U.S. patent application number 15/766545 was filed with the patent office on 2019-02-21 for traction and braking control system for a railway train set.
The applicant listed for this patent is FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Angelo GRASSO, Roberto TIONE.
Application Number | 20190054936 15/766545 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55173911 |
Filed Date | 2019-02-21 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190054936 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TIONE; Roberto ; et
al. |
February 21, 2019 |
TRACTION AND BRAKING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A RAILWAY TRAIN SET
Abstract
Traction and braking control system for a train set comprising a
master locomotive, at least one slave locomotive and a plurality of
carriages, in which each of the locomotives includes traction
apparatus and braking apparatus associated with respective manually
actuated control devices and a respective electronic control unit.
The system is characterized in that the control unit in the master
locomotive is associated with sensors designed to provide said
control unit with signals indicating the speed and/or the
acceleration of the locomotive and the commands given by the
driver; memory modules storing data indicating the composition of
the train set, data defining a mathematical model of the
longitudinal dynamics of the train set, data defining a profile of
the section on which the train set is travelling, and data defining
at least one operational objective; positioning means for providing
signals indicating the instantaneous position of the train set
along the section.
Inventors: |
TIONE; Roberto; (LAURIANO
(Torino), IT) ; GRASSO; Angelo; (CANELLI (Asti),
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.p.A. |
PIOSSASCO (Torino) |
|
IT |
|
|
Family ID: |
55173911 |
Appl. No.: |
15/766545 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
October 7, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2016/056004 |
371 Date: |
April 6, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61L 3/002 20130101;
B60T 15/32 20130101; B60T 17/228 20130101; B61L 3/006 20130101;
B60T 13/665 20130101; B61L 15/009 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B61L 15/00 20060101
B61L015/00; B61L 3/00 20060101 B61L003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 9, 2015 |
IT |
102015000059848 |
Claims
1. Traction and braking control system for a railway train set
comprising a leading master locomotive, at least one trailing or
intermediate slave locomotive and a plurality of carriages or cars,
and provided with a pneumatic braking system and in which each of
said locomotives comprises traction apparatus and braking apparatus
associated with respective manual control devices and a respective
electronic control unit and related signal transceiver means
through which the electronic control unit of the master locomotive
is able to communicate with the control unit of said at least one
slave locomotive; the arrangement being such that the traction
apparatus and the braking apparatus of the slave locomotive can be
controlled by the master locomotive; the system being characterized
in that the control unit in the master locomotive is associated
with: sensor means designed to provide said control unit with
signals indicating the speed and/or the acceleration of the master
locomotive and the commands given by the driver to the traction
control devices and the braking control devices; memory means
storing data indicating the composition of the train set, data
defining a mathematical model of the longitudinal dynamics of the
train set, data defining a profile of the section on which the
train set is travelling, and data defining at least one operational
objective; positioning means for providing signals indicating the
instantaneous position of the train set along said section; and a
human-machine interface for providing information to the driver;
the control unit of the master locomotive being designed to check
whether the commands given by the driver using the traction control
devices and the braking control devices are consistent with said at
least one operational objective, and to use the human-machine
interface to provide the driver with instructions on how to operate
said control devices to achieve said operational objective; and
generate, in a predetermined manner and as a function of the data
stored in said memory means and the information provided by said
sensor means and the positioning means, signals for controlling
traction and/or braking, and to transmit said control signals to
the control unit of said at least one slave locomotive through said
transceiver means.
2. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the
control unit of the master locomotive is also designed to generate,
in a predetermined manner and as a function of the data stored in
said memory means and the information provided by the
aforementioned sensor means and the positioning means, signals for
controlling traction and braking, and to use said signals to
control the traction apparatus and the braking apparatus of the
master locomotive.
3. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the
control unit in each slave locomotive is associated with the same
means and devices that are associated with the control unit of the
master locomotive; the control units of the master locomotive and
of the slave locomotive or locomotives being designed to operate
selectively as a master control unit or as a slave control unit.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a traction and braking
control system for a railway train set.
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a
traction and braking control system for a railway train set
comprising a leading master locomotive, at least one trailing or
intermediate slave locomotive and a plurality of carriages or cars,
and provided with a pneumatic braking system, in which each of said
locomotives comprises braking and traction apparatus associated
with respective manual control devices and a respective electronic
control unit and related transceiver means through which the
electronic control unit of the master locomotive is able to
communicate with the control unit of said at least one slave
locomotive; the arrangement being such that the traction and
braking apparatus of the at least one slave locomotive can be
controlled by the master locomotive.
[0003] In existing railway train sets, all of the locomotives
operate synchronously, i.e. the slave locomotive or locomotives
execute all of the traction and braking control commands given by
the driver of the leading master train set.
[0004] This control system has the advantage of being extremely
simple to operate, and the driver of the leading locomotive drives
the train set as if it were a head-end train.
