Electronic braking indication system for at least one vehicle, particularly at least one railway vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025206360-A1
Application number	US-202318848339-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Mar 18, 2022
Publication date	Jun 26, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to electronic braking indication systems for at least one vehicle, which systems comprise at least one electromechanical actuator (202) arranged to apply a braking force (F). In one aspect the invention relates to an electronic braking indication system comprising at least one force sensor means (204) arranged to measure the applied braking force (F), at least one electronic visual signaling device (206), comprising at least one first and one second electronic light source (208, 210), and at least one control means (212) arranged to receive the measured value of the braking force (F) and: a) switch on the first electronic light source (208) when the value of the braking force (F) is lower than a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1); b) switch on the second electronic light source (210) when the value of the braking force (F) is greater than the first threshold (THRESHOLD 1). In another aspect the invention relates to an electronic braking indication system comprising at least one force sensor means (204) arranged to measure the applied braking force (F), at least one electronic visual signaling device (206), comprising at least one first and one second electronic light source (208, 210), and at least one control means (212) arranged to receive the measured value of the braking force (F) and: a) switch on said first electronic light source (208) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is lower than or equal to a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1); b) switch on said second electronic light source (210) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is greater than or equal to a second threshold (THRESHOLD 2) different from said first threshold (THRESHOLD 1).

First claim

1 . An electronic braking indication system for at least one vehicle, particularly at least one railway vehicle, wherein said vehicle comprises at least one electromechanical actuator ( 202 ) arranged to apply a braking force (F) to at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or to at least one braking element associated with at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or an axle to which at least one wheel (W) is mounted;
said electronic braking indication system comprising: at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) arranged to measure a value of said braking force (F) applied by said at least one electromechanical actuator ( 202 ); at least one electronic visual signaling device ( 206 ), comprising at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ); at least one control means ( 212 ) arranged to receive the measured value of said braking force (F) and:
a) switch on said first electronic light source ( 208 ) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is lower than a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1 );
b) switch on said second electronic light source ( 210 ) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is greater than said first threshold (THRESHOLD 1 ).

2 . An electronic braking indication system for at least one vehicle, particularly at least one railway vehicle, wherein said vehicle comprises at least one electromechanical actuator ( 202 ) arranged to apply a braking force (F) to at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or to at least one braking element associated with at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or an axle to which at least one wheel (W) is mounted;
said electronic braking indication system comprising: at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) arranged to measure a value of said braking force (F) applied by said at least one electromechanical actuator ( 202 ); at least one electronic visual signaling device ( 206 ), comprising at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ); at least one control means ( 212 ) arranged to receive the measured value of said braking force (F) and:
a) switch on said first electronic light source ( 208 ) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is lower than or equal to a first threshold (THRESHOLD 1 );
b) switch on said second electronic light source ( 210 ) when said measured value of the braking force (F) is greater than or equal to a second threshold (THRESHOLD 2 ) different from said first threshold (THRESHOLD 1 ).

3 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 2 , wherein said second threshold (THRESHOLD 2 ) is greater than said first threshold (THRESHOLD 1 ).

4 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electronic visual signaling device ( 206 ) is arranged to be installed outside the vehicle, such that said at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and said at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ) are visible from outside the vehicle.

5 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein said measured value of the braking force (F) is provided by the at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) to the at least one control means ( 212 ) via a communication channel ( 214 ).

6 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 5 , wherein said communication channel is a wireless communication channel.

7 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 5 , comprising:
a first communication means ( 502 ) associated with said at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) and arranged to allow transmission/reception of signals on/from said communication channel ( 214 ); a second communication means ( 504 ) associated with said at least one control means ( 212 ) and arranged to allow transmission/reception of signals on/from said communication channel ( 214 ).

8 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 7 , wherein said first communication means ( 502 ) associated with said at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) is arranged to transmit a first signal indicative of the measured value of the braking force (F) continuously over time or according to a predetermined transmission period.

9 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 7 , wherein
when the vehicle is traveling at a speed lower than or equal to a predetermined speed, said first communication means ( 502 ) associated with said at least one force sensor means ( 204 ) is arranged to transmit to the second communication means ( 504 ), via said communication channel ( 214 ), a first signal indicative of the value of the braking force (F) continuously over time or according to a predetermined transmission period.

10 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one control means ( 212 ) is arranged to switch off said at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and/or said at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ) when the vehicle has reached or exceeded a predetermined speed,
or said at least one control means ( 212 ) is arranged to prevent activation of said at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and/or said at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ) when the vehicle has reached or exceeded a predetermined speed.

11 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual signaling device ( 206 ) comprises respective first electronic light sources ( 208 ′) and second electronic light sources ( 210 ′) for each electromechanical actuator ( 202 ′) of the vehicle.

12 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) comprises at least one LED and/or the at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ) comprises at least one LED.

13 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic visual signaling device ( 206 ) comprises a circuit board on which the at least one first electronic light source ( 208 ) and/or the at least one second electronic light source ( 210 ) are installed.

14 . The electronic braking indication system according to claim 1 , comprising a battery arranged to supply electrical energy to the at least one electronic visual signaling device, the at least one first electronic light source and the at least one second electronic light source,
or wherein said electronic visual signaling device, the at least one first electronic light source and the at least one second electronic light source are arranged to receive electrical energy from a battery of the vehicle.

15 . A vehicle comprising:
at least one electromechanical actuator ( 202 ) arranged to apply a braking force (F) to at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or to at least one braking element associated with at least one wheel (W) of the vehicle or an axle to which at least one wheel (W) is mounted;
an electronic braking indication system according to any one of claims 1 to 14 .

Assignees

• Faiveley Transport Italia Spa

Inventors

• Frea Matteo
• Bonhomme Guillaume

Classifications

• B61H1/003

  with an actuator directly acting on a brake head · CPC title

• B60T17/22

  Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices · CPC title

• B60T13/746

  and mechanical transmission of the braking action · CPC title

• B60Q1/444

  with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication (B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence) · CPC title

• B61H1/00

  Applications or arrangements of brakes with a braking member or members co-operating with the periphery of the wheel rim, a drum or the like · CPC title