JP7570979B2 - Ride comfort improvement support device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ride comfort improvement support device.

One way to respond to the need for faster and more energy-efficient railway vehicles is to reduce the weight of the vehicles. As the weight of vehicles decreases, the weight of the car body must also be reduced, which can result in a decrease in the rigidity of the car body. Elastic vibrations of the car body caused by this decrease in rigidity can cause a decrease in the ride comfort of passengers using the railway vehicle, and improvements or countermeasures to the elastic vibrations may be required.

In response to this, Patent Document 1 discloses a ride comfort monitoring system that can determine the ride comfort level of a train made up of multiple cars in near real time. This system adds an acceleration sensor, a vibration measuring device, and a ride comfort calculation means to a conventional ride comfort monitoring system.

Patent Document 2 also discloses a suspension control device for a railway vehicle that dynamically reduces the amplitude level of the elastic vibration of the car body by controlling the suspension. This device is composed of a yaw damper, a bogie vibration detection means, and a control device. The yaw damper is installed between the bogie and the car body of the railway vehicle, and makes it possible to adjust the damping force in the yaw direction applied to the railway vehicle.

Patent Document 3 discloses technologies for railroad car bodies, such as ride comfort levels, frequency response analysis, and damping means for reducing bending vibrations of the car body. These are mainly measures for railroad car bodies at the design and manufacturing stage, and are not technologies for suppressing the occurrence of elastic vibrations through measures (operations) while the car is in motion.

JP 2005-306119 A JP 2014-198522 A JP 2013-52734 A

The ride comfort monitoring system in Patent Document 1 obtains monitoring results based on threshold judgments, such as ride comfort being "very good," "good," "average," or "bad." However, it does not disclose any means for actively improving ride comfort based on the monitoring results.

The suspension control device in Patent Document 2 suppresses the elastic vibration of the vehicle body by controlling the damping force of the yaw damper to be small within the eigenvalue range of the elastic vibration of the vehicle body, but has the problem that it requires complicated parameter setting work and sensor adjustment work to be used in the state equation.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a ride comfort improvement support device that generates support information for improving ride comfort based on the results of ride comfort monitoring, sends the information to an execution entity having an improvement means, and suppresses the occurrence of elastic vibrations.

The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a ride comfort improvement support device that contributes to the ride comfort of passengers 7 aboard a vehicle, and includes a vibration sensor disposed in the vehicle to detect elastic vibrations, a vibration information calculation unit that calculates vibration information based on operation information acquired from a vehicle information management system capable of controlling the operation of the vehicle, and a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit that can predict the occurrence of elastic vibrations based on the elastic vibrations detected by the vibration sensor and the vibration information calculated by the vibration information calculation unit, and sends support information calculated based on the prediction results of the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit to an execution body, and causes the execution body to function based on the support information, thereby suppressing the occurrence of elastic vibrations.

The present invention provides a ride comfort improvement support device that generates support information for improving ride comfort and transmits it to an execution entity having an improvement means to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibrations.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a ride comfort improvement assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the device"). 4 is a flowchart illustrating a basic operation of the present device. 10 is a graph showing a spectral density of a feature quantity of elastic vibration detected by an elastic vibration detection unit of the present device. 10 is a graph showing a vibration occurrence prediction time calculated by a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit of the present device. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a condition for executing the basic operation of FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by excluding calculation of a predicted time for elastic vibration occurrence from the predicted time basic operation in FIG. 2 .

The following describes the embodiment with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components having common functions are given the same numbers, and duplicate explanations are omitted. In addition, the elastic vibration of the vehicle body is simply described as elastic vibration.

<Configuration of this device>
1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the device 10. The device 10 detects elastic vibrations generated in one railcar (also simply referred to as a "car") 1 by using a vibration sensor 5 and a monitoring camera mounted on the car 1, and information from a car information management system 8, and reduces the opportunities for passengers 7 to experience the elastic vibrations. The device 10 outputs support information including at least a predicted value of the occurrence time and an actual occurrence situation, and reduces the opportunities for the occurrence of elastic vibrations to an executing entity that receives the support information.

The vehicle information management system 8, which may also be called a traffic management system or other name, is an example of a computer that not only manages a wide range of information, such as the performance specifications of the vehicle 1, dispatch information, and operation schedules, but also has a wide range of functions, including driving commands and unmanned driving. This device 10 is an example of an application to railroad cars, but it can also be used in trucks and elevators.

