CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUALLY DRIVEN VEHICLES IN A TRAIN OF SUCH VEHICLES

• US 3,745,933 A
• Filed: 07/29/1971
• Issued: 07/17/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hermann Eisele, Robert R. Lewis
• Inventors: Eisele, Hermann, Lewis, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Libman, George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/167,140
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 318/90,91,102 105/61
• US Class Current: 105/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/32 Control or regulation of multiple-unit electrically-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/685 electrically connected in series, i.e. carrying the same current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

Control system for trains of the type in which each car in the train is powered by its own drive motor means (e.g., a commuter train). Cars are addressed individually by train lines including an advance control train line which facilitates picking up an advance relay in each car successively by increasing the voltage on the advance train line in steps. The system minimizes the number of required train lines while insuring smooth acceleration and deceleration of the train.

Claims

1. In a control system for selectively increasing and decreasing the torque exerted by each of plurality of vehicle cars operative as a vehicle train, each such vehicle car having individual vehicle car drive means controlled by a plurality of bistable devices, the combination comprising:

control means for providing at least one vehicle control signal; and

means, in a given one of said vehicle cars, including an electronically controlled series conduction path between said given one of said vehicle cars and a second vehicle car with a given one of said plurality of bistable devices being included in said series conduction path and being responsive to said one vehicle control signal being at a first predetermined level for changing the state of said given one of said plurality of bistable devices for increasing the torque exerted by said one vehicle car, said means being responsive to said one vehicle control signal being at a second predetermined level for changing the condition of said series conduction path from open to closed for transmitting said one vehicle control signal from said one vehicle car to said second vehicle car for increasing the torque exerted by said second vehicle car.

2. In a control system for selectively increasing and decreasing the torque exerted by each of a plurality of vehicle cars operative as a vehicle train, each such vehicle car having individual vehicle car drive means controlled by a plurality of bistable devices, the combination comprising:

control means for providing a plurality of control signals to each of said vehicle cars, a first one of said plurality of bistable devices on each of said vehicle cars being responsive to the provision of a first one of said plurality of control signals for initially increasing the torque exerted by each of said vehicle cars; and

signal means, in a given vehicle car, including an electronically controlled series conduction path between said given vehicle car and a second vehicle car with a second one of said plurality of bistable devices being included in said series conduction path and being responsive to a second one of said plurality of control signals being at a first predetermined step of signal level for changing the state of said second one of said bistable devices for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car, said signal means being responsive to said second one of said plurality of control signals being at a second predetermined level for changing the condition of said series conduction path from open to closed for transmitting said second one of said plurality of control signals from said given vehicle car to said second vehicle car for increasing the torque exerted by said second vehicle car.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the remaining bistable devices in each vehicle car changes state for increasing torque in response to a third one of said control signals being provided and said second one of said bistable devices having previously changed state for increasing torque.

4. In a control system for selectively increasing and decreasing the torque exerted by each of a plurality of vehicle cars operative as a vehicle train, each such vehicle car having individual vehicle car drive means controlled by a plurality of bistable devices, the combination comprising:

control means for providing a plurality of control signals to each of said vehicle cars;

a first one of said plurality of bistable devices on each of said vehicle cars being responsive to the provision of a first one of said plurality of control signals for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for initially increasing the torque exerted by each of the respective vehicle cars; and

signal means, in a given vehicle car including an electronically controlled series conduction path between said given vehicle car and a second vehicle car, with a second one of said plurality of bistable devices in said given vehicle car being included in said series conduction path and being responsive to a second one of said plurality of control signals for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car, said signal means in said given vehicle car being responsive to said second one of said plurality of control signals being at a predetermined step of signal level for changing the condition of said series condduction path from open to closed for applying said second one of said plurality of control signals to said second vehicle car.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 including a third one of said plurality of bistable devices on said given vehicle car being responsive to either one of (a) a third one of said plurality of control signals or (b) said first one of said plurality of control signals and said second one of said plurality bistable devices being in the second bistable state, for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 including a fourth one of said plurality of bistable devices on said given vehicle car being responsive to said third one of said plurality of control signals and said second one of said plurality of bistable devices being in the second bistable state, for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6 including a fourth one of said plurality of control signals, which functions as a holding signal and is applied to said third and fourth ones of said plurality of bistable devices when said third and fourth ones of said plurality of bistable devices are respectively in the second bisTable state for maintaining said bistable devices in the second bistable state.

8. The combination claimed in claim 4 including a third one of said plurality of bistable devices on said given vehicle car being responsive to a third one of said plurality of control signals for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car.

9. The combination claimed in claim 8 including a fourth one of said plurality of bistable devices on said given vehicle car being responsive to a fourth one of said plurality of control signals for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car, and including means for maintaining said fourth bistable device in said second bistable state in response to said first one of said plurality of control signals and either one of said second or third ones of said plurality of bistable devices, being in the second bistable state.

10. The combination claimed in claim 9 including a fifth one of said plurality of bistable devices on said given vehicle car being responsive to (a) said fourth one of said plurality of control signals and (b) said second and third ones of said plurality of bistable devices being concurrently in the second bistable state, for changing from a first bistable state to a second bistable state for further increasing the torque exerted by said given vehicle car.

11. The combination claimed in claim 10 including means for maintaining said fifth one of said plurality of bistable devices in said second bistable state in response to either one of said second and third ones of said plurality of bistable devices being in the second bistable state.