Height valve device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a height valve device, which relates to the technical field of vehicle control, and comprises a mechanical height valve, an air inlet valve port is connected with an air source, and an air outlet valve port is connected with an air spring; an air inlet valve port of the electromagnetic valve is connected with the air source, an air outlet valve port of the electromagnetic valve is connected with the air spring, and the electromagnetic valve is further in communication connection with a controller; and the rotary encoder is in rigid connection with the horizontal lever and / or the driving shaft of the mechanical height valve, is also in communication connection with the controller, and is configured to acquire the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve in real time and send the rotation angle to the controller. Therefore, on the basis that reliable work of a traditional mechanical height valve is guaranteed, the reliability of the height valve device is improved through the integrated electromagnetic valve, the height of a vehicle body can be adjusted in real time in an assisting mode through the lever rotation angle, collected in real time through the integrated encoder, of the mechanical height valve, and then the comfort degree of vehicle running is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of vehicle control, in particular to a height valve device. Background Art

[0002] The height valve is used to connect the car body and the bogie. The height valve is fixed to the car body, and the height valve horizontal lever is connected to the height valve vertical adjustment rod installed on the bogie through a joint bearing.

[0003] When the car body is at the set height, the height valve horizontal lever is in the neutral position, and the height valve port assembly remains closed. At this time, the air spring neither fills nor exhausts air. When the car body height changes, the height valve will move up and down with the car body height. The height valve lever will drive the drive shaft assembly to rotate, and then drive the piston assembly to move horizontally to both sides to control the valve port assembly inside the height valve to fill or exhaust air in the air spring. When the car body is lowered, the height valve lever rotates upward around the drive shaft. At this time, the air intake valve port opens, and the train's total air system fills the air spring through the height valve, forcing the car body to rise; when the car body rises, the height valve lever rotates downward around the drive shaft. At this time, the exhaust valve port opens, and the air spring exhausts air to the outside through the height valve, and the car body height drops.

[0004] The height valves on existing rail vehicles are purely mechanical valves, and their working medium is clean air or silicone oil. During vehicle operation, if the existing height valve encounters force majeure (such as icy or snowy weather), or is struck by foreign objects, filled with foreign objects, or fatigue, causing the horizontal lever or vertical connecting rod of the height valve to bend, deform, or even break, or if mechanical damage such as the height valve piston rod becomes stuck, causing the height valve's filling and exhaust functions to fail, the abnormal air spring pressure will affect the normal operation of the vehicle. Under normal circumstances, the vehicle will choose to operate at a reduced speed, which in turn affects the scheduling of the entire operating line. Therefore, the failure of the existing height valve function often causes immeasurable losses to the vehicle operator.

[0005] In addition, with the existing vehicle-mounted height valve, it is impossible to monitor the working status of the height valve in real time during vehicle operation, and it is impossible to identify risks and issue fault warnings in a timely manner. The vehicle can only monitor the changes in air spring pressure, but cannot confirm in real time whether the height valve has failed. The PHM system (fault prediction and health management system) needs to improve its warning function for the height valve. Conventional practice is to conduct manual visual inspections offline after the vehicle is parked. If necessary, the height valve can only be replaced on site to eliminate potential fault risks. Removing the height valve from the vehicle and replacing it with a new one can often only be done after the vehicle returns to the warehouse. For height valves with potential risks, their working status can only be confirmed on the test bench. The entire operation process consumes manpower and material resources, and the fault handling cycle is long, which increases the operating and maintenance costs of the height valve.

