Patent Description:
Specifically, the invention relates to a device for monitoring parameters concerning the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle, for the purposes of planning preventive maintenance interventions on the railway vehicle itself.

On the basis of the values of the parameters detected by this device, it is, therefore, possible to estimate, at predetermined times, the conditions of the monitored component and then establish when to carry out the next maintenance intervention or replacement of the piece to avoid breakages or malfunctions of the component, making the most of the useful operating life of the latter.

The present invention also relates to a railway vehicle which comprises at least one device of the type indicated above.

Currently, ordinary maintenance interventions (i.e. maintenance not deriving from breakages) on railway vehicles are normally carried out at preestablished time intervals, regardless of the actual conditions of the related components and equipment.

This inevitably entails the risk of carrying out maintenance or replacement of parts when not yet necessary, i.e. during the relative useful life period.

In these cases, there is, therefore, the risk of using unnecessary resources to maintain or replace components that are still functioning regularly.

The relevant prior art includes also the patent application <CIT> and the patent <CIT>.

In light of the above, it is, therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for effectively determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for monitoring, continuously or at predetermined times, one or more parameters inherent to the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle, which device can be installed in the railway vehicle in a simple and fast way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle, which device is particularly compact or has very small overall dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle, which device does not interfere with the operation of the other components of the railway vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an economical device for determining the condition of at least one component of a railway vehicle.

It is, therefore, specific object of the present invention to provide a device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle having at least one wheel, said device comprising the features of claim <NUM>.

Preferably according to the invention, said device comprises at least one rechargeable battery electrically connected to said energy conversion means for storing the electrical energy generated by said energy conversion means in said at least one rechargeable battery; said at least one rechargeable battery being electrically connected also to said measuring device and said detection device in such a way that said measuring device and said detection device are electrically powered, in use, by said at least one rechargeable battery.

Advantageously according to the invention, said energy conversion means may comprise a dynamo comprising a stator and a rotor connected to said connection means.

Further according to the invention, said device comprises at least one connection element for connecting, in use, said stator to a fixed part of said railway vehicle.

Still according to the invention, said at least one connection element may comprise a container for containing said dynamo.

Conveniently according to the invention, said container may comprise a main body in which said dynamo is arranged, and a cover element which is able to be coupled to said main body; an inner cavity in which said measuring device is housed being defined in said cover element.

Further according to the invention, said device comprises a control unit for managing the operation of said measuring device and said detection device; said control unit being electrically connected to said energy conversion means and operatively connected to said measuring device and said detection device.

According to the invention, said device comprises at least one gyroscope and a device for measuring at least one inclination of at least one element of said railway vehicle; said control unit being operatively connected to said gyroscope and said device for measuring at least one inclination of said at least one element.

Preferably according to the invention, said device may comprise a GPS device for detecting and transmitting data inherent to the position of said railway vehicle; said GPS device being electrically connected, directly or indirectly, to said energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>).

Conveniently according to the invention, may comprise at least one transmitting device for transmitting, in use, data from said device to an external data processor.

Preferably according to the invention, said at least one transmitting device may comprise at least one LTE antenna and/or a WI-FI transceiver and/or a Bluetooth antenna.

It is also object of the present invention a railway vehicle comprising at least one wheel and at least one device according to any one of the preceding claims, connected, directly or indirectly, to said at least one wheel.

In the various figures the similar parts will be indicated with the same numerical references.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG> indicates as a whole a first device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle.

This first device <NUM> comprises a casing <NUM>, substantially having the shape of a bell or of another shape, having a lateral wall <NUM> with a circular development, which defines a through opening in the axial direction.

The casing <NUM> can be fixed, preferably by means of removable connection means, to the bushing <NUM> or in any case to a fixed part of a railway vehicle in correspondence with a wheel <NUM> of a wheelset <NUM>.

As known, in railway engineering it is defined "axle", or rather "wheelset", the assembly formed by two wheels of a railway vehicle and the relative axis, on which they are mounted.

The term "bushing", on the other hand, refers to the cast-iron or steel box that contains the bearing, in which the pin at the end of the wheelsets turns.

On the open side of the casing <NUM>, opposite to the side of it connected to the bushing <NUM>, there is a cover <NUM> or a removable, internally hollow plug.

Specifically, this cover <NUM> is formed by a base <NUM> and a cap <NUM>, which can be coupled to the base <NUM>, in such a way as to jointly define an internal cavity <NUM>.

The first device <NUM> also includes a dynamo <NUM> composed of a rotor <NUM> and a stator <NUM>, which is a fixed electromagnet, arranged externally to said rotor <NUM>.

The rotor <NUM> of the dynamo <NUM> can be coaxially fixed to the aforementioned wheel <NUM> or to the relative axis <NUM> by means of a flange <NUM>.

