Electromechanical braking actuator for a vehicle, particularly for at least one railway vehicle, and braking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12441289-B2
Application number	US-202118005050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2021
Priority date	Jul 13, 2020
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

An electromechanical braking actuator for a vehicle, particularly for a railway vehicle, is described, which comprises a safety unit arranged to receive an electrical position signal, the value of which is indicative of the position of braking force application means along a translation axis; to determine an instantaneous position of braking force application means, based on the value of an electrical position signal; and, through first interruption means, to prevent a braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit, or a power supply signal, from reaching the electromechanical module, when: a) the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are in a position between a maintenance position and a rest position; b) the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are moving from the rest position to the maintenance position. A braking system is also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromechanical braking actuator for a vehicle, comprising:
a service braking control unit arranged to receive a service braking force request electrical signal and generating a braking force control signal, the value of which is a function of said service braking force request electrical signal;
an electromechanical module arranged to receive the braking force control signal generated by the service braking control unit and to generate a braking force, the value of which is a function of said braking force control signal, wherein said electromechanical module is arranged to also receive power through said braking force control signal;
at least one force transmission member arranged to transmit the braking force generated by the electromechanical module to braking force application means, wherein said at least one force transmission member is arranged to be controlled by said electromechanical module so as to translate along a translation axis, wherein the translation of said at least one force transmission member according to a first application direction involves an increase of the braking force applied by the braking force application means and the translation of said at least one force transmission member according to a second application direction, opposite to said first application direction, involves a reduction of the braking force applied by the braking force application means;
the electromechanical braking actuator comprising a safety unit arranged to:
receive an electrical position signal, the value of which is indicative of the position of said braking force application means along said translation axis;
determine an instantaneous position of the braking force application means based on the value of the electrical position signal; and
through first interruption means, prevent the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit from reaching the electromechanical module, when:
a) based on the value of the electrical position signal, the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are in a position along a force application axis between a maintenance position at a first distance from braking force receiving means, and a rest position at a second distance from said braking force receiving means, less than said first distance;
b) based on changes of the value of the electrical position signal over time, the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are moving from the rest position to the maintenance position.

2. The electromechanical braking actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the safety unit is arranged to receive a maintenance request signal arranged to assume a first value indicative of the non-necessity of bringing the braking force application means into the maintenance position, and to assume a second value indicative of the necessity of bringing the braking force application means into the maintenance position;
said safety unit being also arranged to:
through said first interruption means, prevent the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit from reaching the electromechanical module, when:

a) both the maintenance request signal assumes its first value and the safety unit determines, based on the value of the electrical position signal, that the braking force application means are in a position along said braking force application axis between said maintenance position and the rest position;
b) based on changes in value of the electrical position signal over time, the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are moving from the rest position to the maintenance position.

3. The electromechanical braking actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the safety unit is arranged to further receive a maintenance validation signal, arranged to assume a first value indicative of a non-confirmation of permission to bring the braking force application means into the maintenance position and to assume a second value indicative of a confirmation of permission to bring the braking force application means into the maintenance position;
said safety unit being arranged to:
through said first interruption means, prevent the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit from reaching the electromechanical module, when:
a) both the maintenance request signal and the maintenance validation signal assume their respective first values, and the safety unit determines, based on the value of the electrical position signal, that the braking force application means are in a position along said braking force application axis between said maintenance position and said rest position;
b) on the basis of changes in value of the electrical position signal over time, the safety unit determines that the braking force application means are moving from the rest position to the maintenance position;
and/or said safety unit being arranged to:
through said first interruption means, prevent the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit from reaching the electromechanical module, when:
a) the maintenance request signal assumes its first value and the maintenance validation signal does not assume its first value, or, the maintenance request signal assumes its second value and the maintenance validation signal does not assume its second value; and
b) the safety unit determines, based on the value of the electrical position signal, that the braking force application means are in a position along said braking force application axis between said maintenance position and said rest position;
and/or said safety unit being arranged to:
through said first interruption means, allow the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit to reach the electromechanical module, when both the maintenance request signal and the maintenance validation signal assume their respective second values, and the safety unit determines, based on the value of the electrical position signal, that the braking force application means are in the rest position.

4. The electromechanical braking actuator according to claim 3 , wherein the safety unit is arranged, through said first interruption means, to prevent the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit from reaching the electromechanical module, when:
both the maintenance request signal and the maintenance validation signal assume their respective second values; and
the safety unit determines, based on the value of the electrical position signal, that the braking force application means are in said maintenance position.

5. The electromechanical braking actuator according to claim 3 , wherein when the braking force application means are in said maintenance position and both the maintenance request signal and the maintenance validation signal assume their respective first values:
the safety unit is arranged, through said first interruption means, to allow the braking force control signal emitted by the service braking control unit to again reach the electromechanical module;
the service braking control unit is arranged, by means of said braking force control signal, to bring said braking force application means into a braking application position in contact with said braking force receiving means, wherein the service braking control unit is arranged to determine that the braking application position coincides with the position in which said braking force application means are, when said braking force indicative electrical signal, after having assumed a null value, assumes a non-null value;
when said braking force application means reaches the braking application position in contact with said braking force receiving means, the service braki

Assignees

• Faiveley Transport Italia Spa

Inventors

• Tione Roberto

Classifications

• B60T17/221 Primary

  Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems (hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M) · CPC title

• F16D65/28

  arranged apart from the brake · CPC title

• B61H15/00

  Wear-compensating mechanisms, e.g. slack adjusters · CPC title

• B60T2270/406

  Test-mode; Self-diagnosis · CPC title

• B60T13/746

  and mechanical transmission of the braking action · CPC title