[0006] There is also an electric height valve that completely replaces the traditional mechanical height valve. The filling and exhaust of the air spring are only achieved through the solenoid valve control strategy. The shortcomings of this technology are: 1. The engineering application is difficult and there are significant differences with the existing vehicle operating environment. Major technical modifications are required in the valve itself and the control system; 2. There is no designed safety redundancy means and the reliability is poor. The filling and exhaust of the air spring are completely controlled by the solenoid valve. When the control signal of the solenoid valve or the solenoid valve fails, it will directly affect the safe operation of the vehicle; 3. In order to adjust the flow rate of filling and exhausting, other pneumatic valves can only be added, resulting in further increase in the overall size, weight and cost; 4. The pure electric height valve has a higher power requirement for the vehicle power supply, which results in greater energy consumption, that is, heat problems, resulting in a shortened lifespan, and its inspection and maintenance costs are high. Utility Model Content

[0007] An embodiment of the utility model provides a height valve device, which can provide real-time feedback on the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the height valve, so that the controller can identify the working status of the mechanical height valve. When the mechanical structure function of the mechanical height valve fails, the solenoid valve is energized to fill and / or exhaust the air spring; when the vehicle load changes sharply and the air spring is slowly filled or exhausted, the solenoid valve is used to assist in filling and / or exhausting the air, thereby improving the working efficiency of the height valve, shortening the response time, and improving the smoothness and comfort of the vehicle's driving.

[0008] The embodiment of the present invention provides a height valve device, comprising:

[0009] A mechanical height valve, wherein the air inlet valve port of the mechanical height valve is connected to the air source via a first air path, and the air outlet valve port of the mechanical height valve is connected to the air spring via a second air path;

[0010] a solenoid valve, wherein the air inlet valve port of the solenoid valve is connected to the first air path through a third air path and further connected to the air source, the air outlet valve port of the solenoid valve is connected to the second air path through a fourth air path and further connected to the air spring, and the solenoid valve is also communicatively connected to a controller;

[0011] The rotary encoder is rigidly connected to the horizontal lever and / or drive shaft of the mechanical height valve and is also communicatively connected to the controller. It is configured to collect the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve in real time and send the rotation angle to the controller.

[0012] In some embodiments, the solenoid valve is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; the solenoid valve is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve fails to inflate the air spring.

[0013] In some embodiments, the solenoid valve is further configured to be energized when a rate of increase of a vehicle load exceeds a first preset value, so as to assist the mechanical height valve in charging the air spring.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of the solenoid valves is two, and each solenoid valve is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; wherein,

[0015] The solenoid valve is configured to be energized to inflate the air spring when the mechanical height valve fails or when the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value;

[0016] Another solenoid valve is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve fails or when a rate of decrease in vehicle load is greater than a second preset value, to exhaust the air spring.

[0017] In some embodiments, the solenoid valve is rigidly connected to the valve body of the mechanical height valve, and the solenoid valve is located between the valve body and the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve.

[0018] In some embodiments, the invention further includes a solenoid valve protective cover disposed outside the solenoid valve.

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for controlling a height valve device, based on the height valve device described in any of the above embodiments, the method comprising:

[0020] The horizontal lever rotation angle of the mechanical height valve is collected in real time by a rotary encoder, and the pressure of the air spring is collected in real time by a pressure sensor;

[0021] According to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the rotary encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor, the height valve device is controlled to inflate and exhaust the air spring.

[0022] In some embodiments, controlling the height valve device to charge and exhaust the air spring according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the rotary encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor includes:

[0023] Determining the working state of the mechanical height valve according to the rotation angle collected in real time by the rotary encoder and the pressure collected in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0024] When the mechanical height valve is operating normally, the air spring is charged and exhausted through the mechanical height valve;

[0025] When the mechanical height valve fails or the vehicle load changes dramatically, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the air spring is charged and / or exhausted through the solenoid valve.

[0026] In some embodiments, when the vehicle load changes dramatically, controlling the solenoid valve to be energized to charge and / or exhaust the air spring through the solenoid valve includes:

[0027] When the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value, determining whether to activate the solenoid valve according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0028] If it is determined to enable the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the solenoid valve assists the mechanical height valve in filling the air spring.

[0029] In some embodiments, when the vehicle load changes dramatically, controlling the solenoid valve to be energized to charge and / or exhaust the air spring through the solenoid valve includes:

[0030] When the rate of decrease of the vehicle load is greater than a second preset value, determining whether to activate the solenoid valve according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0031] If it is determined to enable the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the solenoid valve assists the mechanical height valve in exhausting the air spring.

