Grounding contact and method for operating

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a rail vehicle having a ground contact on a wheel set. The ground contact includes a housing unit, a contact device, and a sensing device. The contact device has a contact piece which is disposed on a contact surface of an axle. An electrical sliding contact is formed between the contact surface and the contact piece. The ground contact also includes a measuring unit having a measuring device. At least one sensor of a sensing device of the measuring device is disposed on the contact device and/or adjacent to the contact device. A measured value of the contact device is registered by the sensing device, and the measured value is processed by the processing unit of the measuring device. A parameter describing an operating state of the wheel set and/or a guide rail is determined.

1 . A method for operating of a rail vehicle, the rail vehicle having a ground contact on a wheel set having an axle and wheels, the ground contact having a housing unit, a contact device and a sensing device, the contact device having a contact piece which is disposed on a contact surface of an axle, an electrical sliding contact being formed between the contact surface and the contact piece, wherein
 the ground contact comprises a measuring unit having a measuring device, at least one sensor of a sensing device of the measuring device being adjacent to the contact device, the method including   registering a measured value of the contact device by the sensing device;   processing the measured value by a processing unit of the measuring device; and   determining a parameter describing an operating state of (a) the wheel set, (b) a guide rail, or (c) the wheel set and the guide rail.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , including
 continuously or discontinuously registering and processing at least one of the following as the measured value: a speed, an acceleration, a frequency, a temperature, an air humidity, a force, a current, a voltage, a distance, a mass, and a location.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , including
 using as a sensor, at least one acceleration sensor disposed on the contact device or the contact piece.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , including
 registering and storing, by the processing unit, (a) the measured values of the at least one sensor, (b) the parameters, or (c) both at (i) regular time intervals, (ii) when a change occurs, or (iii) continuously.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , including at least one of:
 transmitting, by the measuring device, (a) the measured values, (b) the parameters or (c) both to an evaluation unit;   storing (a) the measured values, (b) parameters, or (c) both in a database of the evaluation unit; and   processing (a) the measured values, (b) the parameters, or (c) both by an evaluation device of the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 transmitting, by a transmitting unit of the measuring device, (a) the measured values, (b) the parameters of the measuring device, or (c) both to the evaluation unit via a data link the evaluation unit being disposed at a distance to the measuring unit or being integrated in the measuring unit.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , including
 forming the data link via an external data network.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 forming a data link to (a) the evaluation unit, (b) the measuring unit, or (c) both by a user unit; and   transmitting and outputting the (i) measured values, (ii) the parameters, or (iii) the measured values and the parameters to the user unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 evaluating, by the processing unit or the evaluation unit, a time curve of (a) the measured values, (b) the parameters, or (c) the measured values and the parameters; and   determining a state of wear of (i) the contact piece, (ii) the wheel set, (iii) the guide rail, or any combination thereof, taking into account a time-dependent component, a component depending on measured variables relevant for the wear, or both.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 registering a vibration of the contact piece by the sensing device, the processing unit determining (a) an eigenfrequency, (b) a resonant frequency, or (c) an eigenfrequency and a resonant frequency of (i) the contact piece, (ii) the axle, (iii) the contact piece and the axle and determining a state of wear of the contact piece, the wheel set, the guide rail, or a combination thereof by the processing unit or the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 performing a pattern analysis of (a) the measured values, (b) the parameters stored over a time period or (c) the measured values and the parameters stored over a time period and deriving a key figure from the pattern analysis by the processing unit or the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 correlating (a) the measured values of the different sensors, (b) the parameters, or (c) the measured values of the different sensors and the parameters and deriving functional dependencies of (a) the measured values of the different sensors, (b) the and/o parameters, or (c) the measured values of the different sensors and the parameters by the processing unit or the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 determining a location of the ground contacts by a position sensor of the sensing device, the location being associated to the parameters, and determining a state of wear of the guide rail by the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 5 , including
 processing, by the evaluation unit, parameters of measuring units of a plurality of ground contacts.   
     
     
         15 . A ground contact for an axle of a wheel set of a rail vehicle, the ground contact having a housing unit, a contact device and a sensing device, the contact device having a contact piece which is disposed on a contact surface of the axle, an electrical sliding contact being formed between the contact surface and the contact piece, wherein
 the ground contact includes a measuring unit having a measuring device, at least one sensor of a sensing device of the measuring device being disposed on the contact device and/or adjacent to the contact device, a measured value of the contact device being registerable by means of the sensing device, the measured value being processable by means of a processing unit of the measuring device and a parameter describing an operating state of the wheel set and/or a guide rail being determinable.   
     
     
         16 . A monitoring system having at least one rail vehicle having at least one ground contact according to  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . The monitoring system according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the monitoring system includes a plurality of measuring units and an evaluation unit for processing measured values and/or parameters of the measuring units of a plurality of ground contacts.   
     
     
         18 . The monitoring system according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the monitoring system includes a plurality of rail vehicles, each having at least one ground contact.