JP7546511B2 - Brake control device, and inspection method and program for brake control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a brake control device, a brake control device inspection method, and a program.

The braking devices in railway vehicles (electric cars) may use mechanical brakes. In addition, mechanical brakes generally use air brakes, which use air force through brake cylinders to press the brake shoes against the wheels, slowing the train down with the resulting friction.

The brake control device that controls the mechanical brakes (air brakes) is equipped with an electro-pneumatic converter valve that sends compressed air compressed at a predetermined pressure from an air tank to the brake cylinder at a pressure that corresponds to the driver's brake operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-018784 A

Traditionally, there is a strong demand for railway vehicles to operate according to a pre-defined timetable (operating rules). However, the mechanical systems of the air brakes in railway vehicles do not have redundancy, and if any abnormality occurs, the train may be unable to operate immediately.

The object of the present invention is to provide a brake control device, a brake control device inspection method, and a program that can improve the reliability of railway vehicles.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a brake control device includes a control unit that outputs a brake command signal, a relay valve that is connected to an air tank storing compressed air and outputs the compressed air to a brake cylinder at a pressure corresponding to a predetermined command pressure, and a command pressure output circuit that is connected to the air tank and outputs the compressed air to the relay valve at the command pressure corresponding to the brake command signal. The command pressure output circuit includes a main system circuit connected to the air tank, a backup system circuit connected to the air tank in parallel with the main system circuit, and a switching solenoid valve that outputs one of the output of the main system circuit and the output of the backup system circuit to the relay valve. The main system circuit and the backup system circuit each include a brake command air supply solenoid valve that is provided between the air tank and the switching solenoid valve and opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal, and a brake command exhaust solenoid valve that is provided between a flow path connecting the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the switching solenoid valve and the outside air and opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal. When the control unit detects an abnormality in the main circuit, the control unit controls the switching solenoid valve to switch from the output of the main circuit to the output of the backup circuit.
In this way, even if an abnormality occurs in the main circuit, the output to the relay valve is immediately switched to the backup circuit, allowing the railway vehicle to continue operating.
Therefore, the reliability of the railway vehicle can be improved.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the command pressure output circuit further includes a command pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the switching solenoid valve and the relay valve, and the control unit outputs the brake command signal based on a target value corresponding to the driver's operation and a detection value of the command pressure sensor.
In this way, the opening and closing operation of various solenoid valves (brake command air supply solenoid valve, brake command exhaust solenoid valve) is feedback controlled according to the detection value of the command pressure sensor, so that the pressure applied to the relay valve can be quickly and accurately matched to a target value corresponding to the driver's operation.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the command pressure output circuit further includes a backup system pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the backup system circuit and the switching solenoid valve, and when switching from the output of the main system circuit to the output of the backup system circuit, the control unit outputs the brake command signal based on the target value and a detection value of the backup system pressure sensor.
In this manner, even if an abnormality occurs in the command pressure sensor, normal feedback control can be continued by the backup system circuit and the backup system pressure sensor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the control unit further switches from the output of the main system circuit to the output of the backup system circuit, with one of the conditions being that the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor matches the target value and the detection value of the command pressure sensor deviates from the target value.
In this way, when the output of the main circuit is switched to the output of the backup circuit, normal operation can be restored more reliably.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-slide valve capable of opening and closing a flow path connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder, and a flow path connecting the brake cylinder and the outside air, an anti-slide air intake solenoid valve which closes in response to input of a predetermined anti-slide command signal, thereby blocking the flow path connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder, an anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve which opens in response to input of the anti-slide command signal, thereby opening the flow path connecting the brake cylinder and the outside air, and a BC pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the anti-slide valve and the brake cylinder, and when the control unit detects a slide, it outputs the anti-slide command signal to the anti-slide air intake solenoid valve and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve.
In this way, when the railcar begins to skid, the brakes are immediately released to prevent the skid. Also, by monitoring the detection value of the BC pressure sensor during inspection, it is possible to easily determine whether the skid prevention valve, the skid prevention air supply solenoid valve, and the skid prevention exhaust solenoid valve are functioning normally.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the brake control device includes a pressure adjustment unit connected to the air tank and converting the compressed air into emergency stop pressure and outputting it, an emergency stop solenoid valve provided between the pressure adjustment unit and the relay valve and opening in response to input of a predetermined emergency stop command signal, and an emergency stop pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the emergency stop solenoid valve and the relay valve.
In this way, it is possible to more reliably stop the railway vehicle when an emergency stop is required. Also, by monitoring the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor during inspection, it is possible to easily determine whether the pressure adjustment unit and the emergency stop solenoid valve are functioning normally.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for inspecting a brake control device includes a step of blocking the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve which belong to the main system circuit, and a step of determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the main system circuit and the relay valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor.
In this way, the presence or absence of a malfunction in the command pressure output circuit and the relay valve can be easily and accurately identified, and the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device can be significantly reduced.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned brake control device inspection method includes a step of determining that at least one of the command pressure sensor and the backup system pressure sensor has an abnormality based on a result of comparing the detection value of the command pressure sensor with the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor.
In this manner, the presence or absence of a malfunction in the command pressure sensor and the backup system pressure sensor can be easily and accurately identified, and the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device can be significantly reduced.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned method of inspecting the brake control device includes the steps of blocking the anti-slide air intake solenoid valve and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve, and determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the anti-slide valve, the anti-slide air intake solenoid valve, and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the BC pressure sensor.
In this way, it is possible to simply and accurately identify whether or not there is a malfunction in the anti-slide circuit (the circuit having the anti-slide valve, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve, and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve), and therefore the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device can be significantly reduced.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the inspection method for the above-mentioned brake control device includes a step of opening the emergency stop solenoid valve, and a step of determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the pressure adjustment unit and the emergency stop solenoid valve based on the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor.
In this way, a malfunction in the emergency stop circuit (a circuit having a pressure regulator and an emergency stop solenoid valve) can be identified simply and accurately, and the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device can be significantly reduced.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the program causes a computer used in inspecting the above-mentioned brake control device to function as a solenoid valve control command unit that closes the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve that belong to the main system circuit, and an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the main system circuit and the relay valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the program causes a computer used in inspecting the above-mentioned brake control device to function as an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the command pressure sensor and the backup system pressure sensor based on the result of comparing the detection value of the command pressure sensor with the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the program causes a computer used in inspecting the above-mentioned brake control device to function as a solenoid valve control command unit that closes the anti-skid air intake solenoid valve and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valve, and an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the anti-skid valve, the anti-skid air intake solenoid valve, and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valve based on fluctuations in the detection value of the BC pressure sensor.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the program causes a computer used in inspecting the above-mentioned brake control device to function as a solenoid valve control command unit that opens the emergency stop solenoid valve, and an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the pressure adjustment unit and the emergency stop solenoid valve based on the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor.

The above-mentioned brake control device, brake control device inspection method, and program can improve the reliability of railway vehicles.

