Individualized dynamic electric train braking
AssigneeUnited States Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration
InventorPhani Krishnaswamy Raj
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for reducing the threat of derailment of a train during deceleration is provided. An individualized braking force for each rail car of a train, such individualized braking force being determined by the braking deceleration of the train's locomotive, may be calculated by the rail car's controller and is directly proportional to the mass of the rail car. The controller may utilize the various forces acting upon the individual rail car as measured by a plurality of sensing and measuring devices to dynamically adjust the braking force applied to the individual rail car's brakes. Such a system and method allows for the train to act as a single body mass when decelerating to eliminate rail car pile-up and reduce the threat of derailment.
Claims20
A dynamic electronic braking system for a train construct, comprising:
- a locomotive braking system suited to measure and transmit said locomotive's deceleration to each of a plurality of individual rail cars in said train construct;
- a plurality of individual rail car braking systems, each suited to receive said transmitted locomotive deceleration and to dynamically calculate a proportional braking force based on forces acting on said individual rail car, a local gradient to which said individual rail car is subject, and a dynamically measured mass of said individual rail car;
- and
- wherein each of said plurality of individual rail car braking systems is suited to dynamically vary said proportional braking force throughout a single braking event such that said train construct slows and stops as a single mass body based on multiple of said received locomotive deceleration rates, said forces acting on said individual rail car, a local gradient at said individual rail car, and said dynamically measured mass of said individual rail car.
A dynamic electronic braking system for a train construct, comprising:
- a main brake actuating lever in electrical communication with a braking system of a locomotive;
- wherein said locomotive braking system includes a measurement and transmission system comprising an accelerometer for measuring the deceleration of said locomotive and a transmitter for electronically transmitting said measured deceleration of said locomotive to each of a plurality of individual rail cars in said train construct;
- a plurality of individual rail car braking systems, each associated with one of said plurality of individual rail cars and each further comprising an individual rail car brake activation system;
- wherein each of said individual rail cars has a plurality of wheels and brakes;
- wherein each of said individual rail car brake activation systems includes a communication means for receipt of said measured deceleration of said locomotive, a plurality of sensors for measuring forces acting on said individual rail car in said train construct, and a controller for dynamically performing individual rail car specific braking force calculations;
- wherein each of said plurality of individual rail car brake activation systems are in electronic communication with an associated one of said individual rail car braking systems;
- wherein said controller dynamically calculates an individual rail car braking force based on said measurement of said deceleration of said locomotive, a measured instantaneous velocity of said individual rail car, a calculated individual rail car deceleration rate, a comparison of said individual rail car deceleration rate and said measured deceleration of said locomotive, said measured forces acting on said individual rail car, and a mass of said individual rail car;
- and
- wherein each of said plurality of individual rail car brake activation systems is suited to dynamically vary said proportional braking force throughout a single braking event such that said train construct slows and stops as a single mass body based on multiple received locomotive deceleration rates, said forces acting on said individual rail car, a local gradient at said individual rail car, and said mass of said individual rail car.
A dynamic electronic braking system for a train construct, comprising:
- a braking system for a locomotive;
- a plurality of individual rail car braking systems;
- wherein said locomotive braking system dynamically measures and electronically communicates a measured deceleration of said locomotive to each of said plurality of individual rail car braking systems;
- wherein each of said plurality of rail cars includes a plurality of wheels and brakes;
- wherein each of said plurality of individual rail car braking systems further comprises a plurality of sensors for measuring forces acting upon said individual rail car, a controller for receipt of said measured deceleration of said locomotive and said plurality of measured forces acting on said individual rail car;
- wherein said controller dynamically calculates a proportional braking force for said individual rail car;
- and
- wherein each of said plurality of individual rail car braking systems is suited to dynamically vary said proportional braking force throughout a single braking event such that said train construct slows and stops as a single mass body based on multiple said received locomotive deceleration rates, said forces acting on said individual rail car, a local gradient at said individual rail car, and a dynamically measured mass of said individual rail car.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.