JP5851759B2 - Cylinder device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cylinder device suitably used for a vibration damper of a railway vehicle, for example.

  In general, a railway vehicle is provided with a cylinder device such as a damping force adjusting shock absorber between a vehicle body (on a spring) and a carriage (under a spring), and the cylinder device attenuates according to a control signal (command current). A suspension control device (vibration control device) configured to variably control force characteristics is mounted (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In this type of conventional suspension control device, for example, left and right vibrations of the vehicle body are detected as sprung speed or sprung acceleration, and a damping force that reduces vehicle vibration according to the detected sprung speed or the like. So that the control signal is output to the actuator of the cylinder device.

  Here, the cylinder device has a cylindrical cylinder body filled with a working fluid and a rod protruding from one end of the cylinder body, and the generated force (damping force) can be adjusted. .

  Further, in Patent Document 2, a cylinder device and a yoke are connected via a rubber bush (elastic device), and a load applied to a wheel can be measured by detecting a deformation amount of the rubber bush by a pressure sensor. The configuration described above is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-24844 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-158729

  The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a problem that load detection accuracy, reliability, durability, ease of replacement during maintenance, and the like cannot be sufficiently ensured.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder device that can accurately determine a force transmitted to a mounted side of a vehicle body or the like with a strain sensor. is there.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is applied to a cylinder device that includes a cylinder body and a rod that protrudes from one end of the cylinder body and is capable of adjusting the generated force.

A feature of the configuration adopted by the present invention is that the mounting eye provided at at least one of the other end of the cylinder body or the protruding end of the rod, a mounting pin penetrating the mounting eye, and the mounting pin are formed on the mounting pin. An insertion hole extending in the axial direction of the mounting pin, a shaft member inserted into the insertion hole, and a strain sensor that is attached to the shaft member and measures strain of the mounting pin. The force transmitted to the mounting side is obtained, and the generated force is controlled.

  According to the present invention, the force transmitted to the mounted side of the vehicle body or the like can be accurately obtained by the strain sensor.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a railway vehicle on which a cylinder device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted. It is the top view seen from the upper side of FIG. 1 which shows typically the trolley | bogie etc. which comprise a railway vehicle. It is a top view which shows the cylinder apparatus of the left side in FIG. It is an expanded sectional view of the (IV) part in Drawing 3 showing the bottom side of a cylinder device. It is the front view seen from the arrow VV direction in FIG. 4 which shows the bottom side of a cylinder apparatus. It is a partially broken perspective view which shows a shaft member, a strain sensor, etc. It is a characteristic line figure which shows the relationship between the distortion of an attachment pin, and the force added to a vehicle body. It is a block diagram which shows the controller in FIG. It is a characteristic diagram which shows an example of the time change of this damping force command value and the actual damping force which acts on a vehicle body at the time of calculating | requiring damping force command value using the output of a strain sensor. It is a characteristic diagram which shows an example of a time change of this damping force command value and the actual damping force which acts on a vehicle body when the damping force command value is calculated without using the output of the strain sensor. It is an expanded sectional view of the position similar to FIG. 4 which shows the bottom side of the cylinder apparatus by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the front view seen from the arrow XII-XII direction in FIG. 11 which shows the bottom side of a cylinder apparatus. It is an expanded sectional view equivalent to the (XIII) part in Drawing 4 showing a shaft member, a strain sensor, etc. by a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the same position as Drawing 13 showing a shaft member, a strain sensor, etc. by a 4th embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the position similar to FIG. 4 which shows the bottom side of the cylinder apparatus by the 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view equivalent to the (XVI) part in Drawing 15 showing a shaft member, a strain sensor, etc. by a 6th embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure seen from the same direction as FIG. 16 which shows a shaft member alone. It is an expanded sectional view of the position similar to FIG. 4 which shows the bottom side of the cylinder apparatus by the 7th Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the position similar to FIG. 4 which shows the bottom side of the cylinder apparatus by the 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the same position as Drawing 4 showing the bottom side of a cylinder device by a 9th embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, a cylinder device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking as an example a case where the cylinder device is applied to, for example, a suspension control device (vibration control device) mounted on a railway vehicle.

  1 to 9 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a railway vehicle 1 is roughly constituted by a vehicle body 2 on which passengers, passengers, etc. get on, and a carriage 5 provided on the lower side of the vehicle body 2 and guided by two rails 4 via wheels 3. ing. 1 and 2, only one carriage 5 provided on one side of the front and rear direction of the vehicle body 2 is shown, but the carriage 5 is provided on both sides of the front and rear sides of the vehicle body 2, respectively. It is provided.

  Here, at the lower part of the vehicle body 2, more specifically, on the lower surface side of the vehicle body 2, the center pin protrudes downward from the lower surface of the vehicle body 2 to the upper and lower portions of the vehicle body 2. 6 is fixed. On the left and right sides of the center pin 6, the bottom side of a shock absorber 11 described later is attached via attachment pins 18.

