Device for Operating at Least one Electrical Consumer of a Rail Vehicle

Abstract

An electrical consumer of a rail vehicle is operated with electrical power generated by a braking process of the rail vehicle. A control unit controls the operation of the consumer in a first operating mode for a first operating phase of the consumer during a braking phase of the rail vehicle and in a second operating mode for a second operating phase during a travel phase of the rail vehicle preceding the braking phase. The consumer is controlled for the first and second operating modes such that the operating power of the consumer is less in the second operating mode than in the first operating mode. In order to assure that a power generated during the braking process is used more efficiently, the device has a unit that determines at least one triggering parameter of the second operating phase, depending on at least one feature of the braking phase.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A device for operating at least one electrical consumer of a rail vehicle, wherein the electrical consumer can be operated with electrical energy generated by a braking process of the rail vehicle, the device comprising:
 a control unit for controlling an operation of the at least one electrical consumer according to at least two operating modes, including:
 a first operating mode for a first operating phase of the consumer, during a braking phase of the rail vehicle; and 
 a second operating mode for a second operating phase of the consumer, during a travel phase of the rail vehicle which precedes the braking phase; and 
   said control unit controlling the consumer at an operating power in the second operating mode that is lower than an operating power is the first operating mode; and   a unit configured to determine at least one triggering parameter for the second operating phase, depending upon at least one characteristic of the braking phase.   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , which comprises a positional detection system for providing an actual track position of the rail vehicle, and wherein the triggering parameter for the second operating phase is a specific track position. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one triggering parameter for the first operating phase is a braking signal. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said unit is configured, for determining the triggering parameter, to observe a minimum duration for the second operating phase and/or a maximum duration for the second operating phase. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said unit is configured to determine the at least one triggering parameter for the second operating phase based on data delivered by a driver assistance system. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said unit is configured to determine the at least one triggering parameter for the second operating phase based on data delivered by a track-vehicle-interaction system. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said control unit is configured to execute a closed-loop control of the consumer based on at least one threshold value for a characteristic control variable and, upon a switch-over to the first operating mode, to adjust the threshold value to cause the operating power to be increased. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the consumer is an air conditioning device and the control unit is configured to adjust the threshold value being a comfort temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein said control unit is configured, in the second operating mode, to maintain the consumer in an unpowered operating state. 
     
     
         21 . A rail vehicle, comprising: at least one electrical consumer and a device according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of operating at least one electrical consumer of a rail vehicle, wherein the electrical consumer is operable with electrical energy generated by a braking process of the rail vehicle, the method comprising:
 operating the consumer according to a first operating mode in a first operating phase during a braking phase of the rail vehicle;   operating the consumer according to a second operating mode in a second operating phase during a travel phase of the rail vehicle, wherein the travel phase precedes the braking phase;   controlling the consumer with an operating power in the second operating phase that is lower than an operating power in the first operating phase; and   determining at least one triggering parameter for triggering the second operating phase in accordance with at least one characteristic of the braking phase.