Bogie for a rail vehicle

Abstract

A bogie for a rail vehicle includes a wheel set with a wheel set bearing. In order to provide a cost-effective testing of a wheel set bearing temperature, the bogie includes a temperature verification or test element and a thermally conducting line which thermally connects the wheel set bearing with the temperature verification or test element. A rail vehicle having at least one bogie and a method for verifying a wheel set bearing temperature of a rail vehicle are also provided.

Claims

1. A bogie for a rail vehicle, the bogie comprising: a wheel set having a wheel set bearing; a temperature verification element: said temperature verification element being a thermally conductive member with a thermally conductive measurement face, or said temperature verification element including a thermally conductive member with a thermally conductive measurement face; and a thermally conductive line thermally connecting said wheel set bearing to said temperature verification element.

2. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein said thermally conductive line is at least partially thermally insulated.

3. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein said wheel set includes two wheel disks, and said wheel set bearing is disposed between said two wheel disks.

4. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein said temperature verification element includes an indicator configured to signal whether or not a temperature of said temperature verification element has exceeded a predetermined temperature threshold value.

5. The bogie according to claim 4, wherein: said indicator is a thermal paint configured to discolor when the temperature of said temperature verification element exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold value, or said indicator includes at least one paint capsule configured to burst when the temperature of said temperature verification element exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold value.

6. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein: said wheel set is a first wheel set defining a first plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the bogie through said first wheel set; a second wheel set defines a second plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the bogie through said second wheel set; and said temperature verification element is disposed between said first plane and said second plane.

7. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein: said wheel set bearing is a first wheel set bearing of first and second wheel set bearings; said temperature verification element is a first temperature verification element of first and second temperature verification elements; said thermally conductive line is a first thermally conductive line of first and second thermally conductive lines; said second thermally conductive line thermally connects said second wheel set bearing to said second temperature verification element; and said first temperature verification element and said second temperature verification element are positioned at mutually opposite sides of the bogie.

8. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein: said wheel set bearing is a first wheel set bearing of first and second wheel set bearings; said temperature verification element is a first temperature verification element of first and second temperature verification elements; said thermally conductive line is a first thermally conductive line of first and second thermally conductive lines; said second thermally conductive line thermally connects said second wheel set bearing to said second temperature verification element; and said first temperature verification element and said second temperature verification element are positioned at an identical side of the bogie.

9. The bogie according to claim 1, which further comprises a bogie frame and a cladding at least partially surrounding said bogie frame and said wheel set, said temperature verification element being disposed at an outer side of said cladding.

10. The bogie according to claim 1, wherein: said wheel set has a wheel disk; and said temperature verification element has a portion being disposed further from a longitudinal center plane of the bogie than said wheel disk.

11. A rail vehicle, comprising at least one bogie according to claim 1.

12. A method for verifying a wheel set bearing temperature of a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: providing the rail vehicle with a bogie including a wheel set having a wheel set bearing, a thermally conductive line and a temperature verification element; thermally connecting the thermally conductive line from the wheel set bearing to the temperature verification element; directing heat from the wheel set bearing through the thermally conductive line to the temperature verification element; and verifying a temperature of the temperature verification element.

13. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises using a thermometer to establish the temperature of the temperature verification element during a stoppage of the rail vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, which further comprises using a hot box location system to establish the temperature of the temperature verification element during travel of the rail vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a rail vehicle with two bogies;

(2) FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the two bogies from FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view of an alternative bogie; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view of yet another alternative bogie.

(5) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a rail vehicle 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The rail vehicle 2 has two bogies 4 which are constructed at least substantially identically. Furthermore, the rail vehicle 2 comprises a monitoring system 6 with a plurality of temperature sensors 8 and an evaluation unit 10 which is connected so as to communicate with the temperature sensors 8 for evaluating temperature signals which are produced by the temperature sensors 8.

(7) FIG. 2 shows by way of example one of the two bogies 4 of the rail vehicle 2 from FIG. 1 as a plan view.

(8) The bogie 4 has a frame 12 and two wheel sets 14 which are constructed in an identical manner. Each of the two wheel sets 14 comprises a wheel set shaft 16 and two wheel disks 18 which are connected to the wheel set shaft 16. Furthermore, each of the two wheel sets 14 has two wheel set bearings 20, by means of which the wheel set shaft 16 of the respective wheel set 14 is supported on the frame 12.

(9) In the present case, the bogie 4 is a so-called internally supported bogie. That is to say, the wheel set bearings 20 of the respective wheel set 14 are arranged between the wheel disks 18 thereof.

(10) Furthermore, the bogie 4 has four temperature verification elements 22. Furthermore, the bogie 4 comprises four thermally conductive lines 24 which have copper as the thermally conductive material. Each of the thermally conductive lines 24 connects precisely one of the wheel set bearings 20 thermally to precisely one of the temperature verification elements 22.

(11) Both the temperature verification elements 22 and the thermally conductive lines 24 are secured to the frame 12 of the bogie 4. Furthermore, the thermally conductive lines 24 are thermally insulated with respect to the frame 12. The temperature verification elements 22 are thermally insulated with respect to the frame 12 at the respective securing location thereof, at which the respective temperature verification element 22 is secured to the frame 12.

(12) Each of the temperature verification elements 22 has a thermally conductive, plate-like member 26 of metal, in particular of copper, having a thermally conductive measurement face 28. In the present embodiment, each of the temperature verification elements 22 additionally has a paint capsule 30 which is filled with a liquid as an optical indication means which is fitted to the metal member 26 of the respective temperature verification element 22.