[0032] The height valve device provided by the embodiment of the utility model can provide real-time feedback on the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the height valve, so that the controller can identify the working status of the mechanical height valve. When the mechanical structure function of the mechanical height valve fails, the air spring is energized through the solenoid valve to fill and / or exhaust air; when the vehicle load changes sharply and the air spring fills and exhausts air slowly, the solenoid valve assists in filling and / or exhausting air, thereby improving the working efficiency of the height valve, shortening the response time, and improving the smoothness and comfort of vehicle driving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1a It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an existing mechanical height valve in the pressure holding position.

[0035] Figure 1b It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an existing mechanical height valve in the air filling position.

[0036] Figure 1c It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an existing mechanical height valve in the exhaust position.

[0037] Figure 2a This is an axonometric drawing of an existing mechanical height valve.

[0038] Figure 2b It is a structural diagram of an existing mechanical height valve.

[0039] Figures 3a to 3c They are respectively isometric views of the height valve device provided by the embodiments of the present utility model in different directions.

[0040] Figure 3d It is a structural schematic diagram of the height valve device provided by an embodiment of the utility model.

[0041] Figure 4 It is a flow chart of a control method of a height valve device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0042] Figure 5 It is a partial flow chart of a control method of a height valve device provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0043] Figure 6 A partial flow chart of a control method for a height valve device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0044] Figure 7 A partial flow chart of a control method for a height valve device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0045] Reference numerals:

[0046] Reference numerals:

[0047] 1. Valve body; 2. Valve head; 3. Piston; 4. Lever; 5. Drive shaft and eccentric pin; V, main air port; V1, check valve; V2, air inlet; V3, exhaust port; L, air spring port; E, exhaust port; T, dead zone; A, exhaust without throttling; B, exhaust with throttling; C, charging with throttling; D, charging without throttling;

[0048] 100. Height valve assembly; 10. Mechanical height valve; 11. Horizontal lever; 12. Drive shaft; 20. Solenoid valve; 21. Protective cover; 30. Rotary encoder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiment of the present invention more clear, the embodiment of the present invention is further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention and its description are used to explain the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0050] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] With reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in detail, indicating how the principles of the present invention can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in scope thereby. The embodiments of the present invention include numerous variations, modifications, and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0052] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0053] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components.

[0054] In order to better understand the present invention, the existing mechanical height valve is first introduced in detail below.

[0055] Figures 1a to 1c This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an existing mechanical height valve in different working states. Figure 2a This is an axonometric drawing of an existing mechanical height valve. Figure 2b This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing mechanical height valve. Its working principle is as follows:

[0056] The vertical movement of the vehicle body relative to the bogie, caused by the vehicle load, is transmitted via the connecting rod to lever 4 and further to the drive shaft and eccentric pin 5 mounted on the mechanical height valve body 1. The eccentric pin moves within the elongated hole of piston 3, causing the piston to move left or right as the drive shaft rotates. The valve head 2 is a check valve V1, which prevents air from flowing back from the air spring port L to the main air port V when the pressure at the main air port V drops.

[0057] Holding pressure position: Figure 1a As shown, if the vehicle is at a set height, the height valve is in a so-called neutral position (pressure-maintaining position), and the air spring neither charges nor exhausts air. The air inlet V2 and the exhaust port V3 are both in a closed state.

[0058] Filling air position: Figure 1bAs shown, as the vehicle's load increases, the vehicle body begins to sink. As the air spring compresses, the drive shaft rotates via a lever mechanism, causing the eccentric pin to pull piston 3 leftward, opening air inlet V2. Compressed air from the auxiliary air cylinder enters upper valve head 2 through main air port V, opening check valve V1. The compressed air entering from main air port V is throttled by the tiny gap between the piston neck and the inner bore of the valve body before reaching air spring port L and entering the air spring.

[0059] When the lever 4 deflects more, the piston 3 moves further to the left, opening the piston a little. After the vehicle body is raised to the set position, the lever returns to the horizontal position, the height valve is in the neutral position again, and the check valve V1 and the air inlet V2 are closed.

