Sliding-side door assembly
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023776858
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-09-21
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-30
AI Technical Summary
Manual inspection of sliding wall doors on railway freight cars is unreliable due to high tolerances, leading to error-prone door position detection and increased operational personnel usage.
A sliding wall door device equipped with sensors that monitor the position of the adjusting device, generating position-related sensor signals to remotely verify the locked position of sliding wall doors, using drive element and lever position sensors, such as rotation angle sensors, magnetic sensors, and tilt sensors, to infer the door level and locking status.
Enables reliable automated checking of sliding wall door positions, reducing the need for manual inspection and minimizing errors, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Sliding wall door device
[0003] The invention relates to sliding wall door devices and vehicles with sliding wall door devices.
[0004] In the field of railway technology, sliding wall door devices are known in which at least one sliding wall door is locked in a locking position and, in its sliding position, can be moved in a sliding plane. An adjustment device of the sliding wall door device makes it possible to adjust the sliding wall door from the locking position to the sliding position or vice versa, with the sliding wall door being displaced perpendicularly to the sliding plane of the sliding wall door.
[0005] On railway freight wagons with sliding doors, such as those of the Hbbins type, all doors must be closed before the train departs. Checking that the doors are properly closed is performed by manual inspection by operating personnel.
[0006] The invention is based on the object of specifying a sliding wall door device which enables a reliable automated checking of the position of the sliding wall doors.
[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by a sliding wall door device having the features according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the sliding wall door device according to the invention are specified in the subclaims.
[0008] According to the invention, the sliding wall door device has at least one sensor that monitors the position of the adjustment device and generates a position-related sensor signal. A significant advantage of the sliding wall door device according to the invention is that its sensor(s) enables remote monitoring of the position of the sliding wall doors, thus reducing the need for operating personnel.
[0009] A further significant advantage of the sliding wall door device according to the invention is based on the mode of operation of the sensor. According to the invention, it is not the sliding position of the sliding wall door in the sliding plane that is monitored, but rather the position of the adjusting device and thus the plane in which the sliding wall door is located. The inventors found that sensor-based monitoring of the sliding-side door end position can often be very error-prone due to the high tolerances in the railway sector, particularly in the area of freight cars, and that incorrect door position signals can be generated. The sliding wall door device according to the invention solves this problem in that it is not the end position of the door in the sliding plane that is detected, but rather the position of the adjusting device, which determines the plane in which the sliding wall door is located.In other words, the door level is detected by detecting the position of the adjusting device with the aim of determining the locked position of the sliding wall door based on the detected level.
[0010] It is advantageous if the adjusting device comprises a drive element which can be set into a rotational movement in order to set the sliding wall door in motion.
[0011] If a drive element is present, it is advantageous if the sensor or at least one of the sensors detects the rotational position of the drive element and generates a drive element-related, rotation angle-dependent sensor signal as the position-related sensor signal.
[0012] It is particularly advantageous if the sensor or at least one of the sensors is a rotation angle sensor which detects the rotation angle of the drive element to form a drive element-related rotation angle indication and outputs the drive element-related rotation angle indication as a position-related sensor signal.
[0013] The adjusting device preferably comprises at least one adjusting lever coupling the drive element and the sliding wall door, which is pivoted about the rotation axis upon rotation of the drive element and thereby displaces the sliding wall door perpendicular to the sliding plane. In the sliding position, the adjusting lever and the drive element connected thereto preferably assume a predetermined sliding position angle and, in the locking position, a locking position angle that differs from the sliding position angle.
[0014] If an adjustment lever is present, it is advantageous if the sensor or at least one of the sensors detects the position of the adjustment lever and outputs a lever-position-dependent sensor signal as a position-related sensor signal. It is advantageous, for example, if the sensor or at least one of the sensors is an angle sensor that detects the pivot angle of the adjustment lever, forming an adjustment-lever-related angle signal, and outputs the adjustment-lever-related angle signal as a position-related sensor signal.
[0015] It can also be advantageously provided that the sensor or at least one of the sensors is a magnetic sensor which detects the magnetic field of a magnet attached to the drive element or the adjusting lever, forming a drive element-related or adjusting lever-related magnetic field measurement signal, and outputs the magnetic field measurement signal as a position-related sensor signal. The adjusting lever-related magnetic field measurement signal is preferably angle-dependent and depends on the pivot angle of the adjusting lever and / or the rotation angle of the drive element. It is also advantageous if the sensor or at least one of the sensors is a tilt sensor which detects a first tilt position, which is assigned to the displacement position angle, and a second tilt position, which is assigned to the locking position angle, and the sensor indicates the detected tilt position as a position-related sensor signal.
