Example embodiments relate to implementing self-contained power sources for railcars. A railcar may include an air turbine that comprises a generator. The air turbine converts mechanical energy received from air to electrical energy by way of the generator. In some implementations, the air turbine is selectably coupled to the air brake system of the railcar and can convert mechanical energy received from pressurized air of the air brake system. The railcar can further include a pneumatic valve and a controller that can cause the pneumatic valve to open when the air pressure of the air brake system is at or above a predetermined level. Opening the pneumatic valve provides pressurized air to the air turbine from the air brake system and/or an exhaust pipe. The air turbine is a Wells turbine or a ram air turbine in some examples.

A control device for a vehicle includes an operation unit, an operation-unit sensor, a motor, and a driving force controller. The operation-unit sensor is configured to detect an operation-unit operation amount. The operation-unit operation amount is an amount of operation of the operation unit. The motor is capable of generating a negative driving force for decelerating the vehicle. The driving force controller is configured to cause the motor to drive a wheel of the vehicle with the negative driving force on a basis of the operation-unit operation amount, and to derive the negative driving force in accordance with an initial time change. The initial time change represents an amount of change in the operation-unit operation amount per unit time relative to an operation-unit operation amount at an initial position of the operation unit.

A vehicle includes a powertrain having an electric machine configured to power driven wheels, an accelerator pedal, and friction brakes. A vehicle controller is programmed to, with the vehicle being in a one-pedal driving mode: in response to a braking torque capacity of the powertrain exceeding a target braking torque that is based on a position of the accelerator pedal, command a torque, that is equal to the target braking torque, from the powertrain such that the vehicle is slowed using the powertrain without application of the friction brakes, and, in response to the braking torque capacity of the powertrain being less than the target braking torque, command torques from the powertrain and the friction brakes such that the target braking torque is satisfied and the vehicle is slowed using the powertrain and the friction brakes.

An integrated hybrid energy recovery and storage system for recovering and storing energy from multiple energy sources is disclosed. The system includes an accumulator unit having a high pressure accumulator and a low pressure accumulator. At least one piston is mounted for reciprocation in the high pressure accumulator. The accumulator unit is configured to receive, store, and transfer energy from the hydraulic fluid to the energy storage media. The system further includes two or more rotational directional control valves, in which at least one rotational directional control valve is positioned on each side of the accumulator unit. Each rotational directional control valve includes multiple ports. The system also includes two or more variable displacement hydraulic rotational units. At least one variable displacement hydraulic rotational unit is positioned adjacent each of the rotational directional control valves.

An integrated hybrid energy recovery and storage system for recovering and storing energy from multiple energy sources is disclosed. The system includes an accumulator unit having a high pressure accumulator and a low pressure accumulator. At least one piston is mounted for reciprocation in the high pressure accumulator. The accumulator unit is configured to receive, store, and transfer energy from the hydraulic fluid to the energy storage media. The system further includes two or more rotational directional control valves, in which at least one rotational directional control valve is positioned on each side of the accumulator unit. Each rotational directional control valve includes multiple ports. The system also includes two or more variable displacement hydraulic rotational units. At least one variable displacement hydraulic rotational unit is positioned adjacent each of the rotational directional control valves.

A method controls regenerative braking of a vehicle equipped with regenerative brakes and with a separate braking apparatus. The method is designed to generate a regenerative braking setpoint as a function of a braking request signal coming from a driver pedal of the vehicle, according to a first setpoint generation mode. The method includes receiving a flag signal coming from an active safety system of the vehicle, detecting value changes of the received flag signal, when the received flag signal changes value to take a value corresponding to activation of regulation by the active safety system, incrementing a counter value, and comparing the counter with a threshold. When the counter reaches the threshold, a control signal is formed to end the generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to the first calculation mode and to impose generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to a second calculation mode.

A method controls regenerative braking of a vehicle equipped with regenerative brakes and with a separate braking apparatus. The method is designed to generate a regenerative braking setpoint as a function of a braking request signal coming from a driver pedal of the vehicle, according to a first setpoint generation mode. The method includes receiving a flag signal coming from an active safety system of the vehicle, detecting value changes of the received flag signal, when the received flag signal changes value to take a value corresponding to activation of regulation by the active safety system, incrementing a counter value, and comparing the counter with a threshold. When the counter reaches the threshold, a control signal is formed to end the generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to the first calculation mode and to impose generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to a second calculation mode.

A Vehicle Corner Module (VCM) based brake system, which includes a brake actuator, adapted to regulate the rotation rate of the wheel assembled to the VCM, a fluid-based brake power source, fluidly connected to the brake actuator and adapted to provide pressurized brake fluid for operating the brake actuator, and a brake-control-circuit, functionally associated with the brake actuator and with the brake power source, and adapted to provide functional inputs to the brake actuator based on a target rotation rate profile desired for a wheel mounted on the VCM. All mechanical components of the VCM-based brake system are disposed within the VCM. The VCM-based brake system and the vehicle platform are not in fluid communication with each other.

The invention relates to a control system for controlling a torque generator of a vehicle. The control system is configured to receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand; select a surface type from a plurality of predetermined surface types based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; determine a target vehicle deceleration in dependence on the selected surface type; determine, based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand, a requirement to decelerate the vehicle; and in dependence on determining said requirement, output a control signal to the torque generator. The control signal is configured to cause the torque generator to provide the target vehicle deceleration.

The invention relates to a control system for controlling a torque generator of a vehicle. The control system is configured to receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; receive one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand; select a surface type from a plurality of predetermined surface types based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a surface indicator; determine a target vehicle deceleration in dependence on the selected surface type; determine, based on said one or more electrical signals indicative of a deceleration demand, a requirement to decelerate the vehicle; and in dependence on determining said requirement, output a control signal to the torque generator. The control signal is configured to cause the torque generator to provide the target vehicle deceleration.