Method, system, and computer software code for detection and isolation of electrical ground failure and secondary failure

• US 7,746,604 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McNally, Christopher Wade, Kumar, Ajith K., Worden, Bret Dwayne, Brown, Theodore Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): KITOV, ZEEV V
• Application Number:
  US11/533,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42, 361/23, 361/31, 361/103
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system including a first series of resistors connected in series, a second series of resistors connected in series, a blower cross to at least one of the first series of resistors and the second series of resistors, a sensor proximate at least one of the first series of resistors, the second series of resistors, and the blower, wherein each individual resistor in the first series connected in parallel to an individual resistor in the second series, and wherein when at least one of a current value, blower speed, and voltage value changes, the grid network is disconnected.

Claims

1. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system comprising:

a resistor forming a grid network;

a blower connected to the resistor;

a sensor proximate the blower to measure a value associated with the blower;

wherein when the measured value is outside of a specific range, the grid network is disconnected; and

wherein the measured value comprises blower speed.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprises a second resistor wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are connected in at least one of series and parallel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the measured value of the blower comprises at least one of blower speed, blower current, and blower voltage.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the blower is cross connected between the first resistor and the second resistor.

5. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system comprising:

(a) a first series of resistors connected in series;

(b) a second series of resistors connected in series;

(c) a blower cross connected between the first series of resistors and the second series of resistors;

(d) a sensor connected in series with the blower to monitor a measurable value; and

(e) wherein when the measurable value monitored by the sensor is outside of a specified range, the grid network is disconnected.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the sensor is at least one of a current sensor and a voltage sensor.

7. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower connected to the resistor grid network as part of a braking system a method for determining at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the method comprising:

sensing a blower speed associated with the blower; and

at least one of minimizing power and discontinuing power supplied to the grid network when the blower speed is outside of a specific range.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the resistor grid network comprises one resistor.