Patents by Inventor Ulf Friesen

Ulf Friesen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8276995
    Abstract: A control unit for a rail vehicle, comprising a braking control unit that contains an electronic braking control device for emitting control commands to brake actuators and/or comprising an anti-skid device, which controls the wheel slip of the wheels of at least one axle in accordance with at least one rotational speed signal from an anti-skid sensor. The control unit also comprises a roll monitoring unit with an electronic roll monitoring control device and at least one roll monitoring sensor for detecting the rotational speed of at least some wheels in the form of a rotational speed signal, and comprises a rolling gear monitoring unit for monitoring and/or diagnosing critical conditions of and damage to the rolling gear. The monitoring unit comprises an electronic control device for monitoring the rolling gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Aurich, Johannes Schuhmacher, Jörg-Johannes Wach, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20120209471
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the driving behavior of a railway vehicle, wherein at least one measurement variable characterizing the vibrational behavior of at least one wheel set of the railway vehicle, is captured by at least one sensor providing a corresponding measurement signal. The method includes the steps of identifying at least one significant event or a combination of multiple significant events within the time trace of the measurement signal and identifying the event time at which the significant event took place, deriving the frequency from the time trace of the measurement signal starting from the event time, comparing the derived frequency to at least one stored reference frequency, evaluating the vibrational behavior of the wheel set as a function of the deviation of the derived frequency from the at least one stored reference frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Günther, Jörg-Johannes Wach, Ulf Friesen, Stefan Sedlmair
  • Patent number: 8234917
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for monitoring errors in undercarriage components of rail vehicles, having at least one acceleration sensor which works with an evaluation unit. At least one acceleration sensor is arranged on the undercarriage of the rail vehicle in such a manner that its direction of detection has at least one component parallel to the vertical axis (z-direction) of the rail vehicle. The invention proposes that the acceleration sensor is constructed in such a manner that it delivers a measuring signal which contains the signal portion corresponding to a ground acceleration, or represents a signal corresponding to a ground acceleration, and that the evaluation unit has a routine for testing functions of the acceleration sensor, the routine controlling an error signal if the measuring signal delivered by the acceleration sensor contains no signal portion corresponding to a ground acceleration. The routine also suppresses the error signal if this is not the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Burkhart, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20120197483
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the state of components of a railway vehicle, wherein sensors for capturing loads acting on the components are operated, the measurement values thereof are fed as input values to an analysis unit for analyzing the wear state, wherein the current position of the railway vehicle is processed as a signal to this end, wherein the current velocity of the railway vehicle is recorded over time, from which a v-t profile is generated and compared to a stored v-t profile in order to determine the current position as a further input value for monitoring the state by stochastically comparing both profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FÜR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Marc-Oliver Herden, Ulf Friesen, Michael Amft
  • Publication number: 20120193484
    Abstract: A method for estimating the temperature (TB, est) of a wheel bearing of a wheelset of a rail vehicle by means of a calculation model (Tbearingestimator). The calculation model (Tbearing,estimator) estimates the temperature of the axle bearing, according to the speed (vtrain) and the ambient temperature (Tamb) of the rail vehicle as input variables of the calculation model (Tbearing estimator), and the temperature of a component of the wheelset, different from the axle bearing but directly or indirectly connected to the axle bearing in a heat-conducting manner, is measured as the measuring temperature (Tmeas) during operation. The temperature of the component different from the axle bearing is estimated by means of the calculation model (Tbearingestimator) as the estimated temperature (Tmeas,est).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf Furtwängler, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20120197505
    Abstract: A method for predicting the temperature (Tin,p) of a wheel bearing of a vehicle wheel for a future moment (t+?tp) in relation to a present moment (t) or for a future time interval (t, t+?tp) in relation to a present moment (t), on the basis of a course of the temperature (Tin) of the wheel bearing in a past time interval (t??tb, t) in relation to the present moment (t), the predicted temperature (Tin,p) of the wheel bearing being determined from the sum of the temperature (Tin) of the wheel bearing at the present moment (t) and a corrective value (?TP) which is determined according to a change in at least one driving condition, such as the speed (?Vtrain), and a change in the temperature (?Tb) of the wheel bearing within the past time interval (t??tb, t).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FÜR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Ulf Friesen, Ralf Furtwängler
  • Patent number: 8179063
