RAILROAD CAR

Abstract

A railroad car includes a control system. In order to obtain a space-saving configuration of the control system of the railroad car, the control system includes a plurality of functional modules, each having a housing with at least one externally accessible electrical interface and being disposed decentrally with respect to each other.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A railroad car, comprising: a control system including a plurality of functional modules; said functional modules being disposed decentrally relative to each other; and each of said functional modules having a respective housing with at least one externally accessible electrical interface.

17. The railroad car according to claim 16, wherein: said interfaces of said functional modules are constructed as plug-type connectors; and each of said functional modules includes: at least one printed circuit board disposed in said housing of said respective functional module, said at least one printed circuit board being electrically connected to said interface of said respective functional module, and a relay unit soldered onto said at least one printed circuit board of said respective functional module.

18. The railroad car according to claim 17, which further comprises a back panel or at least one cable electrically connecting said printed circuit board of said respective functional module to said interface of said respective functional module.

19. The railroad car according to claim 16, wherein: said control system includes a switchgear cabinet and a plurality of control elements disposed in said switchgear cabinet; said functional modules are disposed outside said switchgear cabinet; and communication lines each communicatively connect a respective one of said functional modules to at least one of said control elements in said switchgear cabinet.

20. The railroad car according to claim 16, wherein said housings of said functional modules have identical dimensions.

21. The railroad car according to claim 16, wherein at least one of said functional modules has at least one heat sink being fastened to said housing of said at least one functional module, and said at least one heat sink includes a plurality of cooling fins.

22. The railroad car according to claim 16, wherein each of said functional modules is equipped with two respective fastening elements each having two respective plate-shaped sections oriented perpendicularly relative to each other.

23. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a plurality of passenger seats, at least one of said functional modules being disposed under at least one of said passenger seats.

24. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a car body roof and an inner ceiling, at least one of said functional modules being disposed between said car body roof and said inner ceiling.

25. The railroad car according to claim 24, wherein said car body roof has at least one cove, and said at least one functional module disposed between said inner ceiling and said car body roof is disposed under said at least one cove.

26. The railroad car according to claim 24, which further comprises an embarkation zone with an entry door, said at least one functional module disposed between said inner ceiling and said car body roof being disposed above said entry door in said embarkation zone.

27. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a car body floor and a floor pan, at least one of said functional modules being disposed between said car body floor and said floor pan.

28. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a car body side wall, and a side wall inner paneling, at least one of said functional modules being disposed between said car body side wall and said wall inner paneling.

29. The railroad car according to claim 28, wherein said car body side wall is a car joining wall.

30. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a luggage rack and a car body side wall, at least one of said functional modules being disposed between said luggage rack and said car body side wall.

31. The railroad car according to claim 16, which further comprises a switchgear cabinet and a car body side wall, at least one of said functional modules being disposed between said switchgear cabinet and said car body side wall.

Description

[0045] The properties, features and advantages of the invention as described above, and the manner in which these are achieved, become clearer and easier to understand in the context of the following description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is explained in greater detail in connection with the drawings. The exemplary embodiment serves to explain the invention and does not limit the invention to the combinations of features specified therein, or in respect of functional features. Moreover, suitable features of the exemplary embodiment can also be considered explicitly in isolation and combined with any of the claims.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a railroad car with a control system comprising a plurality of functional modules which are arranged decentrally with respect to each other;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section of the railroad car along a sectional plane II-II from FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section of the railroad car along a further sectional plane III-III from FIG. 1;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of one of the functional modules of the railroad car in a perspective view;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a section through a housing of the functional module from FIG. 4; and

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a section through a housing of a further functional module of the railroad car.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a railroad car 2 for passenger transport, illustrated in a top view.

[0053] The railroad car 2 has a plurality car body side walls 4. Two of these car body side walls 4 are provided with entry doors 6. Another of these car body side walls 4 is designed as a car joining wall 8, through which a vehicle passenger can pass from the railroad car 2 into another railroad car that is coupled to the railroad car 2. For this purpose, the car joining wall 8 has a connecting door 10. For the sake of greater clarity, the other railroad car, which is coupled to the first-cited railroad car 2, is not illustrated in this figure.

