Electrical connectors – With vehicle structure – Connection to towed vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2001-09-04
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With vehicle structure
Connection to towed vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283765
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the automatic identification of rail cars, and more specifically to an integrated identification module and terminal block for rail cars equipped with electro-pneumatic brakes.
With the addition of electro-pneumatically operated train brakes to railway freight cars, comes a need to be able to automatically identify the types, weights and braking ratios of the individual cars in the train. Present systems address this by requiring that serial numbers of the cars as well as other related information be entered into a data file in the locomotive controller. This method does provide the information necessary to properly identify each car in the train; however, it is very time consuming when dealing with long trains (for example, one hundred cars or more), and must be manually updated every time a train adds or drops off cars or locomotives. Moreover, manually entering the data increases the opportunity for error.
A system for automatic identification of railcars is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,465 to Lumbis, et al. Lumbis '465 discloses an automatic identification of EP braked equipped railcars having a storage device or ID module permanently mounted on the car, including the car identification data. The prior art ID module is connected to the local communication node, which communicates with the locomotive and a network for reading the identification data stored in the storage device. The local communication node then communicates the identification data to a controller at the locomotive. Preferably, the ID module is a subsidiary communication node controlled by the local communication node and activated by the local communication node when it requires information. Lumbis also shows a terminal block for connecting the local node and current sensor separate from the ID module, and interconnected by wires.
The presently configured integrated identification module for ECP brake applications improves upon the prior art as disclosed in '465 by integrating the wires, terminal block, and ID module into a common housing.
The novel arrangement of the terminals, housing, and a circuit module comprising sensors, wires, and a circuit board simplifies the electric connection, and further provides a more durable, solid-state arrangement that reduces the risk of failure. Additionally, the arrangement simplifies the process of testing the brake and communication systems by allowing an operator to electrically isolate the electronics and/or the car control device without physically removing leads from the terminals.
The present ID module is for use in a train that includes at least one locomotive and a plurality of cars, each car being serially connected into a network by a power and communication trainline to an adjacent car. Each car is equipped with a local communication node connected to a car control device and to the network.
The invention comprises a common housing, preferably made of a nonconductive material. A circuit module is enclosed within the housing and includes a second communication node and a current sensor. A terminal block is formed on the housing, and a plurality of stud terminals extend through apertures in the terminal block such that a first end of each stud terminal is outside the housing and a second end of each stud terminal is inside the housing. Selected stud terminals contact the circuit module at their respective second ends.
At least two input leads comprising an input from a power and communication trainline are connected to the first end of selected stud terminals such that each input lead from the trainline is connected to its own stud terminal. An equal number of electrical output leads comprising an output of the power and communication trainline are connected to the first ends of another set of selected stud terminals such that each output electrical lead to the trainline extends from the first end of its own stud terminal.
A jumper wire in the circuit module passes through the current sensor and interconnects the second ends of a selected input power and communication trainline lead to a selected power and communication trainline output lead.
A shield input from the power and communication trainline is connected to the first end of a distinct, selected terminal; a shield output from the power and communication trainline is connected to the first end of another distinct stud terminal. These two selected shield terminals are connected at their first ends by a conductive strip. Preferably, the second end of at least one of these shield terminals is connected to the ground of the circuit module.
The power and communication trainline preferably comprises two power carrying lines and at least one shield line. Thus, a total of at least three input terminals is needed. As mentioned earlier, one set of power and input communication trainline terminals are electrically connected by a jumper wire extending inside the housing. The other pair of stud terminals is connected at the first ends by a conductive strip. In order to make this discourse easier to follow, the terminals will be given numbers. The first pair of terminals, which connect the input and output leads from one line of the power and communication trainline, shall be labeled the first and second terminals. The second pair of terminals, which are connected at their second ends by the jumper wire, and which connect input and output leads from a second line from the power and communication trainline, will be called the third and fourth terminals. In like manner, the terminals receiving the shield input and output will be called the fifth and sixth terminals, respectively
The terminal block further includes seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth stud terminals. The seventh and eighth terminals have second ends connected to supply input ports of the circuit module. Leads connect the first ends of the seventh and eighth stud terminals to supply output ports of the car control device. The ninth and tenth stud terminals are connected inside the housing by their second ends to communication ports of the circuit module. Leads connect the first ends of the ninth and tenth stud terminals to the communication ports of the car control device.
The housing includes eleventh and twelfth stud terminals, each connected at their second ends in series with a load and a switch. The first ends of the eleventh and twelfth stud terminals are connected to the first ends of one of the first and second stud terminals, and one of the third and fourth stud terminals, respectively; and the second communication node controls the switch.
The terminal block has first, second and third channels wherein the apertures for the terminals are formed in each of the channels. The first ends of first, second, and eleventh terminals are spaced apart in the first channel. A first conductive strip lies in the first channel to electrically connect the first ends of the first, second and eleventh termninals.
The first ends of the fifth and sixth terminals are spaced apart in the second channel; a second conductive strip lies in the second channel to electrically connect the first ends of the fifth and sixth terminals.
The first ends of the third, twelfth, and fourth terminals are spaced apart in the third channel. A third conductive strip lies in the channel to electrically connect the first ends of the third and twelfth terminals. A dividing structure lies in the third channel between the twelfth and fourth terminals in order to prevent the third conductive strip from creating electrical contact between the first ends of the fourth and twelfth terminals.
The car control device must also be in electric communication with the power and communication trainline. In that regard, at least two leads connect power and communication trainline ports of the car control device to the first end of one of the first and second stud terminals and one of the third and fourth stud terminals, respectively.
The circuit module includes electronics mounted to a circuit board, which i
Lumbis Anthony W.
Nabywaniec Laura J.
Barnes & Thornburg
New York Air Brake
Sircus Brian
Zarroli Michael C.
LandOfFree
Integrated I.D. module and terminal block for ECP brake... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Integrated I.D. module and terminal block for ECP brake..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Integrated I.D. module and terminal block for ECP brake... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2524079