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traction drive for the driving and generative braking of a rail vehicle or a combination of rail vehicles, a permanent-field synchronous motor and a traction current converter being respectively associated with at least two axles of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles. The traction current converter includes at least one pulse current converter on the engine side, and the clamps of the permanent-field synchronous motor are connected to a change-over switch such that the permanent-field synchronous motor can be connected to a load circuit containing at least one load element, in order to drive the pulse current converter or for generative braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Falk Hähle, Ulf Friesen
  • Patent number: 8076878
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traction drive for the driving and generative braking of a rail vehicle or a combination of rail vehicles, at least one permanent-field synchronous motor and a traction current converter being associated with at least one axle of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles. The traction current converter includes at least one pulse current converter on the engine side, and the clamps of the permanent-field synchronous motor are connected to a change-over switch such that the permanent-field synchronous motor can be connected to a load circuit forming a load, to drive the pulse current converter or for generative braking. According to the invention, the load circuit connected to the permanent-field synchronous motor for generative braking is designed and/or controlled in such a way that the characteristic values of the load circuit can be modified according to the loading of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Falk Hähle, Ulf Friesen, Josef Schmucker
  • Publication number: 20100116041
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the error monitoring of chassis components of rail vehicles, including at least one vibration sensor. According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one vibration sensor is arranged on a bogie frame or on a wheel set bearing of an axis of a bogie of the rail vehicle such that the detection direction thereof has a component in the moving direction (x-direction) or a component perpendicular to the moving direction (y-direction) and at the same time a component parallel to the vertical axis (z-direction) of the rail vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FÜR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Jörg Johannes Wach, Johannes Schuhmacher, Marc Oliver Herden, Reinhold Mayer, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20100078527
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for monitoring errors in undercarriage components of rail vehicles, having at least one acceleration sensor which works with an evaluation unit. At least one acceleration sensor is arranged on the undercarriage of the rail vehicle in such a manner that its direction of detection has at least one component parallel to the vertical axis (z-direction) of the rail vehicle. The invention proposes that the acceleration sensor is constructed in such a manner that it delivers a measuring signal which contains the signal portion corresponding to a ground acceleration, or represents a signal corresponding to a ground acceleration, and that the evaluation unit has a routine for testing functions of the acceleration sensor, the routine controlling an error signal if the measuring signal delivered by the acceleration sensor contains no signal portion corresponding to a ground acceleration. The routine also suppresses the error signal if this is not the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FOR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Burkhart, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20100066281
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traction drive for the driving and generative braking of a rail vehicle or a combination of rail vehicles, a permanent-field synchronous motor and a traction current converter being respectively associated with at least two axles of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles. The traction current converter includes at least one pulse current converter on the engine side, and the clamps of the permanent-field synchronous motor are connected to a change-over switch such that the permanent-field synchronous motor can be connected to a load circuit containing at least one load element, in order to drive the pulse current converter or for generative braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENEFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Falk Hähle, Ulf Friesen
  • Publication number: 20100066282
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traction drive for the driving and generative braking of a rail vehicle or a combination of rail vehicles, at least one permanent-field synchronous motor and a traction current converter being associated with at least one axle of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles. The traction current converter includes at least one pulse current converter on the engine side, and the clamps of the permanent-field synchronous motor are connected to a change-over switch such that the permanent-field synchronous motor can be connected to a load circuit forming a load, to drive the pulse current converter or for generative braking. According to the invention, the load circuit connected to the permanent-field synchronous motor for generative braking is designed and/or controlled in such a way that the characteristic values of the load circuit can be modified according to the loading of the rail vehicle or combination of rail vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Falk Hähle, Ulf Friesen, Josef Schmucker
  • Patent number: 7438163
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brake application device for vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, comprising a unit for emergency release and a unit for auxiliary release. The release units are integrated into a combined device for emergency and auxiliary release of the brakes. The combined device is electrically actuated by a common drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Fuderer, Peter Wolfsteiner, Ulf Friesen, Manfred Vohla
  • Patent number: 7419035