[0016] The tilt sensor is preferably attached to the adjustment lever or the drive element.
[0017] It is also advantageous if the sensor or at least one of the sensors is a gravitational sensor which detects the angle of the adjusting lever or the angle of rotation of the drive element relative to the vertical to form a vertically related angle signal and outputs the vertically related angle signal as a position-related sensor signal.
[0018] The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle. According to the invention, the vehicle is equipped with at least one sliding wall door device as described above. Regarding the advantages of the vehicle according to the invention and its advantageous embodiments, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the sliding wall door device according to the invention and its advantageous embodiments.
[0019] The at least one sliding wall door of the at least one sliding wall door device preferably forms an outer wall section (outer skin section) of the vehicle in the closed state.
[0020] The vehicle can be a freight wagon or a railway train comprising a freight wagon. The at least one sliding wall door of the at least one sliding wall door device, when closed, preferably forms an outer skin section of the freight wagon. The drive element is preferably a tube or a rod arranged parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and spaced from the vehicle center.
[0021] The sliding wall door device preferably has two or more sliding wall doors, each of which is monitored by at least one sensor with regard to the position of its adjustment device.
[0022] For monitoring purposes, the vehicle is preferably equipped with a central device that monitors the sensor signals of all sensors of all sliding wall door devices and generates a locking signal when the sensor signals of all sensors of all sliding wall door devices indicate the locking position of the adjustment device assigned to them. Alternatively or additionally, the central device can generate an opening signal when the sensor signal of at least one sensor of at least one of the sliding wall door devices indicates the sliding position of the assigned adjustment device.
[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments, which show by way of example:
[0024] Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention, which is equipped with an exemplary embodiment of a sliding wall door device according to the invention,
[0025] Fig. 2-3 the operation of an adjusting device of the sliding wall door device according to Figure 1, wherein Figure 2 shows the locking position of the adjusting device and Figure 3 shows the sliding position of the adjusting device,
[0026] Figure 4 shows the vehicle according to Figure 1 with the sliding wall door partially opened, and Figures 5-12 show exemplary embodiments of sensors which are particularly suitable for the sliding wall door device and the vehicle according to Figure 1.
[0027] For the sake of clarity, the same reference symbols are used in the figures for identical or comparable components.
[0028] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle in the form of a freight wagon 10 which is equipped with one or more sliding wall door devices 20.
[0029] The sliding wall door device 20 comprises a sliding wall door 21 on the left in Figure 1 and a sliding wall door 22 on the right in Figure 1. The two sliding wall doors 21 and 22 are each in their closed and locked position, in which they each form an outer skin section of the freight car 10.
[0030] Each of the two sliding wall doors 21 and 22 is assigned a sensor 30 which detects the position of the respective sliding wall door and generates a corresponding position-related sensor signal SS.
[0031] The sensor signals SS of the sensors 30 reach a central device 40, which evaluates the sensor signals SS and generates a locking signal VS if the sensor signals SS of all sensors 30 of all sliding wall door devices 20 of the freight car 10 indicate closed and locked doors; otherwise, it generates an opening signal OS (see Figure 4), that is to say if at least one of the sensors 30 does not signal a corresponding locking.
[0032] To open and close the two sliding wall doors 21 and 22, they can be moved from the locking position shown in Figure 1 into their sliding position by means of a locking device, in which position they can be moved along a sliding plane. In the freight car 10 according to Figure 1, the sliding plane is located outside the car contour (relative to the outer skin of the freight car 10 in the closed and locked position of the sliding wall doors).
[0033] To adjust the sliding wall doors 21 and 22 from the locking position to the sliding position and vice versa, they are displaced perpendicular to the image plane in Figure 1, i.e. along the X-direction, as will be explained below with reference to Figures 2 and 3 using the example of the left sliding wall door 21 in Figure 1; the explanations in connection with the left sliding wall door 21 apply accordingly to the right sliding wall door 22.
[0034] Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the sliding wall door 21 on the left in Figure 1 in its locked position. To adjust the sliding wall door 21 from the locked position into the sliding position, an adjusting device 50 is provided which comprises a drive element 51, which is the lower one in Figure 2, and an adjusting lever 52, which is the lower one in Figure 2. The adjusting lever 52 is attached to the drive element 51 and is pivoted about an axis of rotation R when the drive element 51 rotates, as a result of which the lower end 21a of the sliding wall door 21 is raised and placed on a rail 60. During this adjustment, the sliding wall door 21 is moved to the left in Figure 2 - that is to say outwards in the X direction with respect to the carriage - and brought from its locking plane VE into its sliding plane SE (cf. Figure 3).
