Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
RAIL TRAIN SMART ANTI-CLIMBING SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD, AND
RAIL TRAIN
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to Chinese patent application
No.
202111223607.2 filed on October 20, 2021, entitled "Rail Train Smart Anti-
Climbing System,
Control Method, and Rail Train", which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present application relates to the field of rail train safety, and
in particularly to
an intelligent anti-creeping system for a rail train, a control method, and a
rail train.
BACKGROUND
[0003] With the continuous development of urbanization, a passenger flow
intensity of
urban rail transit continues to increase, a departure interval continues to be
decreased, and the
safety and reliability of vehicle operation are the primary concerns of
manufacturers,
operators and the public. While further strengthening active safety protection
measures for
urban rail vehicles and reducing collision accidents, studying how to improve
the crash
worthiness of rail trains from the perspective of passive safety protection
and protect the
safety of drivers and passengers as much as possible has become a hot topic in
the current
research and development of rail trains.
[0004] Due to the structural characteristics, coupling requirements, and curve
passing
capacities of urban rail vehicles, the installation and deformation space of
the energy
absorption device at the front end of the vehicle body is limited during
operation, resulting in
lower energy absorption of the entire vehicle.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present application provides an intelligent anti-creeping system
for a rail train,
which may actively identify an obstacle in front of a vehicle, automatically
control an
intelligent anti-creeper to make a real-time response, and actively improve
energy-absorbing
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performance, thereby improving a safe collision speed of an urban rail
vehicle, protecting
personal safety of drivers and passengers, and integrity of a vehicle body
structure.
[0006] The present application further provides a control method of an
intelligent
anti-creeping system for a rail train.
[0007] The present application further provides a rail train.
[0008] The present application provides an intelligent anti-creeping system
for a rail train,
including:
a detection module, used for detecting an obstacle in real time;
an intelligent anti-creeper, including an anti-creeper body and an energy-
absorbing
portion connected to the anti-creeper body and stretchable relative to the
anti-creeper body;
and
a control module, connected communicatively to the detection module and the
intelligent anti-creeper, respectively, and used for controlling the
intelligent anti-creeper to
act correspondingly based on a detection of the obstacle by the detection
module.
[0009] According to an embodiment of the present application, the intelligent
anti-creeper
further includes a stopper;
the energy-absorbing portion has a first position and a second position
relative to the
anti-creeper body; in the first position, the energy-absorbing portion is at
least partially
located inside the anti-creeper body; and in the second position, the energy-
absorbing portion
stretches out of the anti-creeper body and is locked in the second position
through the stopper.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the present application, a triggering
mechanism is
provided inside the intelligent anti-creeper, and the triggering mechanism is
provided at a rear
end of the anti-creeper body close to the energy-absorbing portion; and the
triggering
mechanism is suitable for triggering the energy-absorbing portion to be
ejected out of the
anti-creeper body.
[0011] According to an embodiment of the present application, the triggering
mechanism is
connected communicatively to the control module.
[0012] According to an embodiment of the present application, the intelligent
anti-creeping
system further includes an emergency braking module, the emergency braking
module is
connected communicatively to the control module and used for sending an
emergency signal
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to the control module, and the control module controls the energy-absorbing
portion to be
ejected out of the anti-creeper body.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the present application, the emergency
braking
module is provided in a driver's cab of the rail train.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the present application, the emergency
braking
module is an emergency braking button, and the emergency braking button is
provided on a
console in the driver's cab.
[0015] The present application further provides a control method of an
intelligent
anti-creeping system for a rail train, including:
receiving, by a control module, obstacle data detected by a detection module
and
identifying a type of an obstacle based on an algorithm;
determining, in case of identifying that the type of the obstacle is a rail
train, a relative
speed of two rail trains;
calculating collision energy of the two rail trains based on the relative
speed, and
comparing the collision energy with absorbing energy of an intelligent anti-
creeper in a
retracted state; and
if the collision energy of the two rail trains is greater than the absorbing
energy of the
intelligent anti-creeper in the retracted state, sending an instruction to the
intelligent
anti-creeper to trigger an ejection of the intelligent anti-creeper.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the present application, calculating the
collision
energy of the two rail trains based on the relative speed, and comparing the
collision energy
with the absorbing energy of the intelligent anti-creeper in the retracted
state further includes:
calculating the collision energy of the two rail trains based on masses of the
two rail trains
and the relative speed, and comparing the collision energy with the absorbing
energy of the
intelligent anti-creeper in the retracted state.
[0017] The embodiment of the present application further provides a rail
train, provided
with the above-mentioned rail train intelligent anti-creeping system in which
the intelligent
anti-creeper is installed below a locomotive of the rail train.