Support information is information that contributes to the action taken by the executing entity that receives it to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibration. The executing entity is at least one of the entity (decision department) that issues the command to improve ride comfort and the object (control target).

The subject can be a person or a computer; if it is a person, it is the driver or the driving commander, and if it is a computer, it is the vehicle information management system 8. The object is the controlled object that executes the subject's operations and commands, and refers to the corresponding peripheral equipment. In other words, the execution body is the command function (subject) that receives the support information generated and sent by the device 10 and takes action to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibration, and the peripheral equipment (object) that realizes that command.

In FIG. 1, vehicle 1 is composed of a car body 2 that transports passengers (people) 7 and goods, and a bogie 4 that runs on a track 3, and inside car body 2 are mounted vibration sensors 5 and surveillance cameras 6 that detect vibration conditions. Note that vibration sensors 5 only need to be installed on the floor in the center of car body 2 or under specific seats where elastic vibrations of car body 2 can be detected, and multiple sensors may be installed.

The surveillance camera 6 may be installed on the ceiling or side of the vehicle body 2, and multiple cameras may be installed. The vehicle 1 is also equipped with a vehicle information management system 8 that manages vehicle operation information, such as driving information such as driving position, driving speed, occupancy rate, and speed pattern.

The vehicle 1 is further equipped with the device 10. The device 10 is configured to include a vibration information acquisition unit 11, an elastic vibration detection unit 12, a driving information acquisition unit 13, an excitation information calculation unit 14, an image information acquisition unit 15, a passenger information detection unit 16, a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17, a passenger impact calculation unit 18, a judgment and support processing unit 19, and a command information output unit 20.

The device 10 inputs a vibration acceleration signal 31a from the vibration sensor 5 and vehicle information 32a from the vehicle information management system 8, inputs a video signal 33a from the surveillance camera 6, and outputs command information 44a to the vehicle information management system 8.

The vibration information acquisition unit 11 inputs the vibration acceleration signal 31a, converts it to vibration acceleration 34a for detecting and processing elastic vibrations, and outputs it to the elastic vibration detection unit 12. The elastic vibration detection unit 12 inputs the vibration acceleration 34a, performs frequency analysis processing such as fast Fourier transform processing, and outputs elastic vibration information 35a such as the frequency and amplitude level of the elastic vibration to the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17.

The driving information acquisition unit 13 outputs the driving speed 36a for calculating the track vibration information from the vehicle information 32a to the vibration information calculation unit 14, and outputs vehicle information 42a, such as the speed pattern used for the support processing, from the vehicle information 32a to the judgment/support processing unit 19.

The vibration information calculation unit 14 inputs the traveling speed 36a, and outputs vibration information 37a to be considered to the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 based on the vehicle specification information of the vehicle 1. The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 inputs the elastic vibration information 35a and the vibration information 37a, calculates the ratio between the elastic vibration frequency and the vibration frequency and the time change rate thereof, and outputs vibration occurrence prediction information 40a to the judgment and support processing unit 19.

The video information acquisition unit 15 inputs the video signal 33a, and outputs video information 38a for detecting the presence or absence of passengers 7 and their locations to the passenger information detection unit 16. The passenger information detection unit 16 inputs the video information 38a, and applies video analysis and the like to output passenger information 39a, such as the number and locations of passengers (people) 7 in the vehicle body 2, to the passenger influence calculation unit 18.

The passenger impact calculation unit 18 inputs passenger information 39a, calculates the passenger impact, or the extent to which the elastic vibration affects the passenger 7, based on the positional relationship between the vibration sensor 5 and the passenger 7, and outputs passenger impact information 41a to the judgment and support processing unit 19.

The judgment and support processing unit 19 inputs vibration occurrence prediction information 40a, passenger impact information 41a, and vehicle information 42a such as speed patterns, performs threshold judgment of elastic vibration levels and frequency ratios, and then outputs command information 43a such as judgment results and support information to the command information output unit 20.

The command information output unit 20 inputs command information 43a and outputs a command signal 44a to the vehicle information management system 8. Note that a system configuration in which some of the functions of the device 10 described above are configured within the vehicle information management system 8 may also be used. In addition, a system configuration in which the signals output from the vibration sensor 5 and the surveillance camera 6 are input to the vehicle information management system 8 and then output to the device 10 may also be used. Details of the above-mentioned processing content will be explained separately below.

