Transfer Device for a Rail Vehicle, Sensor Apparatus, Bogie, Rail Vehicle and Method for Operating a Transfer Device

This application is a continuation of international patent application PCT/EP2023/076959, filed on Sep. 28, 2023, claiming priority from German patent application DE 10 2022 125 509.3, filed on Oct. 4, 2022, both of which are incorporated in their entirety by this reference.

The instant invention relates to a transfer device for a rail vehicle including a car body including an electronic device and a bogie, a sensor device, a bogie, a rail vehicle, and a method for operating a transfer device.

Digitization is an important factor for significantly reducing lifecycle cost of rail vehicles. Condition monitoring and condition-based maintenance derived therefrom facilitate extending maintenance cycles and replacing components when required.

The car body typically includes electronic systems which collect important operating data of components or subsystems like doors and air conditioners, store the operating data, and provide the operating data to the operator for analysis by mobile radio network, WLAN, or other data transmission technologies. These systems also transmit diagnostic reports in order to facilitate preplanning maintenance of expensive train components.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved transfer device for a rail vehicle including a car body with an electronic device and a bogie, an improved sensor device, an improved bogie, an improved rail vehicle, and an improved method for operating a transfer device.

The object is achieved by a transfer device, a sensor device, a bogie, a rail vehicle, and a method according to the independent claims.

The object is achieved in particular by a transfer device for a rail vehicle including a car body including an electronics device, and a bogie, the transfer device comprising: a coupling unit arrangeable at the bogie and including a plurality of sensor interfaces, wherein each of the sensor interfaces is electrically connectable with a respective sensor configured to capture an operating variable of the bogie, and including an additional interface connectable with the electronics device, wherein the coupling unit is configured to transfer operating variables of the sensors received through the sensor interfaces, and wherein a transfer of the operating variables is performed through the additional interface to the electronics device using a multiplexing method.

The advantages achievable by the invention include reducing a number of required components or cables so that maintenance of the rail vehicle can be simplified. For example, the bogie and the car body can be coupled or decoupled more easily so that maintenance time and cost can be reduced. Additionally, an option is provided to perform data transfers in a reliable and functionally safe manner in order to extend a vehicle service life.

The invention relates to a transfer device for a rail vehicle, including a car body with an electronic device and a bogie. The transfer device thus includes a coupling unit arrangeable at the bogie and including a plurality of sensor interfaces, wherein each of the sensor interfaces is electrically connectable with a respective sensor for capturing operating variables of the bogie. Additionally, the coupling unit includes an additional interface that is connectable with the electronic device, wherein the coupling unit is configured to transfer operating variables received through the sensor interfaces wherein the operating variables are transferred to the electronic device through an additional interface using a multiplexing method.

The rail vehicle can be a passenger train or a freight train. The electronic device can be configured e.g., as a control device which can be configured as part of a vehicle control system of the rail vehicle. The bogie can also be designated as a running gear of the rail vehicle. The transfer device can also function as an adaptor. The coupling unit can be advantageously configured at the bogie and configured as an interface between the bogie, in particular sensors arranged at the bogie and the car body. Advantageously, the coupling unit can be configured to process the operating variables of the sensors before transfer to obtain e.g., a data set which can be e.g., compressed. Respective information can be collected before being transferred to the electronic device. The sensors can typically be sensors installed in the bogie, e.g., configured to detect temperature, accelerations, or forces. The transfer can also be performed bidirectional wherein a transfer reliability can be improved by the invention. This means that correct and reliable transfer of the corresponding information can be performed as operating variables for safety-relevant components of the rail vehicle like e.g., a brake. Alternatively, this can be implemented in an adjustable manner so that a selection can be made which operating variables shall be transferred employing which transfer reliability. This facilitates reliable data transfer. Since separate connection conductors for connecting the sensors with the car body can be omitted, a number of coupling locations, e.g., cable connections, arranged between the bogie and the car body can be kept to a minimum so that a number of potential causes of failures can be kept low.

