Segmented Vehicle Modules with Unified Controller for Smooth Power Gradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle combinations lack flexibility in adapting driving stages to varying driving situations due to limited control over individual axles across multiple vehicle modules, resulting in jerky transitions and inefficient power distribution.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control device that can manage the gradation of drive power across multiple vehicle modules by controlling specific axles on or off, allowing for individual control of axles across the vehicle network, and using drive motors of different dimensions to optimize power adaptation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If all axles are driven in the first driving stage to achieve high tractive force, then starting capability is improved, but the number of driving stages is limited and transitions between stages are jerky
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle modules are segmented into multiple independently controllable units, each with its own drive motors. This allows the control device to selectively activate or deactivate individual axles across different vehicle modules, creating multiple intermediate driving stages between full power and freewheel mode, thereby enabling smoother transitions and improved adaptability to varying driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active drive motors based on driving conditions. The control device can switch between different configurations: all axles driven for high tractive force at low speeds, individual axles switched off progressively as speed increases, and selective activation of specific vehicle modules. This dynamic reconfiguration enables continuous adaptation rather than fixed switching stages.
2Ease of operation
If individual vehicle modules are controlled independently, then control flexibility is improved, but coordination across multiple modules becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control devices of individual vehicle modules are merged into a unified control system. The control device can centrally coordinate all drive motors across multiple vehicle modules while still allowing individual modules to be controlled independently when needed. This unified approach simplifies the overall control architecture by providing a single point of coordination rather than multiple independent control systems that would need to communicate and synchronize.
3Power
If drive motors of different dimensions are used, then power adaptation precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different dimensions of drive motors are assigned to different axles or vehicle modules based on local requirements. The control device can selectively activate drive motors of different sizes to match the specific power demands of each driving situation. This local differentiation allows precise power adaptation without requiring all motors to be identical, optimizing performance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized motor families.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle combination comprising at least one train (Z1; Z2) which consists of multiple driven vehicle modules (M1-M4). The vehicle modules (M1, M2; M3, M4) belonging to the at least one train (Z1; Z2) are arranged one behind the other in the travel direction of the vehicle combination and are mechanically coupled to one another. Each vehicle module (M1-M4) has at least one driven axle (A2-A5) with at least one drive motor (1; 2). The vehicle combination (FV) has at least one drive device (A; A') for the drive motors (1, 2) of the axles (A2-A5) of the vehicle modules (M1-M4), and the drive energy required to drive said drive motors (1, 2) can be generated by said drive device. The vehicle combination (FV) has at least one controller (3; 3') by means of which at least the drive motors (1, 2) of the driven axles (A2-A5) of the vehicle modules (M1-M4) can be actuated. According to the invention, the controller (3; 3') controls the drive motor or at least one of the drive motors (1, 2) of the driven axles (A2-A5) of the vehicle modules (M1, M2; M3, M4) of the at least one train (Z1; Z2) of the vehicle combination (FV) across all the vehicle modules for the incremental selection of the total drive output of the vehicle combination (FV).