JPH04143165A - Level crossing obstacle detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the setting number of light emitters and light receivers and to secure a good detection by setting a light emitter and a light receiver at one side of a railroad cressing, while setting a light relay to receive the light emitted from the light emitter and to transmit the light to the light receiver, at the other side of the crossing. CONSTITUTION:The majority of the light radiated from a light emitter S1 provided at one side of a railroad crossing 1 to a light relay 2 provided at the other side of the crossing 1 is received and condensed by the receiver/condenser lens 10 of the light relay 2, and then injected in an optical fiber cable 11 from one end side. The incident light to the optical fiber cable 11 is injected to a luminous lens 12 from the other end side, and transmitted to a light receiver R2 provided at the emitter S1 side of the crossing 1, and received and condensed by the receiver/condenser lens 16 of the receiver R2. Since the light is relayed in such a way, two receivers R2 and two emitters S1 used in the conventional way are now not necessary to provide, but only one receiver and one emitter are used. Furthermore, the light quantity received and condensed by the receiver/ condenser lens 10 of the light relay 2 is increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for detecting obstacles such as vehicles at railroad crossings using light beams.

As shown in Figure 3, the conventional level crossing obstacle detection device uses light emitters 81 to S that emit infrared rays and receivers R1 to R to receive the light. A plurality of sets (5 sets in this example) are arranged in between, each with a light emitter S and a light receiver R8, a light emitter S1 and a light receiver R8, a light emitter S and a light receiver R, a light emitter S4 and a light receiver R4, and a light emitter. S, and the light receiver R1 form a pair, and the light receiver R1 and the light emitter S3, and the light receiver R8 and the light emitter S
,, receiver R8 and emitter S4, receiver R4 and emitter S,
are placed close to each other on the same side so that a vehicle or the like continuously blocks the light beam, and when a vehicle or the like passing through the level crossing 1 blocks the light beam for a certain period of time, the level crossing 1 It is designed to detect objects such as vehicles above as obstacles. Then, by this detection, a warning is issued to a train approaching the level crossing 1.

However, with conventional obstacle detection devices, in order for a vehicle etc. to continuously block the light beams on one level crossing, a total of five light beams are required on one level crossing, as mentioned above. Therefore, it is necessary to install many sets of light emitters and light receivers to spread out a light beam network, which poses a problem in that equipment costs and construction costs are high, resulting in high equipment costs.

Therefore, this invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a level crossing obstacle detection device that can perform detection equivalent to or better than conventional methods by reducing the number of installed light emitters and receivers, and has low equipment costs. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a light emitter that emits a light beam toward the other side of the level crossing and a light receiver that receives the light beam from the other side of the level crossing. The devices are installed at predetermined intervals in the direction of the level crossing, and an optical repeater is installed on the other side of the level crossing to receive the light beam emitted from the light emitter and direct it to the light receiver. .

The optical repeater includes a light receiving section having a light receiving and condensing lens with a large aperture capable of receiving most of the light emitted from the light emitter, including the diffused light, and a light receiving and condensing lens condensing the light on the light receiving section. an optical fiber cable connected at one end so that the light beam transmitted through the cable can be incident thereon, and a light emitting section connected to the other end of the optical fiber cable and having a light emitting lens through which the light beam passing through the cable is incident. It can be done.

With the above configuration, the light beam emitted from the light emitter installed on one side of the level crossing toward the other side of the level crossing is received by the optical repeater on the other side, and then the light beam is emitted from the light emitting device installed on one side of the level crossing. The light is emitted towards a receiver installed on one side. This optical repeater relays the light beam from the emitter to the receiver across the level crossing, making it possible to function as the receiver and emitter installed on the other side of the conventional level crossing. This means that the installation can be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a conventional example, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of main parts such as an optical repeater.

In this embodiment, a considerable portion is constructed in the same way as the conventional example shown in FIG. explain.

2 is an optical repeater installed in place of the receiver R1 and emitter S3 in Figure 3, and 3 is an optical repeater installed in place of the receiver R and emitter S4 in Figure 3, which are the same. The structure is as follows. The optical repeater 2 (3) has a light receiving section 6 and a light emitting section 7 supported on a support member 5. The light receiving unit 6 is provided with a light receiving and condensing lens lO having a large diameter that receives and collects most of the light including the diffused light emitted from the light emitting lens 8 of the light emitter S. One end of an optical fiber cable 11 is connected to the light receiving section 6 so that the light beam condensed by the light receiving condensing lens 10 can be incident thereon, and the other end of the cable is connected to the light emitting section 7 so that the incident light beam can enter therein. Luminous lens 12
The light is connected to the light emitting section 7 so that the light can be input to the light emitting section 7.