<An example of a flow for outputting support information from the elastic vibration occurrence time>
Fig. 2 is a flow chart (hereinafter referred to as "flow F100") for explaining the basic operation of the present device 10. Flow F100 in Fig. 2 is a flow for calculating a predicted time for which elastic vibration of the car body 2 will be excited based on track vibration information and outputting support information in the operation of the present device 10. The operation of the present device 10 will be explained according to the step numbers in Fig. 2, which are generally consistent with Figs. 5 and 6 described later. Note that in the explanations of Figs. 2, 5, and 6, the executing entity without a subject is the present device 10.

Figure 3 is a graph showing the spectral density of the characteristic quantities of elastic vibration detected by the elastic vibration detection unit of the device 10, with the horizontal axis showing frequency and the vertical axis showing power spectral density.

Step S101: The elastic vibration detection unit 12 of the device 10 detects the frequency and amplitude level, which are characteristic quantities of the elastic vibration, from the vibration acceleration of the vibration sensor 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the elastic vibration detection unit 12 performs fast Fourier transform processing on the vibration acceleration in real time, and detects the amplitude level of the power spectrum density after clarifying the frequency range of the elastic vibration based on the results of the preliminary analysis.

The elastic vibration detection unit 12 may also select a frequency range of the elastic vibration based on actual measurement results such as driving test results, and detect the amplitude level of the power spectrum density. Alternatively, it may detect the amplitude level of the largest power spectrum density within the frequency range of the elastic vibration.

Step S102: The vibration information calculation unit 14 of the device 10 calculates the vibration frequency, which is the track vibration information, from the running speed of the vehicle information management system 8. The vibration information calculation unit 14 may, for example, calculate the vibration frequency caused by the distance between the bogies 4 at the front and rear of the car body 2 from the running speed information based on the pre-recorded vehicle specification information. The vibration information calculation unit 14 may also similarly calculate the vibration frequency caused by the distance between the front and rear wheelsets mounted on the bogie 4.

Step S103: The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 of the device 10 calculates the ratio of the elastic vibration frequency obtained in steps S101 and S102 to the track excitation frequency (hereinafter, frequency ratio), and the time rate of change of the frequency ratio. At this time, since the track excitation frequency depends on the vehicle traveling speed, the frequency ratio should be calculated at a certain vehicle traveling speed or higher.

The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 may also calculate the absolute value of the difference between the frequency of the elastic vibration and the orbital vibration frequency, and calculate the time rate of change of the difference value. Figure 4 is a graph showing the vibration occurrence prediction time calculated by the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 of the present device 10, with the horizontal axis showing time and the vertical axis showing the ratio.

Step S104: The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 of the device 10 calculates the predicted time for elastic vibration occurrence from the current time based on the frequency ratio calculated in step S103 and the change over time of that frequency ratio. The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 assumes that there is one pattern of a certain frequency ratio, for example as shown in FIG. 4. This pattern means that the frequency ratio is near 1 in a certain time period, and the elastic vibration frequency is approximately equal to the orbital excitation frequency.

In this way, the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 predicts how many seconds from the current time that the frequency ratio will become 1, in order to shorten as much as possible the time period during which the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency are nearly identical. Then, the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 calculates the time from the current time when the frequency ratio will become 1, based on a prediction formula that calculates the frequency ratio and the time rate of change of the frequency ratio.

The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 calculates the vibration occurrence predicted time by subtracting the current time from the time calculated by this prediction formula. Also, while FIG. 4 shows an example of calculating the vibration occurrence predicted time assuming acceleration, the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 may also calculate the vibration occurrence predicted time in a similar manner during deceleration (when the frequency ratio greater than 1 approaches 1).

Step S105: If it is determined that the elastic vibration occurrence predicted time calculated in step S104 has exceeded a preset threshold, the judgment/assistance processing unit 19 of the present device 10 outputs support information to the vehicle information management system 8. For example, information such as "after how many seconds will elastic vibration occur" can be output to the vehicle information management system 8 and displayed on the vehicle driving screen via the vehicle information management system 8.

