Rack railway distance synchronization system for mechanical and virtual coupling of moving trains

Abstract

The rack railway distance synchronization system for mechanically and virtually coupling moving trains is characterized in that it uses a tooth-based inductive location determination to adjust the speeds of two rack railway carriages (3) to each other in such a way that it enables coupling of rack railway carriages (3) during travel and that the rack railway distance synchronization system is constructed on the vehicle side as a combination of a rack-based position detection unit combined with a control unit (15) combined with a communication unit (14) and that the rack-based position detection unit of each individual rack railway carriage (3),is constructed from at least one rack induction sensor (11) combined with at least one reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) combined with at least one position detection evaluation unit (13), and in that the reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) determines the absolute initial location of the rack railway car (3) based on an additional track-side, section-wise tooth-based location reference coding correlated with the signal of the rack induction sensor (11), and in that the rack induction sensor (11) determines the current location of the rack railway car (3), relative to the last absolute initial location, based on the counted number of teeth of the track-side rack (2), and in that the communication units (14) of the rack railway cars (3) exchange the respectively detected rack-based locations with each other so that the respective control unit (15) of the respective rack railway car (3) controls the travel speed in such a way thatthat the two cog railway carriages (3) communicating with each other can be mechanically or virtually coupled or uncoupled during the journey.

Description

Topic, environment

[0001] There are rack railways that start from different stations, first travel on their own lines, and then travel on a shared main line to a destination station. This creates capacity problems on main lines, which are inherently much more heavily used. These capacity problems are particularly exacerbated with an interval timetable, as this requires that the rolling stock be at the junction station almost all at the same time.

[0002] Furthermore, on steep gradients, rack railway trains sometimes have a limited train length due to the required derailment safety, so that the rack railway railcars then have to travel directly one behind the other, which also leads to capacity problems. State of the art

[0003] Basically, there are two initial situations that lead to the problem that is solved with the following invention: 1. Rack railways coming from branch lines run directly one after the other on a main line at very short block intervals, thereby significantly reducing the line capacity on the main line. 2. Rack railway trains are limited in length by the gradient and derailment safety and must travel one behind the other.

[0004] The first situation, running one behind the other on main lines, can be mitigated by using wing couplings with manual coupling at the station (generation 1 wing couplings), by using wing couplings with automatic coupling at the station (generation 2 wing couplings), or by using wing couplings with mechanical automatic coupling during travel (generation 4 wing couplings). The second situation, the inevitable running one behind the other due to length restrictions, can be mitigated by using virtual coupling (generation 3 wing couplings). Criticism of the state of the art

[0005] Virtual coupling (wing generation 3) is described in DE 10 2007 050 937 B4. Mechanical coupling during travel (wing generation 4) is described in DE 10 2018 009 589 B3. Both systems have a common component: the approach of the trains and the control of the distance between the two trains. Both systems use different distance sensors to directly determine the straight-line distance between the two vehicles. However, these measurement methods create the problem that they entail small measurement tolerances that are difficult to estimate in advance, which leads to additional effort during approval. Particularly with DE 10 2018 009 589 B3, small measurement tolerances are undesirable, since the speed differences and resulting forces resulting from measurement and control tolerances must be compensated for with impact compensation.

[0006] DE 10 2007 050 937 B4 and DE 10 2018 009 589 B3 are optimized for railways that transmit power entirely via the wheel-rail frictional connection and do not use a rack and pinion. However, rack railways, due to their system, have a more advantageous starting point for solving this problem of sequentially driving and coupling during travel.

[0007] The following systems do not solve the problem either. DE 10 2015 205 608 A1 describes a method based on odometric distance measurement, which is intended to prevent a collision when two vehicles approach each other. DE 22 54 726 A describes a system whose positioning is based on mechanical intervention. DE 32 00 811 A1 describes a system that determines the position using trackside markings. US 2003 / 0 192 450 A1 describes a system that guides uncoupled wagons to an adjacent track and later back to the main track for coupling. DE 198 22 803 A1 describes a system for controlling vehicles traveling one behind the other from a train control center.