  On the other hand, the carriage 5 includes a left side beam 5A and a right side beam 5B that are spaced apart in the left and right directions, and a front horizontal beam 5C, a central horizontal beam 5D, and a rear horizontal beam 5E that connect the left and right side beams 5A and 5B. And is roughly composed. The left and right side beams 5 </ b> A and 5 </ b> B rotatably support the axle 7 to which the wheel 3 is attached via a bearing device 8.

  In addition, a traction device that transmits a traction force and a braking force applied in the front and rear directions between the vehicle body 2 and the carriage 5 between the center pin 6 provided on the vehicle body 2 and the central transverse beam 5D of the carriage 5 ( (Not shown) is provided. This traction device is constituted by an I-shaped or Z-shaped link mechanism as viewed from above, for example.

  The traction device allows the vehicle body 2 to be displaced (moved) relative to the carriage 5 in the upward, downward direction, left, right direction, yaw (trolley turning) direction, and pitching direction. The central pin 6 of the vehicle body 2 and the central transverse beam 5D of the carriage 5 are connected so that a traction force and a braking force can be transmitted between the carriage 5 and the carriage 5.

  In addition, a pair of mounting brackets 5F are provided on the central cross beam 5D of the carriage 5 so as to be spaced apart in the left and right directions. A rod side of a shock absorber 11, which will be described later, is attached to each of the mounting brackets 5F via a mounting pin 14 so as to be swingable.

  A suspension device 9 called a semi-active suspension is provided between the vehicle body 2 serving as a spring and the cart 5 serving as a spring. The suspension device 9 includes an air spring 10 that supports the vehicle body 2 so that the vehicle body 2 can swing upward, downward, and horizontally, a center pin 6 provided on the vehicle body 2, and a central transverse beam 5D of the vehicle 5. And a damping force adjusting shock absorber 11 (hereinafter referred to as a shock absorber 11) as a cylinder device disposed in a horizontal position.

  In the case of the present embodiment, a pair of air springs 10 and a pair of shock absorbers 11 are provided between the vehicle body 2 and the carriage 5 so as to be spaced apart in the left and right directions. Further, since the cart 5 is provided on both the front and rear sides of the vehicle body 2, each vehicle 5 (per vehicle body) has a total of four air springs 10 and eight shock absorbers 11. Yes.

  Here, each shock absorber 11 is configured using a cylinder device capable of adjusting the generated force (damping force), for example, a damping force adjusting hydraulic shock absorber called a semi-active damper, and the left side of the vehicle body 2 with respect to the carriage 5. By generating a damping force that reduces the vibration in the right direction, the left and right vibrations of the vehicle body 2 are reduced.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, each of the shock absorbers 11 includes a cylindrical cylinder body 11A in which a working fluid is sealed, and a piston (not shown) that is slidably accommodated in the cylinder body 11A. A rod 11B having one end side (left end side in FIG. 3) protruding from one end of the cylinder body 11A and the other end side (right end side in FIG. 3) fixed to the piston, and a cover 11C covering the periphery of the rod 11B A damping force generation mechanism (not shown) that is provided in the cylinder body 11A including the piston and suppresses the flow of the working fluid to generate a damping force.

  In addition, the shock absorber 11 has a damping force generation mechanism adjusted externally in order to continuously adjust the generated damping force characteristic (damping force characteristic) from a hard characteristic (hard characteristic) to a soft characteristic (soft characteristic). The actuator 12 (refer FIG. 3) which consists of a damping force adjustment valve, for example, a current control type proportional solenoid valve, etc. is attached. The shock absorber 11 can adjust the damping force characteristic in accordance with a DUTY signal (current command value) to the actuator 12. It should be noted that the damping force adjusting actuator 12 may be capable of adjusting the damping force characteristics in two or more stages without being continuous.

  In any case, a mounting eye 13 for mounting the protruding end of the rod 11B to the mounting bracket 5F of the carriage 5 is provided at the protruding end of the rod 11B on the rod side of the shock absorber 11. A mounting pin 14 is provided through the mounting eye 13. That is, an annular rubber bush (not shown) is fixed to the inside of the mounting eye 13 by means of baking or the like, and the mounting pin 14 is attached to the inside of the rubber bush. Then, both ends in the length direction of the mounting pin 14 are fixed to the mounting bracket 5F of the carriage 5 using bolts 15 (see FIG. 3), respectively.