The stator <NUM> is instead rigidly connected to the internal part of the side wall <NUM> of the casing <NUM>.

On the part of the rotor <NUM> opposite the flange <NUM>, a driver <NUM> is mounted, configured to transmit the rotary motion to a mechanical rotary encoder <NUM> mounted in the base <NUM> of the cover <NUM>.

Specifically, this encoder rotor <NUM> allows the acquisition of data relating to the speeds assumed and the distances traveled by the railway vehicle based on the rotation imparted to it by the axis <NUM>.

The rotor <NUM> and the stator <NUM> of the dynamo <NUM>, as well as the driver <NUM>, are housed inside the casing <NUM>.

The internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM> houses one or more rechargeable batteries <NUM>, electrically connected to the rotor <NUM> by means of a series of electrical conductors (not shown), so that during the rotation of the rotor <NUM> the electrical energy generated by the dynamo <NUM> is accumulated in the rechargeable batteries <NUM>.

In the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM> there are also, in addition to the rotary encoder <NUM>, an accelerometer <NUM>, for detecting the vibrations and/or displacements of the axis <NUM> of the wheelset <NUM>, an inclinometer, a gyroscope, and an acquisition board <NUM> operatively connected to the accelerometer <NUM>, to the rotary encoder <NUM>, and to a control board <NUM> housed, also itself, in the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, and configured to receive and process the data or the signals acquired by the acquisition board <NUM>.

Both the inclinometer and the gyroscope are not operatively connected to the control board <NUM>.

The aforementioned accelerometer <NUM> can be used, in addition to measuring accelerations, also to detect changes in the orientation and the speed in which said orientation changes take place.

On the external part of the cap <NUM> there is an external device <NUM> incorporating a GPS antenna to detect the position of the railway vehicle, and at least one antenna (for example an LTE antenna) to wirelessly transmit data to a remote server.

The aforementioned GPS antenna is also operatively connected to the control board <NUM>, so that the latter can also acquire the data relating to the position of the railway vehicle.

The LTE antenna is also operatively connected to the control board <NUM>, in order to be able to transmit the data recorded by the latter to the remote server.

According to some variants of the present invention, alternatively or in addition to the LTE antenna, at least one WI-FI transceiver <NUM> (i.e., a device configured to transmit and receive data via radio waves) and/or a Bluetooth antenna <NUM> can be provided in the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, to allow data transmission to the remote server when the railway vehicle is stationary near a railway station.

According to a variant of the present invention, the WI-FI transceiver <NUM> can be incorporated, entirely or in part (i.e. some components thereof), in the external device <NUM> and operatively connected to the control board <NUM>.

The rotary encoder <NUM>, the accelerometer <NUM>, the acquisition board <NUM>, the control board <NUM>, the WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, the Bluetooth antenna <NUM> and the aforementioned GPS antenna, and LTE antenna are electrically connected, by means of electrical connections (not shown for ease of representation), to the rechargeable batteries <NUM> for the relative power supply.

According to a variant of the present invention, the rechargeable batteries <NUM> can be omitted; in this case, the rotary encoder <NUM>, the accelerometer <NUM>, the acquisition board <NUM>, the control board <NUM>, the WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, the Bluetooth antenna <NUM>, and the aforementioned GPS and LTE antennas are electrically connected directly to the rotor <NUM> of the dynamo <NUM> for the relative electrical power supply.

However, the solution which provides for the use of rechargeable batteries <NUM> is preferable to that without batteries, since it allows the electrical supply of the aforementioned functional components even when the railway vehicle is stationary.

In fact, when the railway vehicle is in motion, the electrical energy produced by the dynamo <NUM> is stored in the rechargeable batteries <NUM> and can be used by means of the latter at any time when it is needed.

Thanks to the measurements made directly by the rotary encoder <NUM>, by the accelerometer <NUM>, by the inclinometer, by the gyroscope, and by the GPS antenna and possibly also thanks to the processing of the detected data, through specific calculation algorithms, it is possible to determine in a direct or indirect way, the present and future conditions of one or more components of the railway vehicle.

In accordance with the present invention, if it is intended, for example, to keep the conditions of a wheel of the railway vehicle under control, these conditions can be estimated on the basis of the distances traveled and the speeds assumed by the railway vehicle, detected by means of the rotary encoder <NUM>, possibly also detecting some characteristic parameters of the railway vehicle, such as the ease and conicity of the wheel.

Specifically, the term "ease" means the transverse and longitudinal play of the wheelset <NUM> with respect to the first device <NUM>.

In this case, for example, the ease can be indirectly determined, through a specific calculation algorithm, on the basis of accelerations detected by the accelerometer <NUM>, as well as the equivalent conicity can also be determined by means of gyroscope measurements.