[0018] The intelligent anti-creeping system for the rail train provided in the
present
application actively determines whether the intelligent anti-creeper needs to
be ejected using
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the control module, thereby improving the energy-absorbing capacity of the
anti-creeper. The
system has high speed for identification and high reliability, being able to
actively improve
energy-absorbing performance, thereby improving a safe collision speed of an
urban rail
vehicle, protecting personal safety of drivers and passengers, and ensuring
integrity of the
vehicle body structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the solutions of the embodiments based on
the present
application or the related art, the accompanying drawings used in the
description of the
embodiments or the related art are briefly introduced below. It should be
noted that the
drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present
application.
For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings may be obtained based
on these drawings
without creative effort.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a connection relationship of an intelligent
anti-creeping
system for a rail train according to an embodiment of the present application;
FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the intelligent anti-creeper in a
retracted state
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the intelligent anti-creeper in a
stretched state
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control method of an intelligent anti-creeping
system for a rail
train according to an embodiment of the present application; and
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a control method of an intelligent anti-creeping
system for a rail
train in a specific embodiment of the present application.
Reference numerals:
1, control module; 2, detection module; 3, intelligent anti-creeper; 31, anti-
creeper body;
32, energy-absorbing portion; 33, stopper; 4, emergency braking module.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] To make the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of the present
application
clearer, the following provides a clear and complete description of the
technical solution in
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the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The
described
embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of
them. Based
on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained
by those of
ordinary skill in the art without creative effort fall within the scope of
protection in the
present application.
[0021] As shown in FIG.s 1 to 3, embodiments of the present application
provide an
intelligent anti-creeping system for a rail train. The intelligent anti-
creeping system for the
rail train includes a detection module 2, an intelligent anti-creeper 3, and a
control module 1
connected communicatively to the detection module 2 and the intelligent anti-
creeper 3,
respectively.
[0022] The detection module 2 is used for detecting an obstacle in real time,
and the
detection module 2 may be installed on a locomotive of the rail train to
detect the obstacle in
front of the rail train; and the detection module 2 may be a signal
acquisition sensor or a
high-definition camera or other image acquisition devices.
[0023] The intelligent anti-creeper 3 includes an anti-creeper body 31, and an
energy-absorbing portion 32 connected to the anti-creeper body 31 and may
stretch relative to
the anti-creeper body 31. The anti-creeper body 31 is also an energy
absorption module, and
the energy-absorbing portion 32 is installed in the anti-creeper body 31. The
energy-absorbing portion 32 may stretch out of the anti-creeper body 31 along
an axial
direction of the anti-creeper body 31, thereby prolonging a total length of an
energy
absorption structure, increasing an energy-absorbing stroke, and improving
passive safety
performance.
[0024] It should be noted that under normal conditions, the energy-absorbing
portion 32 is
at least partially hidden within the anti-creeper body 31, which may neither
affect an
appearance of the rail train and nor change structure characteristics of the
rail train
locomotive.
[0025] The control module 1 is connected communicatively to the detection
module 2 and
the intelligent anti-creeper 3, respectively. The control module 1 may be a
micro-controller
used to control the intelligent anti-creeper 3 to act correspondingly based on
detection of the
obstacle by the detection module 2.
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[0026] "To control the intelligent anti-creeper 3 to act correspondingly" may
be understood
as, when the control module 1 determines that collision energy between an
obstacle rail train
and a host rail train exceeds absorbing energy of the anti-creeper body 31,
the control module
1 triggers the energy-absorbing portion 32 to stretch out of the anti-creeper
body 31, to
improve energy-absorbing capacity of the intelligent anti-creeper 3, and
actively improve the
energy-absorbing performance, thereby enhancing a safe collision speed of the
rail train,
protecting the personal safety of drivers and passengers, and ensuring the
integrity of a
vehicle body structure. When the control module 1 determines that the
collision energy
between the obstacle rail train and the host rail train is within the energy
absorption range of
the anti-creeper body 31, it is not necessary to send an ejection signal to
the intelligent
anti-creeper 3. Thus, the intelligent anti-creeper 3 does not eject.
[0027] In an embodiment, the anti-creeper body 31 is an energy-absorbing tube
structure, of
which a first end is an installation end and a second end is an opening end.
The
energy-absorbing portion 32 is the energy-absorbing tube structure penetrating
inside the
anti-creeper body 31, and the anti-creeper body 31 and the energy-absorbing
portion 32 are
provided coaxially. The anti-creeper body 31 is installed on a vehicle body
through the
installation end, and the anti-creeper body 31 is not movable. The energy-
absorbing portion
32 may stretch to a maximum length relative to the opening end of the anti-
creeper body 31.