(13) Furthermore, the temperature verification elements 22 are each arranged between a first plane 32, which extends perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction 34 of the bogie 4 through one of the two wheel sets 14, and a second plane 36 which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 34 of the bogie 4 through the other of the two wheel sets 14.

(14) Furthermore, the temperature verification elements 22 are in the present embodiment positioned at two different mutually opposing sides of the bogie 4.

(15) The monitoring system 6 of the rail vehicle 2 establishes by means of the temperature sensors 8 thereof the temperature which the respective wheel set bearing 20 has.

(16) If the temperature of one of the wheel set bearings 20 exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold, the monitoring system 6 produces a hot box notification which is transmitted to a vehicle driver via an output device (not illustrated in the Figures) of the rail vehicle 2 and which comprises an identifier which can be clearly associated with the wheel set bearing 20 affected. In such a case, the rail vehicle 2 is brought promptly to a standstill.

(17) When the rail vehicle 2 comes to a standstill, the vehicle driver goes to the affected wheel set bearing 20 in order to verify the plausibility of the hot box notification. To this end, the vehicle driver establishes by means of a mobile thermometer (not illustrated in the drawings) the temperature of the temperature verification element 22 which is thermally connected via one of the thermally conductive lines 24 to the affected wheel set bearing 20.

(18) Since, via the said thermally conductive line 24, heat is transmitted from the affected wheel set bearing 20 to the temperature verification element 22 which is thermally connected to the wheel set bearing 20, there is a thermal equilibrium between the wheel set bearing 20 and the temperature verification element 22 so that these two elements have the same temperature. As a result of the measurement of the temperature of the temperature verification element 22, the vehicle driver can thus establish the temperature of the wheel set bearing 20 from a readily accessible location.

(19) The thermometer used by the vehicle driver may, for example, be a thermometer which measures in a contactless manner, in particular a pyrometer which establishes the thermal radiation radiated from the measurement face 28 of the said temperature verification element 22 and establishes therefrom the temperature thereof.

(20) The thermometer may emit a laser beam in order to detect the target surface. Furthermore, the thermometer may have a light source for illuminating the temperature verification element 22.

(21) The above-mentioned paint capsules 30 are configured to burst when the temperature of the respective temperature verification element 22 exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold value. The bursting of the paint capsule 30 of one of the temperature verification elements 22 leads to a coloring of a portion of the thermally conductive member 26 of the temperature verification element 22. The vehicle driver can thereby also determine purely by means of a visual inspection whether the temperature of the temperature verification element 22 and consequently also the temperature of the associated wheel set bearing 20 has exceeded the predetermined temperature threshold value.

(22) The descriptions of the following embodiments are limited in each case primarily to the differences with respect to the previous embodiment to which reference will be made with respect to features and functions which remain the same. Elements which are substantially identical or which correspond to each other are, as long as it is advantageous, indicated with the same reference numerals and features which are not mentioned are taken up in the following embodiments without being described again.

(23) FIG. 3 is a plan view of an alternative bogie 38. This bogie 38 may, for example, be used in place of the bogie 4 from FIG. 2 in the rail vehicle 2.

(24) In the present embodiment, the temperature verification elements 22 are all arranged at the same side of the bogie 38. The vehicle driver can thereby verify the temperatures of all the wheel set bearings 30 from one side of the bogie 38 without having to move around the rail vehicle 2 to the other side of the bogie 38.

(25) Furthermore, the temperature verification elements 22 each have in place of a paint capsule a thermal paint 40 as an optical indication means.

(26) If the temperature of one of the temperature verification elements 22 exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold value, the thermal paint 40 thereof is discolored in an irreversible manner and thereby visually signals that the temperature threshold value has been exceeded.

(27) FIG. 4 is a plan view of yet another alternative bogie 42. This bogie 42 may, for example, be used in place of the bogie 4 from FIG. 2 or the bogie 38 from FIG. 3 in the rail vehicle 2.

(28) In the present embodiment, the bogie 42 has a cladding 44 which surrounds the frame 12 and the wheel sets 14, wherein the cladding 44 is depicted as a sectioned illustration.

(29) The temperature verification elements 22 of this bogie 42 are secured to an outer side of the cladding 44. In addition, the temperature verification elements 22 are thermally insulated with respect to the cladding 44 at the respective securing location thereof, at which the respective temperature verification element 22 is secured to the cladding 44.

(30) Furthermore, the temperature verification elements 22 each have a larger spacing with respect to a longitudinal center plane 46 of the bogie 42 than the wheel disks 18 of the wheel sets 14.

(31) During travel of the rail vehicle 2, track-side hot box location systems (not illustrated in the drawings) which are located outside the rails when viewed from the track center, can be used in order to establish the temperatures of the temperature verification elements 22 and thereby to verify the temperatures of the wheel set bearings 20.

(32) The use of track-side hot box location systems for monitoring the wheel set bearing temperatures is not limited to a bogie with a cladding—for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4. With the bogie 4 from FIG. 2 or the bogie 38 from FIG. 3, such a monitoring is also possible by means of track-side hot box locations systems if the temperature verification elements 22 are constructed to be sufficiently long and/or have a sufficiently large spacing with respect to the longitudinal center plane 46 of the respective bogie 4, 38 so that the thermal radiation emitted from the temperature verification elements 22 can be detected by the hot box location systems.

(33) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom without departing from the protective scope of the invention.