[0035] For the simultaneous displacement of the upper end 21b of the sliding wall door 21, the adjustment device 50 is further equipped with an upper drive element 51a and an upper adjustment lever 52a, which, analogous to the lower drive element 51 and the lower adjustment lever 52, effect a corresponding displacement of the sliding wall door 21 and, for example, place the upper end 21b of the sliding wall door 21 on an upper rail not shown in the figures. The two drive elements 51 and 51a are preferably coupled or are preferably moved at least synchronously.
[0036] The drive elements 51 and 51a are preferably tubes or rods arranged parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and spaced from the vehicle center.
[0037] Figure 3 shows the sliding wall door 21 after it has been moved from its locking plane VE, which is again shown in Figure 3 with a dashed line, to its sliding plane SE.
[0038] As soon as the sliding wall door 21 is in its sliding plane SE, it can be moved along the direction of the arrow VI in Figure 1 or perpendicular to the image plane in Figures 2 and 3, so that it can be brought into its open state. Figure 4 shows the sliding wall door 21 after it has been moved a short distance to the right along the direction of the arrow VI. The dashed line with the reference symbol 210 indicates the opening of the freight car after the sliding wall door 21 has released the opening.
[0039] In a corresponding manner, the right-hand sliding wall door 22 in Figure 1 can also be moved from its locked position into its sliding position so that it can then be moved along the direction of arrow V2 in Figure 1 for opening. In the sliding wall door device 20 according to Figure 1, only one of the two sliding wall doors 21 or 22 can be opened at a time, since otherwise a collision would occur when the sliding wall doors are moved on the rail 60. In other words, one of the two sliding wall doors is in its locked position when the other of the two sliding wall doors is to be moved in its sliding position on the rail 60.
[0040] Figure 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a sensor 30 with which the position of the adjusting device 50 according to Figures 2 and 3 can be monitored and a corresponding position-related sensor signal SS can be generated. In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 5, the sensor 30 is a tilt sensor which is attached to one of the two adjusting levers 52 or 52a of the adjusting device 50 according to Figure 2. In the position of the adjusting lever 52 / 52a shown in Figure 5, a tilt element 31 of the sensor 30 is located at a left stop 31a of the sensor 30.
[0041] If the adjusting lever 52 / 52a is pivoted, the tilting element 31 will tilt due to gravity to the other right stop 31b of the sensor 30, which is detected by the sensor and signaled by a corresponding sensor signal SS to the central device 40 according to Figure 1.
[0042] In other words, with the aid of the tilt sensor according to Figures 5 and 6, the respective pivot angle of the adjusting lever 52 / 52a can be determined, whereby at the same time the position of the adjusting device 50 and thus also the respective plane of the sliding wall door 21 or 22 can be determined.
[0043] Figures 7 and 8 show a further exemplary embodiment of a sensor 30 that can be used in the freight car 10 according to Figure 1. The sensor 30 is a magnetic sensor and comprises a magnet 32 that is attached to the drive element 51 or 51a of the adjusting device 50 and is moved about the rotation axis R upon rotation of the drive element 51 / 51a.
[0044] A magnetic detector 32a of the sensor 30, which is assigned to the magnet 32, detects the magnetic field of the magnet 32 and can thus generate a sensor signal SS, which indicates the respective angle of rotation of the drive element 51 / 51a and thus signals the position of the adjusting device 50.
[0045] Figures 9 and 10 show a further exemplary embodiment of a sensor 30 which can be used in the freight car 10 according to Figure 1. The sensor 30 according to Figures 9 and 10 is a gravitational sensor whose respective orientation relative to the earth's gravitational force defines the sensor signal SS which is transmitted to the central device 40 and informs the central device 40 in which pivot position (see angles 30° and 120° in Figures 9 and 10) the adjusting lever 52 / 52a is located. The sensor 30 according to Figures 9 and 10 is therefore also suitable for detecting the position of the adjusting device 50 and detecting the door leaf plane.
[0046] The sensors explained by way of example in connection with Figures 5 to 10 can each be attached optionally to one of the drive elements 51 / 51a or to one of the adjusting levers 52 / 52a and generate a drive element- or adjusting lever-related sensor signal SS.
[0047] Figures 11 and 12 show an exemplary embodiment of a sensor 30 that is attached to one of the drive elements 51 or 51a, detects the angle of rotation of the drive element 51 / 51a about the rotation axis R, and transmits a drive-element-related rotation angle information to the central device 40 as a position-related sensor signal SS. Based on the rotation angle information, the central device 40 can also determine the position of the adjusting device 50, the door leaf plane, and the locking state of the sliding wall door.