1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a brake control device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the brake control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process flow for brake control of a BCU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow for output switching of a BCU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing flow for brake control after circuit switching of the BCU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a process flow for preventing slippage of a BCU according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow for emergency shutdown of a BCU according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second processing flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an inspection system for a brake control device according to a second embodiment.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a brake control device and an inspection method for the brake control device according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG.

(Overall composition)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a brake control device according to a first embodiment.
1 is mounted on a railway vehicle (e.g., an electric car such as a Shinkansen bullet train). The brake control device 1 controls the delivery of compressed air from an air tank T mounted on the same railway vehicle to brake cylinders BC1 and BC2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the brake control device 1 includes a BCU (Break Control Unit) 10, a relay valve 2, a command pressure output circuit 3, a skid prevention circuit 4, and an emergency stop circuit 5.

The BCU 10 is a control unit that controls the overall operation of the brake control device 1 .
The BCU 10 receives a brake operation by the driver through an operation controller in the driver's cab (not shown). The BCU 10 outputs a brake command signal, which is a predetermined electric signal, to the command pressure output circuit 3 in response to the brake operation by the driver.

The relay valve 2 is a pilot type valve that outputs compressed air connected to an air tank T toward the brake cylinders BC1, BC2 at a pressure corresponding to a predetermined command pressure.
As shown in Fig. 1, an air tank T storing compressed air is connected to the primary side of the relay valve 2. A plurality of brake cylinders BC1, BC2 are connected to the secondary side of the relay valve 2 via a skid prevention circuit 4, which will be described later. The relay valve 2 receives compressed air at a predetermined command pressure from a command pressure output circuit 3 into a command chamber (not shown) inside the relay valve 2, and outputs compressed air so that the secondary side has a pressure corresponding to the command pressure. The relay valve 2 also receives compressed air at a predetermined emergency stop pressure from an emergency stop circuit 5 into another command chamber (not shown) inside the relay valve 2, and outputs compressed air so that the secondary side has a pressure corresponding to the emergency stop pressure.

The command pressure output circuit 3 is connected to an air tank T, and outputs the compressed air to the relay valve 2 at a command pressure corresponding to a brake command signal input from the BCU 10 .
As shown in FIG. 1, the command pressure output circuit 3 has a main system circuit 30, a backup system circuit 31, a switching solenoid valve 32, a command pressure sensor PS1, and a backup system pressure sensor PS2.
The main circuit 30 includes a brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and a brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R. The backup circuit 31 includes a brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A and a brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main circuit 30 and the backup circuit 31 are connected to an air tank T in parallel.
The brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A of the main circuit 30 and the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup circuit 31 are provided between the air tank T and the switching solenoid valve 32, and open and close in accordance with a brake command signal.
The brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 is provided between the outside air and a flow path (air piping) that connects the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the switching solenoid valve 32, and opens and closes in accordance with a brake command signal. The brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup circuit 31 is provided between the outside air and a flow path (air piping) that connects the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A and the switching solenoid valve 32, and opens and closes in accordance with a brake command signal.
The switching solenoid valve 32 selects either the output of the main system circuit 30 or the output of the backup system circuit 31 in response to a command signal (a circuit switching command signal described later) from the BCU 10, and outputs the selected output to the relay valve 2. The output that is not selected is closed by the switching solenoid valve 32.
The command pressure sensor PS1 is a pressure sensor provided between the switching solenoid valve 32 and the relay valve 2, and detects the pressure (command pressure) of the compressed air output by the command pressure output circuit 3 to the relay valve 2.
The backup system pressure sensor PS2 is a pressure sensor provided between the backup system circuit 31 and the switching solenoid valve 32. The backup system pressure sensor PS2 can detect the pressure of the compressed air output by the backup system circuit 31 even when the switching solenoid valve 32 selects the output of the main system circuit 30.

The anti-slide circuit 4 outputs compressed air output through the relay valve 2 at a pressure according to the command pressure toward the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2. Under normal circumstances, the compressed air output from the relay valve 2 passes through the anti-slide circuit 4 and is input directly to the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2, thereby operating the brakes to the desired degree. However, if the BCU 10 detects that the railcar is "sliding," the anti-slide circuit 4 immediately cuts off the compressed air output from the relay valve 2 toward the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2, releasing the brakes. This makes it possible to prevent the railcar from "sliding."

As shown in FIG. 1, the anti-slide circuit 4 includes anti-slide valves 40N, 41N, anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R, and BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5, each of which corresponds to one of the brake cylinders BC1, BC2.

The anti-skid valve 40N has a flow path connecting the relay valve 2 and the brake cylinder BC1, and a flow path connecting the brake cylinder BC1 and the outside air, each of which can be opened and closed independently.
The anti-slide valve 40N is a pilot type valve which opens and closes the flow passage connecting the relay valve 2 and the brake cylinder BC1 in accordance with pressure applied to an internal command chamber (not shown) through the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve 40A.
The anti-slide air supply solenoid valve 40A closes in response to input of a predetermined anti-slide command signal, thereby blocking the flow path in the anti-slide valve 40N that connects the relay valve 2 and the brake cylinder BC1.
The anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve 40R opens in response to the input of a predetermined anti-slide command signal, thereby opening the flow path in the anti-slide valve 40N that connects the brake cylinder BC1 to the outside air.
The configurations of the anti-slide valve 41N, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve 41A, the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve 41R and the brake cylinder BC2 are similar to those of the anti-slide valve 40N, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve 40A, the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve 40R and the brake cylinder BC1 described above, so their explanations will be omitted.

The BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5 are pressure sensors provided between the anti-skid valves 40N and 41N and the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2, respectively. The BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5 detect the pressure applied to the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2, respectively (i.e., the pressure indicating the actual degree of braking).

The emergency stop circuit 5 is a circuit that outputs a command pressure to the relay valve 2 , and is a safety circuit provided separately from the command pressure output circuit 3 .
1, the emergency stop circuit 5 includes a pressure adjustment unit 50, an emergency stop solenoid valve 51, and an emergency stop pressure sensor PS6. The pressure adjustment unit 50 also includes a pressure adjustment solenoid valve 50a and a two-stage pressure adjustment valve 50b.

The pressure adjustment unit 50 is connected to an air tank T, and converts the compressed air stored in the air tank T into emergency stop pressure and outputs it. Here, the "emergency stop pressure" is a pressure that is specially applied to the relay valve 2 to realize an emergency stop when an emergency stop command is issued to the railway vehicle. The pressure adjustment unit 50 generates compressed air at the emergency stop pressure in advance, before an emergency stop is performed (during normal operation).
The two-stage pressure regulating valve 50b is a pressure regulating valve that outputs the compressed air supplied from the air tank T at a predetermined pressure, and is a pilot-type valve that operates in response to the pressure applied through the pressure regulating solenoid valve 50a.
The emergency stop solenoid valve 51 is provided between the pressure adjustment unit 50 and the relay valve 2, and opens in response to a predetermined emergency stop command signal input from the BCU 10. As a result, the emergency stop pressure generated by the pressure adjustment unit 50 is applied to the command chamber of the relay valve 2, and the brake for emergency stop is activated.

The emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 is a pressure sensor provided between the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 and the relay valve 2, and detects the pressure of the compressed air output from the pressure adjustment unit 50 to the relay valve 2 when an emergency stop command signal is output.

The relay valve output pressure sensor PS3 is provided between the relay valve 2 and the anti-skid valves 40N, 41N, etc., and detects the pressure of the compressed air output from the relay valve 2 to the brake cylinders BC1, BC2.

(Functional configuration)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the brake control device according to the first embodiment.
2, the BCU 10 outputs electrical signals for controlling operation to the various solenoid valves (brake command air supply solenoid valves 30A, 31A, brake command exhaust solenoid valves 30R, 31R) of the command pressure output circuit 3 and the switching solenoid valve 32, thereby controlling the opening/closing operation and the switching operation. The BCU 10 also obtains detection values of pressure from the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 of the command pressure output circuit 3.
Similarly, the BCU 10 outputs electrical signals for controlling operation to the various solenoid valves (anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R) of the anti-slide circuit 4 to control their opening and closing operations. In addition, the BCU 10 obtains detection values of pressure from the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 of the anti-slide circuit 4.
Similarly, the BCU 10 outputs an electric signal for controlling operation to the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 of the emergency stop circuit 5 to control the opening and closing operation. Also, the BCU 10 obtains a detection value of pressure from the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 of the emergency stop circuit 5.

The BCU 10 is, for example, a microprocessor, and operates based on a dedicated program that is loaded into a main recording area (memory) or the like.
As shown in Figure 2, the BCU 10 in this embodiment functions as an operation receiving unit 100, a feedback control unit 101, a brake command output unit 102, a circuit switching unit 103, a skid prevention command output unit 104, an emergency stop command output unit 105, and a status monitoring unit 106.

The operation reception unit 100 receives brake operations (1st notch, 2nd notch, ..., etc.) by the driver using a brake operation means (such as a brake lever) provided in the driver's cab.
The feedback control unit 101 monitors the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 and performs feedback control to bring the detection value closer to a target value corresponding to the brake operation of the driver accepted by the operation acceptance unit 100. Specifically, the feedback control unit 101 measures the differential pressure between the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the target value corresponding to the brake operation. The brake command output unit 102 outputs a brake command signal to the command pressure output circuit 3 based on the measurement result of the feedback control unit 101.
When the circuit switching unit 103 detects an abnormality in the main system circuit 30 in the command pressure output circuit 3, it outputs a predetermined circuit switching command signal to the switching solenoid valve 32 to switch the output of compressed air to the relay valve 2 from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31.
When a skid of the railway vehicle is detected, the skid prevention command output unit 104 outputs a skid prevention command signal to the skid prevention air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the skid prevention exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R.
The emergency stop command output unit 105 outputs an emergency stop command signal to the emergency stop electromagnetic valve 51 when an emergency stop command is issued to a railway vehicle in operation.
While the railway vehicle is in operation, the status monitoring unit 106 monitors the detection values of the command pressure sensor PS1, the backup system pressure sensor PS2, the relay valve output pressure sensor PS3 (Figure 1), the BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5, and the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6, and records them as a log on a recording medium (not shown) at regular intervals.

(Processing flow for brake control of BCU)
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a process flow for brake control of the BCU according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in Fig. 3 is executed by the operation reception unit 100, the feedback control unit 101, and the brake command output unit 102 of the BCU 10 while the railway vehicle is in operation. Note that in the process flow shown in Fig. 3, it is assumed that the output of the main system circuit 30 is selected by the switching solenoid valve 32 throughout the process.

When a railway vehicle is in operation, the driver operates a brake lever provided in the driver's cab of the railway vehicle as desired. Operation reception unit 100 receives the driver's operation through this brake lever (step S00).
The feedback control unit 101 first determines whether the operation received in step S00 is a "brake operation" that increases the degree of braking applied to a moving railway vehicle, or a "brake release operation" that decreases the degree of braking (step S01).

If the received operation is a "brake operation" (step S01: YES), in order to apply the brakes, the command chamber of the relay valve 2 needs to be at a pressure higher than the current pressure. Therefore, the feedback control unit 101 measures the differential pressure between the target value corresponding to the brake operation (1 notch, 2 notches, ...) and the detection value (current command pressure) of the command pressure sensor PS1, and determines whether the measurement result of the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold (step S02).
When the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value (step S02: YES), the brake command output unit 102 outputs a brake command signal to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A (step S03). This opens the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A, and the compressed air in the air tank T flows into the command chamber of the relay valve 2 through the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the switching solenoid valve 32, applying a higher pressure.
Next, the feedback control unit 101 measures the pressure difference between the target value and the detection value again, and judges whether the measurement result of the pressure difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined judgment threshold (step S02). If the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detection value is smaller than the judgment threshold (step S02: NO), the brake command output unit 102 stops outputting the brake command signal (step S04), closes the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A, and ends the process.

In this embodiment, the brake command output unit 102 outputs the brake command signal to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A of the main circuit 30 in step S03 to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup circuit 31 at the same time. In step S04, the brake command output unit 102 stops the brake command signal to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A of the main circuit 30 and also stops the brake command signal to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup circuit 31 at the same time. As a result, the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A of the main circuit 30 and the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup circuit 31 always open and close at the same timing in the feedback control (processing of steps S02 to S04).

On the other hand, if the received operation is a "brake release operation" (step S01: NO), the pressure in the command chamber of the relay valve 2 needs to be lower than the current pressure in order to release the brakes. Therefore, the feedback control unit 101 measures the differential pressure between the target value corresponding to the brake operation (1 notch, 2 notches, ...) and the detection value (current command pressure) of the command pressure sensor PS1, and judges whether the measurement result of the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined judgment threshold (step S05).
When the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value (step S05: YES), the brake command output unit 102 outputs a brake command signal to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R (step S06). This opens the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, and the compressed air that has been in the command chamber of the relay valve 2 flows out to the outside air through the switching solenoid valve 32 and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, thereby reducing the pressure in the command chamber of the relay valve 2.
Next, the feedback control unit 101 measures the pressure difference between the target value and the detection value again, and judges whether the measurement result of the pressure difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined judgment threshold (step S05). If the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detection value is smaller than the judgment threshold (step S05: NO), the brake command output unit 102 stops outputting the brake command signal (step S07), closes the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, and ends the process.

In addition, in step S06, the brake command output unit 102 according to this embodiment simultaneously outputs the brake command signal output to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup circuit 31. In addition, in step S07, the brake command output unit 102 stops the brake command signal to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 and also stops the brake command signal to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup circuit 31 at the same time. As a result, the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup circuit 31 always open and close at the same timing in the feedback control (processing of steps S05 to S07).

