Patent Publication Number: US-2021171068-A1

Title: Drive controller of a rail vehicle

Description:
The invention relates to a rail vehicle, in particular a power car (multiple unit) or a locomotive. The invention further relates to an operating facility for a drive controller of a rail vehicle. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for operating a drive controller of a rail vehicle. 
     In rail vehicles, different operating philosophies and systems for driving and braking are used. The operating facility in the driver&#39;s cab of the vehicle typically comprises several operating levers, which are used to control driving and braking functions. Moreover, the vehicle can be operated in different operating modes, such as for example in the “driving/braking” operating mode or in the “tractive force specification/speed specification” operating mode. 
     The operating mode of the rail vehicle is usually set by the vehicle driver on the basis of the timetable and further railway-specific framework conditions. Furthermore, the vehicle driver can select a suitable driving speed on certain track sections. 
     In modern vehicles, an automatic speed controller (ASC) is used as a special on-board facility. The task of the ASC is to accelerate or brake the rail vehicle to a setpoint speed (V setpoint ) preselected by the vehicle driver or permitted by the trackside equipment, and to maintain this speed. To this end, the vehicle driver can specify a speed by means of a V setpoint  actuator. The ASC then automatically sets the required tractive or brake forces. When such an ASC is used, one of the operating levers of the operating facility in the driver&#39;s cab of the vehicle serves as the V setpoint  actuator. 
     The vehicle driver can also select another operating mode, in which the tractive force or the brake force is specified manually. In this case, the permitted driving speed is maintained through the manual adjustment of the tractive or brake forces. For this purpose, a further operating lever of the operating facility in the driver&#39;s cab of the vehicle is embodied as a combined driving/braking lever. This enables the desired tractive or brake force to be specified. 
     The switchover between different operating modes usually takes place via additional operating elements of the operating facility, such as for example mechanical buttons, or via a touch display, for example integrated in an operator console, with which a virtual switch is realized. Depending on the design of the operating facility, it can occur in certain operating modes of the vehicle that only selected operating levers are required for operating the drive controller, while other operating levers of the operating facility are temporarily functionless. 
     Further operating levers can be provided for activating the different brake systems of the rail vehicle, such as for example the hydraulic or pneumatic brakes or the electrodynamic brakes. 
     A rail vehicle known from the prior art comprises driving means and braking means as well as a drive controller for controlling the driving means and braking means in order to influence the driving speed of the rail vehicle. The rail vehicle further comprises an operating facility for the drive controller, wherein the operating facility comprises means for changing the operating mode of the rail vehicle. Moreover, the operating facility comprises an operating lever which can be used by the vehicle driver of the rail vehicle to operate the drive controller. 
     An object of the present invention is to simplify the operation of rail vehicles. This object is achieved by means of the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the subclaims. 
     The advantages and embodiments described below in relation to the rail vehicle according to the invention and the operating facility according to the invention also apply correspondingly to the method according to the invention and vice versa. 
     A core idea of the invention is accordingly to design the drive controller of the rail vehicle in such a way that the function of the operating lever for the drive controller is dependent on the selected, current operating mode of the rail vehicle. In other words, the operating lever fulfills different functions, depending on the operating mode. 
     The invention proposes a reduction in the number of operating levers required through the use of a multifunctional operating lever. Here, the function of the operating lever changes according to the selected operating mode, in other words its meaning for the operation of the drive controller changes. The use of such an operating lever with a functional switchover makes it possible to reduce the number of operating elements required to operate a rail vehicle. As a result, the material costs are reduced and the outlay for the wiring, commissioning and maintenance of the operating elements is lowered. With the help of the invention, it is furthermore possible to exclude a situation where operating levers of the operating facility are temporarily functionless. As a result, both the structure of the operating facility and its operation can be simplified. 
     A key aspect of the invention is that each operating mode switchover also forces a change of function of the operating lever. In other words, the change of operating mode is always associated with a change of function of the operating lever. This preferably takes place in such a way that a functionless state of the operating lever is avoided at all times. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the operating principle of the operating lever remains unchanged despite its different functions for the drive controller. There is therefore no need for the vehicle driver to learn different operating concepts. 
     The change of function of the operating lever depending on the operating mode preferably relates exclusively to the meaning of the signals transmitted from the operating element to the drive controller for their use in controlling the driving and braking means. In other words, only the meaning of the signals generated by the operating lever changes. By contrast, the operating principle, in other words the way in which the operating lever is operated, preferably remains unchanged. In other words, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the function of the operating lever changes while its functionality is retained. The operating principle of the operating lever, in other words the way in which it is operated, remains unchanged despite its different functions for the drive controller. There is therefore no need for the vehicle driver to learn different operating concepts. 
     Moreover, it is particularly advantageous if the operating lever itself serves to change the operating mode and thus to change its own function. The need for a separate switchover element is then eliminated and the operating facility is further simplified. 
    
