Rail system and method for operating a rail system having a rail-guided mobile part and having a central control system

Abstract

In a rail system and method for operating a rail system having a rail-guided mobile part and having a central control system, the mobile part includes a device for acquiring the position of the mobile part, the mobile part has a first drive, in particular a traction drive, the mobile part has a current acquisition device, the mobile part has a processor for evaluating the current-value profile acquired between a first position and a second position, the processor as a device for evaluating the current-value profile is configured such that the processor determines as an evaluation value tuples which include at least an item of position information and a value determined from the current-value profile, the processor is connected with the aid of a data transmission channel to the central control system for the transmission of the value tuples, the central control system is adapted to monitor the value tuples and monitors the respective value determined from the individual current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value, in particular a setpoint value.

Claims

1. A rail system, comprising: a rail-guided mobile part including: a position-acquisition device adapted to acquire a position of the mobile part; a current-acquisition device; a first drive; a processor adapted to evaluate a current-value profile acquired between a first position and a second position by determination of value tuples as an evaluation, the value tuples including at least an item of position information and a value determined from the current-value profile; and a central control system connected to the processor by a data transmission channel adapted to transmit the value tuples, the central control system adapted to monitor the value tuples and to monitor a respective value determined from an individual current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value and/or a setpoint value, the central control system being adapted to display an error state and/or a warning if the measure has been exceeded.

2. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the first drive includes a traction drive.

3. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the current-acquisition device is adapted to acquire current drawn by the first drive, to acquire current drawn by the first drive and a second drives, and/or current drawn by all electrical consumers of the mobile part.

4. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein an average value of the current-value profile is calculated as the value determined from the current-value profile, a maximum value, and/or a minimum value of the current-value profile.

5. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the value tuple includes a minimum value and/or a maximum value of the current-value profile, the central control system adapted to monitor a particular minimum value determined from a respective current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a second predefined value and/or setpoint value, and/or the central control system is adapted to monitor a particular maximum value determined from a respective current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a third predefined value and/or setpoint value.

6. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the value tuple includes a value that is related to a weight of a load picked up by the mobile part and/or a value that is determined from an acquired current profile of a second drive of the mobile part adapted to pick up a load, the central control system being adapted to monitor a value determined from a further current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value and/or a setpoint value.

7. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the central control system is adapted to transmit position setpoint values to the mobile part via a data transmission channel, to which the mobile part is controlled with the aid of the first drive.

8. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the value tuple includes the acquired current-value profile, and the central control system is adapted to monitor whether the current-value profile lies within a predefined band.

9. A method for operating a rail system that includes a rail-guided mobile part and a central control system, the mobile part including a first drive, comprising: detecting a position of the mobile part; acquiring a current drawn by the first drive or a current drawn by the entire mobile part; evaluating a current-value profile acquired between a first position and a second position in a processor of the mobile part, including determining value tuples that include at least one item of position information and a value determined from the current-value profile; transmitting the value tuples from the mobile part to the central control system; monitoring, by the central control system, a value determined from an individual current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value and/or a setpoint value; and displaying and/or reporting, by the central control system, an error state and/or a warning if the measure is exceeded.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first drive includes a traction drive.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein an average value, a maximum value, and/or a minimum value of the current-value profile is calculated as the value determined from the current-value profile.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the value tuple includes a minimum value and/or a maximum value of the current-value profile, the central control system monitors an individual minimum value determined from a respective current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a second predefined value and/or setpoint value, and/or the central control system monitors an individual maximum value determined from a respective current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a third predefined value and/or setpoint value.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the value tuple includes a value that is related to a weight of a load picked up by the mobile part and/or a value determined from an acquired current profile of a second drive of the mobile part adapted to pick up a load, the central control system monitoring a value determined from a further current profile for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value and/or setpoint value.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the central control system sends position setpoint values to the mobile part via a data transmission channel, to which the mobile part is controlled with the aid of the first drive.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the value tuple includes the acquired current-value profile, and the central control system monitors whether the current-value profile lies within a predefined band.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) In FIG. 1, a system according to an example embodiment of the present invention is schematically illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(2) As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system has a mobile part 1, in particular a rail vehicle, and rails 5 on which mobile part 1 is able to be driven.

(3) Mobile part 1 has a first drive, which drives mobile part 1 along rails 5. A second drive of mobile part 1 is used for lifting or lowering a load 2 that is picked up.

(4) Mobile part 1 has a control, which is connected with the aid of a data transmission channel 8, in particular with the aid of a wireless data link, for a data exchange to a central control of the system, which in particular is fixedly connected to rails 5 or to a device that is fixedly connected to rails 5. The central control system thus is unable to move relative to rails 5.

(5) Mobile part 1 has a current acquisition device, and the current drawn by the first drive is acquired. An exemplary current profile during an initial acceleration, i.e., an intermittent acceleration of mobile part 1 over time, is illustrated in FIG. 1, mobile part 1 continuing its travel at a constant speed following an acceleration period.

(6) The acquisition of the current profile begins at a first position A of mobile part 1 and ends at a second position B.

(7) The control includes a device for calculating the average value, the maximum value and the minimum value of the current profile.

(8) The average value is transmitted to the central control system via data transmission channel 8. No large bandwidth is therefore required for data transmission channel 8.

(9) In addition, setpoint values for the next position to be reached by mobile part 1 are transmitted via data transmission channel 8. Since the central control system transmits such updated target positions in a consecutive manner for over two hundred mobile parts 1, and each mobile part 1 transmits the respectively determined instantaneous average value and possibly further values, an Ethernet protocol is able to be used.

(10) The central control system monitors the respective average value allocated to position A and B for an exceeding of a permissible measure of a deviation from a predefined value. As soon as an exceedance is detected, a warning is displayed or forwarded. As a result, a fault of the mobile part or the system is detectable.

(11) The fault, for example, is a defective bearing, which leads to an increased torque of the first drive because the control of the mobile part is trying to reach the destination position.

(12) In a further arrangement, the predefined value is a learned value such as the value averaged across all previously received average values.

(13) Thus, only average values that are associated with the respective position A or the route from A to B are transmitted.

(14) In further exemplary embodiments, the entire current consumption of mobile part 1 rather than the current profile of the first drive of mobile part 1 is used. Thus, it is then also possible to consider and monitor the picking up of a load, i.e. the raising or lowering of a load, with the aid of the current profile.

(15) A fault, for example, is a malfunction in the second drive such as a defective bearing or the like, or an excessive load or stalling of the load on the stationary part of the system.

(16) In further exemplary embodiments, a data transmission channel 8 offering a larger bandwidth is used. Instead of the average values, additional values that characterize the current profile are therefore transmittable to the central control system, in particular even the entire current profile.

(17) Thus, it may then be monitored in the central control system whether the current profile lies within a band around a predefined current value characteristic. The band is characterized by a maximum value characteristic above the predefined current-value profile and by a minimum value characteristic below the predefined current-value profile. The width of the band, that is to say the difference between the maximum and the minimum values associated with the respective instant, is, for example, constant.

(18) In further exemplary embodiments, the mobile part transmits the acquired current value for the individually acquired position to the central control system. As a result, this position-dependent value is able to be monitored for an impermissibly high deviation from a predefined value associated with the respective position.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(19) 1 mobile part, in particular rail vehicle 2 load 3 driving movement of mobile part 1 4 lifting or lowering of load 2 5 rail 6 current profile 7 processor-based analysis of the current profile 8 data transmission channel, in particular data radio connection