TRANSFER DEVICE FOR A RAIL VEHICLE, SENSOR APPARATUS, BOGIE, RAIL VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A TRANSFER DEVICE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the additional interface is configured hardwired or wireless.

3. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling unit includes a storage device configured to store the operating variables.

4. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device includes an energy interface connectable with an energy storage device to store electrical energy.

5. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling unit includes an electronic bogie identification of the bogie and is configured to transfer a bogie identification through the additional interface.

6. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling unit is configured to reliably receive device variables from the electronic device through the additional interface to compare the received operating variables with the received device variables in order to obtain a comparison result and in order to determine bogie information using the comparison result.

7. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device is configured to determine operating data from the operating variables and transfer the operating data through the additional interface.

8. A sensor device for a rail vehicle, the sensor device comprising: the transfer device according to claim 1 and the plurality of the sensors configured to capture the operating variables, wherein the plurality of the sensors is electrically coupled with the coupling unit through the plurality of the sensor interfaces.

9. A bogie for a rail vehicle, the bogie comprising: the sensor device according to claim 8.

10. A rail vehicle, comprising: a car body including the electronic device and the bogie according to claim 9.

11. A method for operating the transfer device of the rail vehicle according to claim 10, the method comprising: receiving the operating variables through the plurality of sensor interfaces; and transferring the operating variables of the sensors received through the plurality of sensor interfaces to the electronics device through the additional interface using a multiplexing method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to drawing figures, wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the rail vehicle according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for operating the transfer device; and

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the transfer device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] 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.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a rail vehicle 100 according to an advantageous embodiment. The rail vehicle 100 is configured e.g., as a train. The rail vehicle 100 includes a car body 102 with an electronic device 104 and a bogie 106 with a plurality of wheels 110.

[0031] The bogie 106 is configured as a running gear of the rail vehicle 100 in which the wheels 110 are supported in a bogie that is rotatable relative to the car body 102, wherein the vehicle 102 is arranged on the bogie 106. The electronic device 104 is 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 100.

[0032] The bogie 106 includes a sensor device 108. The sensor device 108 includes a transfer device 112 and a plurality of sensors 114. Each individual sensor 114 out of the plurality of sensors 114 is electrically connected with a coupling unit 116 of the transfer device 112 through a plurality of sensor interfaces 118. This means that the coupling unit 116 includes the plurality of sensor interfaces 118. The sensors 114 are configured to capture operating variables of the rail vehicle 100. These operating variables include data relating to a vehicle brake or also other components of the rail vehicle 100 and, in particular, of the bogie 106.

[0033] The transfer device 112 includes the coupling unit 116 recited supra that is arranged or arrangeable at the bogie 106. Thus, the coupling unit 116 includes the plurality of the sensor interfaces 118 through which the coupling unit 116 receives the operating variables from the sensors 114. The coupling unit 116 additionally includes an additional interface 120 that is connectable with the electronic device 104 and configured to reliably transfer the obtained operating variables of the sensors 114 to the electronic device 104 using a multiplexing method through the additional interface 120. This means that the coupling unit 116 is configured e.g. as a multiplexer. The coupling unit 116 is connected through the additional interface 120 with the electronic device 104 in the condition shown in FIG. 1.

[0034] According to this embodiment, the coupling unit 116 is connected with the plurality of sensors 114 through a plurality of electrical conductors 122, whereas the coupling unit 116 is coupled with the electronic device 104 through a single interface, thus the additional interface 120. In this embodiment, each of the sensors 114 is connected through an individual conductor 122 with an interface 118 of the coupling unit 116 associated with the respective sensor 114. The additional interface 120 is configurable hardwired or wireless. Hardwired means that at least one cable is run between the coupling unit 116 and the electronic device 104. Wireless, however, means that the two electronic devices 116, 114 communicate via radio directly or through a cloud connected therebetween. Independently from the configuration of the additional interface 120, the coupling unit 116 can be configured as a transmitter and the electronic device 104 can both be configured as a receiver or the coupling unit 116 and the electronic device 104 can both be configured as a transmitter and a receiver. According to an advantageous embodiment, the additional interface 120 is optionally used for transmitting electrical operating energy. Thus, the coupling unit 116 and the electronic device 104 are coupled e.g. by induction. A corresponding inductive interface can be optionally used additionally for transmitting the operating variables.

[0035] Additionally, the coupling unit 116 according to an advantageous embodiment includes a storage device 124 for storing the operating variables. According to an advantageous embodiment, the storage device 124 is configured as an internal storage device, as a memory card, or a black box. Optionally, the coupling unit 116 includes an energy interface 126 that is connected or connectable with an energy storage 128 for storing electrical energy. In this embodiment, the coupling unit 116 receives electrical energy from the electronic device 104 and thus fills the energy storage 128. This facilitates supplying the bogie 106 and the plurality of sensors 114 with electrical energy and facilitates data storage, processing the operating variables or propelling the train, thus the rail vehicle 100. Optionally, electronics of the coupling unit 116 are transferrable into sleep mode and the energy storage 128 facilitates event-controlled wakeup of the coupling unit 116.