(Processing flow for circuit switching of BCU)
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process flow for circuit switching of the BCU according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in Fig. 4 is executed by the circuit switching unit 103 of the BCU 10 while the railway vehicle is in operation. It is assumed that the output of the main system circuit 30 is selected by the switching solenoid valve 32 at the beginning of the process flow shown in Fig. 4.

In the process flow shown in FIG. 3, the feedback control unit 101 and the brake command output unit 102 have been described as outputting command signals to the main system circuit 30 to open and close various solenoid valves by feedback control (steps S02 to S04, steps S05 to S07). During this process, the circuit switching unit 103 determines whether a predetermined fixed time has elapsed without the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 reaching the target value (step S11).

In feedback control, if the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 reaches the target value before the above-mentioned certain time has elapsed (step S11: NO), the circuit switching unit 103 assumes that the main system circuit 30 is operating normally and terminates the processing without performing any special processing.
On the other hand, if the state where the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 does not reach the target value continues for the above-mentioned certain period of time (step S11: YES), the feedback control is not being executed as expected, and therefore a malfunction in the main system circuit 30 is suspected. Therefore, in this case, the circuit switching unit 103 detects an abnormality in the main system circuit 30.
Next, the circuit switching unit 103 acquires the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 (step S12), and determines whether or not the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 matches a target value (step S13).
As described above, the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 and the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup circuit 31 open and close at the same timing based on the same brake command signal. Therefore, when both the main circuit 30 and the backup circuit 31 are operating normally, the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 indicate the same command pressure. However, when a malfunction occurs in either the main circuit 30 or the backup circuit 31, the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 indicate different pressure values.

If the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 matches the target value (step S13: YES), it is determined that the backup system circuit 31 is operating normally. Therefore, the circuit switching unit 103 outputs a circuit switching command signal to the switching solenoid valve 32 to switch the output to the relay valve 2 from the main system circuit 30 to the backup system circuit 31 (step S14). As a result, the output from the main system circuit 30 is blocked, and instead, the output from the backup system circuit 31 is sent to the relay valve 2.
On the other hand, if the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 does not match the target value (step S13: NO), it is assumed that both the main system circuit 30 and the backup system circuit 31 have failed, or that a malfunction has occurred in a part other than the main system circuit 30 and the backup system circuit 31. Therefore, in this case, the circuit switching unit 103 outputs an abnormality notification signal to the driver or the like, indicating that normal driving cannot be continued (step S15).

(Processing flow for brake control by BCU after circuit switching)
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a process flow for brake control after circuit switching of the BCU according to the first embodiment.
The processing flow shown in Figure 5 is executed by the operation receiving unit 100, the feedback control unit 101 and the brake command output unit 102 while the railway vehicle is in operation and after the output to the relay valve 2 has been switched from the main system circuit 30 to the backup system circuit 31 by the switching solenoid valve 32 based on processing by the circuit switching unit 103 of the BCU 10 (Figure 4).

The operation reception unit 100 receives the driver's operation via the brake lever, similar to step S00 in FIG. 3 (step S20). Then, the feedback control unit 101 determines whether the operation received in step S20 is a "brake operation" that increases the degree of braking applied to the moving railway vehicle, or a "brake release operation" that decreases the degree of braking (step S21).

If the received operation is a "brake operation" (step S21: YES), the feedback control unit 101 measures the differential pressure between the target value corresponding to the brake operation and the detection value (current command pressure) of the backup system pressure sensor PS2, and determines whether the measurement result of the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold (step S22).
When the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value (step S22: YES), the brake command output unit 102 outputs a brake command signal to the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup system circuit 31 (step S23). This opens the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A, and the compressed air in the air tank T flows into the command chamber of the relay valve 2 through the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A and the switching solenoid valve 32, applying a higher pressure.
Next, the feedback control unit 101 again measures the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value (the detected value is obtained by the backup system pressure sensor PS2) and determines whether the measurement result of the pressure difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined judgment threshold (step S22). If the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is smaller than the judgment threshold (step S22: NO), the brake command output unit 102 stops outputting the brake command signal (step S24), closes the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A of the backup system circuit 31, and ends the process.

On the other hand, if the received operation is a "brake release operation" (step S21: NO), the feedback control unit 101 measures the differential pressure between the target value corresponding to the brake operation and the detection value (current command pressure) of the backup system pressure sensor PS2, and determines whether the measurement result of the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination threshold value (step S25).
When the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold value (step S25: YES), the brake command output unit 102 outputs a brake command signal to the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup system circuit 31 (step S26). This opens the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R, and the compressed air that has been remaining in the command chamber of the relay valve 2 flows out to the outside air through the switching solenoid valve 32 and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R, thereby reducing the pressure in the command chamber of the relay valve 2.
Next, the feedback control unit 101 again measures the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value (the detected value is obtained by the backup system pressure sensor PS2) and determines whether the measurement result of the pressure difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined determination threshold (step S25). If the measurement result of the pressure difference between the target value and the detected value is smaller than the determination threshold (step S25: NO), the brake command output unit 102 stops outputting the brake command signal (step S27), closes the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup system circuit 31, and ends the process.

In this way, when the BCU 10 switches from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31 through the switching solenoid valve 32, it outputs a brake command signal based on the target value corresponding to the driver's operation and the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2.

(Processing flow for preventing BCU slippage)
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a process flow for preventing slippage of the BCU according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in FIG. 6 is executed by the anti-slide command output unit 104 of the BCU 10 while the railway vehicle is in operation.

6, while the railroad vehicle is in operation, the anti-slide command output unit 104 monitors the occurrence of "slide" in which the wheels slide on the rails (step S31) and determines whether or not "slide" has occurred (step S32). If the anti-slide command output unit 104 does not detect the occurrence of "slide" (step S32: NO), it continues to monitor "slide".
Here, for example, the anti-slide command output unit 104 detects the occurrence of "slide" using a wheel rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the wheels and a vehicle body speed measurement means for measuring the moving speed of the vehicle body. Specifically, the anti-slide command output unit 104 can determine that "slide" has occurred when a deviation of a predetermined value or more occurs between the traveling speed calculated from the wheel rotation speed obtained through the wheel rotation speed detection means and the vehicle body speed directly measured through the vehicle body speed measurement means.

If the occurrence of “slide” is detected (step S32: YES), the slide prevention command output unit 104 immediately outputs a slide prevention command signal to the slide prevention air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the slide prevention exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R (step S33).
The anti-skid air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A close when they receive an anti-skid command signal, and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R open when they receive an anti-skid command signal. This closes the flow path in the anti-skid valves 40N, 41N that connects the relay valve 2 and the brake cylinder BC1, and opens the flow path that connects the brake cylinder BC1 to the outside air. This causes the pressure applied to the brake cylinders BC1, BC2 to be rapidly reduced, and the brakes are released. This allows the wheels that were skidding to start rotating again.