    
     
       The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which these are realized, will become clearer and more readily understandable in connection with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of an operator console of the drive controller in a first operating mode, 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of the operator console from  FIG. 2  in a second operating mode (first variant), 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of the operator console from  FIG. 2  in a second operating mode (second variant, first lever position), 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of the operator console from  FIG. 2  in a second operating mode (second variant, second lever position). 
     
    
    
     All the figures simply show the invention schematically and with its essential constituent parts. Identical reference characters here correspond to elements of identical or comparable function. 
     A rail vehicle  1 , here a locomotive, has suitable driving means  2  and braking means  3  for driving and braking the rail vehicle  1  as well as a drive controller  4  for controlling the driving means  2  and braking means  3  in order to influence the driving speed of the rail vehicle  1 . In the driver&#39;s cab (not shown) of the locomotive  1 , there is an operating facility  5  for the drive controller  4 . The operating facility  5  comprises an operator console  6  with an operating lever  7 , which can be operated by the vehicle driver, for operating the drive controller  4 . In the illustrated example, the operating lever  7  has a hand grip  8  on its free end. The operating lever  7  can also be embodied as a joystick and/or have any ergonomic shape. The shaft (not shown) of the operating lever  7  is connected to a sensor apparatus (not shown) of the drive controller  4 , which detects the movement and/or position of the operating lever  7  and generates corresponding control signals for the driving and braking means  2 ,  3 . 
     A display device  9  assigned to the operating lever  7  is provided directly adjacent to the operating lever  7  in the operator console  6 , for example in the form of an electronic display. In an alternative embodiment, a display device  9  can also be embodied as part of the operating lever  7  itself (not shown). 
     The operating unit  5  comprises means for changing the operating mode of the rail vehicle  1  from the “driving/braking” operating mode into the “tractive force specification/speed specification” operating mode and back. In the case shown here, the operating lever  7  itself serves to change the operating mode and thus to change its own function, as explained in more detail below. 
     Input signals for the drive controller  4  can be generated by actuating the operating lever  7 . The drive controller  4  uses these input signals to control the driving and braking means  2 ,  3 . Here, the meaning of these input signals for controlling the driving and braking means  2 ,  3  depend on the selected, current operating mode of the locomotive  1 . This means that the function of the operating lever  7  depends on the operating mode. Depending on the selected operating mode of the locomotive  1 , the input signals transmitted from the operating lever  7  to the drive controller  4 , which signals are dependent on the movement of the operating lever  7 , thus represent different kinds of input variables for the drive controller  4  with regard to their meaning for controlling the driving and braking means  2 ,  3 . In other words, these input signals are used in different ways, depending on the operating mode. The type of the signals transmitted from the operating lever  7  to the drive controller  4 , which signals are dependent on the lever movement, is however identical in all cases. Only the meaning that the drive controller  4  assigns to the received signals differs, as does the subsequent processing of these signals by the drive controller  4 . 
     The operating lever  7  can therefore optionally be used as a speed selector  11  for setting the setpoint speed (V setpoint ) or as a combined driving/braking lever  12 . In accordance with the two relevant operating modes, the two function modes of the operating lever  7  are on the one hand the function as speed selector (speed setpoint actuator) and on the other hand the function as tractive force/brake force selector. 
     The operating lever  7  can be moved in a first movement direction  13  in order to generate input signals for the drive controller  4 . This operating movement preferably takes place along a first axis. In the illustrated example, the operating lever  7  can be moved linearly in a guide plate  14  of the operator console  6 . 
     Here, the movement of the operating lever  7  takes place in mutually exclusive operator actions, such as for example acceleration and braking, in opposite directions, in other words for example starting from a neutral position  15 , in this case the center position between the frontmost position  16  and the rearmost position  17 , forward or backward (upward and downward in the drawing) in the guide plate  14 . The guide plate  14  is designed in such a way that the operating lever  7  engages in the neutral position  15  on account of a spring-supported latching facility, but can be moved out of the neutral position  15  in both directions along the first axis by overcoming the latching forces. 
