Abstract:
A brake arrangement of a railway vehicle includes an electrical brake device having an electronic brake controller and having an electro-pneumatic regulator with a pressure sensor. An emergency brake device has a pressure reducer in series with a valve device. A shuttle valve device is also present at a pneumatic output of the electrical pneumatic braking device and a pneumatic output of the emergency brake system and is connected at the inputs thereof. The output of the valve device is connected to a control valve device connected upstream of a brake cylinder. The brake arrangement can be a direct braking arrangement and can be converted in a simple manner to an indirect braking arrangement. The valve device is an electromagnetic emergency stop valve working according to the principle of de-energizing to close, and the pressure sensor of the electro-pneumatic regulator is connected to the output of the shuttle valve device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a brake arrangement of a rail vehicle, comprising an electrical brake device having an electronic brake control and having an electropneumatic regulator which has a pressure sensor, comprising an emergency brake device having a pressure reducer in series with a valve device, comprising a shuttle valve device, which with its inputs is connected up to a pneumatic output of the electrical brake device and to a pneumatic output of the emergency brake device, and with its output is connected to a control valve device arranged upstream of a brake cylinder. 
     A brake arrangement of this type can be gleaned from the introductory part of the description of German patent specification DE 10 206 018 554 B3. In this known brake arrangement, the valve device of the emergency brake device consists of a brake valve and a release valve, as well as a control valve, which are activated by a dedicated electrical brake application circuit and brake release circuit. The pressure sensor of the electropneumatic regulator is connected up with its pressure input to the output of the electrical brake device and lies with its power output on the electronic brake control. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to propose a brake arrangement which is able to be produced comparatively simply as a direct brake arrangement and is configured such that it can be easily remodeled into an indirect brake arrangement. 
     For the achievement of this object, in a brake arrangement of the above-specified type, according to the invention, the valve device is an electromagnetic emergency brake valve operating according to the closed-circuit principle, and the pressure sensor of the electropneumatic regulator is connected up to the output of the shuttle valve device. 
     One advantage of the inventive brake device consists in the fact that the valve device of the emergency brake device is constructed with a single valve in the form of an emergency brake valve operating according to the closed-circuit principle, which thus requires only one activation. A further advantage is seen in the fact that, by the pressure sensor connected up to the output of the shuttle valve device, the pilot pressure at the control valve device is registered and hence an appropriate current for controlling the electronic brake control of the inventive brake arrangement can be used. 
     In the case of an emergency braking, this allows the emergency braking pressure to be increased to above the pressure present at the output of the emergency brake device by correspondingly higher pressurization of the shuttle valve device via the electropneumatic regulator, so that the emergency brake pressure is increased. 
     In the inventive brake device, the shuttle valve device can be differently configured, for instance it can consist of a single shuttle valve, as can be seen, per se, from the above-stated patent specification. The inventive brake arrangement in this case constitutes a direct brake arrangement. 
     Based on the above, an indirect brake arrangement, where necessary, can advantageously be obtained if the shuttle valve device contains a first and a second shuttle valve and the inputs of the first shuttle valve form the inputs of the shuttle valve device and the output of the first shuttle valve is connected to an input of the second shuttle valve; the second input of the second shuttle valve is connected up to an output of a control valve connected to the main air line of the brake arrangement and the output of the second shuttle valve forms the output of the shuttle valve device. Within the scope of the invention, only a control valve which is normally provided for use in indirect brake arrangements, and a further shuttle valve for the shuttle valve device, are required in order to obtain an indirect brake arrangement. 
     According to the invention, there is thus to some extent created a type of modular system, in which, in a basic version having a single shuttle valve, a direct brake arrangement is producible and, through the addition of a second shuttle valve and a control valve, an indirect brake arrangement is creatable. This is of advantage in production engineering terms. 
     In the inventive brake arrangement, the shuttle valves can be differently configured; it is regarded as particularly advantageous if the shuttle valves are double check valves, because these are widely used and thus inexpensive. 
