Model railroad reversing motor control system

• US 5,184,048 A
• Filed: 02/14/1990
• Issued: 02/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick E Severson, Patrick A Quinn
• Original Assignee: Frederick E Severson, Patrick A Quinn
• Inventors: Severson, Frederick E., Quinn, Patrick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wysocki, A. Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US07/480,078
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 318/616-618, 318/280-286, 318/581, 318/651, 318/696, 318/685, 318/721, 318/823, 318/256, 318/777, 318/776, 318/587, 340/825.57, 340/825.65, 340/825.68, 340/825.69, 361/3, 361/4, 361/5
• US Class Current: 318/280
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/24 Electric toy railways; Systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0001 using modification of a parameter of the network power signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

An electronic control system for model railroads incorporates a motor control unit, an electronic state generator that generates particular operating state signals and a remote control signal generator that multiplies the number of remote control effects that would be available from the remote control signals alone.

Claims

1. A reversing motor control circuit for use in a model train system having a track coupled to an interruptable electric power source for providing a track power signal, the circuit comprising:

input means for receiving the track power signal;

a pair of flip-flop circuits interconnected to form a clocked ring counter for indicating a present state that is one of a predetermined sequential series of states, the counter having a clock input for receiving a clocking signal to change the present state to a next one of the series of states;

clocking means coupled to the input means and to the clock input for providing the clocking signal to change the counter state to a next one of the series of states in response to an interruption in the track power signal having a duration of at least a predetermined clocking period;

a first logic gate coupled to the counter to decode the flip-flop outputs to form a forward signal;

a second logic gate coupled to the counter to decode the flip-flop outputs to form a reverse signal; and

power control means coupling the input means to the motor and responsive to the forward signal for driving the motor in a forward direction and responsive to the reverse signal for driving the motor in a reverse direction.

2. A circuit according to claim 1 including:

DC power supply coupled to the input means for providing a DC signal having a predetermined supply signal voltage level for powering the power control means; and

disconnect means for disconnecting the power control means from the DC power supply responsive to an interruption in the track power signal to maintain the supply signal voltage level while track power is removed.

3. A circuit according to claim 2 in which:

the DC power supply includes rectifier means coupled to the input means for providing a DC signal and a filter capacitor coupled to the rectifier means to filter the DC signal to form the supply signal; and

the disconnect means includes switch means for disconnecting the power control means from the filter capacitor responsive to the interruption in the track power signal.

4. A circuit according to claim 2 in which the disconnect means includes:

a transistor coupled between the power control means and the DC power supply, the transistor having a control terminal coupled to the input means for maintaining the transistor in an ON state to couple the power control means to the input means while track power is applied at the input means; and

means coupled to the control terminal for biasing the transistor to an OFF state when track power is removed.

13. A circuit according to claim 2 further comprising:

reset means coupled to the input means and to the counter for resetting the counter to a predetermined state in response to an interruption in the track power signal in the range of approximately 1.5 to 3 seconds.

5. A reversing motor control circuit for use in a model train system having a track coupled to an interruptable electric power source for providing a track power signal, the circuit comprising:

input means for receiving the track power signal;

a clocked ring counter for indicating a present state that is one of a predetermined sequential series of states including a forward state, a neutral state and a reverse state, the counter having a clock input for receiving a clocking signal to change the present state to a next one of the series of states;

clocking means coupled to the input means and to the clock input for providing the clocking signal to change the counter state to a next one of the series of states in response to an interruption in the track power signal having a duration of at least a predetermined clocking period;

power control means coupling the input means to the motor and responsive to the states of the counter for driving the motor in a forward direction when the present state is the forward state and for driving the motor in a reverse direction when the present state is the reverse state; and

reset means coupled to the input means and to the counter for resetting the counter to a predetermined one of the series of states responsive to an interruption in the track power signal having a duration of at least a predetermined reset period that is longer than the clocking period.

6. A circuit according to claim 5 in which:

the reset means includes a first R-C network coupled to the input means for providing a first voltage signal that decays while track power is removed;

the clocking means includes a second R-C network coupled to the input means for providing a second voltage signal that decays while track power is removed; and

including;

a first Schmidt trigger logic gate coupled to the first R-C network to provide a reset signal after the first voltage signal decays to a logical low voltage level and then rises above a logical high voltage level; and

a second Schmidt trigger logic gate coupled to the second R-C network to provide a clocking signal after the second voltage signal decays to a logical low voltage level and then rises above a logical high voltage level;

the first and second logic gates being coupled to the counter for resetting and clocking the counter, respectively, whereby the reset means and the clocking means operate independently of each other.

7. A circuit according to claim 6 including:

DC power supply coupled to the input means for providing a DC signal having a predetermined supply signal voltage level for powering the power control means and the logic gates; and

disconnect means for disconnecting the power control means from the DC power supply responsive to an interruption in the track power signal to maintain the supply signal voltage level while track power is removed, whereby the logic gates respond correctly when track power is restored.

8. A circuit according to claim 5 including:

DC power supply means coupled to the input means for converting the track power signal to a DC signal;

the power control means being coupled to the DC power supply means to receive the DC signal; and

including

disconnect means for disconnecting the power control means from the DC power supply responsive to an interruption in the track power signal to minimize power drain when the track power signal is removed.

9. A remote object for use in a model train system including a track coupled to a source of electric power for providing a track power signal, the remote object comprising:

an AC motor;

input means for receiving the track power signal;

a relay coupling the input means to the AC motor, the relay having a coil for actuating the relay; and

a DC current source, coupled between the input means and the relay coil for powering the relay coil, thereby reducing relay chatter at low track power signal voltages.

10. A circuit according to claim 9 in which the dc current source includes:

a bias source;

a dc power supply; and

a transistor having a output terminal coupled to the relay coil, an input terminal coupled to the dc power supply and a control terminal coupled to the bias source.

11. A reversing motor control circuit for driving a motor in a remote object on a track, the circuit comprising:

input means for receiving a track power signal;

state means for indicating a present state that is one of a predetermined series of states including a forward state, a neutral state and a reverse state, the state means having a clock input for clocking the logic means to the next one of the series of states;

a reset timing means for resetting the state means to the neutral state after completion of a predetermined reset period;

a clocking timing means for clocking the state means after completion of a predetermined clocking period;

the reset timing means and the clocking timing means each coupled to the input means to begin the reset period and begin the clocking period responsive to an interruption in the track power signal, whereby operation of the state means is controlled by interrupting the track power signal.

12. A reversing motor control circuit for driving a motor in a remote object on a track, the circuit comprising:

state generator means for indicating a present state that is one of a predetermined series of states including a forward state, a neutral state, and a reverse state; and

means responsive to a remote operating effect signal for switching the motor control circuit into a locked mode to inhibit the state generator means from changing state while allowing interruption in the track power signal.