    Abstract: A brake application device for vehicles, especially for rail vehicles, comprising a wear-adjusting device which is embodied in a brake actuator and comprises a helical gear which is provided with a threaded spindle and a nut as screw connection parts, said nut being screwed onto said threaded spindle. One of the screw connection parts of the helical gear is electrically driven in order to adjust the wear of the brakes and the other screw connection part of the helical gear for the emergency release and/or auxiliary release of the brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahreuge GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Fuderer, Peter Wolfsteiner, Thomas Wagner, Manfred Vohla, Josef Staltmeir, Ulf Friesen
  • Patent number: 7413061
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling an electrically actuated wear adjuster of a brake application device for vehicles, in particular rail vehicles. Said method comprises the following steps: a) determination of an actual application stroke of brake linings against an allocated brake disc or brake drum during service braking, in accordance with at least one measured brake application path that is traversed by the brake linings and with a measured braking force value that is allocated to said brake application path; b) comparison of the actual application stroke with a desired brake application stroke or a desired application stroke tolerance range and if the actual application stroke deviates from said stroke or range: calculation of an adjustment path from said deviation; c) electronic control of the wear adjuster in accordance with the calculated adjustment path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Thomas Burkhart, Ulf Friesen, Manfred Vohla, Josef Staltmeir
  • Publication number: 20080156944
    Abstract: A control unit for a rail vehicle, comprising a braking control unit that contains an electronic braking control device for emitting control commands to brake actuators and/or comprising an anti-skid device, which controls the wheel slip of the wheels of at least one axle in accordance with at least one rotational speed signal from an anti-skid sensor. The control unit also comprises a roll monitoring unit with an electronic roll monitoring control device and at least one roll monitoring sensor for detecting the rotational speed of at least some wheels in the form of a rotational speed signal, and comprises a rolling gear monitoring unit for monitoring and/or diagnosing critical conditions of and damage to the rolling gear. The monitoring unit comprises an electronic control device for monitoring the rolling gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Aurich, Johannes Schuhmacher, Jorg-Johannes Wach, Ulf Friesen
  • Patent number: 7234567
    Abstract: A brake application for a rail vehicle brake includes a brake actuator for application and release of the rail vehicle brake. Also included is a force converter for converting energy supplied by the brake actuator to a brake application movement. The force converter includes: (1) a shearing force measuring bolt arranged in a power transmission path; (2) at least one measuring sensor measuring breaking force either indirectly or directly; and (3) at least two mutually swivellable force transmission elements having passage openings. The shearing force measuring bolt forms a hinge bolt of a hinge, which hinge bolt penetrates the passage openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Ulf Friesen, Josef Staltmeir
  • Publication number: 20060219486
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling an electrically actuated wear adjuster of a brake application device for vehicles, in particular rail vehicles. Said method comprises the following steps: a) determination of an actual application stroke of brake linings against an allocated brake disc or brake drum during service braking, in accordance with at least one measured brake application path that is traversed by the brake linings and with a measured braking force value that is allocated to said brake application path; b) comparison of the actual application stroke with a desired brake application stroke or a desired application stroke tolerance range and if the actual application stroke deviates from said stroke or range: calculation of an adjustment path from said deviation; c) electronic control of the wear adjuster in accordance with the calculated adjustment path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Thomas Burkhart, Ulf Friesen, Manfred Vohla, Josef Staltmeir
  • Publication number: 20060151261
    Abstract: A brake application for a rail vehicle brake includes a brake actuator for application and release of the rail vehicle brake. Also included is a force converter for converting energy supplied by the brake actuator to a brake application movement. The force converter includes: (1) a shearing force measuring bolt arranged in a power transmission path; (2) at least one measuring sensor measuring breaking force either indirectly or directly; and (3) at least two mutually swivellable force transmission elements having passage openings. The shearing force measuring bolt forms a hinge bolt of a hinge, which hinge bolt penetrates the passage openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Applicant: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Ulf Friesen, Josef Staltmeir
  • Patent number: 7055660
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromechanical brake applying device, especially for a rail vehicle brake, comprising a) an operating brake unit for producing a load-corrected and/or a skid-controlled brake force, b) an accumulation brake unit having an energy accumulator for storing and supplying energy for applying the brake, and c) an unlockable locking device for the energy accumulator. According to the invention, at least one control and monitoring device is provided for monitoring the brake function of the brake applying device. When the brake applying device is intact, a signal for keeping the locking device locked can be produced by said control and monitoring device, and in the event of safety braking and/or park braking, the operating brake unit can be activated in order to apply the brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Ulf Friesen