(Processing flow for emergency shutdown of BCU)
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow for emergency shutdown of the BCU according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in FIG. 7 is executed by the emergency stop command output unit 105 of the BCU 10 while the railway vehicle is in operation.

7, while the railway vehicle is in operation, the emergency stop command output unit 105 monitors whether an emergency stop command has been issued to the railway vehicle (step S41), and determines whether an emergency stop command has been issued (step S42). If the emergency stop command output unit 105 does not detect an emergency stop command (step S42: NO), it continues to monitor for the emergency stop command.
Here, the emergency stop command for the railway vehicle may be issued, for example, from an external safety system via a dedicated communication network, or may be issued by the driver himself who drives the railway vehicle. When such an emergency stop command is received (step S42: YES), the emergency stop command output unit 105 immediately outputs an emergency stop command signal to the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 (step S43). This causes the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 to open, and compressed air adjusted to the emergency stop pressure by the pressure adjustment unit 50 is sent to the command chamber of the relay valve 2. Then, pressure corresponding to the emergency stop pressure is applied to the brake cylinders BC1 and BC2 through the relay valve 2. This causes the emergency stop brakes to be applied to the railway vehicle.

Next, the inspection method for the brake control device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

(First process flow when inspecting a brake control device)
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a first process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in Fig. 8 shows one example of a process flow for inspection of the brake control device 1 that is performed by an inspection worker periodically (for example, before and after the end of a day's operation, etc.). The inspection worker follows this process flow to inspect the presence or absence of abnormalities in the vicinity of the command pressure output circuit 3 of the brake control device 1.

First, the inspection worker performs a preliminary pressure adjustment by operating the brake lever or the like while checking the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 (step S51). Here, the inspection worker adjusts the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 to a pressure value between the pressure of the compressed air stored in the air tank T and atmospheric pressure. The inspection worker also operates the switching solenoid valve 32 so that the output of the main system circuit 30 is selected (sent to the relay valve 2).
Next, the inspection worker closes the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R of the main circuit 30 (step S52). As a result, a closed circuit is formed from the main circuit 30 through the switching solenoid valve 32 to the relay valve 2.
Next, the inspection operator checks the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 to see if the detection value is fluctuating (step S53).
If the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 does not fluctuate (step S53: constant), the inspection worker determines that there are no abnormalities in the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A, the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, and the relay valve 2, which form a closed circuit.
Furthermore, if the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 is increasing (step S53: increase), it is possible that compressed air is flowing from the air tank T to the relay valve 2 through the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A, which should be in a closed state. Therefore, the inspection worker determines that "there is a possibility that there is an abnormality in the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A" (step S55), and inspects the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A that is suspected to be abnormal.
On the other hand, if the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 is decreasing (step S53: decrease), it is considered that compressed air is flowing out to the outside air from the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, which should be in a closed state, or the command chamber of the relay valve 2. Therefore, the inspection worker determines that "there is a possibility that there is an abnormality in the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R or the relay valve 2" (step S56), and inspects the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R and the relay valve 2 that are suspected to be abnormal.

In addition, in the above-mentioned step S52, the inspection worker may further perform an operation to close the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R of the backup system circuit 31, thereby forming a closed circuit consisting of the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A, the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R, and the switching solenoid valve 32.
In this case, the inspection worker may further check the fluctuation of the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in at least one of the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A, the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R, and the switching solenoid valve 32. For example, when the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 increases, the inspection worker may determine that "there may be an abnormality in the brake command air supply solenoid valve 31A." Also, when the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 decreases, the inspection worker may determine that "there may be an abnormality in the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 31R or the switching solenoid valve 32."

(Second process flow during inspection of brake control device)
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a second processing flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment.
The process flow shown in Fig. 9, like the process flow shown in Fig. 8, shows one process flow for inspection of the brake control device 1 that is periodically performed by an inspection worker. The inspection worker follows this process flow to inspect the pressure sensor of the command pressure output circuit 3 for abnormalities.

The inspection worker operates the brake lever or the like while checking the detection values of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 to perform preliminary pressure adjustment (step S61). Next, the inspection worker determines whether the detection values of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 are the same (step S62). As described above, the various solenoid valves of the main system circuit 30 and the backup system circuit 31 each operate based on the same brake command signal, so the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 should always indicate the same detection value.
Therefore, if the detection values of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 are identical (step S62: YES), the inspection operator determines that there is no abnormality in the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 (step S63).
On the other hand, if the detection values of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 are different (step S62: NO), the inspection operator determines that "there is a possibility that there is an abnormality in either the command pressure sensor PS1 or the backup system pressure sensor PS2" (step S64), and inspects each pressure sensor suspected of having an abnormality.

(Third process flow during inspection of brake control device)
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment.
8 and 9, the process flow shown in Fig. 10 shows one example of a process flow for inspection of the brake control device 1 that is periodically performed by an inspection worker. The inspection worker follows this process flow to inspect the brake control device 1 for the presence or absence of abnormalities in the vicinity of the anti-skid circuit 4.

First, the inspection worker performs preliminary pressure adjustment by operating the brake lever or the like while checking the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5 (step S71). Here, the inspection worker adjusts the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5 so that they are a pressure value between the pressure of the compressed air stored in the air tank T and atmospheric pressure.

Next, the inspection worker closes the anti-skid air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R (step S72), thereby forming a closed circuit extending from the anti-skid valves 40N, 41N to the brake cylinders BC1, BC2.
Next, the inspection operator checks the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5 to determine whether or not the detection values are fluctuating (step S73).
If the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 do not fluctuate (step S73: constant), the inspection worker determines that there are no abnormalities with the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R, and the brake cylinders BC1, BC2, which form a closed circuit.
Furthermore, if the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 are increasing (step S73: increase), it is possible that compressed air is flowing from the air tank T to the brake cylinders BC1, BC2 through the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N which should be in a closed state. Therefore, the inspection worker determines that "there is a possibility of an abnormality in the anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A or the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N" (step S75), and inspects the anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N which are suspected to be abnormal.
On the other hand, if the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 are decreasing (Step S75: Decrease), it is possible that compressed air is leaking into the outside air from the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R or the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N, which should be in a closed state. Therefore, the inspection worker determines that "there is a possibility that there is an abnormality in the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R or the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N" (Step S76), and inspects the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R and the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N that are suspected to be abnormal.

(Fourth process flow during inspection of brake control device)
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a fourth process flow during inspection of the brake control device according to the first embodiment.
8 to 10, the process flow shown in Fig. 11 shows one process flow for inspection of the brake control device 1 periodically performed by an inspection worker. The inspection worker follows this process flow to inspect the brake control device 1 for the presence or absence of abnormalities in the vicinity of the emergency stop circuit 5.