[0028] To keep the energy-absorbing portion in a fixed position after
stretching, according
to an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3,
the intelligent
anti-creeper 3 further includes a stopper 33.
[0029] The energy-absorbing portion 32 has a first position and a second
position relative to
the anti-creeper body 31. In the first position, the energy-absorbing portion
32 is at least
partially located inside the anti-creeper body 31, i.e., the first position is
a position where the
energy-absorbing portion 32 is not stretched. In the second position, the
energy-absorbing
portion 32 stretches out of the anti-creeper body 31 and is locked in the
second position
through the stopper 33, i.e., the second position is a position where the
energy-absorbing
portion 32 stretches. By using the stopper 33, positions of the energy-
absorbing portion 32
relative to the anti-creeper body 31 may be fixed after the energy-absorbing
portion 32
stretches, which increases the energy-absorbing stroke of the intelligent anti-
creeper 3. The
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stopper 33 may be a stop block, and the stop block is installed on the anti-
creeper body 31.
There may be multiple stop blocks, such as two in a group, located on opposite
sides of a
diameter direction of the anti-creeper body 31. The stop blocks may be
provided on a side
wall of the anti-creeper body 31 close to the opening end, with a groove on
the side wall of
the opening end. An end of the energy-absorbing portion 32 is a front end, and
the other end
of the energy-absorbing portion 32 is a rear end. The side wall close to the
rear end of the
energy-absorbing portion 32 is provided with stop grooves corresponding to
stop blocks one
by one. An end of the stop block is installed on the anti-creeper body 31
through an elastic
member, and the other end of the stop block is tilted downward and pressed on
the side wall
of the energy-absorbing portion 32. When the energy-absorbing portion 32
stretches to a
maximum length, the stop block is directly aligned with the stop groove, and
the stop block is
clamped in the stop groove to stop the energy-absorbing portion 32. That is,
the
energy-absorbing portion 32 is limited to keep the energy-absorbing portion 32
in the second
position.
[0030] According to an embodiment of the present application, a triggering
mechanism is
provided inside the intelligent anti-creeper 3, and the triggering mechanism
is provided at a
rear end of the anti-creeper body 31 close to the energy-absorbing portion 32.
The triggering
mechanism is suitable for triggering the energy-absorbing portion 32 to eject
out of the
anti-creeper body 31. The energy-absorbing portion 32 is powered by the
triggering
mechanism, and the energy-absorbing portion 32 may be pushed out when
necessary. The
triggering mechanism may be a quick ejection device, as well as a high-
pressure air cylinder,
a hydraulic cylinder, or a gas cylinder.
[0031] According to an embodiment of the present application, the triggering
mechanism is
connected communicatively to the control module 1. Taking the triggering
mechanism being
the quick ejection device as an example, the quick ejection device may store
an appropriate
amount of energy-accumulating matter inside. The control module 1 sends an
electrical signal
to the quick ejection device to trigger the release of energy from the energy-
accumulating
matter, and the generated impact force pushes the energy-absorbing portion 32
to eject.
[0032] The quick ejection device includes a storage housing and energy-
accumulating
matter provided inside the storage housing. The storage housing is fixedly
installed on a rear
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end cover inside the anti-creeper body 31, a shape of the storage housing may
be a box shape,
a bowl shape, etc., and the specific shape is not limited thereto. The storage
housing is small
in volume, occupies little space, and does not occupy installation space of
the
energy-absorbing portion 32. The storage housing may be bonded or connected
through a
fastener, etc., to the rear end cover inside the anti-creeper body 31. The
specific installation
mode is not limited, as long as the storage housing may be installed on the
rear end cover
inside the anti-creeper body 31. In the first position, the rear end of the
energy-absorbing
portion 32 is close to or in contact with the storage housing, so that the
generated thrust may
be applied to the energy-absorbing portion 32 as much as possible after the
energy-accumulating matter inside the storage housing is triggered, thereby
improving an
energy utilization efficiency.
[0033] The specific amount of energy-accumulating matter placed inside the
storage
housing depends on the required thrust. The larger the required thrust, the
more
energy-accumulating matter is placed. The energy-accumulating matter may be an
explosive
that may release energy under an action of an electric spark.
[0034] The present embodiment provides thrust through the quick ejection
device, which is
smaller in volume and lighter in weight than structures such as screws and
hydraulic devices,
and may provide sufficient thrust when occupying smaller space.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present application, the system
further includes
with an emergency braking module 4, and the emergency braking module 4 is
connected
communicatively to the control module 1. By triggering the emergency braking
module 4, an
emergency signal is sent to the control module 1, and the control module 1
controls the
energy-absorbing portion 32 to eject out of the anti-creeper body 31. The
emergency braking
module 4 is used in emergency of malfunction of the detection module 2, to
increase the
safety of the rail train operation and reduce losses during collisions.