The judgment/support processing unit 19 may present support information for correcting the speed pattern based on the speed pattern information obtained from the vehicle information management system 8 so that the above frequency ratio does not exist within a certain threshold range as much as possible. The judgment/support processing unit 19 may correct the speed pattern based on this support information on the vehicle information management system 8 side, and may determine whether or not to utilize the support information, taking into account factors such as the punctuality of vehicle operation.

<An example of a processing flow taking into account the detected passenger impact degree>
Fig. 5 is a flow chart (hereinafter, also referred to as "flow F101") for explaining the conditions for executing the basic operation of Fig. 2. That is, flow F101 of Fig. 5 is a flow for outputting support information in the operation of the present device 10, taking into consideration the passenger influence of elastic vibration on the passenger 7 in particular. The operation of the present device 10 will be explained according to step numbers that are roughly consistent between Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, and therefore explanations of step numbers that are already overlapping will be omitted.

Step S111: The passenger information detection unit 16 of the device 10 detects passenger information from video information from a surveillance camera. For example, it performs video analysis to detect position information regarding where and how many passengers 7 are present in the vehicle body 2. In addition, the judgment and support processing unit 19 may obtain seat information purchased or reserved in advance by passengers 7 from the vehicle information management system 8, and estimate the position information of passengers 7, or may use the occupancy rate.

Step S112: The passenger impact calculation unit 18 of the device 10 calculates the passenger impact of the elastic vibration on the passenger 7 from the passenger information obtained in step S111 above. For example, the passenger impact calculation unit 18 may set a weighting constant according to the position of the passenger 7 from the center of the car body 2, centered on the center, and determine the passenger impact of the elastic vibration as the sum of the weighting constants for the number of passengers 7. The passenger impact calculation unit 18 may also calculate the passenger impact of the elastic vibration based on the position of the installed vibration sensor 5.

The device 10 determines a threshold value for the passenger impact level based on the passenger impact level obtained in step S112 above, and if the level is above that threshold (passenger impact level is high), it executes flow F100 described in Figure 2, and if the level is below that threshold (passenger impact level is low), it executes optimal processing so as not to execute assistance.

<An example of a processing flow taking into account the detected elastic vibration level>
Next, Fig. 6 is a flow chart (hereinafter also referred to as "flow F102") for explaining a process executed by excluding calculation of elastic vibration generation predicted time from the predicted time basic operation of Fig. 2. That is, flow F102 of Fig. 6 is a flow for outputting support information in the operation of the present device 10, taking into consideration the magnitude of the amplitude level of the elastic vibration detected by the vibration sensor 5 in particular. The operation of the present device 10 will be explained according to step numbers that are roughly consistent between Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, and therefore explanations of step numbers that are already overlapping will be omitted.

Step S121: The judgment/support processing unit 19 of the device 10 is executed after the processing flow of steps S101 to S103 described above. This step S121 is executed when the amplitude level of the detected elastic vibration exceeds a preset threshold value and the frequency ratio of the elastic vibration frequency to the orbital excitation frequency is within a preset threshold range. In other words, this step S121 is executed when the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency are approximately the same.

In this step S121, the judgment/assistance processing unit 19 outputs information such as "elastic vibration is currently occurring" to the vehicle information management system 8, and displays it on the vehicle driving screen via the vehicle information management system 8.

The judgment/assistance processing unit 19 may present support information for correcting the speed pattern so that the above frequency ratio does not fall within a certain threshold range as much as possible, based on the speed pattern information obtained from the vehicle information management system 8. The speed pattern may be corrected based on this support information by the vehicle information management system 8, which may determine whether or not to utilize the support information, taking into account factors such as the punctuality of vehicle operation.

Step S122: This is a process executed by the judgment and support processing unit 19 of the device when, after passing through the processing flow from step S101 to step S103, the amplitude level of the detected elastic vibration exceeds a preset threshold value and the frequency ratio between the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency does not fall within a preset threshold range. In other words, this step S122 is executed when the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency are out of sync.

In this step S122, since it is difficult to respond using support information to correct the speed pattern, for example, alarm information indicating "elastic vibration is currently occurring" can be output to the vehicle information management system 8, and the operation information of the equipment group managed by the vehicle information management system 8 and track infrastructure information can also be recorded, and the correlation between these pieces of information, which contributes to improving the ride comfort, can be analyzed separately.

