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(11) EP 1 826 091 B1
(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION
(45) Date of publication and mention
of the grant of the patent:
07.04.2010 Bulletin 2010/14
(21) Application number: 07102904.5
(22) Date of filing: 22.02.2007
(51) Int Cl.:
B61F 5/38
(2006.01)
(54) Method for optimizing guidance of railway vehicles
Verfahren zum Optimieren der Fhrung von Schienenfahrzeugen
Procd doptimisation de guidage des vhicules ferroviaires
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR
HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI
SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA HR MK
(30) Priority: 24.02.2006 ES 200600440
(43) Date of publication of application:
29.08.2007 Bulletin 2007/35
(73) Proprietor: Patentes Talgo, S.L.
28290 Las Matas (Madrid) (ES)
(72) Inventor: Lpez Gmez, Jos Luis
Patentes Talgo, S.A.
28230 Madrid (ES)
(74) Representative: Elzaburu Marquez, Alberto et al
Elzaburu S.L.P.
Miguel Angel 21, 2
28010 Madrid (ES)
(56) References cited:
EP-A- 1 063 143 EP-A1- 0 765 791
US-A- 4 693 185 US-A- 5 463 963
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Description
Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a method for optimizing
guidance of railway vehicles that can be applied to free-
wheel railway vehicles, such as vehicles with TALGO-
type one-axle running gear with independent wheels, and
to railway vehicles with wheels coupled bogies.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Spanish patents 2.133.229 and 2.084.551,
which belong to the same applicant filing this invention,
describe guidance systems that can be respectively ap-
plied to freewheel and coupled wheel railway vehicles.
[0003] Those guidance systems have the purpose of
achieving that the angle formed by each wheel flange
with the line tangent to a curve in the track at the point
of contact with the latter be null, and they respond to the
principle that the rail should not guide the train, but rather
that the train must move on the rail. To that end such
systems are based on the interaction of the chasses on
the running gear through guiding bars such that the rel-
ative movement of said chasses suitably orients the run-
ning gear so that the wheels remain parallel to the rail
even in curves so as to increase the running safety and
to reduce the wear of the wheels and the track.
[0004] Nevertheless, these guidance systems are not
as accurate as they should be, especially for high-speed
trains; they therefore need to be optimized.
[0005] In response to this need, Spanish patent
2.195.756 belonging to the same applicant filing this in-
vention discloses a system and a method for optimizing
free-wheel guidance of railway vehicles.
[0006] EP 0765791 A1 describes a single-axle bogie
for a rail vehicle in which a single wheel assembly is guid-
ed in a bogie frame; there is provided a resilient device
for producing a return force against the steering deflec-
tion of the bogie frame which occurs when negociating
a curve in the track. It has a yoke that is displaceable
with respect to the railway car body in a vertical direction
and in a transverse direction and to which the bogie frame
is vertically steerably connected. A power-regulated ac-
tuator may be provided for producing a counteracting
force which acts against the return force. A sensor may
be provided for detecting the actual value of steering de-
flection and a regulating circuit for re-adjusting the mag-
nitude of the power at the power-regulated actuator in
the event of deviation of the reference value of steering
deflection from the actual value.
[0007] The present invention is also aimed at meeting
the need of optimizing free-wheel guidance of railway
vehicles.
Summary of the Invention
[0008] The first object of the present invention is an
optimized method for guidance of railway vehicles of the
free-wheel or coupled wheel type comprising adjustable
suspension means for suspending the wagons on the
chassis or bogie housing the wheels, comprising the fol-
lowing steps:
- detecting for each vehicle axle an off-centering of its
wheels in relation to the rails;
- modifying the height of the supports for the suspen-
sion means for the wagons placed on each chassis
by the magnitude required to center the wheels on
the rails.
[0009] The second object of the present invention is
an optimized method for guidance of railway vehicles of
the free-wheel or coupled wheel type comprising adjust-
able suspension means for suspending the boxes on the
chassis or bogie housing the wheels including asymmet-
rical dampers, with two electrovalves that can be actuat-
ed, comprising the following steps:
- detecting for each vehicle axle an off-centering of its
wheels in relation to the rails;
- modifying the position of the center of the chassis or
bogie by the magnitude required to center the wheels
on the rails acting on the asymmetrical dampers.
[0010] The methods object of the present invention will
preferably be used as a supplement to the aforemen-
tioned guidance systems, but it is necessary to point out
that they can be used separately from them.
[0011] Other features and advantages of the present
invention will be understood from the following detailed
description of an embodiment illustrating its object in re-
lation to the attached figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0012]
Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an axle of a
railway vehicle, the wheels of which are off-centered
with respect to the rails.