[0060] Exhaust position: Figure 1c As shown in the figure, when the vehicle's load decreases, the air spring expands and the vehicle begins to rise. At this point, the drive shaft rotates, causing the eccentric pin to pull piston 3 to the right, opening exhaust port V3. The air inlet V2 remains closed due to the spring and pressure on valve head 2. The passage between the auxiliary air cylinder and the air spring is cut off. In a height valve with a throttle, the compressed air passage to the air spring is throttled by the tiny gap between the piston neck and the inner hole of the valve body before it flows to the piston exhaust port.

[0061] As piston 3 moves to the right, the piston hole opens wider. The vehicle body descends, returning to its initial horizontal position. The level valve is in neutral, and exhaust port V3 is closed.

[0062] In order to solve at least one of the problems existing in the prior art, in a first aspect, the utility model provides a height valve device, such as Figures 3a to 3d As shown, the utility model provides a height valve device 100, comprising:

[0063] A mechanical height valve 10, wherein the air inlet valve port of the mechanical height valve 10 is connected to the air source via a first air path, and the air outlet valve port of the mechanical height valve 10 is connected to the air spring via a second air path;

[0064] The solenoid valve 20 has an air inlet connected to the first air path via a third air path and further connected to the air source, and an air outlet connected to the second air path via a fourth air path and further connected to the air spring; the solenoid valve 20 is also in communication with a controller, and the controller controls whether the solenoid valve 20 is energized or de-energized;

[0065] The rotary encoder 30 is rigidly connected to the horizontal lever 11 and / or the drive shaft 12 of the mechanical height valve 10, and is also communicatively connected to the controller. It is configured to collect the rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11 of the mechanical height valve 10 in real time and send the rotation angle to the controller.

[0066] Specifically, the mechanical height valve 10 incorporates a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve 20 and a rotary encoder 30. The solenoid valve serves as a redundant mechanism in case of mechanical failure. The rotary encoder 30 is rigidly connected to the horizontal lever 11 and drive shaft 12 of the mechanical height valve 10 and is in communication with a controller, providing real-time feedback on the rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11. The controller is used for risk identification and fault warning of the mechanical height valve 10.

[0067] The total air entering the height valve device 100 through the train's total air system is divided into two routes: one route passes through the air inlet valve port of the mechanical height valve 10 and then controls the filling, pressure maintenance, and exhaust of the mechanical height valve; the other route is connected to the air inlet valve port of the two-position normally closed solenoid valve 20 through the third air path, and the air outlet valve port of the solenoid valve 20 is connected to the air path (second air path) of the mechanical height valve 10 to the air spring through the fourth air path.

[0068] When the mechanical structure function of the mechanical height valve 10 fails, such as the deformation, breakage, or jamming of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve, the controller confirms in real time whether the mechanical height valve 10 is in the charging position, the pressure maintaining position, or the exhaust position based on the rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11 fed back by the rotary encoder 30, and at the same time, combined with the pressure of the air spring, determines whether to power the air spring through the solenoid valve 20 to ensure that the pressure of the vehicle air spring is normal.

[0069] When a rail vehicle is in a specific section of the line, the distance between stations is short, and passengers get on and off the vehicle in a concentrated manner, resulting in a sharp change in vehicle load, the existing mechanical height valve 10 is limited by the fixed diameter size and cannot dynamically adjust the air spring charging and exhaust speed in real time. The height valve device provided by the embodiment of the utility model can support the controller to control whether the solenoid valve 20 is energized in real time based on the air spring pressure feedback, thereby assisting the mechanical height valve 10 to charge and exhaust the air spring.

[0070] It can be seen that the height valve device provided by the embodiment of the utility model can provide real-time feedback on the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the height valve, so that the controller can identify the working status of the mechanical height valve. When the mechanical structure function of the mechanical height valve fails, the air spring is charged and / or exhausted by controlling the solenoid valve; when the vehicle load changes sharply and the air spring is slowly charged and exhausted, the solenoid valve is used to assist in charging and / or exhausting, thereby improving the working efficiency of the height valve, shortening the response time, and improving the smoothness and comfort of the vehicle's driving.

