Filter Identification in a Capture System for Capturing Brake Particles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capture system (1) for capturing braking particles from a friction braking system (10), which comprises a vacuum source (20), a pneumatic circuit (30) connecting the friction braking system (10) to the vacuum source (20), and a filter (40) located on the pneumatic circuit (30) and mounted on a support (41). The capture system (1) comprises a control unit (60) and identification means (50) for the current filter (40), the identification means being able to send at least one signal to the control unit (60), the signal comprising at least one current characteristic (40-A) of the current filter (40), wherein the control unit (60) is able to compare the at least one current characteristic (40-A) with at least one reference characteristic (49-R) of a reference filter (49) and to inform the user when the at least one current characteristic (40-A) is different from the at least one reference characteristic (49-R).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a capture system for capturing brake particles from a friction braking system, which includes a vacuum source, a pneumatic circuit connecting the friction braking system to the vacuum source, and a current filter located on the pneumatic circuit and mounted on a support member. Background Art

[0002] Such friction braking systems can be equipped for road or rail vehicles. Such friction braking systems can also be equipped for fixed rotor devices such as wind turbines or industrial machines.

[0003] In such systems, a vacuum source (e.g., a motor-driven suction turbine) connected to the friction braking system through a pneumatic circuit is provided, and a filter for collecting the particles discharged by the braking system. This filter is placed upstream of the vacuum source and prevents the particles from passing through the vacuum source and being released into the atmosphere. However, in some cases, the current filter (i.e., the filter currently installed in the system) does not have the same characteristics as a reference filter, which is a filter suitable for the capture system. This difference in at least one of the characteristics is harmful because the execution efficiency of the current filter may not be as good as that of the reference filter. The current filter is then inappropriate. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a capture system for capturing brake particles, which makes it possible to ensure that the current filter is the same as the reference filter.

[0006] This object is achieved by the fact that the capture system includes a control unit and an identification device for identifying the filter, the identification device being able to send a signal to the control unit, the signal including at least one current characteristic of the current filter, and the control unit being able to compare at least one current characteristic with at least one reference characteristic of the reference filter and notify the user when at least one current characteristic is different from the at least one reference characteristic.

[0007] With these arrangements, the current filter is identified, and its relevant characteristics are compared with those of the reference filter, which is the filter that should be installed in the capture system. Thus, when at least one of these characteristics of the filter currently installed in the capture system is different from the characteristics of the reference filter, the user is notified accordingly. The user can then take action to prevent the vehicle or fixed machine from continuing to operate with an inappropriate filter. This user action is usually to replace this inappropriate filter with a suitable filter that is the same as the reference filter.

[0008] For example, the current characteristics of the current filter are unique, and the reference characteristics of the reference filter are unique.

[0009] For example, the current filter has a plurality of N characteristics and there are a plurality of N reference characteristics, and the control unit is capable of comparing each of the current characteristics pairwise with each of the reference characteristics and notifying the user when the current characteristics and the reference characteristics are different for at least one integer value of n between 1 and N.

[0010] Advantageously, a part of the identification device contains at least one current characteristic of the current filter, and this part is carried by the current filter.

[0011] Thus, the reliability of the identification of the current filter is enhanced.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a method for identifying a filter in a capture system for capturing brake particles from a friction braking system, the capture system including a vacuum source, a pneumatic circuit connecting the friction braking system to the vacuum source, and a current filter located on the pneumatic circuit and mounted on a support.