[0005] However, such systems have a limited capacity to control
slack action. Indeed, on certain section profiles, such control
systems may not be able to limit the occurrence of significant
longitudinal forces between the vehicles that make up the train
set, in extension or in compression, resulting in dangerous
stresses and accident risks.
[0006] Devices to help with driving and event recording that are
designed to "predict" the future state of a train set on the basis
of the traction and braking commands given by the driver are known.
However, such systems are based on the ability of the driver to use
personal experience to "interpret" the predictive information
provided and to subsequently give commands.
[0007] Such systems also fail to address the problem of controlling
slack action of the train set in track sections with "difficult"
route profiles.
[0008] One purpose of the present invention is to propose a
traction and braking control system for a railway train set of the
type defined above that has been improved to enable a more
effective management of the issues set out above.
[0009] This objective and others are achieved according to the
invention using a traction and braking control system of the type
defined above, characterized in that the control unit in the master
locomotive is associated with: [0010] sensor means designed to
provide said control unit with signals indicating the speed and/or
acceleration of the master locomotive and the controls applied by
the driver to the traction braking control devices, [0011] memory
means storing data indicating the composition of the train set,
data defining a mathematical model of the longitudinal dynamics of
the train set, as well as data defining a profile of the section on
which the train set is travelling, and data defining at least one
predetermined operational objective; [0012] positioning means for
providing signals indicating the instantaneous position of the
train set along said section; and [0013] a human-machine interface
for providing information to the driver; [0014] the control unit of
the master locomotive being designed to [0015] check whether the
instructions given by the driver using the traction control devices
and the braking control devices are consistent with said
operational objective, and to use the human-machine interface to
provide the driver with instructions on how to operate said control
devices to achieve said objective; and [0016] generate, in a
predetermined manner and as a function of the data stored in said
memory means and the information provided by said sensor means and
the positioning means, signals for controlling traction and/or
braking, and to transmit said control signals to the control unit
of said at least one slave locomotive through said transceiver
means.
[0017] In one embodiment, the control unit of the master locomotive
is also designed to generate, in a predefined manner, additional
signals for controlling traction and/or braking, and to use said
additional command signals to control the braking and traction
apparatus of the master locomotive.
[0018] Further characteristics and advantages of the system
according to the invention are set out in the detailed description
below, provided purely as a non-limiting example and with reference
to the attached drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a partial schematic side view of a railway train
set provided with a traction and braking control system according
to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the equipment of the
leading master locomotive of a railway train set provided with a
control system according to the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 3 is a similar block diagram showing the control
equipment of each slave locomotive of a railway train set provided
with a control system according to the present invention.
[0022] In FIG. 1, reference sign T indicates the railway train set
as a whole, including a leading master locomotive ML and at least
one intermediate or trailing slave locomotive SL, as well as a
plurality of cars or carriages C.
[0023] In the embodiment shown schematically in FIG. 1, the
locomotives ML and SL are electric locomotives powered by and
overhead conductor CC via respective pantographs P. However, the
invention is not limited to application to train sets including
such locomotives.
[0024] The train set T is provided with a pneumatic braking system
of a known type, in which all of the vehicles in the train set are
connected together pneumatically by a brake pipe that is kept at a
predetermined pressure, for example 5 bar, and keeps the brakes of
all of the vehicles open.
[0025] A pressure drop in the brake pipe, caused by actuating a
brake cock in the driving cab of the master locomotive ML, is
propagated throughout the entire train set and reaches the braking
equipment on the individual vehicles. A distributor in said
vehicles, which is usually associated with a control cylinder and
an auxiliary cylinder, causes air to enter the brake cylinders,
thereby braking the train set.
[0026] A subsequent pressure increase in the brake pipe again
releases the brakes on the train set.
[0027] The block diagrams in FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the key
elements of the equipment on the leading master locomotive ML and
respectively a slave locomotive SL of the train set T.
[0028] As shown in said figures each of the locomotives ML and SL
have respective traction apparatus 1 and braking apparatus 2, which
are associated with corresponding control devices 3 and 4 that can
be actuated manually in the cab by a driver.
[0029] Each locomotive ML and SL is also provided with a respective
electronic control unit ECUM and ECUS and with related transceiver
devices 5 to enable said electronic units to communicate with one
another.
[0030] In the embodiment shown by way of example, the transceiver
devices are able to communicate with one another by radio, using a
respective antenna 6. However, this solution is not mandatory, and
communication between said transceiver devices may be achieved
using other channels, such as cables or optical fibres.
[0031] In the traction and braking control system according to the
invention, the control unit ECUM of the master locomotive ML is
associated with sensor devices 8 designed to provide same with
electrical signals indicating the speed and/or acceleration of said
locomotive.
[0032] The control unit ECUM of the master locomotive ML is also
linked to detector devices 9 and 10 designed to provide signals
indicating the commands given by the driver of said locomotive
using the traction control devices 3 and, respectively, the braking
control devices 4.