Step S123: This is a process executed by the judgment/support processing unit 19 of the device 10 when, after passing through the processing flow from step S101 to step S103, the detected amplitude level of the elastic vibration is equal to or lower than a preset threshold value, and the frequency ratio between the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency is within a preset threshold range. In other words, this step S123 is executed when the elastic vibration frequency and the orbital excitation frequency match, but there is no problem with the amplitude level of the elastic vibration.

In this step S123, even if support information such as correcting the speed pattern is not required, it is preferable to do as follows. For example, it is possible to determine whether or not it depends on the vehicle's specific characteristics, and record it as vehicle operation information that can be fed back to vehicle operation and vehicle design, and the relevance of this information may be analyzed separately. Note that the processing of step S123 is executed by the judgment and support processing unit 19.

The device 10 may combine the support flows shown above to monitor the state of the vehicle 1 and provide support for improving ride comfort. In addition, when a train is operated with multiple vehicles with different vibration characteristics coupled together, rather than just one vehicle 1, a system configuration may be provided in which a vibration sensor 5 and a monitoring camera are provided in each vehicle 1, and the elastic vibrations generated in each individual vehicle 1 and the degree of impact on passengers are taken into consideration to improve the ride comfort of the entire train.

＜Effects＞
(1) As described above, in the present device 10, based on the predicted time of elastic vibration occurrence, it is possible to present or transmit support information for improving ride comfort to relevant parties such as the driver or driving commander, automatic driving devices, or peripheral devices via the vehicle information management system 8, and to have them take measures to improve ride comfort. Note that when the present device 10 is applied to an unmanned vehicle, the present device 10 may directly transmit support information to the peripheral devices, thereby controlling them to improve ride comfort.
(2) Furthermore, the device 10 can measure the degree of influence of elastic vibrations on the passengers 7 inside the car body 2, making it possible to present support information at an appropriate time.
(3) Furthermore, the present device 10 is capable of presenting support information that takes into account the presence or absence of an effect of the vibration frequency, depending on the amplitude level of the elastic vibration generated in the vehicle body 2 .

<Additional Information>
Although the above-described device 10 is used for monitoring the state of the vehicle 1 and for supporting improvement of ride comfort, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to support for improving ride comfort in automobiles and elevators, and other uses.

The present invention is not limited to the device 10 described above, but includes various modified examples. For example, the device 10 described above has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. It is also possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

In general, the vehicle information management system 8 in the broad sense often refers to an information system that creates and manages operation plans and arranges vehicles in the transportation industry. Meanwhile, the vehicle information management system 8 referred to here is the main body of vehicle operation information management that can control the operation of the vehicle 1. This vehicle information management system 8 is a computer system that appropriately processes vehicle operation information that optimally controls the operation of the vehicle 1 according to the purpose of ensuring safety, avoiding congestion, or pursuing a comfortable ride. Note that vehicle operation information refers to current position information from the vehicle 1's GPS (Global Positioning System), map (route) information, and other necessary information.

In a somewhat narrower sense, the vehicle information management system 8 refers to a train operation control system (PTC: Programmed Traffic Control). This PTC is a computer system that controls the centralized traffic control device (CTC), automatic route control device (PRC: Programmed Route Control), traffic rescheduling system, passenger information system, etc., based on a planned timetable in railway train operation management, allowing them to be managed collectively.

The vehicle information management system 8 in the narrower sense is a train vehicle information management system (TIMSC: Train
The vehicle information management system 8 of the present device 10 is provided with the above-mentioned functions as appropriate.

The present device 10 can be summarized as follows.
[1] <Basic type>
1, the device 10 includes a vibration sensor 5, an excitation information calculation unit 14, and a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17. The vibration sensor 5 is disposed in the vehicle 1 and detects elastic vibrations. The excitation information calculation unit 14 calculates excitation information based on operation information acquired from a vehicle information management system 8 capable of controlling the operation of the vehicle 1.

The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit 17 can predict the occurrence of elastic vibration based on the elastic vibration detected by the vibration sensor 5 and the excitation information calculated by the excitation information calculation unit 14. The device 10 outputs support information including at least a predicted value of the occurrence time and the actual occurrence situation, and reduces the opportunity for elastic vibration to occur to the executing entity that receives it. In other words, the support information is information that contributes to enabling the executing entity that receives it to perform a function (operation) to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibration. Note that, although specific examples of the executing entity will be described later, it responds immediately while the vehicle 1 is traveling, and does not necessarily involve a person or computer.

