The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 31, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 10, 1998
Wei Li, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, PA (US);
Abstract
The invention provides an on-board electrical power generator for application on railway cars as a power supply for Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brake equipment and other on-board electronic devices, such as an end of train unit. The generator unit can by operated by vehicle vibration when the train is moving, or by fluid pressure from the brake line when the train is stopped. The generator unit has a magnetic piston surrounded by a coil and is engaged on either end by diaphragm-spring combinations. This arrangement creates a mass-spring system in which the magnetic piston vibrates under external excitation. The oscillation of the magnetic piston as a result of vehicle movement allows interaction between the magnetic piston and a coil and thus generates electrical voltage across the coil as a result of vibration. The diaphragms of the diaphragm-spring combinations create two sealed chambers on the first and second ends of the generator which allows the piston to be actuated by fluid pressure. Fluid pressure from a control valve alternately flows between the first chamber and the second chamber causing the piston to oscillate and thus create an electrical voltage across such coil and thereby generating electrical power.