First, the inspection operator controls the pressure regulating solenoid valve 50a to generate compressed air having a pressure for emergency stop in the two-stage pressure regulating valve 50b (step S81).
Next, the inspection worker performs an operation to open the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 (step S82), whereby the compressed air generated in step S81 flows into the relay valve 2.
Next, the inspection operator determines whether or not the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 indicates a normal emergency stop pressure (step S83).
If the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 indicates the normal emergency stop pressure (step S83: YES), the inspection worker determines that there is no abnormality in the pressure adjustment unit 50, the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 and the relay valve 2 (step S84).
On the other hand, if the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 does not indicate the normal emergency stop pressure (step S83: NO), it is considered that the compressed air generated by the pressure adjustment unit 50 is not at the normal emergency stop pressure or that there is an abnormality in the opening and closing operation of the emergency stop solenoid valve 51. Therefore, the inspection worker determines that "there is a possibility that there is an abnormality in the pressure adjustment unit 50 or the emergency stop solenoid valve 51" (step S85).

(Action and Effects)
As described above, the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment is configured to include a main system circuit 30 and a backup system circuit 31 connected in parallel to the air tank T in the command pressure output circuit 3, and a switching solenoid valve 32 that outputs either the output of the main system circuit 30 or the output of the backup system circuit 31 to the relay valve 2.
When the BCU 10 detects an abnormality in the main system circuit 30 while the railway vehicle is in operation, it controls the switching solenoid valve 32 to switch from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31 .
By doing this, even if an abnormality occurs in the main system circuit 30, the output to the relay valve 2 is immediately switched to the backup system circuit 31, so that the railway vehicle can continue to operate.
Therefore, the reliability of the railway vehicle can be improved.

Furthermore, in conventional railway vehicles, an electro-pneumatic converter valve having a function of outputting compressed air at a pressure corresponding to an input current value (a current value corresponding to the driver's operation) is generally used as the command pressure output circuit 3. In contrast, the main system circuit 30 and the backup system circuit 31 according to the first embodiment are respectively composed of brake command air supply solenoid valves 30A, 31A provided between the air tank T and the switching solenoid valve 32, and brake command exhaust solenoid valves 30R, 31R provided between the switching solenoid valve 32 and the outside air.
Here, since the above-mentioned electro-pneumatic converter valve has a complex device configuration, its housing size is extremely large and its price is high compared to a general solenoid valve. Therefore, it is not realistic to provide a backup function for the command pressure output circuit 3 by installing two such electro-pneumatic converter valves from the viewpoint of the configuration size and manufacturing cost required for a brake control device.
However, according to the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment, the main circuit 30 and the backup circuit 31 are configured only with the above-mentioned general solenoid valves, which makes it possible to provide the above-mentioned backup function while suppressing increases in configuration size and manufacturing costs.

The command pressure output circuit 3 according to the first embodiment further includes a command pressure sensor PS1 provided between the switching solenoid valve 32 and the relay valve 2. The BCU 10 outputs a brake command signal based on a target value according to the driver's operation and a detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1.
In this manner, the opening and closing operations of the various solenoid valves that constitute the command pressure output circuit 3 are feedback controlled according to the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1, so that the pressure applied to the relay valve 2 can be quickly and accurately matched to a target value according to the driver's operation.

Moreover, the command pressure output circuit 3 according to the first embodiment further includes a backup system pressure sensor PS2 provided between the backup system circuit 31 and the switching solenoid valve 32. When the BCU 10 switches from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31, the BCU 10 outputs a brake command signal based on the target value and the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2. In other words, when the BCU 10 switches from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31, the BCU 10 switches the detection value referred to for feedback control from the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 to the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2.
By doing this, even if an abnormality occurs in the command pressure sensor PS1 of the command pressure output circuit 3, normal feedback control can be continued by the backup system circuit 31 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2.

Furthermore, according to the command pressure output circuit 3 of the first embodiment, the backup system pressure sensor PS2 is provided on the primary side of the switching solenoid valve 32 (between the backup system circuit 31 and the switching solenoid valve 32), and the command pressure sensor PS1 is provided on the secondary side of the switching solenoid valve 32 (between the switching solenoid valve 32 and the relay valve 2).
As a result, while the vehicle is operating using the backup system circuit 31, both the backup system pressure sensor PS2 and the command pressure sensor PS1 detect the same pressure (the pressure of compressed air input to the relay valve 2). Therefore, by monitoring and comparing each of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 and the command pressure sensor PS1, any malfunction occurring in either the command pressure sensor PS1 or the backup system pressure sensor PS2 can be immediately detected even during operation.

In addition, the BCU 10 according to the first embodiment switches from the output of the main system circuit 30 to the output of the backup system circuit 31 when one of the conditions is that the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 coincides with the target value and the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 deviates from the target value (see the processing flow in Figure 4).
Here, the fact that the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 matches the target value means that the backup system circuit 31 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 are functioning normally. Therefore, when the output of the main system circuit 30 is switched to the output of the backup system circuit 31, normal operation can be restored more reliably.

The brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment further includes anti-slide valves 40N, 41N, anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, and anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R. The brake control device 1 also includes BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 provided between the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N and the brake cylinders BC1, BC2.
When the BCU 10 detects a skid, it outputs a skid prevention command signal to the skid prevention air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the skid prevention exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R.
In this way, when the railcar begins to skid, the brakes are immediately released to prevent the skid. Also, by monitoring the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 during inspection, it can be easily determined whether the anti-slide valves 40N, 41N, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R are functioning normally.

The brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment further includes a pressure adjusting unit 50 and an emergency stop solenoid valve 51. The brake control device 1 also includes an emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 provided between the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 and the relay valve 2.
In this way, the railway vehicle can be stopped more reliably in a situation where an emergency stop should be performed. Also, by monitoring the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6 during inspection, it can be easily determined whether the pressure adjustment unit 50 and the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 are functioning normally.

The inspection method of the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment also includes a step of closing the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R that belong to the main circuit 30. The inspection method of the brake control device 1 also includes a step of determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the main circuit 30 and the relay valve 2 based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 (see the processing flow of FIG. 8). In other words, the inspection method closes the solenoid valve to form a closed circuit in the command pressure output circuit 3 in a first step, and observes a change in pressure inside the closed circuit in a second step.
In this manner, it is possible to simply and accurately identify the presence or absence of a malfunction in the command pressure output circuit 3 and the relay valve 2. Therefore, the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device 1 can be significantly reduced.

In addition, the inspection method for the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a step of determining that at least one of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 has an abnormality based on the result of comparing the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 with the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2 (see the processing flow in FIG. 9).
In this manner, the presence or absence of a malfunction in the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 can be easily and accurately identified, and therefore the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device 1 can be significantly reduced.

The inspection method for the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment also includes a step of closing the anti-skid air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R. The inspection method for the brake control device 1 also includes a step of determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the anti-skid valves 40N, 41N, the anti-skid air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R based on fluctuations in the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4, PS5 (see the process flow in FIG. 10). In other words, the inspection method closes the solenoid valves in a first step to form a closed circuit in the anti-skid circuit 4, and observes changes in pressure inside the closed circuit in a second step.
In this manner, it is possible to simply and accurately identify the presence or absence of a malfunction in the anti-skid circuit 4. Therefore, the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device 1 can be significantly reduced.

