Patent Application
20050183627
The present invention relates to a system for the secondary suspension of a superstructure in the case of a rail vehicle, having a hydropneumatic spring unit as an active spring element which is placed between the superstructure and a bogie arranged below it and which ensures at least one raised traveling level NF for the superstructure when the rail vehicle is traveling.
In addition to a secondary suspension used for the increase of comfort in the conveyance of passengers, a rail vehicle normally also has a primary suspension. The primary suspension acts between the wheel axles of the rail vehicle and the bogie and is used predominantly for absorbing hard shocks to which the rail vehicle is subjected during its travel as a result of an uneven rail guidance and the like. In contrast, a secondary suspension between a superstructure and railborne bogie of a rail vehicle is used particularly for the additional vibration isolation of the superstructure in order to permit a particularly comfortable travel by means of the rail vehicle when conveying passengers. In many cases, the secondary suspension also interacts with a roll control for the superstructure.
From European Patent Document EP 0 690 802 B1, a secondary suspension for a rail vehicle is known which is constructed in the manner of a hydropneumatic suspension. The secondary suspension is achieved by means of a hydraulic cylinder whose pressure chamber is connected with a hydropneumatic pressure accumulator. By way of the gas volume of the hydropneumatic pressure accumulator, a vertical spring effect is achieved. Furthermore, the hydraulic cylinder is equipped with a pendulum support which forms a part of the piston rod which having a joint at the upper end. During transverse movements, the pendulum support swings out, its end rolling on a corresponding surface. Since the radius of the end surface of the pendulum support is larger than the distance of the joint from its supporting surface, a restoring moment takes place during transverse movements which, as a result of the constant distance of the joint from the supporting surface, is independent of the spring excursion.
It is generally known to use conventional steel springs for the secondary suspension in the simplest case, in addition to a pneumatic suspension or hydropneumatic suspension. The superstructure is normally cushioned with respect to the bogie by way of two such passive spring elements, in which case the bogie normally carries a pair of wheel axles which establish the contact with the rail.
However, when a secondary suspension is constructed by means of steel springs as passive spring elements, the problem arises that the superstructure level may change as a function of the loading. In the sense of the present patent application, the superstructure level is the vertical level of the superstructure relative to the bogie or to the ground.
From European Patent Document EP 0 663 877 B1, a system for the secondary suspension is known which avoids this problem in that no steel springs are used for the secondary suspension, but the secondary suspension is implemented by way of a hydropneumatic spring unit. The hydropneumatic spring unit consists of a spring leg and of a hydropneumatic pressure accumulator. These assemblies carry out the function of cushioning the superstructure as well as the function of damping the spring excursions. The spring leg is fastened on the superstructure and on the bogie. During a spring excursion, the piston in the spring leg displaces a defined oil volume. In the hydropneumatic pressure accumulator connected with the spring leg, this oil volume acts against a gas cushion which is separated from the oil volume by a membrane and is therefore used as a springy element. The hydraulic fluid as the liquid column therefore takes over the function of the power transmission. Vehicle vibrations during the travel are damped by means of the nozzles housed in a nozzle block. As the load of the superstructure increases, the gas volume in the hydropneumatic accumulators is compressed. Without any level control system, this would result in a lowering of the superstructure, as in the case of the above-described passive spring element. However, in order to avoid this lowering, the reduction of the gas volume has to be compensated by feeding a corresponding amount of hydraulic fluid. For this purpose, the level control system is provided which carries out this compensation as a function of the distance between the superstructure and the bogie measured by means of a level sensor. The controlling of level changes takes place continuously and with little time delay while the vehicle is stopped. During the travel, the mean vehicle level is also continuously monitored and compensated.
In certain application cases, it is defined that, in addition to a raised traveling level NF, the superstructure also has to take up a station platform level NB level which is below it and which, in a lowered position of the superstructure matches the door steps of the rail vehicles with the height of the station platform, so that an entering and exiting becomes possible without steps. Furthermore, it has to be provided that, despite such a lowered station platform level NB, in the case of a system failure in the station, the superstructure of the rail vehicle, while being operated independently and manually, can also be brought to an emergency level NN situated above, for resuming the travel. Furthermore, it is to be provided that, in the event of a system failure, the superstructure of the rail vehicle, during the travel, is not lowered from the raised traveling level NF to below the emergency level NN.