[0071] In some embodiments, the solenoid valve 20 is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; the solenoid valve 20 is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve 10 fails to inflate the air spring; the solenoid valve 20 can also be configured to be energized when the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value to assist the mechanical height valve 10 in inflating the air spring.

[0072] Specifically, the mechanical height valve 10 integrates a two-position, two-position normally closed solenoid valve 20 and a rotary encoder 30 on its valve body. This allows the solenoid valve 20 to be energized to charge the air spring when the mechanical structure of the mechanical height valve 10 fails. Alternatively, when the rate of increase in vehicle load exceeds a first preset value (i.e., when the vehicle load increases dramatically), the solenoid valve 20 can be energized to assist in charging the air. The rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11 of the mechanical height valve 10, combined with the air spring pressure and the real-time feedback from the rotary encoder 30, can be used for risk identification and fault warning. The overall size of this solenoid valve device 100 is essentially unchanged compared to an already installed vehicle height valve, making it a suitable replacement for the already installed vehicle height valve. In some embodiments, the number of the solenoid valves 20 is two, and each of the solenoid valves 20 is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; wherein, one of the solenoid valves 20 is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve 10 fails or the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value, thereby inflating the air spring; the other solenoid valve 20 is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve 10 fails or the rate of decrease of the vehicle load is greater than a second preset value, thereby exhausting the air spring.

[0073] For example, vehicle load is divided into: AW0 (empty state), AW2 (full load state), and AW3 (overload state).

[0074] Different vehicle platforms, such as EMUs, intercity trains, and subways, have different design specifications. A sudden change in vehicle load during operation can refer to the maximum change in passenger numbers. For example, at the departure station, passengers board the train in a short period of time, causing the vehicle load to change from empty to overloaded. For example, on a specific EMU platform, two cars were overloaded with 18 passengers, each weighing 80 kg. At the terminal, all passengers disembarked, effectively changing the vehicle from overloaded to empty, resulting in a sudden change in load.

[0075] Urban rail transit projects often experience dramatic changes in passenger load during morning and evening rush hours, particularly within specific sections of the operating line. For example, a subway platform project demonstrated a dramatic change in the load per car: the number of passengers increased from 0 to a maximum of 410, with an average weight of 80 kg per person.

[0076] Thus, it is possible to set a first preset value and a second preset value according to the specific conditions of the vehicle, and monitor the changes in the vehicle load. When the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds the first preset value, it is considered that the vehicle load is increasing rapidly, and at this time, one solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to assist in charging. Conversely, when the rate of decrease of the vehicle load exceeds the second preset value, it is considered that the vehicle load is decreasing rapidly, and at this time, another solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to exhaust the air spring.

[0077] Specifically, two two-position, two-position normally closed solenoid valves 20 and a rotary encoder 30 are integrated on the valve body of the mechanical height valve 10. In this way, when the mechanical structure function of the mechanical height valve 10 fails, one solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to charge the air spring, or another solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to exhaust the air spring; or, when the vehicle load changes sharply, one solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to assist in charging the air, or another solenoid valve 20 can be controlled to be energized to assist in exhausting the air; in addition, the air spring pressure and the rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11 of the mechanical height valve 10, which are fed back in real time by the rotary encoder 30, can be combined to perform risk identification and fault warning.

[0078] In some embodiments, the solenoid valve 20 is rigidly connected to the valve body of the mechanical height valve 10 , and the solenoid valve 20 is located between the valve body of the mechanical height valve 10 and the horizontal lever 11 .

[0079] In some embodiments, a solenoid valve protective cover 21 is further included, which is arranged outside the solenoid valve 20 .

[0080] Specifically, because the height valve device 100 is installed under the vehicle and the working environment is relatively harsh, adding a protective cover 21 to the solenoid valve 20 is beneficial to improving the protection level and impact resistance of the solenoid valve 20, and effectively ensuring the normal operation of the solenoid valve 20.

[0081] In addition, the electromagnetic valve 20 can be controlled to be energized or de-energized, and whether the electromagnetic valve 20 is working properly can be determined by continuously monitoring the changes in the air spring pressure.