13 and 14 are a support member 5, a light receiving section 6, and a light emitting section 7
The angle adjustment member 1 provided between the two is made of, for example, a screw, and is rotated to adjust the horizontal angle of the light receiving and condensing lens 10 and the light emitting lens 12 in both the light sections 6 and 7. Lenses to and 12 are arranged to face lenses 8 and 16 of the light emitter S and the light receiver R, respectively.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a light receiving and condensing lens provided in the light receiver R3, which receives a part of the light beam emitted from the light emitting lens 12 of the optical repeater 2, but does not include the diffused light.

With the above configuration, for example, most of the light emitted from the light emitter S installed on one side of the level crossing 1 to the optical repeater 2 installed on the other side of the level crossing 1 is transmitted through the optical relay. Vessel 2
After the light is received and focused by the light receiving and condensing lens 10, it enters the optical fiber cable 11 from one end thereof. The light beam entering the optical fiber cable 11 enters the light emitting lens 12 from the other end, and is emitted from the lens toward the light receiver R installed on one side of the level crossing 1. Only a portion of the light beam emitted from the light emitting lens 12 is received and focused by the light receiving and condensing lens 16 of the light receiver R3. As described above, the optical repeater 2 relays the light emitted from the light emitter S1 installed on one side of the level crossing 1 to the light receiver R1 installed on the other side of the level crossing 1 on the other side of the level crossing 1. , the conventional two light receivers R1 and light emitters S1 are no longer required. In addition, since the optical repeater 2 receives and condenses most of the light beam emitted from the light emitter S with the light receiving and condensing lens 1O, a part of the light beam is Unlike receiving and condensing light, the amount of light received and condensed increases. Furthermore, since this light beam is emitted from the light emitting lens 12 through the optical fiber cable 11 in the same manner as the light emitting lens 8 of the conventional light emitter S1, there is no deterioration in performance and detection accuracy equivalent to or higher than that of the conventional light emitter can be expected.

In the above, we have only explained how the light beam emitted from the light emitter S1 is relayed by the optical repeater 2 and received by the light receiver R3. At the same time, a light beam is emitted from S m tS, and the light emitter S.

Similarly, the light beam emitted from the light emitter S is relayed by the optical repeater 3 and then received by the light receiver R4.
As in the conventional case, the light beam emitted from the light beam is received by the light receiver R6.

Since the invention of claim 1 has the above-described configuration, the light receiver and the light emitter, which were conventionally required on the other side of the level crossing, can be omitted without deteriorating the detection accuracy. Therefore, the total number of light emitters and light receivers installed can be reduced, and equipment costs can be reduced.

In the second aspect of the invention, the light receiving section of the optical repeater is further provided with a light receiving and condensing lens having a large diameter, so that the light can be relayed via the optical fiber cable without reducing the amount of light. In addition, since it does not use an amplifier or the like unlike conventional photodetectors, it does not require a power source, making it economical and extremely easy to maintain.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged front view showing the correspondence between an optical repeater, a light emitter, and a light receiver, and FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a conventional example. It is a diagram. 1... Level crossing 2, 3... Optical repeater 5... Support member 6... Light receiver IO... Light receiving condensing lens 11... Optical fiber cable 12... Light emitting lens 13. 14...adjustment member S,
, S,, S, ... Light emitter R,, R,, R1 ... Light receiver 7 ... Light emitting section Fig. 2 and 2 (3)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A light emitter that emits light toward the other side of the level crossing and a light receiver that receives light from the other side of the level crossing are provided on one side of the level crossing in the direction of the level crossing. Level crossing obstacle detection characterized in that an optical repeater is installed on the other side of the level crossing at intervals and receives the light beam emitted from the light emitter and emits the light toward the light receiver. Device. 2. The optical repeater has a light receiving part with a light receiving and condensing lens with a large aperture that can receive most of the light emitted from the light emitter, including the diffused light, and the light receiving part is condensed by the light receiving and condensing lens. It comprises an optical fiber cable connected at one end so that the emitted light beam can be incident thereon, and a light emitting section connected to the other end of the optical fiber cable and having a light emitting lens through which the light beam passing through the cable is incident. The railroad crossing obstacle detection device according to claim 1.