  On the other hand, an attachment eye 16 for attaching the other end of the cylinder body 11A to the center pin 6 of the vehicle body 2 is provided at the other end (right end in FIG. 3) of the cylinder body 11A on the bottom side of the shock absorber 11. Yes. An attachment pin 18 is provided inside the attachment eye 16 so as to penetrate therethrough. That is, an annular rubber bush 17 is fixed to the inside of the mounting eye 16 by means of baking or the like, and a mounting pin 18 is attached to the inside of the rubber bush 17.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the mounting pin 18 has a cylindrical portion 18A formed in a circular cross section at the middle portion in the axial direction, and a pair of the mounting pins 18 positioned on both sides in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 18A. The mounting surface 18B is roughly constituted by one side mounting portion 18C and the other side mounting portion 18D. Each of the mounting portions 18C and 18D is provided with a bolt insertion hole 18E extending in a direction orthogonal to the mounting surface 18B. The mounting portions 18C and 18D are bolts 19 inserted through the bolt insertion holes 18E. Is fixed to the center pin 6 of the vehicle body 2.

  Further, a strain sensor cassette 20 described later is press-fitted into the mounting pin 18. Therefore, an insertion hole 18F extending in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18 is formed in the cylindrical portion 18A of the mounting pin 18 so as to penetrate both side surfaces of the cylindrical portion 18A. A cartridge-type strain sensor cassette 20 is inserted in the insertion hole 18F in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the strain sensor cassette 20 includes a shaft member 21 formed in a circular tube shape and press-fitted into the insertion hole 18F, and an axially intermediate portion of the shaft member 21 inside the shaft member 21. And a later-described strain sensor 22 and a sensor line 23 for connecting the strain sensor 22 and a later-described controller 27 to each other. The strain sensor cassette 20 is detachably attached to the attachment pin 18 by inserting the shaft member 21 to which the strain sensor 22 is attached into the insertion hole 18F of the attachment pin 18.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, with the strain sensor cassette 20 inserted into the insertion holes 18F of the mounting pins 18, bolts 24 are respectively screwed into both ends of the insertion holes 18F. Both sides in the length direction of the strain sensor cassette 20 (shaft member 21) are restrained. Accordingly, the strain sensor cassette 20 is prevented from being pulled out from the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18 and is fixed in a state in which the strain sensor cassette 20 is axially positioned in the insertion hole 18F. Further, one of the bolts 24 (the lower side in FIG. 4) is provided with a through hole 24 </ b> A for drawing out a sensor wire 23 connected to a strain sensor 22 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor wire 23 drawn through the through hole 24 </ b> A is disposed along the mounting eye 16 and the cylinder body 11 </ b> A and drawn into the actuator 12. The sensor wire 23 is connected to the controller 27 together with a cable 25 (see FIG. 3) for connecting the actuator 12 and the controller 27.

  Next, the strain sensor 22 that measures the strain of the mounting pin 18 will be described.

  The strain sensor 22 directly measures a force transmitted from the shock absorber 11 to the vehicle body 2 (center pin 6) by measuring the strain of the mounting pin 18 to the mounted side to which the mounting pin 18 is mounted. It is to be detected (measured). Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the amount of strain in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18 and the force applied from the shock absorber 11 to the vehicle body 4 through the mounting pin 18 have a correlation.

  Therefore, the strain sensor 22 is configured to measure a strain in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18 and obtain a force applied to the vehicle body 2 from the strain. Specifically, the strain sensor 22 is attached to the axial direction intermediate portion of the shaft member 21 constituting the strain sensor cassette 20 together with the strain sensor 22, and is distorted (deformed) together with the mounting pin 18 via the shaft member 21. The strain of the mounting pin 18 is measured.

  Here, the strain sensor 22 as the strain amount measuring means according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. As the strain sensor 22 shown in the present embodiment, a recently developed semiconductor strain gauge may be used in addition to a conventionally known strain gauge.

  First, a conventionally known strain gauge has a structure in which a metal thin film wiring pattern of a Cu-Ni alloy or Ni-Cr alloy is covered with a flexible polyimide or epoxy resin film. Is used by adhering to the object to be measured with an adhesive, and the amount of strain is calculated from the change in resistance when the metal thin film is deformed due to strain. Moreover, since the resistance change is small in the metal thin film strain gauge, it is necessary to amplify the obtained electric signal, and therefore an amplifier is required outside.

  On the other hand, a semiconductor strain gauge uses a semiconductor piezoresistor formed by doping a semiconductor such as silicon with an impurity instead of a metal thin film. A semiconductor strain gauge has a resistance change rate with respect to strain as large as several tens of times that of a conventional strain gauge using a metal thin film, and can measure a minute strain, for example, a strain of about 1 με. In addition, because the semiconductor strain gauge has a large resistance change, it is possible to use the obtained electrical signal without using an external amplifier. Furthermore, an amplifier circuit or temperature sensor is mounted on a chip of several millimeters square of the semiconductor strain gauge. It is also possible to build a temperature compensation circuit, an offset removal circuit, and the like. Furthermore, a wireless circuit or the like can be provided to take out data without contact.

  This semiconductor strain gauge can be fixed to an object to be measured by an adhesive or metal joint, and the semiconductor strain gauge can be fixed to a metal plate by spot welding.

  In the present embodiment, it is preferable to use a semiconductor strain gauge because the measurement accuracy of the strain amount is high and the installation space is small. However, if the measurement accuracy and the installation space are allowed, a conventionally known strain gauge is used. May be used.

