Granted Patent B2

US 12,630,201 · App. 17/757,442 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventor: Roberto Tione (Turin, IT)

Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.P.A.

B61H9/06B60T1/10B60T13/06B60T13/746B60T17/228B60T2270/414

Abstract

Claims (84)

1 . An electromechanical assembly for a braking system of a railway vehicle, comprising:

a flywheel to accumulate an amount of kinetic energy configured to be supplied to the braking system during a braking action of the braking system;

wherein the amount of kinetic energy accumulated by the flywheel is sufficient for the braking system to execute the braking action; and

wherein the braking action is an emergency brake action, a service brake action, or a parking brake action.

2 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first electric motor;

a primary transmission shaft connected rotatably to said first electric motor;

a secondary transmission shaft;

a first engagement means arranged to couple rotatably the secondary transmission shaft to the primary transmission shaft;

a locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft and arranged to stop a rotation of the secondary transmission shaft;

a linear actuator extendable from a first retracted position, wherein two ends of the linear actuator are at a first distance, to a second extended position, in which said ends of the linear actuator are located at a second distance, greater than the first distance, said linear actuator being arranged to actuate said braking system; and

a transmission mechanism, interposed between the secondary transmission shaft and the linear actuator, adapted to convert the rotation of the secondary transmission shaft into a linear motion of the linear actuator;

wherein the flywheel is connected or connectable rotatably to said primary transmission shaft.

3 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the primary transmission shaft is rotatably connectable to the flywheel by a second engagement means;

wherein the first electric motor is arranged for:

rotating the primary transmission shaft in a first direction, the rotation of the primary transmission shaft according to the first direction causing an increase in distance between the two ends of the linear actuator; and

rotating the primary transmission shaft in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, the rotation of the primary transmission shaft in the second direction causing a decrease of distance between the two ends of the linear actuator; and

wherein when the first electric motor rotates the primary transmission shaft in the second direction the second engagement means disconnects the primary transmission shaft from the flywheel.

4 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 3 , wherein one or more of the first engagement means and the second engagement means comprise an electromechanical or electromagnetic clutch.

5 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first electric motor is arranged to rotate the primary transmission shaft according to a first direction, the rotation of the primary transmission shaft in the first direction causing an increase in distance between the two ends of the linear actuator;

wherein the electromechanical assembly comprises a second electric motor coupled to the secondary transmission shaft;

wherein the second electric motor is arranged to rotate the secondary transmission shaft in a second direction, opposite to the first direction; and

wherein the rotation of the secondary transmission shaft in the second direction causes a decrease in distance between the two ends of the linear actuator.

6 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the first electric motor is kept continuously powered, in order to rotate the primary transmission shaft so as to continuously accumulate kinetic energy in the flywheel.

7 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the locking means comprises an electromechanical or electromagnetic brake.

8 . The electromechanical assembly according to claim 2 , comprising at least one force sensor means arranged to measure a force applied by the linear actuator.

9 . A control system for an electromechanical assembly of a braking system, wherein the electromechanical assembly comprises:

a flywheel arranged to accumulate kinetic energy sufficient to operate the electromechanical assembly for at least one emergency brake action, service brake action, or parking brake action of the braking system; and

wherein the control system comprises:

a control unit arranged to control at least actuation of a first electric motor, a first engagement means, and a locking means of the electromechanical assembly, wherein the first engagement means is arranged to couple rotatably a primary transmission shaft, connected rotatably to the first electric motor, to a secondary transmission shaft, and wherein the locking means is coupled to the secondary transmission shaft and arranged to stop a rotation of the secondary transmission shaft;

power supply means connected at their input to an electrical power source and arranged to output a stabilized voltage;

first electric power converter means connected to the first electric motor and adapted to supply energy to said first electric motor by conversion of the stabilized voltage present at an output of said power supply means, wherein said first electric power converter means are further adapted to provide a stabilized voltage by conversion of a variable voltage generated by at least the first electric motor when driven rotatably by the flywheel; and

control means of the power supply of said control unit, adapted to supply energy to at least said control unit starting from the stabilized voltage present at the output of said power supply means or by the stabilized voltage provided by the first electric power converter means.

10 . The control system according to claim 9 , wherein the control system further comprises:

second electric power converter means connected to a second electric motor of the electromechanical assembly and adapted to supply energy to said second electric motor by converting the stabilized voltage present at the output to said power supply means, the second electric motor being coupled to the secondary transmission shaft of the electromechanical assembly;

wherein said second electric power converter means are further adapted to provide a stabilized voltage by converting a variable voltage generated by said second electric motor when driven rotatably by the flywheel; and

wherein said control means of the power supply of said control unit are adapted to supply energy to at least said control unit starting from the stabilized voltage present at the output at said power supply means or by the stabilized voltage supplied by the first electric power converter means or by the stabilized voltage supplied by the second electric power converter means.

11 . The control system according to claim 10 , wherein when the control unit detects a power supply anomaly from the electric power source, the rotation to the primary transmission shaft, generated by the kinetic energy accumulated by the flywheel, is transmitted to the first electric motor; and

wherein the kinetic energy transmitted by the flywheel being converted into electrical energy by the control system, the converted electrical energy being used by the control system to power the control unit of the control system.