Figure 2 schematically shows the influence of the
position of the wagons in the guidance.
Figure 3 shows a chassis of a railway vehicle with
pneumatic suspension means adjusted by level
valves.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0013] According to Figure 1, it can be seen that the
axle integrating the wheels 11, 13 is off-centered in re-
lation to the rails 15, 17, and this translates into the fact
that the diameter D2 of the section of the wheel 13 in
contact with the rail 17 is not diameter Dm that would
correspond to it if the wheel 13 were centered, rather it
is smaller.
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[0014] For its part, diameter D1 of the section of the
wheel 11 in contact with the rail 15 is not diameter Dm
that would correspond if the wheel 11 were centered,
rather it is larger.
[0015] Accordingly, the angular velocities of the
wheels 11 and 13 are not the same- which would occur
if they were centered- but rather they are different.
[0016] The magnitude and direction of the different an-
gular velocity of the wheels of one axle are parameters
that define their being off-centered, and their values can
be obtained using known means such as sensors for the
antilock brake system (ABS) incorporated in many trains
today. In fact, the system and method disclosed in patent
document 2.195.756, which optimizes the guidance by
acting on the guidance bars, the off-centering of the
wheels is detected from the measurement of their angular
velocities.
[0017] The present invention has come about from the
observation of the effects of the operation of the suspen-
sion means used, which are briefly described below, on
guidance of railway vehicles.
[0018] In the first embodiment of the invention and ac-
cording to Figure 2, three perfectly centered free-wheel
type chasses 41, 43, 45 can be seen. The main elements
have been referenced in chassis 45 for the purpose of
the present invention: the wheels 11, 13, suspension
means 21, 23, the supports 25, 27 of the suspension
means 21, 23 and the guidance bars 19 corresponding
with those described in patent documents 2.133.229 and
2.195.756.
[0019] The off-centering that occurs in the chassis 41
when its left suspension 21 is under the right suspension
23 can be seen in the central right part of Figure 2: the
running gear axle 53 separates from the axis of the track
55 and subsequent the angle between the axle 51 of the
chassis 41 and the axis of the track 55 is not 90.
[0020] This proves that there is a direct relation be-
tween the angle with the horizontal of a supposed axis
57 that joined suspensions 21, 23 and the magnitude of
the off-centering, and therefore the method proposed by
the present invention consists of correcting the off-
centering of the wheels by acting on the suspension
means. So if an off-centering of the chassis 41 such as
that shown in Figure 2 is detected when the angular ve-
locities of its wheels are compared, according to the
method, the left suspension 21 must be lifted by the mag-
nitude that is necessary to correct the off-centering.
[0021] The following is necessary to implement the
method:
- Means of detecting the speed of the wheels of each
axle.
- Adjustable suspension means on each axle.
- Management and control means that allow comput-
ing the modification of the height of the suspension
means required to correct the off-centering accord-
ing to its magnitude.
[0022] Trains today generally incorporate these
means, so they are not a specific object of the present
invention.
[0023] In the case of the pneumatic suspension means
such as those shown in Figure 3 regulated by level valves
61, their heights would be adjusted by acting on the con-
trol means of said valves 61.
[0024] In a second embodiment of the invention, which
can be applied to trains provided with asymmetrical
dampers, the method would be applied by acting on the
asymmetrical dampers so that they displace the centers
of the bogie and wagon towards the appropriate side to
optimize rolling.
[0025] The asymmetrical damper is similar to the
standard damper, with the particularity that it has two
electrovalves, such that when the two electrovalves are
deactivated, it performs like a normal damper. The same
force is required for traction as for compression. If an
electrovalve is actuated, the compression one for exam-
ple, the compression strength is reduced to "0" or is pro-
gressively reduced, achieving displacement of the wag-
on when the vehicle is running due to the tendency of
said vehicle to move to the side.
[0026] In the embodiments described above those
modifications comprised within the scope of the following
claims can be introduced.
Claims
1. Optimized method for guidance of railway vehicles
of the free-wheel or coupled wheel type comprising
adjustable suspension means for suspending the
wagons on the chassis or bogie (41,43,45) housing
the wheels, characterized in that it comprises the
following steps:
- detecting for each vehicle axle an off-centering
of its wheels (11, 13) in relation to the rails (15,
17);
- modifying the height of the supports (25, 27)
for the suspension means (21, 23) for the wag-
ons placed on each chassis (41, 43, 45) by the
magnitude required to center the wheels (11,
13) on the rails (15, 17).
2. Optimized method for guidance of railway vehicles
according to claim 1, characterized in that the sus-
pension means (21,23) are pneumatic and their
height is adjusted by means of level valves (61).
