System for the secondary suspension of a superstructure of a rail vehicle having an active spring element

• US 20050183627A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Loebner, Reinhard, Kirsch, Henry, Hommen, Winfried, Waldstein, Martin, Nies, Eduard
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/453
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/02 Spring characteristics , e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting meansB60G17/005, B60G17/015 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0272 the mechanical spring being a coil spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/04 fluid spring characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0408 details, e.g. antifreeze for suspension fluid, pumps, retarding means per se
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/143 subjected to compression
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/154 with an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/206 Variable pressure accumulators for hydropneumatic suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/14 Side bearings

Abstract

System for the secondary suspension of a superstructure (1) in the case of a rail vehicle, having a hydropneumatic spring unit (3) as an active spring element which is placed between the superstructure (1) and a bogie (2) arranged below it and which ensures at least one raised traveling level (N_F) for the superstructure when the rail vehicle is traveling, by way of the hydropneumatic spring unit (3) as the active spring element, in the normal operation, in addition to the raised traveling level (N_F), a lowered station platform level (N_B) being adjustable for the superstructure (1), additionally at least one emergency spring cylinder (8) being provided which, when the system fails, ensures an emergency spring level (N_N) situated in-between for an emergency operation.

Claims

1. System for the secondary suspension of a superstructure (1) in the case of a rail vehicle, having a hydropneumatic spring unit (3) as an active spring element which is placed between the superstructure (1) and a bogie (2) arranged below it and which ensures at least one raised traveling level (N_F) for the superstructure when the rail vehicle is traveling, characterized in that, by way of the hydropneumatic spring unit (3) as the active spring element, in the normal operation, in addition to the raised traveling level (N_F), a lowered station platform level (N_B) can be adjusted for the superstructure (1), additionally at least one emergency spring cylinder (8) being provided which, when the system fails, ensures an emergency spring level (N_N) situated in-between for an emergency operation.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency spring level (N_N) is adjusted in the event of a system failure by means of an automatic moving-out of the emergency spring cylinder (8) (FIG. 1).

3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency spring level (N_N) is adjusted in the event of a system failure by way of the already moved-out emergency spring cylinder (8) (FIG. 1a).

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency spring cylinder (8) comprises a hydraulic piston (10) which is surrounded by a tension cylinder (9) and can be moved out by means of a pressure spring (1).

5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure spring (11) is constructed of steel in the manner of a coil spring which coaxially surrounds the tension cylinder (9).

6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that, with respect to the flow of force, the emergency spring cylinder (8) is connected parallel to the hydropneumatic spring unit (3).

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the emergency spring cylinder (8) is arranged to be acting locally next to the hydropneumatic spring unit (3) between the superstructure (1) and the bogie (2) (FIGS. 1 to 2).

8. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the emergency spring cylinder (8′

) coaxially surrounds the hydropneumatic spring unit (3′

) and is disengaged during the normal operation, the emergency spring cylinder (8′

) being used in the emergency operation (FIGS. 3 and 4).

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that, for the emergency operation, the hydropneumatic spring unit (3′

) is vertically guided by means of a coaxial upper pin (12) by way of a corresponding recess on the side of the superstructure (1) in order to ensure the emergency suspension by means of the emergency spring cylinder (8′

).

10. System according to claim 1, characterized in that, with respect to the flow of force, the emergency spring cylinder (8″

) is connected in series with respect to the hydropneumatic spring unit (3″

), so that the two construction units act simultaneously, for the reaching of the lowered station platform level (N_B) for the superstructure (1), an additional action upon the tension cylinder (9″

) taking place in order to compress the pressure spring (11″

).

11. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the automatic moving-out of the tension cylinder (9) takes place as a result of the pressure drop in the emergency spring cylinder (8).

12. System according to claim 7, characterized in that, in the normal operation, the piston (10′

″

) of the emergency spring cylinder (8′

″

) has moved out in a disengaged manner, the hydropneumatic spring unit (3″

) ensuring the traveling level (N_F), and in that, after the activating of unlocking devices (13), the piston (10′

″

) can be at least partially lowered inside a pot-shaped cylinder housing (14) surrounding it, in order to reach the lowered station platform level (N_B), in the event of a system failure, the normally closed unlocking devices (13) ensuring the moved-out position of the piston (10′

″

), so that the emergency level (N_N) can be ensured by way of the emergency spring cylinder (8′

″

) (FIGS. 6 to 8).

13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the piston (10′

″

) comprises at least one piston sleeve (16) which can be telescopically displaced against a spring force.

14. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the spring force can be generated by a coaxial arrangement of an elastomer element (15) surrounded by a pressure spring (17′

″

).

15. System according to claim 7, characterized in that the piston (10′

″

) can be changed into the moved-out position by way of a pressure spring (19) interacting with a pot-shaped cylinder housing (14), by way of the weight and, in addition, by way of an admission of pressure medium to a pressure chamber (18) of the cylinder housing (14).

16. System according to claim 4, characterized in that two hydraulic circuits (I, II) are provided, one hydraulic circuit (I) supplying the hydropneumatic spring unit (3) and the other hydraulic circuit (II) supplying the emergency spring cylinder (8) with pressure medium.

17. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hydropneumatic spring unit (3) comprises a pendulum support (4) for transmitting transverse movements between the superstructure (1) and the bogie (2).

18. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a level sensor (7) is provided for measuring the distance between the superstructure (1) and the bogie (2), which level sensor (7), as an actual value generator, is a component of an active level control for adjusting a desired superstructure level.

19. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the level sensor (7) for measuring the distance between the superstructure (1) and the bogie (2) is simultaneously used for activating the emergency spring cylinder.

20. System according to one of preceding claims, characterized in that, for the implementation of the at least one hydraulic circuit (I, II), a hydraulic unit is used which comprises at least one hydraulic accumulator (6) for the hydropneumatic suspension.

21. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a pressure sensor is provided in the hydraulic circuit (I), the electronic analyzing system connected on the output side of the pressure sensor activating the emergency spring cylinder (8) when the pressure drops below a lower limit value.