12 . The control system according to claim 9 , wherein the electromechanical assembly further comprises:

a linear actuator extendable from a first retracted position, wherein two ends of the linear actuator are at a first distance, to a second extended position, in which said ends of the linear actuator are located at a second distance, greater than the first distance, said linear actuator being arranged to actuate said braking system;

wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a braking force request signal;

wherein when the braking force request signal indicates a request for force increase at the two ends of the linear actuator, the control unit is arranged for:

deactivating the locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft; and

coupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft to the primary transmission shaft, through the first engagement means;

wherein a rotation to the primary transmission shaft is generated at least by the kinetic energy accumulated by the flywheel; and

wherein the rotation of the primary transmission shaft is transmitted to the secondary transmission shaft, so as to modify the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator and decrease the force at the ends of the linear actuator.

13 . The control system according to claim 12 , wherein when the braking force request signal indicates a request for a decrease in force at the two ends of the linear actuator, the control unit is arranged for:

deactivating the locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft;

decoupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft from the primary transmission shaft, through the first engagement means; and

activating a second electric motor of the electromechanical assembly coupled to the secondary transmission shaft so as to rotate the secondary transmission shaft in a second direction of rotation of the secondary transmission shaft, opposite to a first direction of rotation of the primary transmission shaft;

wherein the rotation to the secondary transmission shaft is generated by the second electric motor, so as to modify the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator and decrease the force at the ends of the linear actuator.

14 . The control system according to claim 12 , wherein when the braking force request signal indicates a request to maintain force at the two ends of the linear actuator, the control unit is arranged for:

decoupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft from the primary transmission shaft, by disconnecting the first engagement means; and

activating the locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft, so as to stop the rotation of the secondary transmission shaft and keep constant the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator and keep constant the force at the ends of the linear actuator.

15 . The control system according to claim 9 , wherein the electromechanical assembly further comprises:

a linear actuator extendable from a first retracted position, wherein two ends of the linear actuator are at a first distance, to a second extended position, in which said ends of the linear actuator are located at a second distance, greater than the first distance, said linear actuator being arranged to actuate said braking system;

wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a braking force request signal;

wherein when the braking force request signal indicates a request for force increase at the two ends of the linear actuator, the control unit is arranged for:

deactivating the locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft;

coupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft to the primary transmission shaft, through the first engagement means; and

coupling rotatably the flywheel to the primary transmission shaft, through a second engagement means of the electromechanical assembly;

wherein a rotation to the primary transmission shaft is generated at least by the kinetic energy accumulated by the flywheel; and

wherein the rotation of the primary transmission shaft is transmitted to the secondary transmission shaft, so as to modify the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator and decrease the force at the ends of the linear actuator.

16 . The control system according to claim 15 , wherein when a decrease in force at the two ends of the linear actuator is required, the control unit is arranged for:

deactivating the locking means coupled to the secondary transmission shaft;

coupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft to the primary transmission shaft, through the first engagement means;

decoupling rotatably the primary transmission shaft from the flywheel, through the second engagement means; and

activating the first electric motor so as to rotate the primary transmission shaft in a second direction of rotation of the primary transmission shaft, opposite to a first direction of rotation of the primary transmission shaft;

wherein the rotation of the secondary transmission shaft generated by the first electric motor is configured to modify the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator so as to decrease the force at the ends of the linear actuator.

17 . The control system according to claim 15 , wherein when the control unit detects a loss of power of the electric power source, the control unit is arranged for:

decoupling rotatably the secondary transmission shaft from the primary transmission shaft through the first engagement means; and

coupling rotatably the flywheel to the primary transmission shaft, through the second engagement means;

wherein the rotation to the primary transmission shaft, generated by the kinetic energy accumulated by the flywheel, is transmitted to the first electric motor;

wherein the kinetic energy transmitted by the flywheel is converted into electrical energy by the control system, and

wherein the converted electrical energy is used by the control system to power the control unit of the control system.

18 . A braking system for a railway vehicle, the braking system including:

an electromechanical assembly for the braking of the railway vehicle comprising a flywheel arranged to accumulate kinetic energy sufficient to operate the electromechanical assembly for at least one emergency brake action, service brake action, or parking brake action of the braking system;

a control system for the electromechanical assembly; and

braking means arranged to apply a braking force, directly or indirectly, to at least one wheel of the railway vehicle;

wherein the application of the braking force is controlled by extension or retraction movement of a linear actuator of the electromechanical assembly, the linear actuator being extendable from a first retracted position, wherein two ends of the linear actuator are at a first distance, to a second extended position, in which said ends of the linear actuator are located at a second distance, greater than the first distance, said linear actuator being arranged to actuate said braking system.

19 . The braking system according to claim 18 , comprising a lever system interposed between said linear actuator and said braking means, the lever system being arranged to be connected to the two ends of the linear actuator and to control the braking force applied by said braking means as a function of a distance between the two ends of the linear actuator.

20 . The braking system according to claim 18 , wherein the braking force applied by the braking means increases as the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator decreases and decreases as the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator increases; or

wherein the braking force applied by the braking means increases as the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator increases and decreases as the distance between the two ends of the linear actuator decreases.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (20)