Despite the system failure, this emergency level NN situated between the lowered station platform level NB and the raised traveling level NF permits an at least slow continued traveling of the rail vehicle.
In the case of the known system for the secondary suspension with an active level control system, an emergency level NN, starting from a traveling level NF, however, can be adjusted only if sufficient storage pressure is still present in the storage accumulator and the assigned valve is operated manually. Thus, an emergency level NN does not have to be ensured under all circumstances.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for the secondary suspension by means of which, despite a system failure, under all conditions, the superstructure, when stopped, can take up an emergency level NN from a lowered station platform level NB and, in the event of a system failure, during the travel, the superstructure is not lowered below the emergency level NN from the raised traveling level NF.
Based on a system according to the preamble of claim 1, this object is achieved in conjunction with its characterizing features. The following dependent claims reflect advantageous further developments of the invention.
The invention includes the technical teaching that, by way of a hydropneumatic spring unit as an active spring element in the normal operation, in addition to the raised traveling level NF, a lowered station platform level NB can be adjusted for the superstructure, additionally at least one emergency spring cylinder being provided which, when the system fails, ensures an emergency operation by means of an emergency spring level NN situated in-between. In this case, on the one hand, the emergency spring level NN, in the event of a system failure, can be adjusted by an automatic moving-out of the emergency spring cylinder. On the other hand, it is also conceivable as an alternative, that the emergency spring level NN occurs in the event of a system failure by way of the already moved-out emergency spring cylinder which therefore is already in readiness.
It is an advantage of the solution according to the invention that the advantages of an active secondary suspension with respect to the flexible adjustment of different superstructure levels is connected with a passively functioning solution or an emergency operation which permits at least a slow continued traveling of the rail vehicle. In principle, the emergency suspension is automatically activated when the system pressure decreases. During stoppage times, that is, in the area of the station stop, this has the effect that the superstructure can reach a higher emergency spring level NN from the lower station platform level NB.
According to a preferred embodiment, the emergency spring cylinder consists of a hydraulic tension cylinder whose piston can be moved out by means of a pressure spring. The force exercised by the pressure spring in the tensioned condition upon the piston is stored by a rearward admission of pressure medium to the piston. When this rearward pressure decreases, the piston of the tension cylinder carries out the move-out motion as a result of the now predominant spring force.
A particularly space-saving arrangement is achieved in that the pressure spring is produced of steel in the manner of a coil spring which coaxially surrounds the tension cylinder. As a result of this arrangement of the pressure spring, which is exposed to the outside, the applicable spring force can be maximized because of the large diameter. Simultaneously, the components of the tension cylinder, which can be moved relative to one another, are protected by the pressure spring surrounding them.
With respect to the flow of force, the emergency spring cylinder can be connected parallel or in series to the hydropneumatic spring unit in order to achieve the effect according to the invention.
In the case of a parallel connection, the emergency spring cylinder can be arranged to be acting locally next to the hydropneumatic spring unit between the superstructure and the bogie. This side-by-side arrangement has the advantage that, in the case of existing secondary suspensions with a hydropneumatic spring unit as an active spring element, a retrofitting can take place in a simple manner by adding the emergency spring cylinder in order to permit an emergency operation in the case of the concerned rail vehicles.
As an alternative, it is also conceivable to constructively implement the solution according to the invention such that the emergency spring cylinder coaxially surrounds the hydropneumatic spring unit and is disengaged in the normal operation, the emergency spring cylinder being used in the emergency operation. This embodiment of a parallel connection represents a particularly space-saving solution because little space is required for installing the secondary suspension according to the invention. Another advantage consists of the fact that, also in the emergency operation, parts of the hydropneumatic spring unit continue to participate in the power transmission; that is, they do not remain completely unutilized in comparison with the above-explained embodiment.