This facilitates reducing maintenance hours since only a single connection has to be separated. Additionally, susceptibility to external influences, e.g., weather, corrosion, high forces, oscillations, or jolts can be kept to a minimum. Additionally, monitoring the transfer can be enabled so that occurring errors can be advantageously detected in a timely manner and identified. Additionally, it can be determined where the error is located. The electronic device can be additionally used for this purpose. The coupling unit can be configured e.g., as a multiplexer, so that the multiplexing method can be performed e.g., as a space multiplexing method, a frequence and wavelength multiplexing method, or as a code multiplexing method. Since the coupling unit is arranged as an interface between the bogie and the car body, obsolescence can be advantageously reacted to accordingly since occurring errors can be directly detected and e.g., classified.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the additional interface can be configured hardwired or wireless. Hardwired can mean e.g., that the coupling unit is connectable with the electronic device through at least one cable. The cable can be implemented as an electrically- or mechanically-singular conductor.

The cable can be connected at a first end with the coupling unit and at a second end arranged opposite to the first end with the electronic device in a ready-to-operate condition of the transfer device. In case of the wireless connection, the additional interface can be implemented as a radio interface so that the coupling unit can be implemented as a transmitter and the electronic device can be implemented as a receiver or vice versa.

The coupling unit can include a storage device for storing the operating variables. The storage device can be integrated, e.g., into the coupling unit or can be alternatively configured e.g. as a memory card or as a black box. Thus, the operating variables are accessible at a later point in time, e.g., during maintenance.

Additionally, the coupling unit can include an energy interface that can be connectable with an energy storage device in order to store electrical energy. The energy storage device can be used, e.g., for waking up the coupling unit when the coupling unit is in a sleep mode. The energy storage device can be configured e.g. as a battery. Thus, energy stored in the energy storage device can be received actively. The electrical energy can be configured to electrically supply consumers arranged at the bogie. The electrical energy can be received, e.g., for sensors of the bogie, for data storage, processing the operating variables or, e.g., for propelling the rail vehicle.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the coupling unit can include an electronic bogie identification of the bogie and can be configured to transfer the bogie identification through the additional interface. The bogie information can be transferred, e.g., individually or combined with the associated operating variables as a bundle. Thus, an error determination can be advantageously reacted to directly, since it does not have to be determined anymore where the error has occurred. A switching from a normal gauge bogie to a wide gauge bogie can be detected or identified as soon as the bogie is coupled to the car body.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the coupling unit can be configured to reliably receive device variables from the electronic device through the additional interface and to compare the imported operating variables with the received device variables in order to receive a comparison result and in order to determine bogie information using the comparison result. This improves the ability to determine when maintenance is required so that costs can be saved. Additionally, component wear can be determined by permanently updating the variables from the car body and the bogie. Additional data can be captured, imported, and considered additionally or alternatively. The comparison result can be used to trigger, e.g., reactions in the car body, like, e.g., providing an information signal to a train engineer or to a central location.

The coupling unit can be configured to determine operating data using the operating variables and to transfer the operating data through the additional interface. This facilitates diagnosis directly in the bogie without having to interact, e.g., with an existing control unit. Additionally, the invention facilitates adjusting or adapting a bandwidth for the data transfer in order to be able to transfer a correspondingly small or correspondingly large data volume.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the sensor device can include a transfer device according to one of the preceding claims, and a plurality of sensors for detecting the operating variables, wherein the plurality of sensors can be electrically coupled with the coupling unit through the plurality of sensor interfaces.

The sensors can be configured differently or can be configured to capture different operating variables of the rail vehicle. These operating variables can relate to a condition of the brakes of the vehicle and can also relate to additional safety-critical components of the rail vehicle. Additionally, the sensors can also capture operating variables of other components of the vehicle. The sensors can be coupled with the coupling unit individually so that all operating variables and thus sensor signals are combined in the coupling unit. The operating variables can be e.g. processed in the coupling unit or at least pre-processed.

The invention also relates to a bogie for a rail vehicle that includes a sensor device of the type described supra. In this case, the coupling unit is arranged at the bogie.

The invention also relates to a rail vehicle that includes a car body, including an electronic device and the bogie recited supra. Advantageously, the rail vehicle can be configured as a passenger train or as a freight train.

The invention also relates to a method for operating the transfer device described supra in a rail vehicle, wherein the method includes a step of receiving operating variables through a plurality of sensor interfaces. Thus, each of the sensor interfaces is electrically connectible with a sensor for capturing an operating variable of the bogie. Additionally, the method includes a step of transferring the received operating variables of the sensors to the electronic device using a multiplexing method through the additional interface that is connectible with the electronic device.