  In any case, in the present embodiment, the strain sensor 22 as described above is attached to the axial direction intermediate portion of the shaft member 21 that constitutes the strain sensor cassette 20 together with the strain sensor 22. The strain sensor 22 detects (measures) the strain of the mounting pin 18 via the shaft member 21 that is deformed together with the mounting pin 18, and outputs the detection signal to the controller 27 described later through the sensor line 23. Yes.

  In this case, since the strain sensor cassette 20 including the strain sensor 22 is configured to be installed inside the mounting pin 18, it is possible to prevent damage to the strain sensor 22 due to water droplets, dust, stepping stones, etc. It is possible to prevent the strain sensor 22 from being damaged even when the hammering or the like is performed. Thereby, the reliability and durability of the strain sensor 22 can be ensured.

  Further, since the strain sensor 22 can be handled as the cartridge-type strain sensor cassette 20 by being attached to the shaft member 21, it is possible to easily attach and remove the mounting pin 18 and to ensure replacement at the time of maintenance. You can also

  Further, the strain sensor 22 is configured to be positioned in the axially intermediate portion of the insertion hole 18F where the deflection amount is the largest among the mounting pins 18 in a state where the strain sensor cassette 20 is mounted in the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18. It has become. Therefore, the force acting on the vehicle body 2 having a correlation with the distortion of the mounting pin 18, that is, the actual damping force acting on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 through the mounting pin 18 can be obtained with high accuracy. The control performance can be improved.

  Next, reference numeral 26 denotes an acceleration sensor provided on the vehicle body 2, and the acceleration sensor 26 detects vibration acceleration in the left and right directions of the vehicle body 2 on the vehicle body 2 side, which is the upper side of the spring of the railway vehicle 1. For this purpose, the acceleration sensor 26 is attached, for example, at a position below the shock absorber 11 on the lower side of the vehicle body 2, that is, on the lower surface side of the vehicle body 2.

  The acceleration sensor 26 detects vibration acceleration in the left and right directions of the vehicle body 2 and outputs a detection signal to a controller 27 described later. In addition, since the acceleration sensor 26 is provided corresponding to each carriage 5 provided on both front and rear sides of the vehicle, the acceleration sensor 26 has a total of two acceleration sensors 26 per vehicle (per vehicle body). It has a configuration.

  Next, the controller (controller) 27 that adjusts (controls) the generated damping force of the shock absorber 11 will be described.

  27 is a controller composed of a microcomputer or the like. The controller 27 is a buffer based on, for example, the skyhook theory (skyhook control law) at every sampling time in order to reduce left and right vibrations of the vehicle body 2. 11 is controlled. Here, the control side may be an LQG control law or an H∞ control law. Here, the input side of the controller 27 is connected to the strain sensor 22, the acceleration sensor 26 and the like, and the output side is connected to the actuator 12 and the like of the shock absorber 11.

  The controller 27 has a storage unit 27A composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The storage unit 27A acts on the control processing program used in the skyhook control unit 28 shown in FIG. 8, the distortion of the mounting pin 18 used in the force conversion unit 29 shown in FIG. A map, a calculation formula, and the like representing the relationship with force are stored.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the controller 27 includes a skyhook control unit 28, a force conversion unit 29, a force controller 30, a current controller 33, and the like. Then, the controller 27 outputs a DUTY signal corresponding to the current command value from the force controller 30 to the actuator 12 of the shock absorber 11 as will be described later, so that the shock absorber 11 vibrates the left and right directions of the vehicle body 2. It is to reduce.

  Here, the skyhook control unit 28 to which a signal from the acceleration sensor 26 provided in the vehicle body 2 is input obtains a target damping force (skyhook control amount) based on the skyhook theory according to the signal from the acceleration sensor 26. is there. In other words, the skyhook control unit 28 calculates a calculation necessary damping force that is a target damping force that should be generated by the shock absorber 11, and outputs a signal according to the value of the calculation necessary damping force to be described later. Output to the force controller 30.

  On the other hand, the force conversion unit 29 to which a signal from the strain sensor 22 attached to the attachment pin 18 of the shock absorber 11 is input is for obtaining a force acting on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 according to the signal from the strain sensor 22. is there. Specifically, the force conversion unit 29 uses a map, a calculation formula, or the like that represents the correlation between the strain of the mounting pin 18 and the force acting on the vehicle body 2 to calculate the signal (distortion amount) from the strain sensor 22. Converted to the force acting on the vehicle body 2, a signal corresponding to the value of the force acting on the vehicle body 2 is output to a force controller 30 described later.