[0033] The control unit ECUM is also associated with memory devices
11 storing data describing the composition of the train set T, and
other memory devices 12 containing data used to define a
mathematical model of the longitudinal dynamics of the train set
T.
[0034] Other memory devices 13, which are also associated with the
unit ECUM, store data that are used to define the profile of the
section on which the train set T is travelling.
[0035] Other memory devices 14 associated with the control unit
ECUM are used to store data defining a control algorithm and at
least one predetermined operational objective.
[0036] Although the block diagrams in FIGS. 2 and 3 show the memory
devices 11-14 as external to the control units ECUM and ECUS, said
memory devices may also be built into said control units.
[0037] With reference to FIG. 2, the control unit ECUM of the
master locomotive ML is also associated with positioning devices 15
that are designed to provide signals indicating the instantaneous
position of said locomotive, and therefore of the train set T,
along the aforementioned section. The positioning devices may be
inertial and/or satellite platforms (GPS and similar), or other
systems.
[0038] The unit ECUM is also linked to a human-machine interface 16
that is designed to provide information/instructions to the driver
of the master locomotive ML.
[0039] This control unit ECUM is designed to control the traction
and braking of the train set T in the manner described below.
[0040] Said unit ECUM is in particular designed to check that the
commands given by the driver of the master locomotive ML (and
therefore of the train set T) are consistent with a predetermined
operational objective stored in the memory devices 14.
[0041] This operational objective may for example be to reduce the
dynamic stresses exchanged between the different vehicles that make
up the train set T during train movement.
[0042] An alternative or additional operational objective may for
example be maintaining a constant assigned speed in a track section
subject to a speed limit.
[0043] The consistency of the commands given by the driver using
the traction and braking control devices 3, 4 with the
aforementioned operational objectives is checked using the
information contained in the memory devices 11-14 (composition of
the train set T, mathematical model of the dynamic behaviour of the
train set T, section profile, control algorithm and operational
objectives), the information provided by the positioning system 15,
and the information provided by the detector devices 9 and 10
associated with the traction and braking control devices 3, 4.
[0044] The control unit ECUM is also designed to use the
information received from the devices 8-15 to generate traction
and/or braking control signals for the slave locomotive or
locomotives SL. Said control signals are sent to the control unit
ECUS of at least one slave locomotive SL using the transceiver
devices 5, 6.
[0045] In each slave locomotive SL, the traction and braking
control signals from the control unit ECUM of the master locomotive
ML are received by the local control unit ECUS, which then controls
the traction system 1 and the braking system 2 of the corresponding
slave locomotive SL accordingly.
[0046] In the embodiment described thus far, control of the
traction and braking of the master locomotive ML is left completely
to the driver, and the control unit ECUM can be arranged
appropriately to provide said driver, by means of the human-machine
interface 16, with information/recommendations regarding the
consistency of the commands given by the driver with the
operational objective or objectives assigned.
[0047] Conversely, the traction and braking of each of the slave
locomotives SL is entirely dependent on the commands provided by
the control unit ECUM of the master locomotive ML and sent to the
control unit ECUS of the corresponding slave locomotive SL.
[0048] In another embodiment, traction and control of the master
locomotive ML is controlled in part using the commands given
manually by the driver using the control devices 3 and 4, and in
part using control signals generated by the unit ECUM on the basis
of information provided to said unit by the devices 8-15.
[0049] This "mixed" traction and braking control method for the
master locomotive ML helps to optimize management of the movement
of the train set.
[0050] The control and decision algorithm implemented by the
control unit ECUM can be implemented using artificial-intelligence
techniques, for example using neural networks or Petri nets.
[0051] The control system according to the present invention helps
to optimize management of the longitudinal dynamics of the train
set T as a function of the profile of the section being traveled,
and to improve the performance of such a train set under specific
circumstances (starting, braking, skid conditions, etc.).
[0052] Comparison of the block diagrams in FIGS. 2 and 3 shows how
the equipment architecture in each slave locomotive SL is similar
to the equipment architecture in the master locomotive ML.
[0053] In general, to implement the aforementioned control methods,
each slave locomotive SL only strictly requires the devices shown
in FIG. 3 using an unbroken line.
[0054] Nonetheless, it may be beneficial for all of the
locomotives, ML and SL, to be fitted with the same equipment that
can be operated selectively as master locomotive equipment or slave
locomotive equipment, such that each locomotive can, as required,
be used as a leading master locomotive or an intermediate or
trailing slave locomotive. Accordingly, the equipment architecture
shown in FIG. 3 can therefore be augmented by adding the devices
shown in said figure using a dotted line, which are indicated using
the same reference signs as used in FIG. 2.
[0055] Naturally, notwithstanding the principle of the invention,
the means of implementation and the specific embodiments may vary
greatly from that described and illustrated purely by way of a
non-limiting example, without thereby moving outside the scope of
the invention as defined in the attached claims.
* * * * *