The method can be performed or controlled in a passenger train. The method advantageously facilitates a real-time diagnosis of critical components in the bogie, e.g. in an axle-bearing, shafts or brakes, so that the respective components can be kept operational as long as possible without additional maintenance. This helps to reduce maintenance and the associated cost. Since the method is repeatable, the diagnosis can be advantageously performed permanently so that suddenly occurring errors and thus potential danger can be detected directly.

In the subsequent description of advantageous embodiments of the invention, similar or like elements are labeled with like or similar reference numerals in various drawing figures, in order to avoid repeated description of the same elements.

shows a schematic representation of a rail vehicleaccording to an advantageous embodiment. The rail vehicleis configured e.g., as a train. The rail vehicleincludes a car bodywith an electronic deviceand a bogiewith a plurality of wheels.

The bogieis configured as a running gear of the rail vehiclein which the wheelsare supported in a bogie that is rotatable relative to the car body, wherein the vehicleis arranged on the bogie. The electronic deviceis configured e.g., as part of a vehicle control system which is also designated or designatable as a central communication system of the rail vehicle.

The bogieincludes a sensor device. The sensor deviceincludes a transfer deviceand a plurality of sensors. Each individual sensorout of the plurality of sensorsis electrically connected with a coupling unitof the transfer devicethrough a plurality of sensor interfaces. This means that the coupling unitincludes the plurality of sensor interfaces. The sensorsare configured to capture operating variables of the rail vehicle. These operating variables include data relating to a vehicle brake or also other components of the rail vehicleand, in particular, of the bogie.

The transfer deviceincludes the coupling unitrecited supra that is arranged or arrangeable at the bogie. Thus, the coupling unitincludes the plurality of the sensor interfacesthrough which the coupling unitreceives the operating variables from the sensors. The coupling unitadditionally includes an additional interfacethat is connectable with the electronic deviceand configured to reliably transfer the obtained operating variables of the sensorsto the electronic deviceusing a multiplexing method through the additional interface. This means that the coupling unitis configured e.g. as a multiplexer. The coupling unitis connected through the additional interfacewith the electronic devicein the condition shown in.

According to this embodiment, the coupling unitis connected with the plurality of sensorsthrough a plurality of electrical conductors, whereas the coupling unitis coupled with the electronic devicethrough a single interface, thus the additional interface. In this embodiment, each of the sensorsis connected through an individual conductorwith an interfaceof the coupling unitassociated with the respective sensor. The additional interfaceis configurable hardwired or wireless. Hardwired means that at least one cable is run between the coupling unitand the electronic device. Wireless, however, means that the two electronic devices,communicate via radio directly or through a cloud connected therebetween. Independently from the configuration of the additional interface, the coupling unitcan be configured as a transmitter and the electronic devicecan both be configured as a receiver or the coupling unitand the electronic devicecan both be configured as a transmitter and a receiver. According to an advantageous embodiment, the additional interfaceis optionally used for transmitting electrical operating energy. Thus, the coupling unitand the electronic deviceare coupled e.g. by induction. A corresponding inductive interface can be optionally used additionally for transmitting the operating variables.

Additionally, the coupling unitaccording to an advantageous embodiment includes a storage devicefor storing the operating variables. According to an advantageous embodiment, the storage deviceis configured as an internal storage device, as a memory card, or a black box. Optionally, the coupling unitincludes an energy interfacethat is connected or connectable with an energy storagefor storing electrical energy. In this embodiment, the coupling unitreceives electrical energy from the electronic deviceand thus fills the energy storage. This facilitates supplying the bogieand the plurality of sensorswith electrical energy and facilitates data storage, processing the operating variables or propelling the train, thus the rail vehicle. Optionally, electronics of the coupling unitare transferrable into sleep mode and the energy storagefacilitates event-controlled wakeup of the coupling unit.

According to this embodiment, the coupling unitincludes a bogie identification and is configured to transfer the bogie identification to the electronic devicethrough the additional interface. Thus, the coupling unitoptionally includes a storage device for storing the bogie information. The bogie information is transferred to the electronic deviceindividually or in combination with operating variables. The coupling unitis only optionally configured to link the bogie information with the operating variables.

