Train suspension control systems and methods

• US 10,207,723 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castro, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US14/626,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/04 Bolster supports or mountings side bearings B61F5/14
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/042 Track changes detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/044 Broken rails
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/047 Track or rail movements
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates

Abstract

A suspension system for a railway vehicle includes a hub assembly configured to travel along a track, a suspension element coupled to the hub assembly and configured to provide a suspension force, a regulator coupled to the suspension element and configured to selectively adjust the suspension element, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to determine a target configuration for the suspension element using a characteristic of the track at a target position, the target position selected based on a location of the railway vehicle, and engage the regulator based on the target configuration such that the suspension force applied by the suspension element is based on the location of the railway vehicle and the characteristic of the track.

Claims

1. A suspension system for a railway vehicle, comprising:

a hub assembly configured to travel along a track;

a suspension element coupled to the hub assembly and configured to provide a suspension force;

a regulator coupled to the suspension element and configured to selectively adjust the suspension element; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine a target configuration for the suspension element using a characteristic of the track at a target position, wherein the target position is selected based on a particular upcoming position of the railway vehicle; and

engage the regulator based on the target configuration such that the suspension force applied by the suspension element is based on the particular upcoming position location of the railway vehicle and the characteristic of the track.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a discontinuity at a junction between a first rail section and a second rail section.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a rail height variation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a presence of a tie that is at least one of broken and damaged.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a compliance.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a radius of curvature.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the target configuration for the suspension element using a weight of the railway vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the target configuration for the suspension element using a feature of a route the track follows.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the feature includes a radius of curvature for the route at the target position.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing system configured to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensing system includes a scanner positioned to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the scanner is positioned to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position before arrival of the hub assembly at the target position.

13. A railway vehicle, comprising

a chassis;

and

a suspension system including;

a hub assembly configured to travel along a track;

a suspension element coupling the hub assembly to the chassis and configured to provide a suspension force;

a regulator coupled to the suspension element and configured to selectively adjust the suspension element; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine a target configuration for the suspension element using a characteristic of the track at a target position, wherein the target position is selected based on a particular upcoming position of the railway vehicle; and

engage the regulator based on the target configuration such that the suspension force applied by the suspension element is determined based on the particular upcoming position of the railway vehicle and the characteristic of the track.

14. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a discontinuity at a junction between a first rail section and a second rail section.

15. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a rail height variation.

16. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a presence of a tie that is at least one of broken and damaged.

17. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a compliance.

18. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the track includes a radius of curvature.

19. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the target configuration for the suspension element using a weight of the railway vehicle.

20. The railway vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the target configuration for the suspension element using a feature of a route the track follows.

21. The railway vehicle of claim 20, wherein the feature includes a radius of curvature for the route at the target position.

22. The railway vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a sensing system configured to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position.

23. The railway vehicle of claim 22, wherein the sensing system includes a scanner positioned to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position.

24. The railway vehicle of claim 23, wherein the scanner is positioned to evaluate the characteristic of the track at the target position before arrival of the hub assembly at the target position.

25. A railway vehicle, comprising

a chassis;

and

a suspension system including;

a hub assembly configured to travel along a track;

a suspension element coupling the hub assembly to the chassis;

an actuator configured to selectively engage at least one of the chassis and the suspension element; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine a target actuation profile for the chassis using a characteristic of the track at a target position, wherein the target position is selected based on a particular upcoming position of the railway vehicle; and

engage the actuator based on the target actuation profile such that a movement of the chassis is controlled based on the particular upcoming position of the railway vehicle and the characteristic of the track.

26. The railway vehicle of claim 25, wherein the actuator is configured to selectively disengage at least one of the chassis and the suspension element.

27. The railway vehicle of claim 25, wherein the target position is proximate a position of the hub assembly.

28. The railway vehicle of claim 25, wherein the target position is ahead of a position of the hub assembly.

29. The railway vehicle of claim 25, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the target actuation profile based on a threshold value.

30. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes an oscillation amplitude.

31. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes an oscillation direction.

32. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes an oscillation frequency.

33. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes a rate associated with the movement of the chassis.

34. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes an acceleration associated with the movement of the chassis.

35. The railway vehicle of claim 29, wherein the threshold value includes a jerk associated with the movement of the chassis.