[0008] The object of the invention is therefore to improve the state of the art by providing a novel system which makes it possible to regulate the distance between rack railway carriages in such a way that the successive movement of two rack railway carriages for mechanical coupling and uncoupling during travel can be implemented more precisely and easily and / or the continuous successive movement of two rack railway carriages can also be implemented more precisely and easily. Patent description

[0009] The invention is a system that allows the distance between two moving rack railway cars to be controlled, provided both rack railways are equipped with this system. The invention enables highly precise rack-based positioning, so that the distance and speed of both rack railway cars are adjusted so that the rack railway cars can be coupled and / or uncoupled during travel and / or travel one behind the other.

[0010] For this purpose, the rack railway distance synchronization system consists of a rack-based position detection unit on the vehicle side, which, combined with a control unit (15) and a communication unit (14), enables consecutive travel and / or coupling during travel. On the track side, the rack railway distance synchronization system uses a tooth-based reference coding.

[0011] The position detection unit of each individual rack railway carriage (3) uses at least one rack induction sensor (11) combined with at least one reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) and a position detection evaluation unit (13) to perform the following functions: 1) Initial position detection: Using the reference tooth coding induction sensor (12), an absolute initial position of the rack railway carriage (3) is determined based on the track-side location reference coding teeth (21) and / or location reference coding rack (22) correlated with the signal of the rack induction sensor (11). 2) Relative position detection: The rack induction sensor (11) is used to determine the current position of the rack railway car (3) relative to the last absolute initial position based on the counted number of teeth on the track-side rack (2).

[0012] For relative position detection, the position detection unit of the rack railway distance synchronization system is designed such that a rack induction sensor (11) is directly aligned with the teeth of the track-side rack (2). The rack induction sensor (11) is located at the beginning and / or end of the rack railway carriage (3). The position detection evaluation unit (13) counts the teeth of the rack (2) detected by the rack induction sensor (11) and uses this position change to determine the current location from the initial location and the relative position detection. Accuracy can be increased through more complex evaluation and / or additional rack induction sensors (11) and / or information from another rack railway carriage.

[0013] For initial position detection, the position detection unit of the rack railway distance synchronization system is designed such that a reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) detects the pattern of location reference coding teeth (21) in the track. The location determination works on the principle of pattern recognition, in that the location reference coding teeth (21) are arranged in a unique pattern along the track. The reference tooth coding induction sensor (12), which detects the location reference coding teeth (21), records the pattern. This combination of path information and the reference tooth pattern allows a unique initial location to be determined in a simple and extremely robust manner. The advancing location can be determined by the rack induction sensor (11) continuing to count the teeth of the rack (2).

[0014] The pattern used here can, for example, be a bit pattern, allowing multiple bytes to be read out. With this coding, existing location reference coding teeth (21) represent binary 1 values, and missing location reference coding teeth (21) represent binary 0 values—or vice versa. The rack pattern detected by the rack induction sensor (11) is used as the path signal or basic clock for detecting binary values ​​generated by missing location reference coding teeth (21). Furthermore, the location reference coding teeth (21) can also be combined with coding synchronization teeth (23) to form location reference coding racks (22). The arrangement of the coding synchronization teeth (23) serves, among other things, as the header of the transmission protocol and for detecting the reading direction, so that the position detection evaluation unit (13) always interprets the binary values ​​starting from the correct side.Of course, other patterns or codings are also possible.

[0015] Location reference coding teeth (21), coding synchronization teeth (23), and location reference coding racks (22) are not used for power transmission through a gear of the rack railway carriage (3). They serve only for position determination. The rack (2), however, is used as before for power transmission through the gear (8) of the rack railway carriage (3). In this system, the rack (2) also serves for position determination.

[0016] The position tolerance in the simplest design is in the range of 5 to 10 cm. By combining the raw induction sensor data from both rack railway cars via the communication unit (14) and / or more complex signal evaluation and / or database information and / or by using additional induction sensors on a vehicle, the position tolerance can be reduced to 1 to 2 cm. Tooth counting in the relative position detection system also eliminates stochastic drift, as is the case, for example, with odometric relative position detection systems.

