Method of determining maximum service brake reduction

• US 6,487,488 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Original Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Inventors: Peterson, Edmund R. Jr., Hawthorne, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/877,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/19, 701/20, 303/32, 303/33, 303/15, 303/16, 246/182.R, 246/182.A, 246/182.B, 246/182.C, 246/187.C
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/665 the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems B60T13/662 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 15/22 with one or more auxiliary valves, for braking, releasing, filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles

Abstract

A method of and a system for determining a maximum brake pipe service reduction in the brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller. The method includes determining the status of the brake system throughout the train and determining a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller, using the status of the brake system, above which further reduction will not result in further brake application in the train. The determined maximum brake pipe reduction is displayed by itself or in combination with the brake pipe reduction produced by the brake pipe controller and/or used for automatic control.

Claims

1. A method of determining maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining status of the pneumatic brake on the cars through out the train; and

determining, using the status of the pneumatic brakes, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller above which further reduction will not result in further brake application in the train.

2. A method according to claim 1, including displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the status includes determining equalization pressure of the pneumatic brake at each car.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein determining the equalization pressure for each car is determined as a function of the pressures and volumes of a reservoir and a brake cylinder of each car.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein determining the maximum brake pipe reduction includes determining the minimum determined car equalization pressure in the brake system, and determining the maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller using the minimum determined car equalization pressure.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the status includes determining equalization pressure of the pneumatic brake at each car;

and determining the maximum brake pipe reduction includes determining the minimum determined car equalization pressure in the brake system and using the minimum determined car equalization pressure and brake pipe regulation pressure.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the status includes determining a minimum equalization pressure of the brake system;

and the maximum brake pipe reduction is determined using the minimum car equalization pressure.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the maximum brake pipe reduction is determined using the minimum car equalization pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is greater than a pressure value and using the pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is less than the pressure value.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the pressure value is set to a minimum pressure value required for emergency operation of the braking system.

10. A method according to claim 1, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and indicating if the requested brake pipe reduction is more than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

11. A method according to claim 1, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and displaying the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

12. A method according to claim 10, including controlling the brake pipe controller to the displayed brake pipe reduction.

13. A method according to claim 1, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and controlling the brake pipe controller to the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the brake pipe controller is in a locomotive of the train and the method is performed on a computer in the locomotive.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the status of the brake system is determined using train brake system modeling.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the status of the pneumatic brakes includes each car reporting the status of the brake system of the car.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the status of the pneumatic brakes includes determining brake cylinder pressure and at least one of reservoir or brake pipe pressure for each car.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is repeated at least after each brake pipe pressure increase.

19. A method of determining maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining equalization pressure of the brake system at each car;

determining the minimum determined car equalization pressure in the brake system; and

determining, using the minimum determined car equalization pressure, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller above which further reduction will not result in further brake application in the train.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein determining the equalization pressure for each car is determined as a function of the pressures and volumes of a reservoir and a brake cylinder of each car.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the maximum brake pipe reduction is determined using the minimum car equalization pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is greater than a pressure value and using the pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is less than the pressure value.

22. A method according to claim 19, including displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

23. A method according to claim 19, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and indicating if the requested brake pipe reduction is more than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

24. A method according to claim 19, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and displaying the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

25. A method according to claim 19, including determining a requested brake pipe reduction;

and controlling the brake pipe controller to the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

26. A method of determining maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining a minimum car equalization pressure of the brake system;

determining a maximum brake pipe reduction using the minimum car equalization pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is greater than a pressure value and using the pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is less than the pressure value.

27. A method according to claim 26, including displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

28. A method of determining maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining a minimum car equalization pressure of the brake system;

determining, using the minimum determined car equalization pressure, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller;

determining a requested brake pipe reduction; and

indicating if the requested brake pipe reduction is more than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

29. A method of displaying maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining a minimum car equalization pressure of the brake system;

determining, using the minimum determined car equalization pressure, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller;

determining a requested brake pipe reduction; and

displaying the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and displaying the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

30. A method of controlling maximum brake pipe reduction in a brake system of a train having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the method comprising:

determining a minimum car equalization pressure of the brake system;

determining, using the minimum determined car equalization pressure, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller;

determining a requested brake pipe reduction; and

controlling the brake pipe controller to the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

31. A locomotive display system for a train including a brake system having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the display system comprising:

a display of brake pipe reduction at the locomotive; and

a display of a maximum brake pipe reduction above which further reduction will not result in further brake application in the train.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the brake pipe reduction is an analog display and the maximum brake pipe reduction is an indication on the analog display.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the brake pipe reduction is also digitally displayed.

34. A system according to claim 31, including means for determining the maximum brake pipe reduction using the brake system status throughout the train.

35. A system according to claim 31, including means for determining a minimum equalization pressure in the brake system and determining the maximum brake pipe reduction using the determined minimum equalization pressure.

36. A system according to claim 35, wherein the means determines the maximum brake pipe reduction using the minimum car equalization pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is greater than a pressure value and using the pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is less than the pressure value.

37. A system according to claim 31, including means for determining the equalization pressure of each car in the train, determining a minimum determined equalization pressure in the brake system, and determining the maximum brake pipe reduction using the determined minimum determined equalization pressure.

38. A system according to claim 31, including means for determining a requested brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

39. A locomotive control system for a train including a brake system having a pneumatic brake on each car connected to a train brake pipe which is controlled by a brake pipe controller, the system comprising:

means for determining a minimum car equalization pressure of the brake system;

means for determining, using the minimum determined car equalization pressure, a maximum brake pipe reduction for the brake pipe controller;

means for determining a requested brake pipe reduction; and

means for controlling the brake pipe controller to the determined maximum brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is greater than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction and controlling the brake pipe controller to the requested brake pipe reduction if the requested brake pipe reduction is less than the determined maximum brake pipe reduction.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein the means for determining a maximum brake pipe reduction uses the minimum car equalization pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is greater than a pressure value and uses the pressure if the minimum car equalization pressure is less than the pressure value.