[0013] According to the present invention, the method includes the following steps:

[0014] (a) Providing a control unit that is part of the capture system and an identification device for identifying the current filter;

[0015] (b) The identification device sending at least one signal to the control unit, the signal including at least one current characteristic of the current filter;

[0016] (c) The control unit comparing at least one current characteristic with at least one reference characteristic of a reference filter and notifying the user when at least one current characteristic and at least one reference characteristic are different. Description of the Drawings

[0017] The present invention will be better understood and its advantages will become more apparent after reading the following detailed description of some embodiments presented as non-limiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a capture system according to the present invention,

[0019] Figure 2 Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a housing carrying a filter and a detection device for detecting this filter in a capture system Figure 1 for

[0020] Figure 3 ​​​​​​Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the housing carrying the filter and the detection device for this filter in the capture system for detecting Figure 1 the same. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1 Schematically shown is a system 1 for capturing particles emitted by a friction braking system 10 according to the present invention.

[0022] This friction braking system 10 includes a brake pad 11 for braking a vehicle. This pad 11 includes a backing plate 12 and a lining 13 fixed to the backing plate 12 and made of a friction material. In Figure 1 the figure, the pad 11 is viewed from below and the plate 12 is in the foreground.

[0023] The pad 11 (first pad) faces a disk 9 driven by a wheel of the vehicle. A second identical pad (not visible) is located on the other side of the disk 9 and opposite the first pad 11 such that the two pads sandwich the disk 9. When the two pads approach the disk 9, braking of the disk 9 is achieved by friction of the two linings (13) against the disk 9.

[0024] The capture system 1 includes a pneumatic circuit 30 and a vacuum source 20. The pad 11 and the second pad are connected to the vacuum source 20 via this pneumatic circuit 30. For example, the vacuum source 20 includes an electric motor 21 and a suction turbine 22 driven by this electric motor 21.

[0025] In operation, the vacuum source 20 is capable of inhaling the particles via the pneumatic circuit 30 after they are emitted by the lining (13). The circulation direction of the air and the particles is indicated by the Figure 1 arrow F in the figure. The capture system 1 further includes a filter 40 located on the circuit 30, which means that the air circulating within the circuit 30 passes through this filter. This filter 40 is mounted on a support 41. For example, the support 41 is a housing that houses the filter 40 as shown in the figures. The filter 40 thus divides the housing 41 into an upstream part and a downstream part. Air from the upstream part of the circuit 30 enters the housing 41 at the upstream end of the housing 41, passes through the filter 40, and exits the housing 41 at the downstream end of the housing 41 and enters the downstream part of the circuit 30. The term "current filter" refers to the filter 40 that is actually mounted on the support 41 during the operation of the vacuum source 20.

[0026] The capture system 1 further includes a control unit 60 and a detection device 50 for detecting the filter 40. The control unit 60 receives signals from the detection device 50 (which includes elements for generating and sending these signals), and is also capable of controlling the vacuum source 20 and receiving information from it. These interactions between the control unit 60, the detection device 50, and the vacuum source 20 are schematically represented by solid lines in Figure 1 and can be implemented by electrical wires. The operation of this control unit 60 and this detection device 50 is described below.

[0027] The control unit 60 and the identification device 50 make it possible to determine whether the current filter 40 is the same as or different from a reference filter 49. The reference filter 49 is, for example, a filter initially installed in a vehicle or a stationary machine. It is then called the initial filter. This reference filter 49 is schematically represented by a dashed line in Figure 1 . This filter is thus a filter of a certain type and / or a certain brand and has a specific number of characteristics 49-R. The current filter has a specific number of characteristics 40-A. "Characteristics" should be understood to mean, for example, the characteristic values of measurements made on this filter. This value can be the geometric dimensions of the filter, the density of the filter material, the filtration efficiency of the filter, the measured value of the pressure drop across the filter, the range of the surface area of the filter medium, the number of overlapping layers of the filter medium. The characteristic can also be the shape of the filter. For example, these characteristics are the characteristics expected for the proper operation of the capture system 1 for the filter. These characteristics 40-A and 49-R are schematically indicated as being integrated (received and / or stored) into the control unit 60 in Figure 1 .

