Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Patent
1999-11-23
2000-08-01
Zanelli, Michael J.
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
701 19, 303128, 246 82B, B60T 1368
Patent
active
060980060
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to computer controlled railroad locomotive brake equipment and more specifically to a modular computer controlled locomotive brake controller.
The availability of computer controlled railroad brake equipment includes the CCB equipment available from New York Air Brake Corporation. The CCB locomotive brake control equipment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,316 and is illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2. The numbers used throughout this application correspond to that used in this patent for sake of clarity and consistency. With computerized and electric control, the operation of the locomotive and the train must be safe for failure of any electrically controlled portion.
With the addition of electropneumatic braking and other electric subsections, there has been a proliferation of new onboard locomotive subsystems. This has resulted in a squeeze of real estate available in the locomotive. Since the interconnection of these various subsystems have been added one by one, it has increased the complexity of their interconnection and their weight. For example, the complexity of the brake control portion or pneumatic control unit 62 of the CCB is illustrated in FIG. 3. The manifold is complex and wiring must be connected to each of the individual electrical valves and transducers. There are thirty-four line replaceable units mounted to this manifold. Since the locomotive cannot carry thirty-four of the individual components, the whole locomotive must be taken into a shop for repair.
The complete brake control portion 62 can be removed and a new one inserted. This takes a substantial amount of time because of the number of wires and interconnections for the electrical components. The brake control portion 62 would then have to be tested and the individual parts replaced. Also, the brake control portion 62 is not adaptable to adding new functions nor to removing existing functions as the design requirements change in future locomotives. With increased sophistication within the locomotive, there is also a need for locomotive integration to allow communication and control between the various systems and subsystems.
A modular locomotive brake control unit would include a manifold having connected thereto a brake pipe module, brake cylinder module, an electropneumatic equalization reservoir module, an electromagnetic independent brake module, each controlling pressure at a corresponding port. Also, mounted to the module is an electropneumatic brake signal module providing a pneumatic brake signal to the brake cylinder module. At least the electropneumatic modules include electropneumatic and pneumatic elements and a modular controller.
The module controllers include a common structure of a processor, plural analog input ports, plural digital input ports and plural digital output ports. The processor includes a closed loop pressure controller receiving inputs from the processor and one of the analog inputs and providing a digital output. The common structure includes a transceiver connected to a network with the other transceivers of the other modules.
The modules include a storage having an identification data therein and evented data. A junction box on the manifold connects the electropneumatic modules to an external source of electric signals. At least one pressure transducer is provided on each electropneumatic module. Two brake pipe pressure transducers are provided in separate modules as are two supply pressure transducers. The brake pipe module may also include at least one electropneumatic valve and a modular controller. An electropneumatic actuating module may also be provided on the manifold for controlling pressure at the actuating port and including electropneumatic and pneumatic elements and a module controller. The brake pipe module includes at least one electropneumatic and a modular controller.
A modular locomotive brake control unit according to the present invention could also include a manifold having mounted thereon at least t
REFERENCES:
patent: 4041470 (1977-08-01), Slane et al.
patent: 5083274 (1992-01-01), Bezos et al.
patent: 5172316 (1992-12-01), Root et al.
patent: 5185700 (1993-02-01), Bezos et al.
patent: 5590042 (1996-12-01), Allen, Jr. et al.
Allen John J.
Pierce Brett A.
Root Kevin B.
Sherwood Dale L.
Sinn Richard E.
New York Air Brake Corporation
Zanelli Michael J.
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