Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Multiple control – Fluid and electric
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-02
2003-12-30
Graham, Matthew C. (Department: 3683)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Multiple control
Fluid and electric
C303S003000, C303S007000, C303S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06669308
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pneumatic brake system for a railway vehicle as well as to a bogie and as well as to a brake control unit.
Modern brake systems for railway vehicles comprise components which are to be controlled pneumatically and/or hydraulically as well as electronically. In the standard-gauge railway domain, pneumatic systems are usually used, by means of which the braking devices of the railway vehicle as well as additional auxiliary units, such as the spring-loaded brakes, the wheel flange lubrication system, the cleaning block, the sanding device, etc., are controlled. For this purpose, the railway vehicle has a compressed-air generating device which, as a rule, directly feeds a main air reservoir line as well as, by way of a train brake valve, a main air line. The braking device of the train vehicle and the auxiliary units are in this case supplied with compressed air by the main air reservoir line. For this purpose, auxiliary units of the train formation, such as door opening devices, are also controlled by the main air reservoir line. The main air line supplied by way of the train brake valve is used for controlling the individual car brakes of a train formation and can also be utilized as an additional control for the brake systems of the train vehicle.
However, such a construction requires extensive pneumatic installations in the train formation and particularly between the engineer's cab and the bogies of the train vehicle. As a result, the freedom of construction is limited when such railway vehicles are further developed because considerable space is required. Other disadvantages are the weight of these installations and the expenditures required particularly for the mounting. Such a pneumatic control unit is known, for example, from European Patent Document EP 0 855 319 A2.
From German Patent Documents DE-AS 21 05 564 and DE 28 01 778 A1 by the same applicant, for example, electro-pneumatic brakes for railway vehicles are known. In U.S. Patent Documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,469 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,331, electro-pneumatic brake systems are also described in which central computers are used as the control unit in order to simplify the system and save components, such as microswitches. In addition, the central computer permits a linking of different electro-pneumatic vehicle systems by means of a corresponding programming. From German Patent Document DE 28 40 262 C2, it is finally known to process current operating data in a central computer and take data into account when controlling the braking devices.
German Patent Document DE 38 33 922 A1 as well as European Patent Document EP 0 363 827 A2 by the same applicant disclose a brake system for railborne bogie vehicles which has a hydraulic pressure supply unit in each of the bogies.
From German Patent Document DE 40 22 671 A1, an electronic brake system for road vehicles is known whose electronic system has a decentralized construction, with a central module and several wheel modules. Furthermore, in German Patent Document DE 43 39 570 A1, an electronic brake system for motor vehicles or road vehicles is described which has a central module and brake modules assigned to the brake circuits or wheel groups or wheels, which brake modules receive defined desired brake pressure values from the central module. The brake pedal is connected with a master brake cylinder. The central module is to carry out antilock system/wheel slip control system computations and is responsible for the brake power distribution to the wheels of the road vehicle. Further, German Patent Document DE 196 34 567 A1 describes an electronic brake system for motor vehicles.
German Patent Document DE 26 11 924 C2 describes a bolster bogie for fast-travelling railway vehicles in the case of which the axles are supported by way of the axle bearing housing by means of a primary suspension on the approximately H-shaped bogie frame and are pivotally connected to the latter by means of spring leaf control arms. By way of pneumatic springs, the bolster rests on spring troughs. The pneumatic springs are acted upon by compressed air from auxiliary air reservoirs arranged in the bolster. Furthermore, International Patent Document WO 93/01076 describes a bogie for railway vehicles capable of travelling at high speed having an auxiliary air reservoir fastened on the bolster support.
In addition, German Patent Document DE 43 22 716 A1 discloses a frame for commercial vehicles which is constructed of a front-axle partial frame, a center partial frame and a rear-axle partial frame. The front-axle partial frame and the rear-axle partial frame consist of side member segments connected with cross members. The central second partial frame takes over the function of the actual side members and connects the first partial frame with the third partial frame. In this case, closed structural parts of the side member segments of the central partial frame may be constructed as operating medium storage devices. Furthermore, German Patent Document DE 39 40 250 A1 discloses pressure medium reservoirs arranged in a motor vehicle or in a passenger car in support member profiles.
A device for detecting and monitoring the braking effect of a railborne traction vehicle in the event of an emergency braking is suggested in German Patent Document DE 195 10 755 A1. In order to achieve, in the case of a braking device for a train formation, which consists of several train units with at least one traction vehicle and several pertaining train vehicles respective, a delay-free braking operation and avoid an unnecessary operation of the control valves in the train formation, it is suggested in German Patent Document DE 197 39 444 A1 that, for the synchronous admission of pressure medium to the pressure line by the control valves, the train bus is in a bidirectional communication with a command apparatus, the train bus controlling the brake valves in the train formation for the synchronous operation of the brakes.
For simplifying the system, German Patent Application DE 195 13 004 A1 suggests a combination of the electronic and pneumatic or hydraulic control and/or monitoring elements of the brake system in a unit in the engineer's cab. This construction method has the advantage that the installation expenditures are reduced at least in the vehicle construction. However, also in this type of construction, an extensive pipework is required between the engineer's cab and the bogies of the railway vehicle in order to permit the pneumatic controlling of the brake units and auxiliary units.
Furthermore, such brake systems for a railway vehicle must have emergency braking devices by means of which the railway vehicle can reliably be stopped in the event of a disturbance. For this purpose, conventional brake systems have pneumatic devices which, for example, when an emergency brake is operated, start the operation of the brakes of the vehicle. This takes place, for example, by means of purely pneumatic operating lines or by electric signal lines which control emergency brake valves which operate according to the quiescent-current principle.
This system, which has been successful in practice, however, has the disadvantage that considerable expenditures are required for its implementation. Vehicles, which are equipped with an electric emergency brake signal line, must be equipped with purely mechanical-pneumatic elements for adapting the braking power to the situations, for example, the loading condition. In addition to high-expenditure pneumatic components, an extensive laying of pipes is also required for this purpose.
In addition, a considerable number of corresponding devices acting upon the pneumatic system are required so that also a passenger can initiate an emergency braking signal. Even when a disturbance occurs at a different point in the pneumatic system, an emergency braking has to be automatically initiated.
The known emergency system therefore requires extensive installation expenditures. This has a disadvantageous
Aurich Stefan
Firsching Peter
Kleeman Ulrich
Vohla Manfred
Waldmann Peter
Barnes & Thornburg
Graham Matthew C.
Knorr-Bremse Systeme Für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Sy Mariano
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