[0028] During operation of the capture system 1, the identification device 50 sends at least one signal to the control unit 60. The "at least one signal" should be understood to mean a continuous signal or a signal at regular intervals or an isolated signal. This signal includes at least one current characteristic 40-A of the current filter 40. The control unit 60 stores in memory at least one reference characteristic 49-R of the reference filter 49. If there is only one characteristic 40-A, then the reference characteristic 49-R is associated with the characteristic 40-A such that if the current filter 40 and the reference filter 49 are the same, then the characteristic 40-A is substantially equivalent to the reference characteristic 49-R. "Substantially equivalent" should be understood to mean that the characteristic is within a restricted range near the reference characteristic. For example, this range is + / - 1%, or + / - 2%, or + / - 5%, or + / - 10% of the value of the reference characteristic. If there are multiple N characteristics 40-A (40-A(1), 40-A(2)... 40-A(N), where N is an integer), then there are multiple N characteristics 49-R (49-R(1), 49-R(2)... 49-R(N)), and each of the reference characteristics 49-R(n) (where n is an integer between 1 and N) is associated with the characteristic 40-A(n) such that if the current filter 40 and the reference filter 49 are the same, then the characteristic 40-A(n) is substantially equivalent to the reference characteristic 49-R(n). After receiving the signal including one or more current characteristics 40-A, the control unit 60 compares this or these characteristics with one or more characteristics 49-R. Thus, if there is a single characteristic 40-A, then the control unit 60 compares the characteristic 40-A with 49-R. If there are multiple N characteristics 40-A(n), then for each integer n between 1 and N, the control unit 60 pairwise compares the characteristic 40-A(n) with 49-R(n). If at the end of this or these comparisons, at least one of the current characteristic 40-A and the reference characteristic 49-R is different (meaning substantially not equivalent), then the control unit 60 notifies the user that the current filter 40 is not the appropriate filter (because it is not the same as the reference filter 49).

[0029] This information can be provided in any way, for example by displaying text such as "Improper Filter", or a logo or an indicator light, etc. on the instrument panel of the vehicle, and / or by stimulating the user by vibration, for example via a vibration system located in the seat and controlled by the control unit 60. Additionally, this information can be accompanied by a limitation of the speed of the vehicle, which uses a limiter 70 controlled by the control unit 60( Figure 1 ). Thus, the generation of particles during braking is reduced, and the release of these harmful particles into the vacuum source 20 is also reduced.

[0030] Reference Figure 2, an embodiment of an identification device 50 for identifying a filter 40 is described below.

[0031] The identification device 50 includes a contactless detector 52 and an identifier (tag) 42 carried by the filter 40. The contactless detector 52 is capable of detecting the identifier 42 within a specific volume V around this detector 54 0 This detection is carried out, for example, using RFID technology. RFID technology groups those technologies in which the identifier is remotely powered by the detector. The contactless detector 52 is fixed close to the filter 40, which means that the identifier 42 is located within the volume V around the contactless detector 54 0 The identifier 42 is specific to the current filter 40 and contains one or more characteristics 40-A of the current filter 40 in a memory.

[0032] The contactless detector 52 is fixed to the pipe 30 upstream or downstream of the support 41, such that when the support 41 carrying the filter 40 is mounted on the pipe 30, the contactless detector 52 is positioned at a distance D from the identifier 42 1 . In this situation, the contactless detector 52 sends a signal to the control unit 60, which signal contains one or more characteristics 40-A of the current filter 40. After receiving this signal, the control unit 60 compares the one or more characteristics 40-A with one or more characteristics 49-R.

[0033] In Figure 3 In another embodiment as described in, the contactless detector 52 is fixed on the support 41 (for example, it is placed in the housing when the support 41 is a housing), and the identifier 42 is carried by the filter 40, such that when the filter 40 is mounted on the support 41, the contactless detector 54 is positioned at a distance D from the identifier 42 2 (less than D 1 ).