[0082] The rotary encoder 30 is designed to be compact, highly protected, and shock-resistant. The rotation angle of the horizontal lever 11 of the mechanical height valve 10, as reported by the rotary encoder 30, combined with changes in vehicle load and continuous monitoring of changes in air spring pressure, can be used to determine if the rotary encoder 30 is functioning properly.

[0083] Based on the same utility model concept, the embodiment of the utility model also provides a control method for a height valve device. The technical effect that can be achieved by this method is similar to the technical effect that can be achieved by the height valve device in the above embodiment. The similarities are not repeated here.

[0084] like Figure 4As shown, the embodiment of the present invention provides a control method for a height valve device, comprising:

[0085] S10, collecting the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve in real time through a rotary encoder, and collecting the pressure of the air spring in real time through a pressure sensor;

[0086] S20. Control the height valve device to charge and exhaust the air spring according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the rotary encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor.

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the above step S20 includes:

[0088] S21, determining the working state of the mechanical height valve according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the rotary encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0089] S22, when the mechanical height valve is operating normally, the air spring is charged and exhausted through the mechanical height valve;

[0090] S23. When the mechanical height valve fails or the vehicle load changes dramatically, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the air spring is charged and / or exhausted through the solenoid valve.

[0091] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the above step S23 includes:

[0092] S231. When the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value, determining whether to activate the solenoid valve according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0093] S232. If it is determined that the solenoid valve is enabled, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the solenoid valve assists the mechanical height valve in inflating the air spring.

[0094] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the above step S23 includes:

[0095] S233: When the rate of decrease of the vehicle load is greater than a second preset value, determining whether to activate the solenoid valve according to the rotation angle acquired in real time by the encoder and the pressure acquired in real time by the pressure sensor;

[0096] S234. If it is determined that the solenoid valve is enabled, the solenoid valve is controlled to be energized, and the solenoid valve assists the mechanical height valve in exhausting the air spring.

[0097] It can be seen that the embodiment provided by the present invention integrates a solenoid valve and a rotary encoder on the valve body of an existing mechanical height valve, thereby improving the reliability and intelligence of the height valve while ensuring the reliable operation of the traditional mechanical height valve.

[0098] Specifically, the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is monitored in real time through a rotary encoder, and combined with the air spring pressure feedback from the air spring pressure sensor, a closed-loop control is formed to monitor and diagnose the working status of the mechanical height valve in real time online, whether it is in the air charging position, pressure maintaining position, or air exhaust position, and then perform risk identification and fault warning of the height valve.

[0099] To elaborate, there is an indicator arrow on the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve. The direction of the arrow is the direction of the mechanical height valve charging air, and vice versa is the direction of exhausting air. After the mechanical height valve is installed on the vehicle, the arrow of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve faces outward, and the direction of the arrow is perpendicular to the rail surface and upward. When the vehicle load changes, the vehicle body rises or falls relative to the bogie, thereby driving the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve to rotate. When the horizontal lever rotates in the direction of the arrow, the mechanical height valve charges the air spring and the air spring pressure increases; when the horizontal lever rotates in the opposite direction of the arrow, the mechanical height valve exhausts the air spring and the air spring pressure decreases; when the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is in the horizontal position, the mechanical height valve neither charges nor exhausts air, and is in the pressure-maintaining position, and the air spring pressure remains unchanged.

[0100] Different rotation angles of the mechanical height valve's horizontal lever correspond to different valve openings. That is, a larger lever rotation angle increases the air flow. For example, after the mechanical height valve is installed on a vehicle, when the rotary encoder detects that the mechanical height valve's horizontal lever fluctuates within a preset angle, the valve is in the pressure-holding position. When the lever rotates in the direction of the arrow beyond the preset angle and continues to rotate, the valve begins to charge the air spring. Conversely, when the lever rotates in the opposite direction of the arrow beyond the preset angle and continues to rotate, the valve begins to exhaust air from the air spring.

[0101] The risk identification process is as follows:

[0102] Vehicle configurations vary across different platforms. For example, the difference can be determined by whether a mechanical height valve is installed with a differential pressure valve. Furthermore, different mechanical height valve models have different filling and exhaust flow specifications. Risk identification strategies vary based on the configuration and type of mechanical height valve.