     Lighting means  18  are also provided, for example using LED technology, which illuminate at least parts of the operating lever  7  and/or parts of the operator console  6  supporting the operating lever  7  in different colors, depending on the selected operating mode and/or depending on the current function of the operating lever  7 . By way of such colored illumination of the operating lever  7  or of the console  6 , the selected operating mode and thus the set function of the operating lever  7  are indicated to the vehicle driver quickly and reliably. 
     The display  9 , which is located directly adjacent to the operating lever  7 , is preferably a color display. It also indicates the selected operating mode and/or the current function of the operating lever  7 , preferably by a corresponding color selection of the display. Setpoint and actual values  19  of relevant operational data or messages, such as fault messages, and operational indications can additionally be shown on this display, so that further operating levers or display devices for operating the drive controller  4  are not necessarily required. An operating unit, comprising the operating lever  7  and the assigned display device  9 , would be sufficient in combination with the drive controller  4  for the driving operation of the locomotive  1 . 
     An operator console  6  with an integrated display  9  and operating lever  7  is shown in  FIG. 2  by way of example. The operating lever  7  serves as the driving/braking lever  12 . The operating lever  7  and the display are illuminated for example entirely in yellow. The operating lever  7  can be moved out of a neutral position  15  linearly along an axis, forward (upward in the drawing) or backward (downward in the drawing) in the guide plate  14 . Here, a first movement region  22  is provided for the operating lever  7  between the neutral position  15  and the frontmost position  16  and a corresponding tractive force display is provided in a first display region  25 . A second display region  26  for the brake force display is assigned to the movement of the operating lever  7  in a second movement region  23 , which lies between the neutral position  15  and the rearmost position  17 . 
     The same operating lever  7  is also shown in  FIG. 3 . Once the operating mode has been switched over, however, the operating lever  7  serves as the speed setpoint actuator  11 . The color blue, for example, is used for the lighting  18  and the indication on the display  9 . 
     Even though no center position of the operating lever  7  is provided and the rearmost position  17  of the operating lever  7  serves as the neutral position  21 , the functionality (operability) of the operating lever  7  is nevertheless unchanged, in other words the operating movement takes place in the guide plate  14  along the first axis from a rearmost position  17  into a frontmost position  16  and back. However, the operating signals transmitted from the operating lever  7  to the drive controller  4  have a different meaning and are accordingly processed differently by the drive controller  4 . 
     An alternative operating principle of the operating lever  7  following switchover of the operating mode is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Here, the operating lever  7  serves as the speed setpoint actuator  11  ( FIG. 4 ) in a first movement region  22  along its operating movement direction  13 , namely between the neutral position  15  and the frontmost position  16  of the operating lever  7 , and as the brake force selector  24  ( FIG. 5 ) in a second movement region  23  along its operating movement direction  13 , namely between the neutral position  15  and the rearmost position  17  of the operating lever  7 . In this case, a manual brake intervention is also possible at any time, even when the operating lever  7  serves as the speed selector  11 . 
     The first movement region  22  and the corresponding speed setpoint display in the first display region  25 , which is assigned to the first movement region  22  of the operating lever  7 , are illuminated for example in blue, while the second movement region  23  and the corresponding brake force display in the second display region  26 , which is assigned to the second movement region  23  of the operating lever  7 , are illuminated for example in yellow. As shown in the example in  FIG. 2 , the center position  15  of the operating lever  7  is embodied as the neutral position. 
