IP Library › Granted Patent US 12703331
Granted Patent B2
US 12703331 · App. 18/855,934 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Brake system and braking method for rail vehicles

Inventors: Sebastian Rehberger (Freising, DE); Michael Stanko (Munich, DE); Joachim Breidenstein (Kößlarn, DE); Roland Voigtländer-Tetzner (Vaterstetten, DE); Josef Baier (Niederaichbach, DE)
Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FÜR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
B60T8/1705B60T8/171B60T17/228B61H13/00B60T2270/402B60T2270/413B61H5/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703331
App. No.
18/855,934
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device and method for electromechanically braking rail vehicles, wherein the brake system includes a brake control unit configured to provide braking functions and output a force manipulated variable, an actuator control unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the force manipulated variable and to output an actuation variable, a braking force unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the actuation variable, a first braking path from functions that are active between control inputs by the brake system and the generation of a braking force, and a second braking path from functions that are active between control inputs by the brake system and the generation of a braking force.

Claims (56)

1 . A brake system for a rail vehicle, the brake system comprising:

a brake control unit configured to provide braking functions and to output a force actuating variable;

an actuator control unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force, based on the force actuating variable, and to output an actuating variable;

a braking force unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the actuating variable;

a first braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system and the generation of braking force; and

a second braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path;

the actuator control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path; and

the braking force unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path.

2 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the first braking path is configured to provide braking functions with low safety integrity; the second braking path is configured to provide braking functions with high safety integrity; and the low safety integrity is lower than the high safety integrity.

3 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake system furthermore comprises a first group of shared functional parts, which are part of the first braking path and part of the second braking path and are configured to generate a frictional force such that the rail vehicle is decelerated.

4 . The brake system of claim 3 , wherein the braking force unit is configured to receive a force actuating variable or an actuating variable and to control the group of functional parts such that the rail vehicle is decelerated.

5 . The brake system of claim 1 further comprising a power supply unit configured to supply the brake system with power for the braking operation.

6 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the braking force unit or the power supply unit is specified to receive a switching signal and, upon receiving a switching signal, to switch from the first braking path to the second braking path, or to switch from the second braking path to the first braking path.

7 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake system is configured to perform a safety function.

8 . The brake system of claim 7 , wherein the safety function is one from the group of safety functions consisting of braking path monitor, actuator monitor, supply monitor, decision maker and data storage function.

9 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein there is a distributed assignment of safety functions to the brake control unit, actuator control unit, power supply unit or braking force unit, and the distributed safety functions are performed by the assigned units.

10 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the power supply unit or the braking force unit has a switch and is configured to determine a switching state, and to output a switching signal in response to determination of a switching state.

11 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit, the actuator control unit or the braking force unit, has a power supply unit and/or an internal power supply unit.

12 . A rail vehicle having a brake system that includes:

a brake control unit configured to provide braking functions and to output a force actuating variable;

an actuator control unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force, based on the force actuating variable, and to output an actuating variable;

a braking force unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the actuating variable;

a first braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system and the generation of braking force; and

a second braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path;

the actuator control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path; and

the braking force unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path.

13 . A braking method for a rail vehicle, the method comprising:

providing braking functions by a brake control unit;

outputting a force actuating variable by the brake control unit;

providing braking functions to generate a frictional braking force by an actuator control unit, based on the force actuating variable;

providing braking functions to generate a frictional braking force by a braking force unit, based on the force actuating variable;

providing a first braking path which comprises functions that are active between control inputs of a brake system and the generation of braking force; and

providing a second braking path which comprises functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

wherein:

the provision of the braking functions by the brake control unit comprises:

providing braking functions of the first braking path; and

providing braking functions of the second braking path;

the provision of the braking functions to generate the frictional braking force by the actuator control unit comprises:

providing braking functions of the first braking path; and

providing braking functions of the second braking path; and

the provision of the braking functions to generate the frictional braking force by the braking force unit comprises:

providing braking functions of the first braking path; and

providing braking functions of the second braking path.

14 . The braking method of claim 13 , wherein:

the first braking path is configured to provide braking functions with low safety integrity; and

the second braking path is configured to provide braking functions with high safety integrity.

15 . The braking method of claim 13 , further comprising performing a safety function by the brake control unit, the actuator control unit or the braking force unit.

16 . The braking method of claim 13 , wherein the safety function is one of the group of safety functions consisting of braking path monitor, actuator monitor, supply monitor, decision maker and data storage function.

17 . The braking method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving a switching signal by the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the power supply unit and the braking force unit; and

switching from the first braking path to the second braking path, or from the second braking path to the first braking path, in the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the power supply unit and the braking force unit.

18 . The braking method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining a switching state by the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the power supply unit or the braking force unit,

outputting a switching signal by the brake control unit, the actuator control unit, the power supply unit or the braking force unit when the switching state is determined.