Faiveley Transport Italia S.P.A.

A method is described for calibrating an acquisition chain of a braking device or system of at least one vehicle, in particular at least one railway vehicle, which method includes the steps of: a) measuring a predetermined reference value of a physical quantity by means of a calibration means having a degree of accuracy greater than a predetermined threshold; b) measuring the predetermined reference value of the physical quantity by means of the acquisition chain; c) determining a measurement error therebetween; and d) modifying the at least one coefficient of said transfer function of control means of the acquisition chain, on the basis of the comparison of the value measured by the calibration means with the value measured by the acquisition chain, so that the measurement error of the acquisition chain is minimized or rendered null.

A method for verifying the operation of braking means of at least one vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, is described, comprising the steps of: a) imposing a braking force on at least one wheel of the at least one axle of the at least one vehicle; b) towing the at least one vehicle according to a non-zero and constant forward speed; c) measuring on a rail at least one friction force which is a function of a braking force; d) comparing the at least one measured friction force with a predetermined minimum force value; e) determining that the braking means associated with the at least one wheel whose friction force is lower than the predetermined minimum force value are malfunctioning. Also described are a system for measuring a friction force and a system for verifying the operation of braking means of at least one vehicle.

An electromechanical assembly for a braking system of a railway vehicle is described, characterized in that it comprises a flywheel arranged to accumulate kinetic energy; wherein the kinetic energy accumulated in the flywheel is sufficient to operate the electromechanical assembly to cause the braking system to perform at least one emergency or service or parking brake action. Also described are a control system for an electromechanical assembly for a braking system of a railway vehicle and a braking system for a railway vehicle.

An activation system is described which controls the activation of at least one control means installed in a vehicle including a braking system including a main brake pipe containing a fluid. The control means assumes a resting state in which it consumes a first value of electrical energy and an active state in which it consumes a second value of electrical energy, greater than the first value of electrical energy. The activation system measures the pressure value of the fluid within the main brake pipe and generate an activation signal when the pressure value of the fluid within said main brake pipe is equal to or less than a first predetermined threshold value. The control means receives the activation signal and switches from the resting state to the active state when the control means is in the resting state and receives the activation signal.

A system for recovery of compressed air released by air suspensions of at least one railway vehicle or train is described, comprising: a first compressor, a compressed air drying device, a first pipe, a first tank, a non-return valve, a limiting valve, a second tank, a second pipe, at least one pneumatic spring, and a first control device. The system for recovery further comprises a third pipe arranged to be connected to the pneumatic discharge port of the at least one leveling valve so as to receive compressed air discharged by the pneumatic spring, and a third tank arranged to be connected to the third pipe and to be supplied with compressed air provided by the third pipe.

Described is a system for determining the forward speed of at least one vehicle, comprising control means, each associated with at least one axle, and a communication means for transmitting signals or values between the control means. At measurement instants successive in time, each control means generates a corresponding sliding signal of the respective at least one axle. At a sharing instant, each control means transmits the respective sliding signal, and in the no-sliding condition, the value of a quantity related to the rotation of the respective axle or its own estimated forward speed of the vehicle to the other control means. When all the sliding signals indicate a sliding condition, one of said control means controls first braking means associated with one of the axles, so as to reduce a braking force applied to said axle.

A method is described for determining a capacitance value of at least a first super-capacitor of an electro-mechanical braking system which also comprises a second super-capacitor. The method comprises: a) measuring a first voltage value at terminals of the second super-capacitor; b) if the first voltage value is greater than a minimum voltage value, charging or discharging the first super-capacitor, in order to make the terminals of the first super-capacitor assume a second voltage value; c) determining a first voltage variation at the terminals of the first super-capacitor; d) determining a first voltage variation rate; e) measuring a first current value flowing in one of the terminals of the first super-capacitor; f) calculating the capacitance value of the first super-capacitor by means of the ratio between the first measured current value and the first voltage variation rate. An electro-mechanical braking system and a vehicle are also described.

A compressed air distribution system for a vehicle (e.g., rail vehicle) includes first and second reservoirs and first and second compressors. The first and second reservoirs are configured to contain respective compressed air to be supplied to first and second braking systems of the vehicle. The first braking system is configured to apply a first braking force to a first wheel set of the vehicle with the compressed air received from the first reservoir, and the second braking system is configured to apply a second braking force to a second wheel set with the compressed air received from the second reservoir. Each wheel set includes a respective axle and a respective one or more wheels coupled to the axle. The first and second compressors are configured to generate compressed air to be stored in the first and second reservoirs, respectively.

A system for estimating a load index of a railway vehicle is described, comprising: an image acquisition means arranged to acquire a real-time image of a predetermined area inside a wagon of such a railway vehicle; and a control means arranged to determine the load index of the railway vehicle as a function of this image acquired by the image acquisition means.

A method for assessing contamination of a route includes imposing a first sliding value lower than a first threshold between one or more first wheels of a vehicle and the route, the one or more first wheels being the head the vehicle, imposing a second sliding value greater than a second threshold between one or more second wheels of the vehicle and the route, the one or more second wheels following the one or more first wheels and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold, and determining the trend of an adhesion curve between the one or more first wheels and the one or more second wheels and the route, based on a first adhesion value between the one or more first wheels and the route, and a second adhesion value between the one or more second wheels and the route.