     The inventive brake arrangement can also be differently designed with respect to the control valve device. In an advantageous embodiment, the control valve device is a relay valve, with which the small volumetric flow supplied to this relay is converted into a large volumetric flow, as is necessary for the pressurization of the brake cylinders. 
     If the respective loading of the rail vehicle is to be taken into account in the braking, then, in the inventive brake arrangement, there is advantageously provided a second pressure sensor, which is subjected to the load pressure of the rail vehicle and delivers a corresponding control current to the brake control, so that this then generates at the output of the electropneumatic regulator a pressure dependent on the load pressure, which pressure is relayed via the shuttle valve to the input of the relay valve and is there converted into a corresponding brake pressure for the brake cylinders. 
     Where appropriate, it is also advantageous, however, if the control valve device is a load brake relay valve. In this case, the load pressure is taken into account by the load brake relay valve itself and an appropriate brake pressure for the brake cylinders generated. 
     The brake arrangement according to the invention is also distinguished by the fact that, when the emergency brake device is activated, the brake cylinder pressure can be increased, but not reduced, by the electrical brake device. 
     In addition, in the event of a differential pressure in the main air line greater than 1.5 bar, and the thereby generated pilot pressure of the control valve can advantageously be increased, but not reduced, by the electrical brake device. 
     For further illustration of the invention, 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows an illustrative embodiment of the inventive brake arrangement as a direct brake arrangement having a shuttle valve and a load brake relay valve, 
         FIG. 2  shows a further illustrative embodiment of the inventive brake arrangement likewise in the form of a direct brake arrangement having a shuttle valve and a relay valve, 
         FIG. 3  shows an illustrative embodiment of the inventive brake arrangement as an indirect brake arrangement having two shuttle valves and a load brake relay valve, and 
         FIG. 4  shows a further illustrative embodiment as an indirect brake arrangement having two shuttle valves and a relay valve. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 1  shows a brake arrangement of a rail vehicle (not represented), comprising an electrical brake device  1  containing an electronic brake control  2 . Connected up to the brake control  2  is an electropneumatic regulator  3 . The electropneumatic regulator  3  has a vent valve  4  and a stop valve  5 . Connected up to an output A 1  of the electropneumatic regulator  3  is an input E 1  of a shuttle valve device  6 , which in the represented illustrative embodiment is formed by a double check valve. 
     A further input E 2  of the shuttle valve device  6  is connected by a connecting line to a pneumatic output A 3  of an emergency brake device  8 . The emergency brake device  8  has a pressure reducer  9 , with which an electromagnetic emergency brake valve  10  is arranged in series. This emergency brake valve  10  operates according to the closed-circuit principle, i.e. it is normally constantly loaded with current and hereby keeps the emergency brake valve closed. The emergency brake valve  10  can be actuated via an emergency brake loop current circuit  11 . 
     An output A 2  of the shuttle valve device  6  is connected to a control valve device in the form of a load brake relay valve  12 , to be precise to one input E 3  thereof; a further input E 4  is pressurized with a load pressure P 1 , so that, in a known manner, a brake cylinder  13  arranged downstream of the load brake relay valve  12  can be subjected to a load-dependent brake pressure. Via a further input E 5 , the load brake relay valve  12  is connected in a customary manner through a line R to the so-called R-container, i.e. the compressed air reservoir, which may be shut off from the main container air line with a check valve. 
     As is also shown by  FIG. 1 , a pressure sensor  14  of the electropneumatic regulator  3  is connected with its pressure input E 6  to the output A 2  of the shuttle valve device  6  or the input E 3  of the load brake relay valve  12 . Via a pressure line  15 , the pressure sensor  14  is thus subjected to a pilot pressure Cv. A corresponding current is fed from the pressure sensor  14  via a line  16  to the brake control  2 . 
     In addition, it should also be pointed out that, for monitoring and load registration purposes, a further pressure sensor  17  is connected up with its pressure input to the input E 4  of the load brake relay valve  12  and is connected with its output, via a line  18 , to the brake control  2 . 