  The force controller 30 is for feeding back the force acting on the vehicle body 2 obtained by the force conversion unit 29, that is, the actual damping force acting on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 through the mounting pin 18. Here, the force controller 30 calculates a difference between the actual damping force obtained by the force conversion unit 29 and the necessary calculation damping force obtained by the skyhook control unit 28 as an error with respect to the target value. And a PI controller 32 for obtaining a damping force command (current command value) by PI control (feedback control in which proportional action and integral action are combined) according to a signal (error with respect to a target value) from the difference calculation part 31; It is comprised by. Then, the force controller 30 generates a damping force command that is optimal in terms of control, and calculates a current command value for the actuator 12 provided in the shock absorber 11.

The current controller 33 to which a signal (damping force command) from the PI controller 32 of the force controller 30 is input constitutes a current control system based on current value information flowing from the current value acquisition unit 34 to the actuator 12, and A control signal is output to the actuator 12. More specifically, the current controller 33 outputs a DUTY signal corresponding to the current command value output from the force controller 30 to perform PWM control (pulse width modulation control) that changes the DUTY ratio of the pulse wave, for example. This is output to the actuator 12.

The shock absorber 11 according to D U TY signal from the current controller 33 (control signal), a continuous damping force characteristics between the hard characteristic (hard characteristic) and soft characteristics (軟特property) Or, it is variably controlled (adjusted) in a plurality of stages. Thereby, the vibration of the left and right direction of the vehicle body 2 with respect to the cart 5 can be reduced.

  By the way, in order to improve the control performance of the shock absorber, it is preferable to measure the damping force generated by the shock absorber and feed back the measured value. The reason for this is that when the damping force of the shock absorber can be measured, a force control system that can directly control the damping force can be configured, compared with the case where the damping force is controlled without measuring the damping force of the shock absorber. This is because the control performance can be increased.

  Here, in order to measure the damping force of the shock absorber, a configuration in which a load sensor such as a pressure sensor is attached in a compressed state in the axial direction of the rod or the cylinder body, a configuration in which the hydraulic pressure of the shock absorber is measured by the pressure sensor, a shock absorber The structure etc. which affix a distortion sensor to the site | part which deform | transforms when a load is added among these can be considered.

  On the other hand, in order to further improve the control performance, not the damping force generated by the shock absorber but the influence of the force applied from the shock absorber to the vehicle body, that is, the bending of the rubber bush provided between the shock absorber and the vehicle body It is more preferable to measure the force actually transmitted from the shock absorber to the vehicle body and feed back the measured value. In this case, compared with the case where the damping force of the shock absorber is measured, the control performance can be made higher.

  Here, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 described above is a configuration in which the amount of deformation of the rubber bush is detected and the load applied to the wheel is obtained from the detected value. However, there is a possibility that load detection accuracy, reliability, durability, ease of replacement during maintenance, and the like cannot be sufficiently ensured.

  Further, the shock absorber constituting the suspension device for an automobile has a structure in which a rubber bush is attached to the vehicle body side. That is, in the case of an automobile, for example, the mounting pin of the shock absorber is attached to the vehicle body via the rubber bush. For this reason, in order to measure the force applied to the vehicle body, it is necessary to add a hand to the vehicle body side.

  On the other hand, the shock absorber 11 constituting the suspension device 9 for railroad is not a structure in which a rubber bush is attached to the vehicle body 2 side, but a rubber on the mounting eye 16 of the shock absorber 11 as a part on the shock absorber 11 side. The bush 17 is provided. That is, the mounting pin 18 of the shock absorber 11 is directly mounted to the vehicle body 2 (center pin 6) without an elastic member such as a rubber bush. For this reason, the force applied to the vehicle body 2 on the shock absorber 11 side can be directly measured without any modification on the vehicle body 2 side.

  In this case, the mounting pin 18 corresponds to a member on the shock absorber 11 side and a member on the vehicle body 2 side relative to the rubber bush 17. Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, the strain applied to the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 via the mounting pin 18 by measuring the strain of the mounting pin 18 by the strain sensor 22, that is, the bending of the rubber bush 17. The damping force that actually acts on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 including the influence of the above is obtained.

  Thus, in the case of the present embodiment, the force transmitted to the mounted side of the shock absorber 11, that is, the force (damping force) acting on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 via the mounting pin 18 is caused by the strain sensor 22. It can be obtained with high accuracy. Moreover, the force transmitted to the vehicle body 2 obtained by the strain sensor 22 is used for feedback control of the damping force generated by the shock absorber 11. For this reason, the damping performance (damping performance) by the shock absorber 11 can be enhanced.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of a time change between the damping force command value and the actual damping force acting on the vehicle body 2 when the damping force command value is obtained using the output of the present embodiment, that is, the strain sensor 22. Is shown. FIG. 10 shows an example of a temporal change between the damping force command value and the actual damping force acting on the vehicle body 2 when the damping force command value is obtained without using the output of the strain sensor 22 as a comparative example. ing.