[0034] The identification device 50 includes a part (for example, the identifier 42) containing the characteristics 40-A of the current filter 40. When this part is carried by this filter 40, the capture system 1 can determine whether the filter 40 is different from the reference filter 49, even in the situation where the support 41 mounted on the pipe 30 is the same as the support carrying the reference filter 49 but an inappropriate filter 40 (and thus different from the reference filter 49) is mounted on this support 41 (either wrongly or intentionally). In the above situation, this part is the identifier 42.

[0035] In the situation where the filter 40 that is carried by the support member 41 and contains the characteristics of the filter (i.e., the filter suitable for this support member) intended to be received in this support member 41 and is actually installed in the support member 41 is a filter suitable for this support member 41, the signal sent to the control unit 60 contains correct information about the filter 40 installed in the support member 41. However, problems occur when the filter 40 actually installed in the support member 41 is (wrongly or intentionally) not the appropriate filter for this support member 41. In fact, in this situation, the filter actually installed in the support member 41 does not have the characteristics of the filter 40 suitable for this support member 41. The identification device 50 will then send a signal containing the characteristics of the filter 40 suitable for this support member 41 to the control unit 60, while the filter actually installed in this support member 41 does not have these characteristics. This causes problems because the support member 41 may be appropriate, but the filter 40 actually installed on the support member 41 is not suitable and will not inform the user that this filter 40 is not suitable. This problem is avoided when the part of the identification device 50 that contains the characteristics 40-A of the current filter 40 is directly carried by this filter 40. This constitutes an additional safety feature.

[0036] The present invention also relates to a method for identifying a filter 40 in a system 1 for capturing brake particles from a friction braking system 10. As described above, this capture system 1 includes a vacuum source 20, a pneumatic circuit 30 connecting the friction braking system 10 to the vacuum source 20, and a current filter 40 located on the pneumatic circuit 30 and installed on a support member 41. The method includes the following steps:

[0037] (a) providing a control unit 60 that is part of the capture system 1 and an identification device 50 for identifying the current filter 40;

[0038] (b) the identification device 50 sends at least one signal to the control unit 60, this signal including at least one current characteristic 40-A of the current filter 40;

[0039] (c) the control unit 60 compares at least one current characteristic 40-A with at least one reference characteristic 49-R of a reference filter 49, and notifies the user when at least one current characteristic 40-A is different from at least one reference characteristic 49-R.

Claims

1. A capture system (1) for capturing brake particles from a friction braking system (10), comprising a vacuum source (20), a pneumatic circuit (30) connecting the friction braking system (10) to the vacuum source (20), and a current filter (40) located on the pneumatic circuit (30) and mounted on a support (41). Characterized in that, the capture system (1) includes a control unit (60) and an identification device (50) for identifying the filter (40), the identification device being capable of sending at least one signal to the control unit (60), the signal including the current filtration efficiency of the current filter (40), the control unit (60) being capable of comparing the current filtration efficiency with the reference filtration efficiency of a reference filter (49), and notifying the user when the current filtration efficiency is different from the reference filtration efficiency.

2. The capture system (1) according to claim 1, Characterized in that, a part (42) of the identification device (50) contains the at least one current filtration efficiency of the current filter (40), this part (42) being carried by the current filter (40).

3. A method for identifying a filter (40) in a capture system (1) for capturing brake particles from a friction braking system (10), the capture system (1) including a vacuum source (20), a pneumatic circuit (30) connecting the friction braking system (10) to the vacuum source (20), and a current filter (40) located on the pneumatic circuit (30) and mounted on a support (41), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (a) Providing a control unit (60) which is part of the capture system (1) and an identification device (50) for identifying the current filter (40); (b) The identification device (50) sending at least one signal to the control unit (60), the signal including the current filtration efficiency of the current filter (40); (c) The control unit (60) comparing the current filtration efficiency with the reference filtration efficiency of a reference filter (49), and notifying the user when the current filtration efficiency is different from the reference filtration efficiency.

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