     The brake device represented in  FIG. 1  operates as follows: 
     In a standard service braking, the emergency brake valve  10  is energized, and hence activated, via the emergency brake loop current circuit  11 . This means that the emergency brake valve is shut off and thus a pressure of 0 bar is present at the input E 2  of the shuttle valve device  6 . If a brake set value signal is generated by the train driver, similarly as in the prior art by a master controller (not represented), which signal is evaluated by the vehicle control system, then, via a vehicle bus (not represented), an appropriate set value for the electropneumatic regulator  3  is transmitted to the brake control  2 . This hereupon controls the pilot pressure Cv at the input E 3  of the load brake relay valve  12  with the aid of the stop valve  5  and the vent valve  4 . The pressure in the brake cylinder  13  can here be increased by the energization of the stop valve  5  and vent valve  4  and maintained by the energization of the stop valve  5 ; the pilot pressure Cv is reduced by the de-energization of both valves  4  and  5 . By means of the pressure sensor  14 , the pilot pressure Cv is registered and regulated. The load brake relay valve  12  then converts the pilot pressure Cv, with allowance for the load pressure P 1 , into the pressure in the brake cylinder  13 . Should the brake be released, the stop valve and the vent valve  4  and  5  are no longer energized and the brake cylinder  13  thus becomes pressureless. 
     In the case of an emergency braking, the emergency brake loop current circuit  11  becomes dead, whereby the emergency brake valve  10  drops out, and the emergency brake pressure set by the pressure reducer  9  is let through; at the input E 2  it acts upon the shuttle valve device  6 , whereupon this relays the emergency brake pressure to the load brake relay valve  12 . 
     In addition, the emergency brake pressure, by way of a back-up, is set by the brake control  2  and the electropneumatic regulator  3  by means of the pressure sensor  14 . Any occurring failure of the emergency brake valve  10 , i.e. lingering in the activation setting, can thereby be compensated. Moreover, the possibility exists of deliberately performing with the aid of the electropneumatic regulator  3  an overload, i.e. of delivering to the brake cylinder  13  a brake pressure higher than the emergency brake pressure in the event of an emergency braking. 
     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , a direct brake arrangement is likewise at issue. In  FIG. 2 , elements corresponding to those according to  FIG. 1  are provided with the same reference symbols. 
     Contrary to the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , in the brake arrangement according to  FIG. 2 , a relay valve  20 , instead of a load brake relay valve, is used for the control valve device, which relay valve  20  is connected with its input E 20  to the output A 2  of the shuttle valve device  6 . Downstream of the relay valve  20  is arranged, in turn, the brake cylinder  13 . An input E 21  of the relay valve  20  is also wired up in the same way as already described above in connection with the description of  FIG. 1 . The relay valve  20  converts the small volumetric flow flowing to it from the shuttle valve device  6  into a large volumetric flow, without, however, making an adaptation to the load pressure. In this illustrative embodiment, account is taken of higher load pressure in that the respective load pressure is registered by means of an additional pressure sensor  21  and a corresponding current is fed to the brake control  2 . By means of the electropneumatic regulator  3 , a pressure corresponding to the load pressure is delivered to the shuttle valve device  6 , so that the relay valve  20  then acquires a pressure adapted to the respective weight of the rail vehicle. Consequently, a possibly higher brake pressure is then delivered by the relay valve  20  to the brake cylinder  13 . The emergency brake pressure is here set by the pressure reducer  9  such that, when the rail vehicle is empty, for instance, the brake pressure required for the preset deceleration is generated. 
     In an emergency braking situation, in the event of failure of the electropneumatic regulator  3  or another brake control of the rail vehicle, the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 2  also enables this failure to be compensated, by increasing the brake pressure in another brake control path. 
     The brake arrangement according to  FIG. 2  operates in a similar manner to that according to  FIG. 1 . If a brake set value is generated by the train driver, then a set value for the electropneumatic regulator  3  is transmitted to the brake control  2  via, for instance, the vehicle bus (not represented). The brake control  2  registers the load pressure by virtue of the additional pressure sensor  21  and subsequently calculates the pressure in the pressure cylinder  13  which is required for the set value. After this, the brake control  2  controls the pilot pressure Cv with the aid of the stop valve and vent valve  4  and  5 . This pressure is registered and regulated by means of the pressure sensor  14 . The relay valve  20  then converts the pilot pressure Cv into the brake pressure for the brake cylinder  13 . Only an adaptation of the volumetric flow is carried out. Should the brake be released, the stop valve and the vent valve  4  and  5  are no longer energized and the brake cylinder  13  thus becomes pressureless. 