  As is apparent from FIGS. 9 and 10, the output of the strain sensor 22 is used for feedback control of the damping force generated by the shock absorber 11, thereby acting on the damping force command value calculated by the controller 27 and the vehicle body 2. It is possible to make the actual damping force substantially coincide. Thereby, the damping performance (damping performance) by the shock absorber 11 can be improved.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the strain sensor 22 is attached to the inside of the shaft member 21, and the strain sensor cassette 20 constituted by the shaft member 21 and the strain sensor 22 is installed inside the mounting pin 18. It has a configuration. For this reason, the strain sensor 22 can be prevented from being damaged by water droplets, dust, stepping stones, and the like, and the strain sensor 22 can also be prevented from being damaged by hammering performed at the time of inspection. Thereby, the reliability and durability of the strain sensor 22 can be ensured.

  In addition, since the strain sensor 22 can be handled as the cartridge-type strain sensor cassette 20 by being attached to the shaft member 21, it can be easily attached to and detached from the attachment pin 18, and can be easily replaced during maintenance. You can also

  In addition, the strain sensor 22 is positioned in the middle portion in the axial direction of the insertion hole 18F where the deflection amount is the largest among the mounting pins 18 in a state where the strain sensor cassette 20 is mounted in the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18. It has become. Therefore, the force acting on the vehicle body 2 having a correlation with the distortion of the mounting pin 18, that is, the actual damping force acting on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 through the mounting pin 18 can be obtained with high accuracy. The control performance can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the mounting pin 18 only needs to be processed to form the insertion hole 18F, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing work of the shock absorber 11 from being troublesome and to ensure manufacturability (manufacturability). You can also.

  The strain sensor cassette 20 can be easily attached to the attachment pin 18 by inserting the attachment pin 18 into the rubber bush 17 and then inserting it into the insertion hole 18F of the attachment pin 18. For this reason, it can suppress that a manufacturing operation becomes troublesome also from this surface.

  Next, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette is fixed to the insertion hole of the mounting pin using a bolt for mounting the mounting pin on the mounted side. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  An attachment pin 18 is attached to the inside of the attachment eye 16 on the bottom side of the shock absorber 11 via an annular rubber bush 17. The mounting pin 18 is formed with an insertion hole 41 extending over the entire length of the mounting pin 18. That is, in the case of the first embodiment described above, the insertion hole 18F is formed so as to penetrate between both side surfaces of the cylindrical portion 18A of the mounting pin 18, whereas in the case of the present embodiment. Is formed with an insertion hole 41 so as to penetrate between one end surface and the other end surface of the mounting pin 18 in the axial direction.

  As the axial dimension of the insertion hole 41 becomes longer than that of the insertion hole 18F of the first embodiment, the axial dimension of the strain sensor cassette 42 of the present embodiment, that is, the strain sensor cassette. The axial dimension of the shaft member 43 constituting 42 is also long. Specifically, the axial dimension of the shaft member 43 is set to the same length as the separation dimension of the bolt 19 for fixing the mounting pin 18 to the center pin 6 provided on the vehicle body 2. Thereby, the strain sensor cassette 42 can be fixed to the insertion hole 41 of the mounting pin 18 in the axially positioned state by using both the bolts 19.

  Thus, also in the second embodiment configured as described above, it is possible to obtain substantially the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment described above. In particular, according to the present embodiment, the strain sensor cassette 42 is fixed to the insertion hole 41 of the mounting pin 18 using the bolt 19 for mounting the mounting pin 18 to the vehicle body 2 (center pin 6) on the mounted side. Since it is configured, the bolt 24 used in the first embodiment described above can be omitted, and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Next, FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette 51 (the shaft member 52 constituting the strain sensor cassette 51) is in contact with the insertion hole 18F shown in FIG. 4 at three surfaces. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first and second embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Compared to the strain sensor cassette 20 of the first embodiment described above, the strain sensor cassette 51 of the present embodiment is in contact with the insertion hole 18F because the insertion hole 18F and the shaft member 52 are in contact only at three locations. The resistance at the time of inserting / removing the strain sensor cassette 51 can be reduced, and workability relating to insertion / removal is greatly improved. Moreover, the risk that the strain sensor cassette 51 is deformed at the time of insertion / extraction can be reduced.

  FIG. 14 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette 61 (the shaft member 62 constituting it) is configured to be in contact with the insertion hole 18F in FIG. 4 at two surfaces. The fourth embodiment is a modification of the third embodiment, and the obtained effect is the same as that of the third embodiment.

  Next, FIG. 15 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette is disposed in the insertion hole in a state where an axial external force is applied to the shaft member constituting the strain sensor cassette. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The strain sensor cassette 71 of this embodiment has a longer axial dimension than the strain sensor cassette 20 of the first embodiment described above. That is, the axial length dimension of the shaft member 72 constituting the strain sensor cassette 71 is made longer than the axial length dimension of the shaft member 21 constituting the strain sensor cassette 20 of the first embodiment described above. Yes.

  As a result, the strain sensor cassette 71 is inserted into the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18, and the bolts 24 are respectively screwed into both end sides of the insertion hole 18F. An external force (compression force) in the axial direction is applied.