[0054] The railroad car 2 also has a passenger space 12, in which a plurality of passenger seats 14 are arranged. In addition, the railroad car 2 has locomotive driver space 16, which is separated from the passenger space 12 by a separating wall 18.

[0055] The railroad car 2 is also equipped with a plurality of side wall inner panelings 20, which in each case conceal one of the car body side walls 4 and laterally delimit the passenger space 12 and/or the locomotive driver space 16.

[0056] The railroad car 2 also has a luggage rack 22, which is arranged in the passenger space 12. In addition, the railroad car 2 has two vestibule cabinets 24, each of which is arranged partially in different embarkation zones 26 of the railroad car 2.

[0057] Furthermore, the railroad car 2 is equipped with a control system 28. The control system 28 comprises a switchgear cabinet 30 in which a plurality of control elements 32 are arranged, these being communicatively connected to each other.

[0058] In addition, the control system 28 comprises a plurality of functional modules 34 which are arranged decentrally with respect to each other and are communicatively connected in each case via an electrical communication line 36 to the control elements 32 that are arranged in the switchgear cabinet 30. The functional modules 34 each have a housing with an externally accessible electrical interface (cf. FIG 4). Furthermore, in their respective housings the functional modules 34 have at least one printed circuit board onto which is soldered a relay unit that forms a control element of the control system 28 (cf. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6).

[0059] One of the functional modules 34 is arranged between the luggage rack 22 and one of the car body side walls 4. Two more of the functional modules 34 are each arranged in one of the vestibule cabinets 24. A further two of the functional modules 34 are placed next to the switchgear cabinet 30, in particular between the switchgear cabinet 30 and one of the car body side walls 4 or between the switchgear cabinet 30 and the separating wall 18. Another of the functional modules 34 is arranged between the car joining wall 8 and the side wall inner paneling 20 which conceals the car joining wall 8. Yet another of the functional modules 34 is arranged in the locomotive driver space 16 next to the separating wall 18.

[0060] Also shown in FIG. 1 is a sectional plane II-II, which is oriented perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal direction of the car 38. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a sectional plane III-III, which runs in a longitudinal direction of the car 38 through one of the embarkation zones 26 of the railroad car 2.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section of the railroad car 2 along the sectional plane II-II from FIG. 1. In this figure, it is possible to identify two of the previously mentioned car body side walls 4 and side wall inner panelings 20, and the four passenger seats 14 arranged in the passenger space 12.

[0062] The railroad car 2 has a car body roof 40 and an inner ceiling 42 which represents an upper limit of the passenger space 12. The car body roof 40 has a cove 44 in the direction of the car body side walls 4 in each case. The railroad car 2 also has a car body floor 46 and a floorpan 48 which is arranged under the car body floor 46.

[0063] In addition, further functional modules 34 are arranged in FIG. 2. These further functional modules 34 are also communicatively connected via electrical connection lines to the control elements 32 arranged in the switchgear cabinet 30, though these communication lines are not illustrated in this figure.

[0064] One of the functional modules 34 is arranged under one of the passenger seats 14. Three more of the further functional modules 34 are arranged in an underfloor zone between the car body floor 46 and the floorpan 48. Two of these three functional modules 34 are arranged in particular in the region of a curve of the floorpan 48 and the third of these three functional modules 34 is fastened to the car body floor 46. Four more of the further functional modules 34 are arranged between the car body roof 40 and the inner ceiling 42. In particular, two of these four functional modules 34 are arranged under one of the coves 44 in each case. These two last-cited functional modules 34 are arranged obliquely relative to the horizontal.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section of the railroad car 2 along the sectional plane III-III from FIG. 1. In the section illustrated, one of the embarkation zones 26 of the railroad car 2 is depicted. FIG. 3 shows inter alia a section of the car body roof 40, the inner ceiling 42, the car body floor 46 and the floorpan 48. One of the previously mentioned entry doors 6 is also shown.

[0066] Also depicted in FIG. 3 are a further three functional modules 34 of the control system 28. One of the further functional modules 34 is arranged between the car body roof 40 and the inner ceiling 42, in particular above the entry door 6, in the embarkation zone shown. The other two further functional modules 34 are arranged between the car body floor 46 and the floorpan 48 in the embarkation zone shown.