[2] <Railway vehicles>
A railway vehicle 1 is suitable as the vehicle 1 in the device 10 described in [1] above. In this case, the vehicle information management system 8 only needs to be able to process vehicle operation information capable of controlling the running of the vehicle 1. The support information may be generated and output based on a numerical calculation that correlates the detected elastic vibration with the discomfort of the passenger 7. The numerical calculation is not necessarily limited to an operation using a mathematical formula, and may involve reading out and referencing information in a table stored in a storage unit.

The information in the table may be contents that have been calculated in advance, or may be experimental values from a sensory test or a compilation of empirical rules. In other words, the support information generated by the device 10 and sent to the execution body should be weighted so as to selectively remove components that increase the discomfort of the passenger 7 from the frequency components of the predicted elastic vibration.

The executing entity is at least either a subject that issues a command to improve ride comfort or an object. The subject can be a person or a computer; if a person, it is the driver or driving commander, and if a computer, it is the vehicle information management system 8. The object is a controlled object that executes the subject's operations and commands, and refers to the corresponding peripheral equipment. In other words, the executing entity is a command function (subject) that receives support information generated and sent by the device 10 and takes action to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibration, and a peripheral equipment (object) that realizes that command.

More specifically, the device 10 predicts the occurrence of elastic vibrations and provides the executing entity with support information for suppressing the elastic vibrations. Based on the support information received by the driver, driving dispatcher, or vehicle information management system 8, which is the subject of the execution, the executing entity performs a command function such as controlling peripheral equipment and performing appropriate driving operations.

The peripheral device to be controlled suppresses the occurrence of elastic vibration by implementing the command. Note that the executing entity may directly control the peripheral device based on the support information to suppress the occurrence of elastic vibration without going through the driver, driving commander, or vehicle information management system 8, which are the main subjects.

For example, the damping force of the dampers in the suspension system between the wheels and the bogie 4, or the suspension system between the bogie 4 and the car body 2, may be directly controlled based on the support information. As an example, the device 10 may be applied to a pendulum type vehicle, and the suspension may be optimally controlled by distinguishing between when passing through a sharp curve and when traveling in a straight line, using various sensors, hydraulics, and air pressure.

[3] <Vibration information>
In the application of the device 10 described in [2] above, for example, a distinction should be made between express trains and local trains, and the train running speed, train design parameters, and operation information of the equipment mounted on the car body 2 and bogie 4 of the car 1 are naturally different. By calculating the excitation frequency based on such different operation information, a ride quality suitable for express trains can be realized. As another application example, a distinction can be made such that sleeper cars are operated at low speeds at night within the range permitted by the timetable, while local cars are operated in greater volume, at higher speeds, and more precisely. In this way, optimal operation using the device 10 can be considered.

[4] <Sensor installation locations and number>
In the device 10 of [3] above, it is preferable that one or more vibration sensors 5 are installed at least at either an end of the body 2 of the vehicle 1 or a central portion of the body 2 that is closer to the center of the body 2 than the end of the body 2.

As an example, if the longitudinal length of the car body 21 (e.g., 20 m) is divided into 4 equal parts (5 m), and the sections on both sides closer to the ends of the car body 2 (within 5 m) are defined as the ends of the car body 2, and the section closer to the center (within 5 m of the center) is defined as the center of the car body 2, then one or more vibration sensors 5 may be installed in any of the corresponding sections. Note that the above division is not limited to 4 equal parts (5 m), and may be 10 equal parts (2 m).

A typical passenger vehicle 1 has a car body 21 of a considerable length (for example, 20 m or 25 m) supported by two bogies 4, one at the front and one at the back. A typical bogie 4 has two axles, so it has a total of four wheels. Therefore, one vehicle 1 runs on eight wheels supported by four axles.

In a train consisting of multiple cars 1, if a vibration sensor 5 is arranged for each car 1 as described above, it becomes easier to more accurately detect the inherent elastic vibrations that occur due to the vehicle structure and running conditions. As a result, the support information generated and transmitted by the device 10 can more effectively suppress the occurrence of elastic vibrations.