[0017] The position detection described here is essential for the rack railway distance synchronization system. The leading rack railway car determines its position at the end of the vehicle, and the following rack railway car determines its position at the front of the vehicle, ensuring the exact distance between the two rack railway cars is determined. To determine the distance, the two rack railway cars continuously exchange the signals from the induction sensors and / or the current positions determined from them via their communication units (14) via the antennas (16). Based on this data, the speed of both trains is controlled by one of the control units (15) or by a combination of the control units (15) of both rack railway cars. This allows the following operating situations: 1. Traveling one behind the other: Both vehicles travel one behind the other, communicating the location data of the induction sensors via the communication unit (14). The control units (15) control the rack railway cars (3) based on the location data. This system allows them to travel at either a constant and / or minimum required distance from each other (virtual coupling - splitting generation 3). Alternatively, the vehicles can move closer together for mechanical coupling during travel or separate from each other after uncoupling (mechanical coupling during travel - splitting generation 4). 2. Approach phase and coupling: For mechanical coupling during travel, the vehicles approach each other. Both vehicles travel one behind the other, communicate the location data of the induction sensors via the communication unit (14), and approach each other in a controlled manner with the control units (15) based on a speed difference. For redundancy purposes only, the distance between the two rail vehicles can optionally be monitored with additional distance sensors (17) before the rail vehicles touch. This phase ends with the mechanical coupling of the automatic couplings (7). 3. Uncoupling and separation phase: Only the rack induction sensor (11) needs to be activated. An absolute position is not required, as a relative distance is sufficient for speed regulation. This relative distance can be determined by exchanging information about the number of teeth detected by each vehicle. Based on this, the control units (15) can control the rack railway cars (3) so that the automatic couplers (7) uncouple from each other and the rack railway cars separate from each other at different speeds to continue traveling independently.

[0018] Due to the fact that this is a rack railway, traction and braking forces of the order of 140 kN per rack wheel can be achieved, with resulting accelerations of up to 2.5 m / s 2The transmission is highly precise, eliminating the skidding that occurs with adhesion vehicles. Combined with this high-precision position determination, targeted coupling during travel is possible, with hardly any longitudinal forces occurring between the vehicles. This is not possible with such precision with adhesion railways, as wheel-rail slippage is always possible. Therefore, the system according to DE 10 2018 009 589 is required for adhesion railways. For rack railways that use the rack railway distance synchronization system described here, DE 10 2018 009 589 is not absolutely necessary and can be optionally added or used in a smaller version.

[0019] This invention offers the following advantages over the prior art: - Two rack railway carriages from two branch lines can mechanically couple with each other while traveling on a main line and travel together on the main line to a destination station. This reduces line capacity on the main line. - The currently used system of cog railway carriages following one after the other by sight can be implemented in a cost-effective, robust and considerably safer way with this invention, so that collisions between two vehicles following one another can be prevented. - The current practice of cog railway carriages running one behind the other in block sections significantly reduces track capacity. This invention allows several cog railway carriages to use a block section together as a single train. - In some cases, the cog railway carriages running one behind the other is only necessary today due to train length restrictions on short, steep sections. Ultimately, running one behind the other along the entire route reduces capacity and causes significant problems at train crossings on single-track lines and short platforms (even if the trains are already virtually coupled). The invention enables a cost-effective hybrid to solve this problem. The vehicles uncouple mechanically while traveling. Using the same system, they travel virtually coupled one behind the other up a steep section of track and recouple mechanically while traveling at the end of the steep section. This eliminates length problems at platforms and passing places.Furthermore, it may be that outside the steep rack section no rack is required at all and higher speeds are driven, so that complex distance sensors, as is required for adhesion sections, have to be used for virtual coupling.

