly and/or with a compression sheave assembly of a pylon of the mechanical lift line.
6. The device according to claim 5, and associated with a support sheave assembly, wherein:
- the securing means of the sensor are arranged between two adjacent sheaves of the sheave assembly,
- the sensor is placed under the rope in alignment with the sheaves of the sheave assembly in the first position detecting presence of the rope, and inclined with respect to the sheaves in the second position detecting absence of the rope.
7. The device according to claim 5, and associated with a compression sheave assembly, wherein:
- the securing means of the sensor are salient away from the sheaves,
- the sensor is placed facing the rope in a plane parallel to the sheaves of the sheave assembly in the first position detecting presence of the rope, and inclined with respect to the sheaves in the second position detecting absence of the rope.
8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the actuating ramp of the test carriage comprises a bottom ramp and a top ramp operating in conjunction with the movable part of the associated support means of the sensor respectively with a support sheave assembly and with a compression sheave assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 25, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Applicant: Pomagalski S.A. (Fontaine)
Inventors: Franckie Tamisier (Saint Nazaire Les Eymes), Jean-Francois Mugnier (Grand Junction, CO)
Application Number: 12/071,667