[0103] Platform 1: When the differential pressure valve is not configured, the two air springs of the same bogie are internally connected. Each air spring is often equipped with two mechanical height valves. One mechanical height valve is used as the main valve, which can both charge and exhaust the air spring; the other mechanical height valve is used as the auxiliary valve, which can only exhaust the air spring but cannot charge it.

[0104] Risk identification of platform-mechanical height valve:

[0105] Take a certain type of mechanical height valve as an example: the mechanical height valve is not equipped with a differential pressure valve when installed on the vehicle, the air spring pipeline where the mechanical height valve is located has no leakage, and the vehicle load remains unchanged during the diagnosis period.

[0106] Risk identification 1: When the rotary encoder monitors the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve main valve in the charging position, the air spring pressure should continue to rise. If the air spring pressure remains unchanged or rises below the second set value after the filling time of the mechanical height valve main valve exceeds the first set value, a risk warning can be issued. If the air spring pressure rises still below the second set value after the filling time exceeds the third set value, it can be diagnosed that the mechanical height valve main valve charging function has failed or the height valve itself is leaking. The vehicle uses the feedback value of the air spring pressure to benchmark the pressure of another air spring on the same bogie. When the air spring pressure difference exceeds the set value, the solenoid valve is turned on and the air spring with lower pressure is filled through the solenoid valve. As the air spring pressure continues to rise, when the pressure rises to the pressure of the other air spring on the same bogie, the solenoid valve loses power and stops supplying air to the air spring. The high pressure can be exhausted and reduced through the auxiliary valve of the air spring, thereby ensuring normal operation of the vehicle.

[0107] Risk Identification 2: The rotary encoder detected that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve's main valve was in the charging position, but the air spring pressure was decreasing. This indicated a mechanical height valve leak. The air spring's charging mode was switched to the solenoid valve, and the solution was the same as in Risk Identification 1.

[0108] Risk Identification 3: The rotary encoder monitors that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve's main valve is in the pressure-holding position, but the air spring pressure continues to decrease. This indicates a mechanical height valve leak. The air spring's charging mode is switched to the solenoid valve. The solution is the same as in Risk Identification 1.

[0109] Risk Identification 4: The rotary encoder detects that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve main valve is in the exhaust position, but the air spring pressure remains unchanged. This indicates that the mechanical height valve main valve exhaust function has failed. As the vehicle load continues to decrease, the mechanical height valve auxiliary valve exhausts the air spring. If necessary, the exhaust mode can be switched to the solenoid valve to exhaust the air spring.

[0110] Platform 2: When equipped with a differential pressure valve, it connects the left and right air springs of a single bogie (two bogies per car section). Each of the two air springs on the same bogie is connected to a mechanical leveling valve. If one of the mechanical leveling valves fails, as the vehicle load changes, the pressure difference between the left and right air springs exceeds the selected differential pressure valve's preset pressure (for example, 150kPa). The differential pressure valve then opens both air springs, effectively acting like a single, functioning mechanical leveling valve simultaneously charging and discharging both air springs.

[0111] Risk Identification 1: When the rotary encoder monitors that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is in the charging position, the air spring pressure corresponding to the mechanical height valve should continue to rise. If the air spring pressure remains unchanged or rises below the fifth setting value after the mechanical height valve charging time exceeds the fourth setting value, a risk warning can be issued. If the air spring pressure rises below the fifth setting value after the charging time exceeds the sixth setting value, it can be diagnosed that the mechanical height valve charging function has failed or the mechanical height valve itself is leaking. The vehicle uses the feedback value of the air spring pressure to benchmark the pressure of another air spring on the same bogie. When the air spring pressure difference exceeds the set value, especially when the pressure difference exceeds the preset value of the differential pressure valve, the solenoid valve should be energized to quickly respond to vehicle load changes and ensure vehicle stability. The air spring with lower pressure should be charged through the solenoid valve. As the air spring pressure continues to rise, when the pressure reaches the pressure of the other air spring on the same bogie, the solenoid valve loses power, stopping the air supply to the air spring, thereby ensuring normal vehicle operation.