In accordance with the present invention, for example, it is possible to determine the degree of wear of the wheel <NUM> through the detection and subsequent processing of the data recorded by the rotary encoder <NUM> and by the accelerometer <NUM> in relation to the distances traveled and/or the speeds assumed by the railway vehicle, and to the accelerations due to the vibrations of the wheel <NUM>, together with the detection of one of the possible causes of this anomaly relating to slipping phenomena of the wheel itself.

Using the values detected by the rotary encoder <NUM> and/or by the accelerometer <NUM> and/or by the GPS antenna, it is possible to determine, with a certain margin of approximation, the conditions of other components of the railway vehicle, such as for example the braking system and the leaf spring system.

It is in fact possible, for example, to establish whether there are anomalies in the braking system on the basis of the accelerations detected by the accelerometer <NUM> during the braking phase of the railway vehicle.

By means of the values detected by the accelerometer <NUM> it is possible, for example, to detect anomalous conditions of a flat wheel, together with the detection of the causes of this anomaly relating to phenomena of wheel skidding and anomalous interaction phenomena between wheel and the rail.

In order to determine the conditions of the monitored railway vehicle components with greater accuracy and precision, it is possible to mount on the same railway vehicle two or more first devices <NUM> of the type described above, in which each first device <NUM> is associated with a wheel of the railway vehicle.

To this end, it is preferable to provide two first devices <NUM> mounted, respectively, at the two wheels of a wheelset, and even more preferable to provide at least four first devices <NUM> associated, each, to a wheel of the railway vehicle with one of these equipped with the function of centralizer of the data collected, and processor of the present and future conditions of at least one component of the rolling stock.

In case of installation of two or more first devices <NUM> on board of the same railway vehicle, it is also possible that these first devices <NUM> can communicate (i.e. transmit data) between them by means of the respective WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, and/or antenna Bluetooth <NUM>, and/or LTE antenna.

Referring now to <FIG>, <NUM> indicates as a whole a second device for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle.

The second device <NUM> also comprises a casing <NUM>, substantially in the shape of a more or less high bell or of another shape, having a circular side wall <NUM>, which defines a through an opening in the axial direction.

The casing <NUM> can be fixed, preferably by means of removable connection means, to the bushing <NUM> or in any case to a fixed part of a railway vehicle in correspondence with a wheel <NUM> of a wheelset.

On the open side of the casing <NUM> opposite to the side thereof connected to the bushing <NUM>, there is a cover <NUM> or a removable, internally hollow plug.

Specifically, this cover <NUM> is formed by a base <NUM> and a cap <NUM>, which can be coupled to the base <NUM> in such a way as to jointly define an internal cavity <NUM>.

The second device <NUM> also includes a dynamo <NUM> arranged inside the casing <NUM>.

The dynamo <NUM> is formed by a rotor <NUM>, axially connected to the axis <NUM> of the wheel <NUM> by means of a flange <NUM>, so as to rotate with said axis <NUM>, and a stator <NUM> or a fixed electromagnet, rigidly connected to the internal part of the side wall <NUM> of the casing <NUM>.

The second device <NUM> also comprises a mechanical rotary encoder <NUM> axially connected to the rotor <NUM>.

This rotary encoder <NUM> allows acquiring data relating to the speeds assumed and the distances traveled by the railway vehicle based on the rotation imparted to the same rotary encoder <NUM> by the axis <NUM>.

One or more rechargeable batteries <NUM> are housed in the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, electrically connected to the rotor <NUM> by means of a series of electrical conductors (not shown), so that during the rotation of the rotor <NUM> the electrical energy generated by the dynamo <NUM> is accumulated in the rechargeable batteries <NUM>.

The stator <NUM> is connected to a heat sink <NUM> to dissipate, in fact, the heat that is generated during the operation of the dynamo <NUM>.

More in detail, the dissipator <NUM> has an overall ring shape and contains inside the stator <NUM> of the dynamo <NUM>.

In the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM> there are also an accelerometer <NUM> to detect the vibrations and/or movements of the axis <NUM> of the wheelset, an inclinometer, a gyroscope, and an acquisition card <NUM> operatively connected to the accelerometer <NUM>, to the rotary encoder <NUM>, and to a control card control <NUM>, also housed in the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, and configured to receive and process the data or the signals acquired by the acquisition card <NUM>.

Both the inclinometer and the gyroscope are operationally connected to the control card <NUM>.

The accelerometer <NUM> can be used not only for measuring accelerations, but also for detecting changes in orientation.

A device <NUM> incorporating a GPS antenna to detect the position of the railway vehicle and at least one antenna (for example an LTE antenna) to transmit data wirelessly to a remote server are provided on the external part of the canopy <NUM>.

The aforementioned GPS antenna is also operatively connected to the control card <NUM> so that the latter can also acquire the data relating to the position of the railway vehicle.