A measure further improving the latter embodiment consists of the fact that, for the emergency operation, the hydropneumatic spring unit is vertically guided by means of a coaxial upper pin by way of a corresponding recess on the side of the superstructure. Naturally, it is also conceivable to arrange the guiding elements in a reverse manner, so that a pin is arranged on the side of the undercarriage, which pin is vertically guided in a corresponding recess on the side of the hydropneumatic spring unit or the like.
A series connection of the emergency spring cylinder and the hydropneumatic spring unit according to the flow of force is preferably implemented in that both constructional units are arranged behind one another in the flow of force and therefore act simultaneously. For reaching the lowered station platform level NB for the superstructure, an additional action upon the tension cylinder takes place in order to compress the pressure spring. In this embodiment, a difference is made in the normal operation between the operation when traveling and the operation when stopped, that is, at the station platform. During travel, the hydropneumatic spring unit acts in series with the steel spring of the tension cylinder; that is, the tension cylinder is pressureless and the steel spring can oscillate. In contrast, at the station platform, the steel spring is compressed by the action upon the tension cylinder in order to implement a lowering of the rail vehicle to the station platform level NB. If the hydropneumatic spring unit fails (system failure), the steel spring takes over the secondary suspension. The flow of force is created by the direct contact of the piston and the cylinder of the hydropneumatic spring unit in the end stop position, whereby the spring rigidity is also increased in the case of a corresponding design. It is an advantage of this solution that the transverse suspension is maintained as a result of the series arrangement. In contrast to the above-described embodiments, here the steel spring of the emergency suspension is always positioned correctly, so that there are no take-over problems with respect to the latter.
The automatic moving-out of the piston of the emergency spring cylinder preferably takes place as a result of the pressure drop. As an alternative, it is also conceivable that, in the normal operation, the piston of the emergency spring cylinder remains moved-out while being disengaged, the hydropneumatic spring unit ensuring the traveling level NF, and that, after an activating of unlocking devices, the piston can at least partially be lowered inside a pot-shaped cylinder housing surrounding it. This has the effect that also the lowered station platform level NB can be reached. In the event of a system failure during the travel, the normally closed unlocking devices ensure the moved-out position of the piston of the emergency spring cylinder so that the emergency level NN is ensured by way of the emergency spring cylinder. In the event of a system failure in the station, that is, during a stoppage, pressure has to be applied by way of another circuit. This can be achieved by means of a manual operation or by means of the pressure medium stored in an additional storage device.
In the above-described embodiment, the piston of the emergency spring cylinder should consist of at least one piston sleeve telescopically displaceable against a spring force into the piston in order to ensure the spring deflection along the required spring travel. A high spring force can be generated in that an elastomer element is coaxially surrounded by a coil spring made of spring steel. By means of this embodiment, particularly high spring forces can be implemented for a secondary suspension so that a multiple arrangement of emergency spring cylinders for the secondary suspension for ensuring the emergency operation can possibly be avoided.
It may also be conceivable to completely eliminate the hydropneumatic spring unit in this embodiment. The reason is that the emergency spring cylinder of this embodiment can also be used directly for the level control by way of the admission of pressure medium to the pressure chamber. This will then be a type of vertically adjustable emergency spring which is locked in the moved-out position of the piston and to this extent takes over the function of the secondary spring in the normal operation as well as of the emergency spring in the emergency operation.
The system according to the invention for the secondary suspension having a hydropneumatic spring unit as well as an emergency spring cylinder which can be acted upon by a pressure medium can be operated by means of a single hydraulic circuit or by means of two separate hydraulic circuits. In the case of a single hydraulic circuit, the hydropneumatic spring unit as well as the emergency spring cylinder can be supplied with pressure medium therefrom. However, the minimal dynamic pressure in a hydraulic accumulator should be sufficiently dimensioned such that the pressure spring of the emergency spring cylinder can be kept in the compressed condition. In contrast, in the case of two hydraulic circuits, one hydraulic circuit is assigned to the hydropneumatic spring unit, and the other hydraulic circuit is assigned to the emergency spring cylinder. The advantage of two hydraulic circuits is in particular that different operating pressures can also be provided for the two circuits, which results in constructive freedom with respect to the design and dimensioning of the pressure medium aggregates.