[0112] Risk Identification 2: The rotary encoder detects that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is in the charging position, but the corresponding air spring pressure is decreasing. This indicates a leak in the mechanical height valve. The air spring charging mode is switched to the solenoid valve, and the solution is the same as in Risk Identification 1.

[0113] Risk Identification 3: The rotary encoder monitors that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is in the pressure-holding position, but the corresponding air spring pressure continues to decrease. This indicates a leak in the mechanical height valve. The air spring charging mode is switched to the solenoid valve. The solution is the same as in Risk Identification 1.

[0114] Risk Identification 4: The rotary encoder detects that the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve is in the exhaust position, but the corresponding air spring pressure remains unchanged. This indicates that the mechanical height valve exhaust function has failed. As the vehicle load further decreases, the exhaust mode can be switched to the solenoid valve to exhaust the air spring.

[0115] It can be seen that the integrated solenoid valve is used as a redundant means to control the charging and / or exhausting of the mechanical height valve mechanical mechanism. When the mechanical height valve mechanical mechanism fails, the control solenoid valve is energized to ensure that the air spring can always be normally charged and exhausted.

[0116] In addition, the normal working status of the rotary encoder can be confirmed by the rotation angle of the height valve horizontal lever feedback from the rotary encoder, combined with changes in vehicle load and by continuously monitoring changes in air spring pressure. The normal working status of the solenoid valve can be determined by controlling whether the solenoid valve is energized or de-energized and by continuously monitoring changes in air spring pressure.

[0117] The height valve device provided by this utility model is compatible with existing vehicle-mounted mechanical height valves, reducing users' reliance on test benches. The height valve does not need to be removed from the vehicle and tested on the test bench, reducing user testing costs. Furthermore, the reliability and intelligence of the height valve device are improved, enabling online monitoring and diagnosis, reducing user maintenance costs. Furthermore, the full life cycle tracking of the height valve device can be achieved, providing technical support for extended and precise repairs of the height valve device, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

[0118] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprise," "include," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a..." does not preclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the element. The terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the accompanying drawings, are intended solely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed, removable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this utility model based on specific circumstances.

[0119] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of this specification. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are contradictory.

[0120] The present invention uses specific embodiments to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core idea of ​​the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of ​​the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A height valve device, characterized in that: include: A mechanical height valve, wherein the air inlet valve port of the mechanical height valve is connected to the air source via a first air path, and the air outlet valve port of the mechanical height valve is connected to the air spring via a second air path; a solenoid valve, wherein the air inlet valve port of the solenoid valve is connected to the first air path through a third air path and further connected to the air source, the air outlet valve port of the solenoid valve is connected to the second air path through a fourth air path and further connected to the air spring, and the solenoid valve is also communicatively connected to a controller; The rotary encoder is rigidly connected to the horizontal lever and / or drive shaft of the mechanical height valve and is also communicatively connected to the controller. It is configured to collect the rotation angle of the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve in real time and send the rotation angle to the controller.

2. The height valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that The solenoid valve is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; the solenoid valve is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve fails to inflate the air spring.

3. The height valve device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The solenoid valve is further configured to be energized when a rate of increase of a vehicle load exceeds a first preset value, so as to assist the mechanical height valve in charging the air spring.

4. The height valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that There are two solenoid valves, each of which is a two-position, two-way normally closed solenoid valve; wherein, The solenoid valve is configured to be energized to inflate the air spring when the mechanical height valve fails or when the rate of increase of the vehicle load exceeds a first preset value; Another solenoid valve is configured to be energized when the mechanical height valve fails or when a rate of decrease in vehicle load is greater than a second preset value, to exhaust the air spring.

5. The height valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solenoid valve is rigidly connected to the valve body of the mechanical height valve.

6. The height valve device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The solenoid valve is located between the valve body and the horizontal lever of the mechanical height valve.

7. The height valve device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a solenoid valve protective cover which is arranged outside the solenoid valve.

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