3. Optimized method for guidance of railway vehicles
of the free-wheel or coupled wheel type comprising
adjustable suspension means for suspending the
wagons on the chassis or bogie (41, 43, 45) housing
the wheels including asymmetrical dampers, with
two electrovalves that can be activated, character-
ized in that it comprises the following steps:
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- detecting for each vehicle axle an off-centering
of its wheels (11, 13) in relation to the rails (15,
17);
- modifying the position of the center of the chas-
sis or bogie (41,43,45) by the magnitude re-
quired to center the wheels (11, 13) on the rails
(15, 17) acting on the asymmetrical dampers.
Patentansprche
1. Optimiertes Verfahren zur Fhrung von Schienen-
fahrzeugen der Freilauf- oder Kuppelrad-Bauart, die
einstellbare Aufhngungseinrichtungen zur Aufhn-
gung der Wagen an dem Fahrwerk oder Drehgestell
(41, 43, 45), das die Rder aufnimmt, aufweisen,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es die folgenden
Schritte aufweist:
- Erfassen einer Dezentrierung ihrer Rder (11,
13) in Bezug auf die Schienen (15, 17) fr jede
Fahrzeugachse;
- Modifizieren der Hhe der Trger (25, 27) fr
die Aufhngungseinrichtungen (21, 23) fr die
auf jedem Fahrwerk (41, 43, 45) platzierten Wa-
gen um die Gre, die erforderlich ist, um die
Rder (11, 13) auf den Schienen (15, 17) zu
zentrieren.
2. Optimiertes Verfahren zum Fhren von Schienen-
fahrzeugen nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die Aufhngungseinrichtungen (21,
23) pneumatisch sind und ihre Hhe mittels Niveau-
ventile (61) eingestellt wird.
3. Optimiertes Verfahren zum Fhren von Schienen-
fahrzeugen der Freilauf- oder Kuppelrad-Bauart, die
einstellbare Aufhngungseinrichtungen zur Aufhn-
gung der Wagen an dem Fahrwerk oder Drehgestell
(41, 43, 45), das die Rder aufnimmt, einschlielich
asymmetrischer Dmpfungseinrichtungen mit zwei
Elektroventilen, die bettigt werden knnen, aufwei-
sen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es die folgen-
den Schritte aufweist:
- Erfassen einer Dezentrierung ihrer Rder (11,
13) in Bezug auf die Schienen (15, 17) fr jede
Fahrzeugachse;
- Modifizieren der Position des Zentrums des
Fahrwerks oder Drehgestells (41, 43, 45) um die
Gre, die erforderlich ist, um die Rder (11,
13) auf den Schienen (15, 17) zu zentrieren, un-
ter Einwirkung auf die asymmetrischen Dmp-
fungseinrichtungen.
Revendications
1. Procd optimis pour le guidage de vhicules fer-
roviaires du type roue libre ou roue couple com-
prenant des moyens de suspension ajustables pour
la suspension des wagons sur le chssis ou la bogie
(41, 43, 45) recevant les roues, caractris en ce
quil comprend les tapes suivantes :
dtection pour chaque axe de vhicule dun ex-
centrage de ses roues (11, 13) par rapport aux
rails (15, 17) ;
modification de la hauteur des supports (25, 27)
des moyens de suspension (21, 23) pour les wa-
gons placs sur chaque chssis (41, 43, 45) par
lamplitude ncessaire pour centrer les roues
(11, 13) sur les rails (15, 17).
2. Procd optimis pour le guidage de vhicules fer-
roviaires selon la revendication 1, caractris en
ce que les moyens de suspension (21, 23) sont
pneumatiques et leur hauteur est ajuste au moyen
de vannes de mise niveau (61).
3. Procd optimis pour le guidage de vhicules fer-
roviaires du type roue libre ou roue couple com-
prenant des moyens de suspension ajustables pour
la suspension des wagons sur le chssis ou la bogie
(41, 43, 45) recevant les roues comprenant des
amortisseurs asymtriques avec deux lectrovan-
nes qui peuvent tre actives, caractris en ce
quil comprend les tapes suivantes :
dtection pour chaque axe de vhicule dun ex-
centrage de ses roues (11, 13) par rapport aux
rails (15, 17) ;
modification de la position du centre du chssis
ou de la bogie (41, 43, 45) par lamplitude n-
cessaire pour centrer les roues (11, 13) sur les
rails (15, 17) en agissant sur les amortisseurs
asymtriques.
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REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the readers convenience only. It does not form part of the European
patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be
excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description
ES 2133229 [0002] [0018]
ES 2084551 [0002]
ES 2195756 [0005] [0016] [0018]
EP 0765791 A1 [0006]