The hydropneumatic spring unit should preferably comprise a pendulum support so that transverse movements between the superstructure and the bogie are permitted and restoring forces are applied for centering the superstructure.
In order to implement an active level control between the raised traveling level NF and the lowered station platform level NB, in addition, a level sensor is provided for measuring the actual distance between the superstructure and the bogie, which level sensor operates as an actual value generator and transmits the electrical measuring signals to an electronic control unit comprising a regulating unit which generates corresponding adjusting signals for the valve control of the hydraulic circuits based on defined desired values, so that the desired superstructure level can be adjusted by way of the latter. This normally takes place by way of the hydropneumatic spring unit.
Further measures improving the invention will be indicated in the following together with the description of preferred embodiments of the invention.
a is a view of the system according to
In view of
As a result, the superstructure 1 is raised to an upper traveling level NF during the normal travel of the rail vehicle. In this position, the maximal spring excursion is ensured for maximum comfort. While the rail vehicle stops at the station platform, the superstructure 1 is lowered to a lower station platform level NB. At this station platform level NB, the passengers of the rail vehicle can comfortably walk onto a relatively lower station platform without having to walk over a step.
In addition to the hydropneumatic spring unit 3, an emergency spring cylinder 8 is provided locally next to it. The emergency spring cylinder 8 becomes active only in the event of a system failure—that is, when there is a falling below a minimum pressure in the hydraulic circuit I—and, in this case, ensures an emergency operation for the rail vehicle as a result of the automatic moving-out of a piston 9. During this emergency operation, the rail vehicle can still be moved at least at a low speed. In the emergency operation, an emergency spring level NN is held by means of the emergency spring cylinder 8, which emergency spring level NN is situated between the raised traveling level NF and the lowered station platform level NB.
In this embodiment, the emergency spring cylinder 8 consists of a hydraulic tension cylinder 9, whose piston 9 can be moved out by means of a pressure spring 11. Here, the pressure spring 11 is constructed of steel in the manner of a coil spring and coaxially surrounds the tension cylinder 9.
Thus, with respect to the flow of force, the emergency spring cylinder 8 is switched parallel to the hydropneumatic spring unit 3 in this embodiment. In the illustrated position of the piston 9 of the emergency spring cylinder 8, the secondary suspension is in the normal operation during travel. This means that the tension cylinder 9 is acted upon by pressure from the hydraulic circuit II, so that the pressure spring 11 is compressed and, at this point, the emergency spring cylinder 8 does not become operative.
In a modification according to
According to
In another embodiment according to
In the emergency operation, according to
The embodiment according to
In another embodiment according to
For taking up the lowered station platform level NB, the piston 9′″ can be lowered inside a pot-shaped cylinder housing 14, as illustrated in
In the event of a system failure, thus, in the emergency operation, the normally closed unlocking devices 13, which can be unlocked by way of the hydraulic circuit II, ensure the moved-out position of the piston 9″, as illustrated in
The embodiment according to
In the normal operation during travel, the circuit II is pressureless. The secondary suspension takes place by way of the hydropneumatic circuit I. Depending on the adjustment of the pressures, it can be achieved that the pressure spring 11′″ stands still or participates in the suspension in the normal operation.
With respect to its implementation, the present invention is not limited to the above-described four concrete embodiments. On the contrary, modifications thereof are also conceivable which use the teaching of the claims which follow. Thus, it is also conceivable to use also a single hydraulic circuit besides a preferred separate admission of pressure medium to the hydropneumatic spring unit and the emergency spring cylinder by way of separate hydraulic circuits. However, in that case, the valve wiring would have to be correspondingly adapted. For ensuring a transition from the normal operation to the emergency operation that is as smooth as possible, the solution according to the invention provides that the pressure control of the hydraulic circuit II is analyzed by the level detection of the sensor or the analysis of pressure gradient courses and is controlled correspondingly with respect to time.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103 60 516.9 | Dec 2003 | DE | national |