According to some variants of the present invention, alternatively or in addition to the LTE antenna, at least one WI-FI transceiver <NUM> (i.e., a device configured to transmit and receive data via radio waves) and/or a Bluetooth antenna <NUM> can be provided in the internal cavity <NUM> of the cover <NUM>.

The rotary encoder <NUM>, the accelerometer <NUM>, the acquisition card <NUM>, the control card <NUM>, the WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, the Bluetooth antenna <NUM> and the aforementioned GPS antenna and LTE antenna are electrically connected, by means of electrical connections (not shown for ease of representation), to the rechargeable batteries <NUM> for the relative electrical power supply.

According to a variant of the present invention, the rechargeable batteries <NUM> can be omitted; in this case, the rotary encoder <NUM>, the accelerometer <NUM>, the acquisition card <NUM>, the control card <NUM>, the WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, the Bluetooth antenna <NUM> and the aforementioned GPS and LTE antennas are electrically connected directly to the rotor <NUM> of the dynamo <NUM> for its electrical power supply.

However, the solution that provides for the use of rechargeable batteries <NUM> is preferable to that without batteries, since it allows the electrical supply of the aforementioned operating components even when the railway vehicle is stationary.

The determination of the conditions of one or more components of the railway vehicle by means of the second device <NUM> takes place in the same way as described above in relation to the first device <NUM>.

To determine with greater accuracy and precision the conditions of the components of the railway vehicle monitored, also, in this case, it is possible to mount on the same railway vehicle two or more second devices <NUM> of the type just described, in which each second device <NUM> is associated with a wheel of the railway vehicle.

To this end, it is preferable to provide two second devices <NUM> mounted, respectively, at the two wheels of a wheelset, and it is even more preferable to provide at least four second devices <NUM> associated, each, to a wheel of the railway vehicle, with one of these equipped with the function of centralizing the data collected and processing the present and future conditions of at least one component of the rolling stock.

In case of installation of two or more second devices <NUM> on board the same railway vehicle, it is also possible that these second devices <NUM> can communicate (i.e., transmit data) with each other through the respective WI-FI transceiver <NUM>, and/or Bluetooth <NUM> antenna, and/or LTE antenna.

As can be clearly seen from the foregoing description, both the first device <NUM> and the second device <NUM> according to the present invention have the advantage of having an autonomous operation that does not require external energy sources.

The devices <NUM>, <NUM> are also particularly efficient in determining the conditions of one or more components of the railway vehicle, on which they are mounted, thanks to the possibility of detecting and processing, through said devices, different operating parameters of the railway vehicle itself, both directly and indirectly, both in relation to the current state of the component and its future state by implementing the prediction of anomalous states of the component.

This allows, in particular, planning in the best way the preventive and predictive maintenance interventions on the railway vehicle, providing for their execution before the breaking events can occur and making the most of the useful operational life of the components of the railway vehicle itself, and optimizing the management of supplies and stocks and components subject to maintenance.

Moreover, due to the compact structure of the first <NUM> and the second device <NUM>, their installation on board the railway vehicles does not significantly impact the performance of the latter in terms of aerodynamics, nor on the space restrictions imposed by the railway regulations relating to the limit shape.

In addition to this, it can be observed that the aforesaid two devices <NUM>, <NUM> are configured in such a way as to allow a simple and quick installation thereof.

Claim 1:
Device (<NUM>, <NUM>) for determining the conditions of at least one component of a railway vehicle having at least one wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>), said device (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
- a measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) for measuring, in use, at least one acceleration of at least one element of said railway vehicle;
- a detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>) for determining, in use, at least one distance travelled by said railway vehicle and/or at least one speed taken on by said railway vehicle;
- energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>) for converting the kinetic energy generated by the rotation of said wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) into electrical energy;
- connection means (<NUM>, <NUM>) for connecting, in use, said energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>) directly or indirectly to said wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>); and
- electrical connection means for electrically connecting said energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>) to said measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) and to said detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>) so that when said wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) turns on itself, said measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) and said detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>) are electrically powered via said energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>), thereby enabling the determination of the present and future conditions of at least one component of said railway vehicle on the basis of said at least one acceleration measured by said measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) and/or on the basis of said at least one distance and/or said at least one speed determined by said detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>),
said device (<NUM>, <NUM>) being characterized
in that it comprises a control unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) for managing the operation of said measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) and said detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>); said control unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) being electrically connected to said energy conversion means (<NUM>, <NUM>) and operatively connected to said measuring device (<NUM>, <NUM>) and said detection device (<NUM>, <NUM>), and
in that it comprises at least one gyroscope and a device for measuring at least one inclination of at least one element of said railway vehicle; said control unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) being operatively connected to said gyroscope and said device for measuring at least one inclination of said at least one element.