Transducer operational fault determination system

• US 4,979,391 A
• Filed: 02/20/1990
• Issued: 12/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Co (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Standard Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Wood, James A., Drake, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myracle, Jerry W.
• Application Number:
  US07/481,927
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 73/129, 73/121, 73/118.1, 188/1.11, 188/34
• US Class Current: 73/129
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles

Abstract

A dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system including a first logic network which is connected to a low level pressure offset circuit and to an operational transducer to transducer equivalence check circuit. The low level pressure offset circuit is connected to a second logic network. The operational transducer to transducer equivalance check circuit is connected to the first logic network and to an operational transducer to transducer comparison check circuit. The second logic network is connected to a pair of transducer offset test check circuits. The pair of transducer offset test check circuits are connected to a third logic network. The third logic network is connected to a pair of high level transducer fault detector circuits which differentiate between a transducer failure and a dragging and/or stuck brake condition.

Claims

1. A dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system comprising, a first logic network being connected to a low level pressure offset circuit and to an operational transducer to transducer equivalence check circuit, said low level pressure offset circuit being connected to a second logic network, said operational transducer to transducer equivalence check circuit being connected to said first logic network and to an operational transducer to transducer comparison check circuit, said second logic network being connected to a pair of transducer offset test check circuits, said pair of transducer offset test check circuits being connected to a third logic network, said third logic network being connected to a pair of high level transducer fault detector circuits for distinguishing a transducer failure from a faulty dragging and/or stuck brake condition.

2. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said first logic network includes a plurality of AND gates.

3. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of AND gates is a two-input circuit.

4. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said second logic network includes a plurality of AND gates.

5. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of AND gates is a two-input circuit.

6. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said third logic network includes a plurality of OR gates.

7. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of OR gates is a two-input circuit.

8. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said first logic network includes at least six two-input AND gate circuits.

9. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 8, wherein a first AND gate circuit of said six two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal representative of the wheel spin condition of a vehicle and has another logical input signal representative of the operational mode of the vehicle.

10. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 8, wherein a second AND gate circuit of said six two-input AND gate circuits has a logic input signal representative of the snowbrake condition of a vehicle and has another logical input signal representative of the level of force motor current of the vehicle.

11. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 8, wherein a third AND gate circuit of said six two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal representative of the highest axle speed of a vehicle, and has another logical input signal signifying if a previous offset test has occurred during the current cycle.

12. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 11, wherein a fourth AND gate circuit of said six two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal representative of a zero speed condition of the vehicle, and has another logical input signal signifying if the previous offset test has occurred during the current cycle.

13. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 12, wherein a feedback path is connected from said low level pressure offset circuit and from said transducer to transducer equivalence check circuit to said third and fourth AND gate circuits.

14. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said second logic network includes at least four two-input AND gate circuits.

15. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 14, wherein a first AND gate circuit of said four two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal which is dependent upon the axle rate of one truck of a vehicle, and has another logical input signal which is dependent upon the brake cylinder pressure of the one truck of the vehicle.

16. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 15, wherein a second AND gate circuit of said four two-input gate circuits has a logical input signal which is dependent upon the axle rate of another truck of the vehicle, and has another logical input signal which is dependent upon the brake cylinder pressure of another truck of the vehicle.

17. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 16, wherein a fourth AND gate circuit of said four two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal supplied by said first AND gate circuit, and has another logical input signal supplied by said low level pressure offset circuit.

18. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 15, wherein a third AND gate circuit of said four two-input AND gate circuits has a logical input signal supplied by said first AND gate circuit, and has another logical input signal supplied by said low level pressure offset circuit.

19. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 1, wherein said third logic network includes a pair of two-input OR gate circuits.

20. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 19, wherein each of said pair of two-input OR gate circuits receives one logical input signal from said transducer to transducer comparison circuit.

21. The dynamic diagnostic operational transducer fault detection system, as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said pair of two-input OR gate circuits receives another logical input signal from respective ones of said pair of transducer offset circuits.

22. A transducer operational fault determination arrangement for distinguishing between a faulty transducer and a false indication of a dragging and/or stuck brake condition of the braking equipment on a railway vehicle comprising, a multiple-stage AND logic network for receiving a plurality of logical input signals representative of various operating conditions of the railway vehicle, said multiple-stage AND logic network supplying a logical output signal to a low level offset means and supplying a logical output signal to a transducer to transducer equivalence check means, said low level offset circuit supplying a logical input signal to a one pair of AND gate circuits of a plural stage logic network, said transducer to transducer equivalence check means supplying a logical input signal to a transducer to transducer comparison check means, a logical input signal signifying the axle rate of the railway vehicle fed to another pair of AND gate circuits of said plural stage logic network, a logical input signal signifying the cylinder pressure of the railway vehicle fed to said transducer to transducer comparison means and to said another pair of AND gate circuits of said plural stage logic network, said transducer to transducer comparison check means supplying a logic input signal to a pair of OR gates, said one pair of AND gate circuits supplying logical input signals to a pair of transducer offset test check means, said transducer offset test check means supplying logical input signals to said pair of OR gates, and said pair of OR gates supplying logical signals to a pair of high level transducer fault detector means.