In addition, the inspection method for the brake control device 1 in the first embodiment includes a step of opening the emergency stop solenoid valve 51, and a step of determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the pressure adjustment unit 50 and the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 based on the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6.
In this way, it is possible to simply and accurately identify a malfunction in the emergency stop circuit 5. Therefore, the labor required for maintenance of the brake control device 1 can be significantly reduced.

The brake control device 1 and the inspection method for the brake control device 1 according to the first embodiment have been described in detail above, but the specific aspects of the brake control device 1 and the inspection method for the brake control device 1 are not limited to those described above, and various design changes, etc. can be made within the scope of the gist.

For example, the BCU 10 according to the first embodiment has been described as performing feedback control of command pressure by opening and closing the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A (31A) when applying the brakes. Also, the BCU 10 according to the first embodiment has been described as performing feedback control of command pressure by opening and closing the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R (31R) when releasing the brakes.
In another embodiment, the BCU 10 may be configured to perform feedback control by opening and closing both the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A (31A) and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R (31R) when applying the brakes and when releasing the brakes.
For example, if the BCU 10 opens the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A in order to apply the brakes, and the command pressure rises above the target value (overshoots), the BCU 10 may then open the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R for a short period of time to reduce the command pressure to match the target value.

Furthermore, the brake control device 1 according to the other embodiments does not necessarily have to include the configurations of the command pressure output circuit 3, the anti-slide circuit 4, and the emergency stop circuit 5 described in the first embodiment.
For example, the brake control device 1 according to another embodiment may be provided with only the command pressure output circuit 3 , and may not include both the skid prevention circuit 4 and the emergency stop circuit 5 .
In addition, the brake control device 1 according to another embodiment may be configured such that either one or both of the main circuit 30 and the backup circuit 31 are configured with a conventional electro-pneumatic converter valve.
The various inspection methods described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11 can be appropriately applied to the brake control device 1 according to the above-described modified example.

Second Embodiment
Next, a brake control device inspection system according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an inspection system for a brake control device according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, the brake control device inspection system 90 includes a computer 900 .
The computer 900 also includes a CPU 901 , a main memory device 902 , an auxiliary memory device 903 , an input/output interface 904 , and a communication interface 905 .

The brake control device inspection system 90 according to the second embodiment automatically executes the process flows (FIGS. 8 to 11) of the various inspections described in the first embodiment.
Specifically, the process flow of each of the above-mentioned tests is stored in the form of a program in the auxiliary storage device 903. The CPU 901 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 903, loads it into the main storage device 902, and executes the above-mentioned processes in accordance with the program.

Specifically, the CPU 901 operates according to a program to function as a solenoid valve control command unit 9010 and an abnormality determination unit 9011. The CPU 901 outputs a control signal to the BCU 10 via the communication interface 905, thereby indirectly controlling the operation of the brake control device 1.

The solenoid valve control command unit 9010 closes the brake command air supply solenoid valve 30A and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve 30R, which belong to the main circuit 30, through the BCU 10. The abnormality determination unit 9011 then determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the main circuit 30 and the relay valve 2, based on the fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1.

The abnormality determination unit 9011 also determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the command pressure sensor PS1 and the backup system pressure sensor PS2 based on the result of comparing the detection value of the command pressure sensor PS1 with the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor PS2.

The solenoid valve control command unit 9010 also closes the anti-slip air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A and the anti-slip exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R through the BCU 10. The abnormality determination unit 9011 then determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the anti-slip valves 40N, 41N, the anti-slip air supply solenoid valves 40A, 41A, and the anti-slip exhaust solenoid valves 40R, 41R based on fluctuations in the detection values of the BC pressure sensors PS4 and PS5.

The solenoid valve control command unit 9010 also opens the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 through the BCU 10. The abnormality determination unit 9011 then determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the pressure adjustment unit 50 and the emergency stop solenoid valve 51 based on the detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor PS6.

In the second embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 903 is an example of a non-transient tangible medium. Other examples of non-transient tangible media include a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a semiconductor memory connected via the input/output interface 904. In addition, when this program is distributed to the computer 900 via a communication line, the computer 900 that receives the program may load the program into the main storage device 902 and execute the above-mentioned processing.

The program may be for realizing part of the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that realizes the above-mentioned functions in combination with another program already stored in the auxiliary storage device 903.

The brake control device inspection system 90 may be composed of a single computer 900, or may be composed of multiple computers connected in a communicative manner.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are considered to be within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as within the scope and gist of the invention.

1 Brake control device 10 BCU (control unit)
100 Operation reception unit 101 Feedback control unit 102 Brake command output unit 103 Circuit switching unit 104 Slide prevention command output unit 105 Emergency stop command output unit 106 Status monitoring unit 2 Relay valve 3 Command pressure output circuit 30 Main system circuit 31 Backup system circuit 30A, 31A Brake command air supply solenoid valve 30R, 31R Brake command exhaust solenoid valve 32 Switching solenoid valve 4 Slide prevention circuit 40N, 41N Slide prevention valve 40A, 41A Slide prevention air supply solenoid valve 40R, 41R Slide prevention exhaust solenoid valve 5 Emergency stop circuit 50 Pressure adjustment unit 50a Pressure adjustment solenoid valve 50b Two-stage pressure adjustment valve 51 Emergency stop solenoid valve 90 Brake control device inspection system 900 Computer 901 CPU
9010: Solenoid valve control command unit 9011: Abnormality determination unit 902: Main memory unit 903: Auxiliary memory unit 904: Input/output interface 905: Communication interface T: Air tanks BC1 and BC2: Brake cylinders PS1: Command pressure sensor PS2: Backup system pressure sensor PS3: Relay valve output pressure sensors PS4 and PS5: BC pressure sensor PS6: Emergency stop pressure sensor

Claims (15)

