Rail Brake Safety Control Interrupting Anti-Skid Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing compressed air brake systems for rail vehicles with anti-skid controls can malfunction, leading to unintended brake pressure release or blockage, which prevents effective braking when the anti-skid control fails.

Innovation Solution

An electronic safety control system that interrupts unintended control signals to the anti-skid valve, ensuring continuous brake pressure application to the brake cylinder by connecting the brake pressure line and closing the outlet, thereby maintaining functional braking even in the event of anti-skid control malfunctions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the anti-skid control continuously monitors and releases brake pressure to prevent wheel locking, then wheel lockup is prevented, but the system becomes vulnerable to malfunction where the release valve may remain open and prevent braking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The safety control is configured with predetermined criteria before malfunction occurs. When the brake cylinder pressure deviates from expected values based on brake pedal position and duration, the safety control automatically interrupts the control signal to the anti-skid valve, switching it to a safe default state that ensures braking functionality without requiring complex real-time diagnostics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The safety control acts as an intermediary layer between the brake control valve and the anti-skid valve. It monitors the control signals and brake cylinder pressure, and can interrupt unintended control signals from the anti-skid controller, thereby protecting the braking system from malfunctions while maintaining normal anti-skid functionality when operating correctly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the anti-skid valve is controlled to release brake pressure when wheel locking is detected, then wheel locking is prevented, but unintended control signals may cause the outlet to remain open and prevent effective braking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake control functionalityVSAvoidbrake pressure maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The safety control implements preliminary anti-action by monitoring brake cylinder pressure and control signal duration against predetermined criteria. When abnormal conditions are detected (such as pressure remaining low when braking should be applied), the safety control preemptively interrupts the control signal to the anti-skid valve, preventing unintended pressure release and ensuring the outlet closes to maintain brake pressure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The safety control continuously monitors the brake cylinder pressure and compares it with expected pressure values based on brake application duration and intensity. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when the anti-skid valve is responding incorrectly to control signals and automatically correct the situation by interrupting the control signal and switching the anti-skid valve to a safe state

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3190018B1Safety control for a compressed air brake with antiskid control
Publication Date: 2018.01.17 KES KESCHWARI ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3190018B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3190018B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to an electronic safety control unit (13) for a compressed air brake for rail vehicles, which has a wheel slip protection valve (7) controlled by a wheel slip protection unit to prevent the wheels from locking up when brake pressure is applied. The safety control unit is characterized by at least one interrupter (16) which is arranged on the control signal line of the wheel slip protection unit and configured to interrupt the control signal line to the wheel slip protection valve when the safety control unit receives an unintended control signal generated by the wheel slip protection unit.