Minimum Pressure Selection Unit for Spring-Loaded Brake Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail vehicle braking systems are either unsafe due to decoupled reserve compressed air tanks or expensive due to redundant spring-loaded brake control means, posing a high safety risk when one tank is depressurized.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a minimum pressure selection unit that operatively connects spring-loaded brake cylinders to the reserve compressed air tank with the lowest pressure, ensuring the parking brake remains engaged if any tank is depressurized, and reducing the need for additional spring-loaded control means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reserve compressed air tanks are completely decoupled from each other, then each tank can operate independently, but the system becomes unsafe when one tank is depressurized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple spring-loaded brake control means into a single shared control means that serves multiple reserve compressed air tanks. This unified control means incorporates a minimum pressure selection unit that automatically selects the tank with sufficient pressure, reducing component count while maintaining safety through intelligent pressure management.
Solution Approach 2:
The minimum pressure selection unit acts as an intermediary between multiple reserve compressed air tanks and the spring-loaded brake cylinder. It automatically selects the appropriate tank based on pressure conditions, enabling a single control means to safely manage multiple tanks without requiring separate control mechanisms for each.
2Reliability
If multiple spring-loaded brake control means are provided for each reserve compressed air tank, then system safety is maintained, but device cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal spring-loaded brake control means that can serve multiple reserve compressed air tanks through the minimum pressure selection unit. This single control means performs the function of what would traditionally require multiple separate control means, reducing system complexity while maintaining the ability to safely select from multiple air sources.
3Device complexity
If a single reserve compressed air tank supplies both brake actuator and spring-loaded brake cylinder, then component count is reduced, but system safety is compromised when the tank is depressurized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air supply system by providing multiple reserve compressed air tanks instead of relying on a single tank. The minimum pressure selection unit then intelligently selects from these segmented sources, allowing the system to maintain safety by having redundant air supplies while still reducing overall component count compared to fully decoupled systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a safe and cost-effective braking system by ensuring the parking brake is always active when necessary, preventing brake failure and reducing redundant control components, thus enhancing safety while lowering costs.
Implementation Method 1
a minimum pressure selection unit is provided, which establishes the operative connection to the reserve compressed air tank to which the lowest pressure is applied
Implementation Method 2
a spring is provided in the spring-actuated brake cylinder, which provides the necessary holding force when the spring-actuated brake cylinder is in the vented state
Implementation Method 3
compressed air is applied to the spring-loaded brake cylinder via spring-loaded control means, with the pressure force then being set being in the opposite direction to the spring force
Implementation Method 4
a brake pad is pressed against a wheel of the rail vehicle or against a brake disc with frictional engagement. Due to the frictional connection, the rail vehicle decelerates and brakes
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
In order to provide a safe and cost-effective device (1) for braking a vehicle using at least two braking systems, each of which comprises a friction brake that can be brought into frictional contact with a moving part of the vehicle, said friction brake being connected to a brake actuator (9) and to a spring-loaded brake cylinder (11) by way of at least one lever mechanism (15), wherein each brake actuator (9) can be operatively connected to a reserve compressed air container (4) by way of brake control means (7), it is proposed that the spring-loaded brake cylinder (11, 12) be operatively connected at least in part to a plurality of reserve compressed air containers (4, 6) by way of common spring-loaded control means (14) and a minimum pressure selection unit (15), wherein the minimum pressure selection unit (15) creates the operative connection to the reserve compressed air container (4, 6) with the lowest pressure.