[0036] According to this embodiment, the coupling unit 116 includes a bogie identification and is configured to transfer the bogie identification to the electronic device 104 through the additional interface 120. Thus, the coupling unit 116 optionally includes a storage device for storing the bogie information. The bogie information is transferred to the electronic device 104 individually or in combination with operating variables. The coupling unit 116 is only optionally configured to link the bogie information with the operating variables.

[0037] The coupling unit 116 is optionally configured to reliably receive device variables from the electronic device 104 through the additional interface 120. 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 106, e.g. to a condition of corresponding vehicle components. In this embodiment, the comparison result triggers a reaction in the car body 102 like e.g., putting out a maintenance signal. Optionally, the data is permanently updated and compared and also augmented with additional data. Additionally, the coupling unit 116 determines operating data using the operating variables, wherein the coupling unit transfers the operating data to the electronic device 104 through the additional interface. This facilitates a diagnosis directly in the bogie 106 without requiring intelligence like e.g. a control unit, in the car body 102. 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.

[0038] Put differently, the transfer device 112 represents a bogie connector. The transfer device 112 is configured to function as a broadband, very flexible and highly secure and simultaneously compact data transmission system between the car body 102 and the bogie 106 of the rail vehicle 100. Optionally, the transfer device 112 is also used to supply energy to the bogie 106.

[0039] Thus, the transfer device 112 is configured to function as an electronic connector between the car body 102 and the bogie 106. 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 bogie 106 and terminate in the car body 102. Alternatively, the transfer device 112 includes the wireless connection described supra of the two vehicle components 102, 106. 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 device 112 is optionally couple-able with a GPS sensor and thus capable of storing a location of the bogie 106 or provide the location to the car body. This simplifies identification of the bogie 106. Electronics of the transfer device 112 is 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 128. Furthermore, the transfer device 112 is optionally configured to transfer energy from the car body 102 to the bogie 106.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 200 for operating a transfer device. The method 200 can be performed using the transfer device described with reference to FIG. 1. The method 200 includes a step 202 of 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 step 204 for transferring the obtained operating variables of the sensor to an electronics device through another interface connectable with the electronics device using a multiplexing method.

[0041] The presented method steps can be repeated and can be performed in a sequence that differs from the described sequence.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a transfer device 112. The transfer device 112 is configured to control or execute a method for operating the transfer device 112 as described e.g. in FIG. 2. The transfer device 112 corresponds to or is similar to the transfer device 112 described in FIG. 1. The coupling unit 116 is thus configured to obtain the operating variables 300, e.g., the sensor data through a plurality of sensor interfaces 118, wherein each of the sensor interfaces 118 is electrically connectable with a respective sensor 114 in order to capture an operating variable 300 of the bogie. According to this embodiment, the coupling unit 116 includes a processing unit 302 configured to process the operating variables 300 and to provide the operating variables 300 as operating data 301 for transmission to the additional interface 120. Thus, the processing unit 302 includes a multiplexer 305 according to an advantageous embodiment in order to be able to transfer the operating variables 300 to the electronics device 104 using the multiplexing method. According to an advantageous embodiment, the electronics device 104 includes a de-multiplexer in order to de-multiplex the received data. Optionally, device variables 304 are transferred to the coupling unit 116 through the additional interface 120.

[0043] In an advantageous embodiment, the coupling unit 116 is configured to simultaneously or non-simultaneously receive first operating variables through a first interface of the plurality of interfaces 118 from a first sensor of the plurality of sensors 114, second operating variables through a second interface of the plurality of interfaces 118 from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors 114, and additional operating variables through at least one additional interface of the plurality of interfaces 118 from at least one additional sensor of the plurality of sensors 114, convert the operating variables into the operating data 301 using the multiplexer 305 and send the operating data 301 out in a serial data stream through the additional interface 120.

REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS

[0044] 100 motor vehicle [0045] 102 car body [0046] 104 electronics device [0047] 106 bogie [0048] 108 sensor device [0049] 110 plurality of wheels [0050] 112 transfer device [0051] 114 plurality of sensors [0052] 116 coupling unit [0053] 118 plurality of sensor interfaces [0054] 120 additional interface [0055] 122 electrical conductors [0056] 124 storage device [0057] 126 energy interface [0058] 128 energy storage [0059] 200 method for operating a transfer device [0060] 202 receiving step [0061] 204 transfer step [0062] 300 operating variables [0063] 301 operating data [0064] 302 processing unit [0065] 304 device variables [0066] 305 multiplexer