[0067] These three further functional modules 34 are likewise communicatively connected via an electrical communication line in each case to the control elements 32 arranged in the switchgear cabinet 30, though these communication lines are not illustrated in this figure.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of one of the previously mentioned functional modules 34 in a perspective view.

[0069] The functional module 34 has a cuboid housing 50 made of metal. Two fastening elements 52 are attached to the housing 50, in particular to its top side as shown in the drawing. The fastening elements 52 are used to fasten the functional module 34 to another component of the railroad car 2. In the present exemplary embodiment, the fastening elements 52 are angle brackets which are screwed onto the housing. The fastening elements 52 each have two plate-like sections 54 which are so oriented as to be perpendicular relative to each other. In this way, one of said sections 54 is attached to the housing 50 in each case.

[0070] The illustrated functional module 34 also has four externally accessible electrical interfaces 56, which are provided in each case for linking the functional module 34 via cables to one or more car-related elements. In the present exemplary embodiment, the interfaces 56 are designed as plug-type connectors. In addition, the interfaces 56 each have two threaded holes 58 by means of which a cable can be screwed onto the respective interface 56.

[0071] The present functional module 34 also has two passive heat sinks 60 comprising a plurality of cooling fins 62 in each case, said heat sinks 60 being attached to opposite sides of the housing 50.

[0072] The housing 50 is also equipped with a plurality of externally accessible blind rivet nuts 64. The blind rivet nuts 64 can be used to screw components such as e.g. the heat sinks 60 or the fastening elements 52 onto the housing 50. As an alternative or in addition to the blind rivet nuts 64, the housing 50 can have a plurality of threaded inserts.

[0073] FIG. 5 shows a section through the housing 50 of the functional module 34 from FIG. 4. In addition to two of the previously mentioned interfaces 56 and a plurality of the previously mentioned blind rivet nuts 64, two printed circuit boards 66 and a printed circuit board support unit 68 are visible in FIG. 2, the printed circuit boards 66 and the printed circuit board support unit 68 being arranged in the housing 50. The printed circuit board support unit 68 is used to hold the two printed circuit boards 66 in place in the housing 50.

[0074] A relay unit 70 which forms a control element of the control system 28 is soldered onto each of the two printed circuit boards 66. Furthermore, the two printed circuit boards 66 are electrically connected to the interfaces 56 of the functional module 34 by means of a back panel 72 which is arranged in the housing 50. For this purpose, the printed circuit boards 66 are plugged into slots of the back panel 72. In addition, the back panel 72 itself is electrically connected to the interfaces 56 of the functional module 34. In the present exemplary embodiment, by means of the back panel 72, each of the two printed circuit boards 66 is electrically connected respectively to two of the four electrical interfaces 56 of the functional module 34.

[0075] The remainder of the previously mentioned functional modules 34 can be designed in an identical manner to the functional module described in connection with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Alternatively, some or all of the other functional modules 34 may differ from each other or from the functional module 34 described in connection with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 in respect of their number of interfaces 56, type of interfaces 56, number of heat sinks 60 and/or number of fastening elements 52.

[0076] Furthermore, the other functional modules 34 may differ from the functional module 34 described in connection with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 in respect of those housing sides to which their fastening elements 52 and/or heat sinks 60 are attached.

[0077] By way of example, FIG. 6 shows a section through a housing 50 of another functional module 34 of the control system 28. The following description is limited essentially to the differences of the present functional module 34 compared with the functional module 34 from FIG. 5, to which reference is made in respect of features that remain the same. Essentially identical or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference signs in each case, and features that are not mentioned are transferred without being described again.

[0078] The functional module 34 illustrated in FIG. 6 has no back panel. Each of the electrical interfaces 56 of the functional module 34 is instead connected to a cable 74. The cables 74 have a plug-type connector 76 in each case. In addition, each of these cables 74 is connected with its plug-type connector 76 to one of the printed circuit boards 66 of the functional module 34, and therefore the printed circuit boards 66 of the functional module 34 are connected to the interfaces 56 by means of the cables 74.

[0079] Furthermore, the electrical interfaces 56 of the functional module 34 from FIG. 6 have a different type of plug-type connector to the electrical interfaces 56 of the functional module 34 from FIG. 5.

[0080] Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, it is not limited by the example disclosed herein and other variations may be derived therefrom without departing from the scope of the invention.