  In other words, the shaft member 72 is configured to be disposed in the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18 in a state where an external force in the axial direction is applied to the shaft member 72 by each bolt 24. In this state, the shaft member 72 is configured to be fixed to the insertion hole 18 </ b> F in a state of being slightly curved and deformed by an external force applied from each bolt 24.

  Thus, also in the fifth embodiment configured as described above, it is possible to obtain substantially the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment described above. In particular, according to the present embodiment, the shaft member 72 of the strain sensor cassette 71 is arranged in the insertion hole 18F of the mounting pin 18 in a state where an axial external force is applied to the shaft member 72 by the bolt 24. It has become. For this reason, the strain of the mounting pin 18 can be detected by the strain sensor 22 so that the hysteresis is reduced.

  In other words, in the case of the present embodiment, an initial load in the axial direction can be applied to the shaft member 72 by the bolt 24, and variations in setting of the initial strain value detected by the strain sensor 22 can be eliminated. it can. That is, for example, a predetermined initial load can be always applied to the shaft member 72 by regulating (managing) the tightening torque of the bolt 24, and the initial value of the strain detected by the strain sensor 22 is set to a constant value. can do. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the initial value of the strain detected by the strain sensor 22 from being varied by an operator who performs the mounting operation of the strain sensor cassette 71, and to improve the detection accuracy and ensure the reliability of the detected value. be able to.

  Next, FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 show a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette 81 is disposed in the insertion hole 18F in a state where an axial external force is applied to the shaft member 82 constituting the strain sensor cassette 81, and the strain sensor cassette 81 When an external force (compression force) F in the axial direction is applied to the strain sensor cassette 81, the strain sensor cassette 81 is partially deformed to increase in the radial direction. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first to fifth embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The shaft member 82 constituting the strain sensor cassette 81 of the present embodiment forms a thin portion whose thickness is thinner than other portions at three positions in the axial direction. For this reason, the strain sensor cassette 81 is inserted into the insertion hole 18F, and the bolts 24 (see FIG. 15) are respectively screwed into both end sides of the insertion hole 18F, whereby both bolts 24 are joined to the shaft member 82 of the strain sensor cassette 81. When an external force (compression force) F in the axial direction is applied to the thin portion of the strain sensor cassette 81 (shaft member 82), the dimension increases in the radial direction, as indicated by an arrow K in FIG. As a result, in the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the configuration in which the insertion hole 18F in FIG. 4 is brought into contact with three surfaces as in the third embodiment described above.

  Next, FIG. 18 shows a seventh embodiment of the present invention. The feature of the present embodiment is that the strain sensor cassette 91 (the shaft member 92 constituting the strain sensor cassette 91) is fixed to the insertion hole 18F in FIG. 4 by fixing it with set screws 93 at three surfaces. There is. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first and second embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. The seventh embodiment is a modification of the third embodiment, and the obtained effect is the same as that of the third embodiment.

  Next, FIG. 19 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the insertion hole 18F shown in FIG. 4 is bent, and the strain sensor cassette 101 is bent and installed in the insertion hole 18F.

  Here, the strain sensor cassette 101 (the shaft member 102 constituting the strain sensor) is configured such that no external force (compression force) in the axial direction is applied by both bolts 24. In the present embodiment, the same effect as in the fifth embodiment described above can be obtained.

  Next, FIG. 20 shows a ninth embodiment of the present invention. A feature of this embodiment is that two strain sensors are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the mounting pin. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The strain sensor cassette 111 includes a shaft member 112 that is formed in a circular tube shape and is press-fitted into the insertion hole 18F, and two (a pair) that are attached inside the shaft member 112 and spaced apart in the axial direction of the shaft member 112. The strain sensors 22 and the sensor wires 23 connecting the strain sensors 22 and the controller 27 are roughly configured. Then, the force transmitted to the vehicle body 2, that is, the damping force that acts on the vehicle body 2 from the shock absorber 11 through the mounting pin 18 is obtained from the outputs of the two strain sensors 22 that are spaced apart in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18. It has a configuration.

  Thus, in the ninth embodiment configured as described above, it is possible to obtain substantially the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment described above. In particular, according to the present embodiment, even if a squeezing force is applied from the shock absorber 11 to the mounting pin 18, this squeezing force can be canceled to obtain a force only in the axial direction of the cylinder body 11A. That is, the direction of the stress of the twisting force is reversed between the one end side and the other end side in the axial direction across the center of the mounting pin 18 in the axial direction. For this reason, by obtaining the average value of the outputs of the two strain sensors 22 provided apart in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18, it is possible to obtain the force only in the axial direction of the cylinder body 11 </ b> A in which the twisting force is canceled. it can. Thereby, the improvement of detection accuracy and the reliability of a detection value are securable.