[0048] In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1, the central device 40 is located in the freight car 10 whose sliding wall door devices are monitored; alternatively, the central device 40 can also be located in another car, for example in a locomotive if the freight car 10 forms part of a railway freight train. The sensor signals SS can be transmitted to the central device 40 - regardless of the position of the central device 40 - for example via signal lines or by radio. Finally, it should be mentioned that the features of all the exemplary embodiments described above can be combined with one another in any desired way to form further alternative embodiments of the invention.
[0049] All features of subclaims can also be combined individually with each of the subordinate claims, either individually or in any combination with one or more other subclaims, in order to obtain further embodiments.
Claims
Patent claims 1. Sliding wall door device (20) with - at least one sliding wall door (21, 22) which is locked in a locking position and is displaceable in a sliding plane (SE) in a sliding position, and - an adjusting device (50) which can adjust the at least one sliding wall door (21, 22) from the locking position into the sliding position or vice versa by displacing the sliding wall door (21, 22) perpendicular to the sliding plane (SE) of the sliding wall door (21, 22), characterized in that the sliding wall door device (20) has at least one sensor (30) which monitors the position of the adjusting device (50) and generates a position-related sensor signal (SS).
2. Sliding wall door device (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting device (50) comprises a drive element (51, 51a) which can be set in a rotational movement for displacing the sliding wall door (21, 22).
3. Sliding wall door device (20) according to claim 2, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) detects the rotational position of the drive element (51, 51a) and generates a drive element-related, rotation angle-dependent sensor signal (SS) as the position-related sensor signal (SS).
4. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) is a rotation angle sensor which detects the rotation angle of the drive element (51, 51a) to form a drive element-related rotation angle indication and as a position-related Sensor signal (SS) outputs the drive element-related angle of rotation information.
5. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting device (50) comprises at least one adjusting lever (52, 52a) coupling the drive element (51, 51a) and the sliding wall door (21, 22), which is pivoted about the rotation axis (R) upon rotation of the drive element (51, 51a) and in the process displaces the sliding wall door (21, 22).
6. Sliding wall door device (20) according to claim 5, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) detects the position of the adjusting lever (52, 52a) and outputs a lever position-dependent sensor signal (SS) as a position-related sensor signal (SS).
7. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 6, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) is an angle sensor which detects the pivoting angle of the adjusting lever (52, 52a) is detected to form an angle signal related to the adjustment lever and the angle signal related to the adjustment lever is output as a position-related sensor signal (SS).
8. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) is a magnetic sensor which detects the magnetic field of a magnet attached to the drive element (51, 51a) or the adjusting lever (52, 52a) to form a drive element-related or adjusting lever-related magnetic field measurement signal and outputs the magnetic field measurement signal as a position-related sensor signal (SS).
9. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, characterized in that - the adjusting lever (52, 52a) and the drive element (51, 51a) connected thereto assume a predetermined displacement position angle in the displacement position and a locking position angle in the locking position, - the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) is a tilt sensor which detects a first tilt position associated with the displacement position angle and a second tilt position associated with the locking position angle, and - the sensor (30) indicates the detected tilt position as a position-related sensor signal (SS).
10. Sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (30) or at least one of the sensors (30) is a gravitational sensor which detects the angle of the adjusting lever (52, 52a) or of the drive element (51, 51a) to the vertical, forming a vertically related angle signal, and outputs the vertically related angle signal as a position-related sensor signal (SS).
11. Vehicle, in particular rail vehicle, characterized in that - the vehicle is equipped with at least one sliding wall door device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the at least one sliding wall door (21, 22) of the at least one sliding wall door device (20) forms an outer wall section of the vehicle in the closed state.
12. Vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that the vehicle is a freight wagon (10) or a railway train comprising a freight wagon (10), and the at least one sliding wall door device (20) forms an outer skin section of the freight wagon in the closed state.
13. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the drive element (51, 51a) is a tube or a rod which is arranged parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and spaced from the vehicle center.
14. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the sliding wall door device (20) has two or more sliding wall doors, each of which is monitored by at least one sensor (30) with regard to the position of its adjusting device (50).
15. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the vehicle has a central device (40) which monitors the sensor signals of all sensors (30) of all sliding wall door devices and generates a locking signal when the sensor signals of all sensors (30) of all sliding wall door devices indicate the locking position of the adjusting device (50) assigned to them, and / or generates an opening signal when the sensor signal (SS) of at least one sensor of at least one sliding wall door device indicates the sliding position of the assigned adjusting device (50).