Autonomous rail vehicle systems and methods

Abstract

An autonomous rail vehicle system that includes one or more motive systems, each having a bogie assembly, a vehicle frame coupled with the bogie assembly, and a control unit to control one or more operations of the one or more motive systems. The autonomous rail vehicle also includes a trailer that is coupled with the one or more motive systems. The trailer includes surfaces defining a cavity that can receive a cargo container. The trailer includes powered footing assemblies that are controlled by the control unit of the one or more motive systems. The powered footing assemblies are controlled to move between a first position and a second position to change a vertical position of the trailer relative to a position of the motive systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous rail vehicle, comprising:
 one or more motive systems comprising:
 a bogie assembly; 
 a vehicle frame operably coupled with the bogie assembly; and 
 a control unit motive systems configured to control one or more operations of the one or more motive systems; and 
   a trailer operably coupled with the one or more motive systems, the trailer comprising surfaces defining a cavity configured to receive one or more cargo containers, the trailer including one or more powered footing assemblies configured to be controlled by the control unit of the one or more motive systems, wherein the one or more powered footing assemblies are configured to move between a first position and a second position to change a vertical position of the trailer relative to a position of the one or more motive systems.   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupler assembly operably coupled with the bogie assembly, the coupler assembly including one or more sensors configured to detect one or more forces acting on the coupler assembly, the coupler assembly including an actuator configured to control a position of the coupler assembly between an open position and a closed position based at least in part on the detection of the one or more forces acting on the coupler assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator of the coupler assembly is configured to control the position of the coupler assembly between the open position and the closed position to couple the bogie assembly with a rail vehicle or decouple the bogie assembly from the rail vehicle while the autonomous rail vehicle is in transit. 
     
     
         4 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle frame includes structures configured to control a direction of air moving around the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         5 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more adjustable structures operably coupled with the vehicle frame, wherein the one or more adjustable structures are configured to move between extended states and retracted states. 
     
     
         6 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more energy storage devices disposed onboard the one or more motive systems, wherein the one or more energy storage devices are configured to provide power to one or more systems of the one or more motive systems. 
     
     
         7 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more motive systems include a thermal control system including conduits disposed proximate to the one or more energy storage devices, the thermal control system comprising a fluid control device configured to direct a coolant through the conduits to control a thermal energy level of the one or more energy storage devices. 
     
     
         8 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more motive systems include one or more motor units configured to provide one or more of propulsion efforts or braking efforts to move the autonomous rail vehicle along the route, wherein the conduits of the thermal control system are configured to direct at least some of the coolant through the one or more motor units to control a thermal energy level of the one or more motor units. 
     
     
         9 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the bogie assembly includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion operably coupled with the first frame portion, wherein the first frame portion is configured to move in one or more directions relative to the second frame portion. 
     
     
         10 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the bogie assembly includes damper assemblies extending between the first frame portion and the second frame portion configured to control movement of the first frame portion in the one or more directions relative to the second frame portion. 
     
     
         11 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the damper assemblies include one or more vertical damper assemblies and one or more lateral damper assemblies, the one or more vertical damper assemblies configured to control vertical movement of the first frame portion relative to the second frame portion, the one or more lateral damper assemblies configured to control lateral movement of the first frame portion relative to the second frame portion. 
     
     
         12 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the damper assemblies are double-acting damper assemblies, wherein the double-acting damper assemblies are configured to control one or more forces between the first frame portion and the second frame portion in at least two directions. 
     
     
         13 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising wheels operably coupled with the first frame portion, wherein the first frame portion is configured to move in the one or more directions relative to the second frame portion responsive to a displacement of at least one of the wheels of the first frame portion. 
     
     
         14 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more fastener devices extending between the first frame portion and the second frame portion, wherein the first frame portion is pivotally connecting to the second frame portion via the one or more fastener devices, wherein the first frame portion is configured to move relative to the second frame portion by pivoting about the one or more fastener devices. 
     
     
         15 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more motive systems include a steering sub-system operably coupled with the bogie assembly, the steering sub-system configured to control an angular position of the autonomous rail vehicle relative to a route along which the autonomous rail vehicle is configured to move, the steering sub-system including one or more sensors operably coupled with the bogie assembly and configured to detect a curvature of the route, the steering sub-system including a wheelset positioning assembly configured to change a position of one or more wheelsets of the one or more motive systems based at least in part on the curvature of the route that is detected. 
     
     
         16 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the wheelset positioning assembly includes a powered cylinder device configured to move between one or more positions based at least in part on the curvature of the route that is detected, wherein the powered cylinder device is configured to control one or more of a pitch angle or a rotational position of the one or more wheelsets based at least in part on the position of the powered cylinder device. 
     
     
         17 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure control system operably coupled with the one or more motive systems and the trailer, wherein the pressure control system includes valves configured to move between open positions and closed positions based on an operating condition of the autonomous rail vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The autonomous rail vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more motive systems include a braking system configured to control a speed of movement of the autonomous rail vehicle, the braking system including a brake caliper assembly configured to control an amount of pressure that is applied to one or more wheels of the one or more motive systems by one or more brake pads of the braking system. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 changing a position of one or more powered footing assemblies of a trailer from a first position to a second position to change a vertical position of the trailer relative to a position of a first motive system and a position of a second motive system, the trailer extending between a first end operably coupled with the first motive system and a second end operably coupled with the second motive system; and   decoupling the trailer from the first and second motive systems by moving the first and second motive systems in a direction away from the trailer, wherein decoupling the trailer from the first and second motive systems includes changing the position of the one or more powered footing assemblies from the second position to the first position.   
     
     
         20 . An autonomous rail vehicle, comprising:
 a first motive system and a second motive system, each of the first and second motive systems comprising:
 a bogie assembly including a first frame portion and a second frame portion operably coupled with the first frame portion, wherein the first frame portion is configured to move in one or more directions relative to the second frame portion; 
 a vehicle frame operably coupled with the bogie assembly, the vehicle frame including structures configured to control a direction of air moving around the vehicle frame, wherein one or more of the structures are adjustable structures and are configured to move between extended states and retracted states; 
 one or more energy storage devices configured to provide power to the autonomous rail vehicle; 
 a steering sub-system including one or more sensors operably coupled with the bogie assembly and configured to detect a curvature of a route along which the autonomous rail vehicle is configured to move, the steering sub-system including a wheelset positioning assembly configured to change a position of one or more wheelsets of the first and second motive systems based at least in part on the curvature of the route that is detected; 
 a propulsion system and a braking system configured to control a speed of movement of the autonomous rail vehicle; 
 a thermal control system configured to control a thermal energy level of one or more components of the autonomous rail vehicle; 
 a pressure control system comprising valves configured to move between open positions and closed positions based at least in part on an operating condition of the autonomous rail vehicle; and 
 a control unit configured to control one or more operations of one or more of the energy storage devices, the steering sub-system, the propulsion system, the braking system, the thermal control system, and the pressure system; and 
   a trailer extending between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the trailer is configured to be operably coupled with the first motive system and the second end of the trailer is configured to be operably coupled with the second motive system, the trailer comprising surfaces defining a cavity configured to receive one or more cargo containers, the trailer including one or more powered footing assemblies configured to be controlled by one or more of the control unit of the first motive system or the control unit of the second motive system, wherein the one or more powered footing assemblies are configured to move between a first position and a second position to change a position of the trailer relative to a position of the first and second motive systems.