A control unit that outputs a brake command signal;
a relay valve connected to an air tank storing compressed air and configured to output the compressed air to a brake cylinder at a pressure corresponding to a predetermined command pressure;
a command pressure output circuit connected to the air tank and configured to output the compressed air to the relay valve at the command pressure corresponding to the brake command signal;
Equipped with
The command pressure output circuit includes:
a main circuit connected to the air tank;
a backup circuit connected in parallel with the main circuit to the air tank;
a switching solenoid valve that outputs either an output of the main circuit or an output of the backup circuit to the relay valve;
a command pressure sensor that is a pressure sensor provided between the switching solenoid valve and the relay valve;
Equipped with
The main system circuit and the backup system circuit each include
a brake command air supply solenoid valve that is provided between the air tank and the switching solenoid valve and opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
a brake command exhaust solenoid valve that is provided between a flow path that connects the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the switching solenoid valve and an outside atmosphere and that opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
having
When the control unit detects an abnormality in the main circuit, the control unit controls the switching solenoid valve to switch from the output of the main circuit to the output of the backup circuit ,
The brake command signal is output based on a target value according to an operation by a driver and a detection value of the command pressure sensor.
Brake control device. The command pressure output circuit further includes:
a backup system pressure sensor that is a pressure sensor provided between the backup system circuit and the switching solenoid valve;
The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit outputs the brake command signal based on the target value and a detection value of the backup system pressure sensor when switching from the output of the main system circuit to the output of the backup system circuit. 3. The brake control device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit further switches from the output of the main system circuit to the output of the backup system circuit, with one of the conditions being that the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor coincides with the target value and the detection value of the command pressure sensor deviates from the target value. an anti-skid valve capable of opening and closing a flow passage connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder, and a flow passage connecting the brake cylinder and the outside air;
a skid prevention air supply solenoid valve that closes in response to an input of a predetermined skid prevention command signal to block a flow path connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder;
an anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve that opens in response to an input of the anti-slide command signal to open a flow path connecting the brake cylinder with the outside air;
a BC pressure sensor that is a pressure sensor provided between the anti- skid valve and the brake cylinder;
Equipped with
The brake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the control unit outputs the slide prevention command signal to the slide prevention air supply solenoid valve and the slide prevention exhaust solenoid valve when a slide is detected. a pressure adjusting unit connected to the air tank and configured to convert the compressed air into an emergency stop pressure and output the pressure;
an emergency stop solenoid valve that is provided between the pressure adjusting unit and the relay valve and opens in response to an input of a predetermined emergency stop command signal;
an emergency stop pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the emergency stop solenoid valve and the relay valve;
The brake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising: A method for inspecting a brake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , comprising:
closing the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve which belong to the main circuit;
determining that an abnormality exists in at least one of the main system circuit and the relay valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor;
A method for inspecting a brake control device having the above-mentioned features. A method for inspecting a brake control device according to claim 2 or 3 , comprising:
a step of determining that at least one of the command pressure sensor and the backup system pressure sensor is abnormal based on a result of comparing a detection value of the command pressure sensor with a detection value of the backup system pressure sensor. 5. A method for inspecting a brake control device according to claim 4 , comprising the steps of:
closing the anti-skid air intake solenoid valve and the anti-skid air exhaust solenoid valve;
determining that there is an abnormality in at least one of the anti-slide valve, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve, and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the BC pressure sensor;
A method for inspecting a brake control device having the above-mentioned features. 6. A method for inspecting a brake control device according to claim 5 , comprising the steps of:
opening the emergency stop solenoid valve;
determining that at least one of the pressure adjusting unit and the emergency stop solenoid valve has an abnormality based on a detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor;
A method for inspecting a brake control device having the above-mentioned features. A computer used for inspecting the brake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
a solenoid valve control command unit for closing the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the brake command exhaust solenoid valve, which belong to the main circuit;
an abnormality determination unit that determines that an abnormality exists in at least one of the main system circuit and the relay valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the command pressure sensor;
A program that functions as a A computer used for inspecting the brake control device according to claim 2 or 3 ,
a program that functions as an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in at least one of the command pressure sensor and the backup system pressure sensor based on a result of comparing the detection value of the command pressure sensor with the detection value of the backup system pressure sensor. A computer used for inspecting the brake control device according to claim 4 ,
a solenoid valve control command unit for closing the anti-skid air supply solenoid valve and the anti-skid exhaust solenoid valve;
an abnormality determination unit that determines that an abnormality has occurred in at least one of the anti-slide valve, the anti-slide air supply solenoid valve, and the anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve based on a fluctuation in the detection value of the BC pressure sensor;
A program that functions as a A computer used for inspecting the brake control device according to claim 5 ,
a solenoid valve control command unit for opening the emergency stop solenoid valve;
an abnormality determination unit that determines that an abnormality exists in at least one of the pressure adjustment unit and the emergency stop solenoid valve based on a detection value of the emergency stop pressure sensor;
A program that functions as a A control unit that outputs a brake command signal;
a relay valve connected to an air tank storing compressed air and configured to output the compressed air to a brake cylinder at a pressure corresponding to a predetermined command pressure;
a command pressure output circuit connected to the air tank and configured to output the compressed air to the relay valve at the command pressure corresponding to the brake command signal;
Equipped with
The command pressure output circuit includes:
a main circuit connected to the air tank;
a backup circuit connected in parallel with the main circuit to the air tank;
a switching solenoid valve that outputs either an output of the main circuit or an output of the backup circuit to the relay valve;
an anti-skid valve capable of opening and closing a flow passage connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder, and a flow passage connecting the brake cylinder and the outside air;
a skid prevention air supply solenoid valve that closes in response to an input of a predetermined skid prevention command signal to block a flow path connecting the relay valve and the brake cylinder;
an anti-slide exhaust solenoid valve that opens in response to an input of the anti-slide command signal to open a flow path connecting the brake cylinder with the outside air;
a BC pressure sensor that is a pressure sensor provided between the anti- skid valve and the brake cylinder;
Equipped with
The main system circuit and the backup system circuit each include
a brake command air supply solenoid valve that is provided between the air tank and the switching solenoid valve and opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
a brake command exhaust solenoid valve that is provided between a flow path that connects the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the switching solenoid valve and an outside atmosphere and that opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
having
When the control unit detects an abnormality in the main circuit, the control unit controls the switching solenoid valve to switch from the output of the main circuit to the output of the backup circuit,
The control unit outputs the slide prevention command signal to the air intake solenoid valve for preventing slide and the air exhaust solenoid valve for preventing slide when a slide is detected. A control unit that outputs a brake command signal;
a relay valve connected to an air tank storing compressed air and configured to output the compressed air to a brake cylinder at a pressure corresponding to a predetermined command pressure;
a command pressure output circuit connected to the air tank and configured to output the compressed air to the relay valve at the command pressure corresponding to the brake command signal;
a pressure adjusting unit connected to the air tank and configured to convert the compressed air into an emergency stop pressure and output the pressure;
an emergency stop solenoid valve that is provided between the pressure adjusting unit and the relay valve and opens in response to an input of a predetermined emergency stop command signal;
an emergency stop pressure sensor which is a pressure sensor provided between the emergency stop solenoid valve and the relay valve;
Equipped with
The command pressure output circuit includes:
a main circuit connected to the air tank;
a backup circuit connected in parallel with the main circuit to the air tank;
a switching solenoid valve that outputs either an output of the main circuit or an output of the backup circuit to the relay valve;
Equipped with
The main system circuit and the backup system circuit each include
a brake command air supply solenoid valve that is provided between the air tank and the switching solenoid valve and opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
a brake command exhaust solenoid valve that is provided between a flow path that connects the brake command air supply solenoid valve and the switching solenoid valve and an outside atmosphere and that opens and closes in accordance with the brake command signal;
having
When the control unit detects an abnormality in the main circuit, the control unit controls the switching solenoid valve to switch from the output of the main circuit to the output of the backup circuit.
Brake control device.

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