  In the above-described ninth embodiment, the case where the two strain sensors 22 are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, three or more strain sensors 22 may be provided apart in the axial direction of the mounting pin 18.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the strain sensor 22 is provided on the attachment pin 18 for attaching the bottom side of the shock absorber 11 to the vehicle body 2 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, a strain sensor may be provided on an attachment pin for attaching the rod side of a shock absorber (cylinder device) to a vehicle body or a carriage.

  However, in the case where the strain sensor 22 is provided on the mounting pin 18 on the bottom side of the shock absorber 11, the actuator 12 and the controller 27 are connected by disposing the sensor wire 23 toward the actuator 12. It can be bundled with the cable 25 and pulled out to the controller 27 side. For this reason, from this surface, it is preferable to provide the strain sensor 22 on the mounting pin 18 on the bottom side of the shock absorber 11.

  On the other hand, when a strain sensor is provided on the mounting pin on the rod side of the shock absorber (cylinder device), the sensor signal is transmitted from the strain sensor on the rod side to the sensor wire on the cylinder body side in a non-contact manner by radio or the like. It can be configured. The sensor wire on the cylinder body side can be pulled out from the cylinder body side to the controller side in a bundle with a cable connecting the actuator and the controller.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the strain sensor 22 is provided on the mounting pin 18 attached to the vehicle body 2 side is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a configuration may be adopted in which a strain sensor is provided on an attachment pin attached to the carriage side. In this case, the force applied to the carriage from the shock absorber (cylinder device) can be obtained by the strain sensor.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the shock absorber 11 is configured to reduce left and right vibrations of the vehicle body 2 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a shock absorber may be configured to reduce vibrations in the upward and downward directions of the vehicle body.

  According to the embodiment described above, the force transmitted from the cylinder device to the mounted side is obtained through the mounting pin by measuring the strain of the mounting pin by the strain sensor. For this reason, the force transmitted from the cylinder device to the mounted side can be accurately obtained by the strain sensor.

  Moreover, the force transmitted to the mounted side determined by the strain sensor is used for control (feedback control) of the force (damping force) generated by the cylinder device. For this reason, the control performance of the force generated by the cylinder device, for example, the damping performance, the damping performance, and the like can be enhanced.

  According to the embodiment, at least two strain sensors are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the mounting pin. Therefore, even if a twisting force acts between the cylinder device and the mounted side, the twisting force is reduced. The force in the axial direction of the cylinder body can be obtained by canceling. Thereby, it is possible to further improve the detection accuracy and secure the reliability of the detection value.

  According to the embodiment, the insertion pin extending in the axial direction is formed in the mounting pin, and the shaft member with the strain sensor attached is inserted into the insertion hole, so that the strain sensor can be handled together with the shaft member. Can do. Therefore, the strain sensor can be easily attached to and detached from the attachment pin, and the ease of replacement during maintenance can be ensured. In addition to preventing damage to the strain sensor due to water droplets, dust, stepping stones, etc., it is also possible to prevent damage to the strain sensor against hammering and the like performed at the time of inspection. Thereby, the reliability and durability of the strain sensor can be ensured.

  According to the embodiment, since the shaft member is arranged in the insertion hole with an external force applied in the axial direction, an initial load can be applied to the shaft member, and the initial strain detected by the strain sensor can be applied. Variations in value settings can be eliminated. That is, a predetermined initial load can always be applied to the shaft member by managing the magnitude of the external force, and the initial value of the strain detected by the strain sensor can be set to a constant value. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the initial value of the strain detected by the strain sensor from being varied by an operator who performs the mounting work of the shaft member, and it is possible to improve the detection accuracy and ensure the reliability of the detected value. .

1 Railcar 2 Body (Mounted side)
3 Wheel 4 Rail 5 Dolly 9 Suspension device 10 Air spring 11 Shock absorber (cylinder device)
11A Cylinder body 11B Rod 12 Actuator 16 Mounting eye 18 Mounting pin 18F, 41 Insertion hole 20, 42, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101, 111 Strain sensor cassette 21, 43, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92, 102, 112 Shaft member 22 Strain sensor

Claims (3)

In a cylinder device having a cylinder body and a rod projecting from one end of the cylinder body, the generated force can be adjusted,
A mounting eye provided on at least one of the other end of the cylinder body or the protruding end of the rod;
A mounting pin that penetrates the mounting eye;
An insertion hole formed in the mounting pin and extending in the axial direction of the mounting pin;
A shaft member inserted into the insertion hole;
A strain sensor that is attached to the shaft member and measures strain of the mounting pin,
A cylinder device characterized in that a force transmitted from an output of the strain sensor to a mounted side is obtained and the generated force is controlled.   Two strain sensors are provided at least in the axial direction of the mounting pin, and a force transmitted from the outputs of the two strain sensors to the mounted side of the cylinder body only in the axial direction is obtained. The cylinder device according to claim 1. The shaft member, while applying an external force in the axial direction to the axis member, the cylinder device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that disposed in the insertion hole.

Images