[0020] An example of a solution variant of the patent claims of this invention is given in the Fig. 1 to 4. The overall situation of this system is shown in the Fig. 1 can be recognized. Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of a rack railway carriage from a perpendicular to Fig. 1 standing cutting perspective. Fig. 3 shows a sectional perspective parallel to Fig. 2. The Fig. 4 shows the route-side arrangement for initial position detection. Fig. 5 is merely illustrative of the possible embodiment of combining the location reference coding teeth (21) into location reference coding racks. The Fig. Figure 1 depicts the overall situation. Two rack railway carriages (3) can be seen traveling one behind the other on track (1) with the rack (2). Both rack railway carriages (3) each have an automatic coupling (7). Equipped with the rack railway distance synchronization system, each rack railway carriage also has a position detection evaluation unit (13), which receives signals from at least one rack induction sensor (11) and at least one reference tooth coding induction sensor (12). Furthermore, the rack railway distance synchronization system requires a control unit (15) so that this system can control the rack railway carriage (3). The system also features a communication unit (14) and an antenna (16) for communication with the other rack railway carriage. A distance sensor (17) is optionally provided for redundancy in case one of the systems fails. The Fig. Figure 2 shows a detailed view of a rack railway carriage in the YZ plane. A rack railway carriage (3) is shown on its wheels (5). The rack (2) is located in the center of the track (1), between the rails (6). The rack induction sensor (11) is aligned with this rack. Next to the rack (2) is the location reference coding rack (22). The reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) is aligned with this rack. The position detection evaluation unit (13) evaluates the signals from the rack induction sensor (11) and the reference tooth coding induction sensor (12). The communication unit (14) communicates with the coupled rack railway carriages via the antenna (16). The control unit (15) controls the rack railway carriage (3) and coordinates the entire system. The Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of a rack railway carriage in the YZ plane and is parallel to Fig. 2. This shows a rack railway carriage (3) on wheels (5). In the center of the track (1), between the rails (6), is the rack (2). The rack is engaged by the gear (8). Next to the rack (2) is the location reference coding rack (22), which, of course, does not have a gear engaged, as it is used solely for location determination. The Fig. Figure 4 shows the track-side arrangement for initial position detection. The rack (2) can be seen between the rails (6). Also located between the rails (6) and next to the rack (2) is a location reference coding rack (22) in sections. A location reference coding rack represents one possible embodiment for the efficient grouping of the location reference coding teeth (21) and is only located in sections of the track. In addition to the location reference coding teeth (21), this location reference coding rack (22) shown here also contains coding synchronization teeth (23) and the reading direction detection tooth gap (24). Overall, this possible embodiment shown here has space for up to 8 location reference coding teeth (21), so that one byte can be stored or read out.The value stored in the location reference coding rack (22) shown here is 62, which would mean that the rail vehicle is at the initial value of 62. The reading direction detection tooth gap (24) between the left-hand coding synchronization teeth (23) enables clear detection of the readout direction of this binary code. The coding synchronization teeth (23) can also be arranged differently. However, the use of coding synchronization teeth (23) is advantageous for inductively detecting the location reference coding rack (22) and synchronizing the signal level of the inductive sensor.Because the location reference coding rack (22) is positioned synchronously with the rack (2), the parallel reading of the rack (2) enables the basic clock pulse for reading the location reference coding rack (22), so that the tooth gaps required for the binary value representation do not have to be determined odometrically. The Fig.Figure 5 merely illustrates the possible embodiment of combining the location reference coding teeth (21) into location reference coding racks. The location reference coding rack example (30) shows a binary coding with the value 0. The location reference coding rack example (39) shows a binary coding with the value 255. From these two location reference coding racks, it is clear which teeth are the coding synchronization teeth (23) and where the reading direction detection tooth gap (24) is located.From this information it becomes clear that the location reference coding rack example (31) represents the binary value 1 and that the location reference coding rack example (32) represents the binary value 2 and that the location reference coding rack example (33) represents the binary value 3 and that the location reference coding rack example (34) represents the binary value 4 and that the location reference coding rack example (35) represents the binary value 5. Reference drawing list 1 track 2 rack 3 rack railway cars 5 Wheel of the rack railway carriage 6 rail 7 Automatic coupling for mechanical coupling 8 Cogwheel of the cog railway carriage 11 Rack and pinion induction sensor (part of the position detection unit) 12 Reference tooth coding induction sensors (part of the position detection unit) 13 Position detection evaluation unit (part of the position detection unit) 14 Communication unit 15 Control unit 16 Antenna 17 Distance sensor 21 Location reference coding tooth 22 Site reference coding rack 23 Coding synchronization tooth 24 reading direction recognition tooth gap 30 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 0 31 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 1 32 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 2 33 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 3 34 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 4 35 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 5 39 Location reference coding rack example with binary coding and value 255