The coupling unitis optionally configured to reliably receive device variables from the electronic devicethrough the additional interface. Thus, the imported operating variables are compared with the device variables in order to receive a comparison result and in order to determine bogie information using the comparison results. Thus, the bogie information relates e.g., to a maintenance time for individual components of the bogie, e.g. to a condition of corresponding vehicle components. In this embodiment, the comparison result triggers a reaction in the car bodylike e.g., putting out a maintenance signal. Optionally, the data is permanently updated and compared and also augmented with additional data. Additionally, the coupling unitdetermines operating data using the operating variables, wherein the coupling unit transfers the operating data to the electronic devicethrough the additional interface. This facilitates a diagnosis directly in the bogiewithout requiring intelligence like e.g. a control unit, in the car body. This pre-processing, e.g., in a form of mathematical processing or analytical pre-processing additionally facilitates data volume reduction. Additionally, this renders the bandwidth adaptable for transferring corresponding data packets.

Put differently, the transfer devicerepresents a bogie connector. The transfer deviceis configured to function as a broadband, very flexible and highly secure and simultaneously compact data transmission system between the car bodyand the bogieof the rail vehicle. Optionally, the transfer deviceis also used to supply energy to the bogie.

Thus, the transfer deviceis configured to function as an electronic connector between the car bodyand the bogie. One or plural electronically and mechanically shielded individual conductors are used for the connection according to an advantageous embodiment wherein the individual conductors start e.g. in the bogieand terminate in the car body. Alternatively, the transfer deviceincludes the wireless connection described supra of the two vehicle components,. A bandwidth for the data transmission is optionally adjustable so that e.g., a high bandwidth is adjusted when a high volume of operating variables is to be transferred and a low bandwidth is adjusted when a small volume of information is to be transferred. Thus, the operating variables are collected and transferred bidirectionally. The data transfer can be performed e.g., at different security levels so that a manipulative abuse of the data transmission is prevented. The data is storable in the storage device as operating variables and processed before transfer. The transfer deviceis optionally couple-able with a GPS sensor and thus capable of storing a location of the bogieor provide the location to the car body. This simplifies identification of the bogie. Electronics of the transfer deviceis transferrable according to this embodiment from a sleep mode into an operating mode and vice versa which is caused by using event controlled awakening, optionally employing the energy storage device. Furthermore, the transfer deviceis optionally configured to transfer energy from the car bodyto the bogie.

shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a methodfor operating a transfer device. The methodcan be performed using the transfer device described with reference to. The methodincludes a stepof obtaining operating variables through a plurality of sensor interfaces, wherein each of the sensor interfaces is electrically connectable with a respective sensor for capturing an operating variable of the bogie and a stepfor transferring the obtained operating variables of the sensor to an electronics device through another interface connectable with the electronics device using a multiplexing method.

The presented method steps can be repeated and can be performed in a sequence that differs from the described sequence.

shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a transfer device. The transfer deviceis configured to control or execute a method for operating the transfer deviceas described e.g. in. The transfer devicecorresponds to or is similar to the transfer devicedescribed in. The coupling unitis thus configured to obtain the operating variables, e.g., the sensor data through a plurality of sensor interfaces, wherein each of the sensor interfacesis electrically connectable with a respective sensorin order to capture an operating variableof the bogie. According to this embodiment, the coupling unitincludes a processing unitconfigured to process the operating variablesand to provide the operating variablesas operating datafor transmission to the additional interface. Thus, the processing unitincludes a multiplexeraccording to an advantageous embodiment in order to be able to transfer the operating variablesto the electronics deviceusing the multiplexing method. According to an advantageous embodiment, the electronics deviceincludes a de-multiplexer in order to de-multiplex the received data. Optionally, device variablesare transferred to the coupling unitthrough the additional interface.

In an advantageous embodiment, the coupling unitis configured to simultaneously or non-simultaneously receive first operating variables through a first interface of the plurality of interfacesfrom a first sensor of the plurality of sensors, second operating variables through a second interface of the plurality of interfacesfrom a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, and additional operating variables through at least one additional interface of the plurality of interfacesfrom at least one additional sensor of the plurality of sensors, convert the operating variables into the operating datausing the multiplexerand send the operating dataout in a serial data stream through the additional interface.