[5] <Detection of passenger information>
In the above [4], the present device 10 may further include a surveillance camera 6, a passenger influence degree calculation unit 18, and a processing unit (judgment and support processing unit) 19. The surveillance camera 6 is installed on the body 2 of the vehicle 1 and detects boarding information related to the number and positions of passengers 7.

The passenger impact calculation unit 18 calculates the passenger impact of the elastic vibration based on the passenger information detected by the surveillance camera 6. The processing unit 19 calculates the support information including the passenger impact calculated by the passenger impact calculation unit 18.

In this way, the processing unit 19 also calculates the passenger influence level based on boarding information such as the number and location of passengers 7. Since the support information of the device 10 includes the passenger influence level based on the number of passengers 7 calculated by the processing unit 19, etc., the occurrence of elastic vibration can be efficiently suppressed based on this passenger influence level.

[6] <Calculation of passenger impact>
In the present device 10 described in [5] above, the passenger influence calculation unit 18 may calculate the passenger influence by the sum of weighting constants set based on the installation positions of the vibration sensors 5 and passenger information. Taking into consideration cases where passengers 7 are excessively concentrated in one train or one car 1 in a train set due to some circumstances, the passenger influence may be calculated by the sum of weighting constants set by changing the type, quality, and degree of control according to the case.

For example, when vehicle 1 is in out-of-service operation, the passenger impact is zero, and when it is fully loaded, the passenger impact is high, so it is more rational and less wasteful to change the control of ride comfort according to the passenger impact. If the passenger impact is zero, control can be such that consideration for ride comfort is no longer taken into account and a low-quality suspension is used. Conversely, if the vehicle is fully loaded and the passenger impact is high, control that dampens the swaying of vehicle body 2 is preferable.

[7] <Detection of elastic vibration>
In the above [5] or [6], the device 10 may detect the peak value of the power spectrum density that is large in a specific frequency band and its frequency by frequency analysis of the vibration sensor 5. The specific frequency band detected by this frequency analysis may be highly related to the elastic vibration and the discomfort of the passenger 7 mentioned in the above [2]. Therefore, if the device 10 can generate support information that removes the elastic vibration in the specific frequency band and send it to the execution entity, the discomfort of the passenger 7 can be reduced and the ride comfort can be improved.

[8] <Vibration prediction>
In the above [7], the device 10 may use the difference or ratio between the frequency of the elastic vibration and the excitation frequency to predict whether or not the frequency will exceed a preset threshold range, and the time it will exceed the threshold range, using an approximation of the time rate of change. It is known that elastic vibration caused by damage such as cracks and wear of components not only affects the ride comfort, but also suggests quality deterioration. Therefore, the device 10 can be expected to have an effect of quality control for the car body 2 and the bogie 4, and is highly practical because it also has an effect of safe driving, including the prevention of dangerous driving.

[9] <Judgment/Support>
The device 10 described in [8] above instructs the vehicle information management system 8 to increase the running speed of the vehicle 1 so that the difference between the alarm information and the excitation frequency or the ratio is equal to or less than the threshold value based on the threshold judgment. It is preferable to output support information for decelerating the vehicle. According to the present invention, the effect of preventive safe driving can be obtained, and therefore the present invention is highly practical.

[10] <Multiple vehicles>
In any of the above [5] to [9], the device 10 may calculate the passenger influence degree for each car 1 when multiple cars 1 are coupled together, and the device 10 may function individually for each car 1. In such multiple coupled cars 1, the device 10 and the vibration sensor 5, which operate independently, may be provided for each car 1. In this way, the device 10 can more accurately detect the inherent elastic vibrations that occur based on the vehicle structure, usage status, and running status that differ for each car 1 of the train, making it easier to respond in a detailed manner.

As a result, the device 10 can more effectively suppress the occurrence of elastic vibrations. For example, the device 10 can automatically distinguish between cars that are heavily equipped with motors, etc., and cars that are lightly equipped without them, and optimally control them accordingly. In addition, even within a single train configuration, optimal control can be performed appropriately according to the type of car 1, such as distinguishing between regular trains and dining cars and sleeper cars that are sensitive to shaking.