Claims

[1] The rack railway distance synchronization system for mechanical and virtual coupling of moving trains is characterized bythat it adapts the speeds of two rack railway carriages (3) to each other using a tooth-based inductive location determination in such a way that it enables coupling of rack railway carriages (3) during travel and that the rack railway distance synchronization system is constructed on the vehicle side as a combination of a rack-based position detection unit combined with a control unit (15) combined with a communication unit (14) and that the rack-based position detection unit of each individual rack railway carriage (3),is constructed from at least one rack induction sensor (11) combined with at least one reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) combined with at least one position detection evaluation unit (13), and in that the reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) determines the absolute initial location of the rack railway car (3) based on an additional track-side, section-wise tooth-based location reference coding correlated with the signal of the rack induction sensor (11), and in that the rack induction sensor (11) determines the current location of the rack railway car (3), relative to the last absolute initial location, based on the counted number of teeth of the track-side rack (2), and in that the communication units (14) of the rack railway cars (3) exchange the respectively detected rack-based locations with each other so that the respective control unit (15) of the respective rack railway car (3) controls the travel speed in such a way thatthat the two cog railway carriages (3) communicating with each other can be mechanically or virtually coupled or uncoupled during the journey. [2] The rack rail distance synchronization system according to claim 1 is characterized bythat the position detection unit of each individual rack railway car (3) is equipped with at least one reference tooth coding induction sensor (12) for the initial position detection, so that the latter detects the unique pattern of the section-wise, track-side, tooth-based location reference coding, so that the initial position can be determined by correlation with the tooth signal of the rack induction sensor (11), and that the position detection unit of each individual rack railway car (3) counts the teeth of the track-side rack (2) with the rack induction sensor (11) for the relative position detection of the rack railway car (3), and that the position detection evaluation unit (13) uses the initial position detection combined with the relative position detection to determine vehicle locations that are located away from the section-wise, track-side, tooth-based location reference coding. [3] The rack rail distance synchronization system according to claim 1 and 2 is characterized bythat the section-wise, route-side, tooth-based location reference coding in the track (1) generates a unique inductively readable pattern by means of a tooth structure, which results from the positions of the location reference coding teeth (21), or that the section-wise, route-side, tooth-based location reference coding in the track (1) generates a unique inductively readable pattern by means of a tooth structure, which is composed of the positions of the location reference coding teeth (21) combined with the positions of the coding synchronization teeth (23), or that the section-wise, route-side, tooth-based location reference coding in the track (1) generates a unique inductively readable pattern by means of a tooth structure, which is composed of the positions of the location reference coding teeth (21) combined with the positions of the coding synchronization teeth (23) and is combined to form a location reference coding rack (22),or that the section-wise, route-side tooth-based location reference coding in the track (1) with its tooth structure represents a uniquely inductively readable binary code, which is composed of location reference coding teeth (21) combined with coding synchronization teeth (23) and is combined to form a location reference coding rack (22). [4] The rack railway distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 3 is characterized by that for the mechanical coupling of two rack railway carriages (3) during travel, an exchange of location data takes place via the communication units (14) and that the control units (15) control the rack railway carriages (3) on the basis of the location data in such a way that they approach each other, so that the rack railway carriages (3) couple mechanically with their automatic couplings (7). [5] The rack railway distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 4 is characterized bythat for the mechanical coupling of two rack railway carriages (3) during travel, further required data are exchanged via the communication units (14) and / or that for the mechanical coupling of two rack railway carriages (3) during travel, at least one distance sensor can be used as additional redundancy and / or that for the mechanical coupling of two rack railway carriages (3) during travel, impact compensation can be used. [6] The rack railway distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 3 is characterized bythat for the mechanical uncoupling of two rack railway carriages (3) during travel, the rack induction sensors (11) of both rack railway carriages (3) must be activated, so that on the basis of a relative position the control units (15) control the rack railway carriages (3) in such a way that the automatic couplings (7) uncouple from each other and the rack railway carriages (3) separate from each other at different speeds in order to continue traveling independently. [7] The rack railway distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 3 is characterized by that when traveling virtually coupled one behind the other, communication of the location data takes place via the communication unit (14) and that the control units (15) control the rack railway cars (3) on the basis of the location data so that they travel at a constant distance from one another. [8] The rack railway distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 3 is characterized bythat the position detection evaluation unit (13) can increase the accuracy of the location determination by combining the induction sensor raw data of both rack railway carriages (3), which are exchanged via the communication unit (14) and / or database information and / or by using additional induction sensors on a rack railway carriage (3). [9] The rack rail distance synchronization system according to claims 1 to 3 is characterized by that the track-side reference coding can be located by location reference coding teeth (21) between the two rails (6) or to the side of the rails (6) at the track edge.

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