     In the case of an emergency braking also, the brake arrangement according to  FIG. 2  operates similarly to that according to  FIG. 1 , yet with the difference that, in the event of failure of the emergency brake valve  10 , the emergency brake pressure is adjusted by the brake control  2  and the electropneumatic regulator  3 . In this case, however, the load pressure is registered by the brake control  2  and the emergency brake pressure which is actually required is computed. In the case of a loading of the rail vehicle, with the aid of that pressure of the electropneumatic regulator  3  which has been superimposed by the shuttle valve device  6  the emergency brake pressure is increased to the brake pressure necessary for the deceleration, whereby a load adjustment of the brake pressure is enabled. 
       FIG. 3  shows a brake arrangement according to the invention which acts both as a direct and as an indirect brake. Here too, parts corresponding to those according to  FIGS. 1 and 2  are provided with the same reference symbols. A fundamental difference between the embodiment according to  FIG. 3  and that according to  FIG. 1  consists in the fact that the shuttle valve device  6  here consists of a first shuttle valve  30  and a second shuttle valve  31 . The first shuttle valve  30  is connected with its input E 301  to the output A 1  of the electropneumatic regulator  3  and with its second input E 302  to the output A 3  of the emergency brake device  8 . The output A 30  of the first shuttle valve  30  is connected to one input E 311  of the further shuttle valve  31 , which with its other input E 312  is connected up to the output A 32  of a control valve  32  which is constituted by a valve as is defined, for instance, in UIC leaflets UC541-01, and thus possesses a so-called A-chamber, which stores the maximum pressure in the main air line HL as a reference pressure; the output of the second shuttle valve  31  forms the output of the shuttle valve device  6 . Connected up to the output A 2  of the shuttle valve device  6  are—as already described in connection with FIG.  1 —the pressure sensor  14  and the load brake relay valve  12 . In a further embodiment, the pressure sensor  14  can also be connected up to the output A 1  of the electropneumatic regulator or to the output A 30  of the shuttle valve  30 . 
     In the indirectly operating brake arrangement represented in  FIG. 3 , the brake set value, in addition to the electric signals, is distributed in the rail vehicle via the main air line HL. This is described in the pressureless state, i.e. in order to release a brake, in the main air line HL the pressure must normally measure 5 bar. For braking, this pressure is then lowered and, in the event of a pressure differential of 1.5 bar, the maximum pressure must be reached in the brake cylinder  13 . In order to convert the signal into a brake pressure, the control valve  32  which has already been described above is used, which control valve stores in its A-chamber the maximum pressure in the main air line HL as a reference value. If a pressure differential is recognized by the control valve  32  due to a braking operation, a control pressure is generated at the output A 32  of the control valve  32 . If the pressure differential measures more than 1.5 bar, then 3.8 bar are generated as the control pressure, which, by means of the second shuttle valve  31 , is superimposed on the pressure generated by the electropneumatic regulator  3  and pilots the load brake relay valve  12 . This converts the control pressure, in dependence on the load pressure registered by the further pressure sensor  17 , into a brake pressure in the brake cylinder  13 . 
     In addition, an overloading can here be achieved by generation of an increased pressure with the aid of the electropneumatic regulator  3 . 
     For the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 4 , extensive explanations are no longer necessary with regard to the statements relating to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , in particular with regard to the description of  FIG. 3 , because the indirect brake arrangement represented in  FIG. 4  differs from that according to  FIG. 3  essentially only inasmuch as, instead of a load brake relay valve as the control valve device, a relay valve 
     similar to the relay valve  20  according to  FIG. 2  is used. In this illustrative embodiment, the load pressure is registered with an additional pressure sensor  21  in accordance with  FIG. 2 .