1...Railway vehicle (vehicle), 2...car body, 3...track, 4...bogie, 5...vibration sensor, 6...surveillance camera, 7...passenger (human), 8...vehicle information management system, 10...ride comfort improvement support device (this device), 11...vibration information acquisition unit, 12...elastic vibration detection unit, 13...traveling information acquisition unit, 14...excitation information calculation unit, 15...video information acquisition unit, 16...passenger information acquisition unit, 17...vibration occurrence prediction processing unit, 18...passenger impact calculation unit, 19...judgment/support processing unit (processing unit), 20...command information output unit

Claims (10)

A ride comfort improvement support device that contributes to the ride comfort of passengers in a vehicle,
an elastic vibration detection unit that calculates elastic vibration information based on a detection result by a vibration sensor that is disposed in the vehicle and detects elastic vibration;
A vibration information calculation unit that calculates vibration information including a vibration frequency based on operation information acquired from a vehicle information management system capable of controlling the operation of the vehicle;
a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit capable of predicting occurrence of the elastic vibration based on the elastic vibration detected by the vibration sensor and the excitation information calculated by the excitation information calculation unit;
a determination/assistance determination unit that calculates support information based on a prediction result of the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit;
Equipped with
the determination/assistance determination unit calculates the support information when a difference value between the frequency of the elastic vibration and the excitation frequency exceeds a preset threshold value and a ratio between the frequency of the elastic vibration and the excitation frequency falls within a preset threshold value range;
Sending the support information to an execution entity;
by making the execution body function based on the support information, the occurrence of the elastic vibration is suppressed.
Ride comfort improvement support device. the vehicle is a rail vehicle,
the vehicle information management system is capable of processing vehicle operation information capable of controlling the running of the railroad vehicle,
The assistance information is generated and output based on a numerical calculation relating the detected elastic vibration to the discomfort of the passenger;
The execution entity is at least one of a subject capable of improving ride comfort and a control target,
The subject is a driver, a driving dispatcher, or the vehicle information management system,
The controlled object is a peripheral device that executes the operation or command of the subject.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 1. The excitation information calculation unit calculates the excitation frequency based on a vehicle travel speed, vehicle design parameters, and operation information of equipment mounted on a body and a bogie of the railway vehicle.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 2. One or more of the vibration sensors are installed at least in a car body end portion of the railcar and a car body center portion closer to the center of the car body than the car body end portion.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 2 . The vibration occurrence prediction processing unit predicts a time when the ratio will be within a preset threshold range using an approximation formula for a time change rate.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 1 . the determination/assistance determination unit calculates assistance information for accelerating/decelerating the traveling speed of the vehicle so that the ratio falls within a preset threshold range .
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 1 . A ride comfort improvement support device that contributes to the ride comfort of passengers in a vehicle,
an elastic vibration detection unit that calculates elastic vibration information based on a detection result by a vibration sensor that is disposed in the vehicle and detects elastic vibration;
A vibration information calculation unit that calculates vibration information including a vibration frequency based on operation information acquired from a vehicle information management system capable of controlling the operation of the vehicle;
a vibration occurrence prediction processing unit capable of predicting occurrence of the elastic vibration based on the elastic vibration detected by the vibration sensor and the excitation information calculated by the excitation information calculation unit;
a determination/assistance determination unit that calculates assistance information based on a prediction result of the vibration occurrence prediction processing unit;
a passenger influence calculation unit that calculates a passenger influence level that indicates the degree of influence of the elastic vibration on passengers based on passenger information detected by a surveillance camera that is installed on a body of the vehicle and detects passenger information related to at least one of the number of passengers and the positions of the passengers;
Equipped with
The determination/assistance determination unit calculates the assistance information by taking into account the passenger impact degree calculated by the passenger impact degree calculation unit ,
Sending the support information to an execution entity;
by making the execution body function based on the support information, the occurrence of the elastic vibration is suppressed.
Ride comfort improvement support device. The passenger influence degree is calculated as a sum of weighting constants set based on the passenger information and the installation positions of the vibration sensors.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 7 . A peak value of the power spectrum density that is large in a specific frequency band and its frequency are detected by frequency analysis of the vibration sensor.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to claim 7 or 8 . the vehicle is a rail vehicle,
Calculating the passenger impact degree for each of the rail cars in a state in which the rail cars are coupled together;
The ride comfort improvement support device functions for each vehicle.
The ride comfort improvement assistance device according to any one of claims 7 to 9 .

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