[0036] According to an embodiment of the present application, to facilitate in
operating the
emergency braking module 4, the emergency braking module 4 is located in a
driver's cab of
the rail train, and the driver's cab of the rail train is located at a head of
the rail train. The
driver's cab has a wide field of view, and the driver may clearly determine
whether there is a
rail train running in opposite directions in front of the rail train.
Therefore, the emergency
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braking module 4 is provided in the driver's cab and may be operated by the
driver.
[0037] According to an embodiment of the present application, the emergency
braking
module 4 is an emergency braking button, and the emergency braking button is
provided on a
console in the driver's cab for easy operation by the driver.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the present embodiment provides a control method of
an
intelligent anti-creeping system for a rail train, the method includes the
following steps:
S10, receiving, by the control module 1, obstacle data detected by the
detection module
2, and identifying a type of an obstacle based on an algorithm; the specific
algorithm is not
limited in the present embodiment, and any algorithm that may identify the
type of obstacle
in prior art is acceptable;
S20, determining, in case of identifying that the type of the obstacle is a
rail train, a
relative speed of two rail trains;
S30, calculating collision energy of the two rail trains based on the relative
speed, and
comparing the collision energy with absorbing energy of the intelligent anti-
creeper 3 in the
retracted state; and
S40, if the collision energy of the two rail trains is greater than the
absorbing energy of
the intelligent anti-creeper 3 in the retracted state, sending, by the control
module 1, an
instruction to the intelligent anti-creeper 3 to trigger an ejection of the
intelligent anti-creeper
3. If the collision energy of the two rail trains is within an energy
absorption range of the
intelligent anti-creeper 3 in the retracted state, the control module 1 does
not need to send the
instruction to the intelligent anti-creeper 3, and the intelligent anti-
creeper 3 remains in the
retracted state. By automatically calculating the relative speed and the
amount of energy to be
dissipated through the control module 1, the method actively determines
whether an ejection
action is needed to improve the energy-absorbing capacity of the intelligent
anti-creeper 3.
The method has high speed for identification and high reliability.
[0039] According to an embodiment of the present application, S30 further
includes:
calculating the collision energy of the two rail trains based on masses of the
two rail trains
and the relative speed, and compare the collision energy with the absorbing
energy of the
intelligent anti-creeper 3 in the retracted state.
[0040] A specific embodiment is taken as an example to illustrate the control
method of the
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intelligent anti-creeping system for the rail train in the present
application. As shown in FIG.
5, the method includes the following steps.
[0041] (1) Monitoring an obstacle in front of a rail train in real time.
[0042] During normal operation of the rail train, a detector in front of the
rail train is in a
real-time monitoring status, constantly determining whether there is an
obstacle in front of
the host rail train.
[0043] (2) Identifying the type of the obstacle and operation status of the
host rail train.
[0044] When the detector detects the obstacle in front of the host rail train,
identifying the
types of the obstacle in front by an algorithm; if the obstacle is a rail
train operating on a
same track, a relative speed of the two rail trains is further determined.
[0045] (3) Determining the collision energy and whether the intelligent anti-
creeper 3 needs
to be ejected.
[0046] The control module 1 calculates the collision energy of the two trains
based on
masses of the rail trains and the relative speed; if the retracted intelligent
anti-creeper 3
cannot dissipate the collision energy, the control module 1 sends an
instruction to the
intelligent anti-creeper 3 to perform eject operation.
[0047] (4) The anti-creeper acts correspondingly.
[0048] After receiving an ejection instruction, a quick ejection device inside
the intelligent
anti-creeper 3 detonates. Under a strong impact generated by the explosion,
the
energy-absorbing portion 32 ejects out of the anti-creeper body 31 and moves
to a
corresponding position, and the stop block tilts inward under an action of a
spring and limits
the energy-absorbing portion 32, thereby increasing a deformation stroke of
the intelligent
anti-creeper 3 and increasing the absorbing energy.
[0049] The embodiment of the present application further provides a rail
train, provided
with the above-mentioned rail train intelligent anti-creeping system, and the
intelligent
anti-creeper 3 is installed below a locomotive of the rail train. The
limitations of the
installation and deformation space of the energy absorption device at the
front end of the
vehicle body are broken and the energy-absorbing performance of the vehicle is
significantly
improved without changing the structural characteristics, coupling
requirements, and curve
passing capacity requirements of the rail train.
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[0050] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to
illustrate the solution
of the present application, not to limit it. Although the present application
has been described
in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it should be
understood by those
of skill in the art that changes to solutions recited in the aforementioned
embodiments or
equivalent replacement of some feature may be made and these modifications or
replacements do not depart the solutions essentially from the scope of the
present application.
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