     To change the operating mode, the operating lever  7  can be moved in a second movement direction  27  which differs from the first movement direction  13 . This switchover movement preferably takes place along a second axis. In the examples shown, the second movement direction  27  runs perpendicularly to the first movement direction  13 . In other words, the switchover movement is preferably a linear movement, which is executed transversely to the guide plate  14 . The switchover movement, in other words the movement of the operating lever  7  to change the operating mode, is preferably independent from the current function of the operating lever  7  depending on the operating mode, in other words is always the same. 
     Moreover, the operating lever  7  can only be moved out of a defined lever position in this second movement direction  27 , wherein the operating lever  7  can be brought into this switchover position by way of a movement in the first movement direction  13 . In the examples according to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4, 5 , the switchover can only take place from the neutral position (center position)  15 . The switchover between the different operating modes and thus simultaneously the function switchover for the operating lever  7  thus takes place by way of a sideways movement of the operating lever  7  out of its neutral position  15 , as a result of which a switchover contact (not shown) connected to the drive controller  4  is actuated. 
     Because the neutral position of the operating lever  7  is preferably embodied as a latching position, the latching position regularly represents the switchover position from which the operating lever  7  can complete the switchover movement. Depending on the embodiment of the operating lever function, it is then possible if required to change (displace) the position of the latching position in the event of a change of operating mode and the associated function switchover of the operating lever  7 . This change of position can take place for example with the help of an electromechanical switchover apparatus (not shown), which can be used to move the latching position from a first switchover position, for example the center position  15 , into another desired switchover position along the guide plate  14 , for example into the rearmost position  17  of the operating lever  7  (neutral position  21 ). 
     Alternatively, the switchover can also take place in other (arbitrary) positions of the operating lever  7 , as for example in the example according to  FIG. 3 , albeit preferably only if this does not result in any undesired states. This is ensured through the use of suitable software, which checks the possibility that undesired states may arise and if necessary blocks the manual switchover of the operating mode insofar as this is to take place at a specific point in time and/or from a specific position. 
     As an alternative to a switchover between the functions by way of a movement of the operating lever  7  itself, it can also be provided for the switchover to take place with the help of an additional switch (not shown), which is provided in or on the operating lever  7  or in the operator console  6  in the driver&#39;s cab of the locomotive  1  in which the operating lever  7  is installed. 
     In one exemplary case, the vehicle driver initially works with a combined driving/braking lever  7 ,  12  while performing a shunting operation. After leaving the station area, the vehicle driver changes the operating mode by activating the ASC. The switchover of the operating mode is performed with the operating lever  7 . The operating lever  7 , which previously served as the tractive/brake force selector  12  for manually selecting the tractive force, now functions as the speed setpoint selector  11 . The commands of the vehicle driver are detected via the operating lever  7  and passed as signals to the drive controller  4 . 
     The invention also relates to the described operating facility  5  for a drive controller  4  and to the drive controller  4  with such an operating facility  5  as well as to a method for operating such a drive controller  4 . 
     Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail using the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited to the disclosed examples and other variants can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS 
     
         
           1  Rail vehicle, locomotive 
           2  Driving means 
           3  Braking means 
           4  Drive controller 
           5  Operating facility 
           6  Operator console 
           7  Operating lever 
           8  Hand grip 
           9  Display device, display 
         (not allocated) 
           11  Speed selector 
           12  Combined tractive/brake force selector 
           13  First movement direction 
           14  Guide plate 
           15  Neutral position, center position 
           16  Frontmost position 
           17  Rearmost position 
           18  Lighting means 
           19  Indicated values 
           20  (not allocated) 
           21  Neutral position 
           22  First movement region 
           23  Second movement region 
           24  Brake force selector 
           25  First display region 
           26  Second display region 
           27  Second movement direction