Buying in bulk . . .

. . . drives the price for Precimodels' product down to about $10 per unit. OK, so far not so bad. No price listed for the Japanese product.

And the DCC uncoupler concept is great -- that is, if all you do is equip DCC-equipped locomotives with DCC uncouplers and make all your switching cuts immediately behind the locomotive.

But if you want to make mid-train cuts, then individual pieces of rolling stock will require a decoder and a means for the DCC signal to reach the decoder. Otherwise, back to the good ol' skewer or magnets.

Smart Coupler

The "Smart Coupler" looks like it may work on the principal of using the characteristics of a bi-metal. By applying a current to it the metal is heated. Do to the expansion/contraction rates of different metals it gives you the movement of the coupler. It works the same way as the old thermostats that controlled your house heating system.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/therm2.htm

Bernd

Certainly simpler . . .

 . . . than a stepper motor and string, especially if one has to install or replace the string. So I'd give the Japanese firm the edge in simplicity of design while achieving the same result.

Question is, where's their product at in the pipeline?

This will be one of those

This will be one of those products that appeals to a special group of folks. Think small layout and limited number of cars or a typical narrow gauge train that is short and runs through scenery that is not friendly to the other types of uncoupling methods.

If one was interested in equipping trains of over 100 cars this becomes an issue on several fronts due to cost and addresses used in the decoders. Granted every car in the train might not be uncoupled from every other car every time. Eventually that will happen so all would need to be equipped. A scenario for this would be a mine run where locomotives pull a long train dropping and picking up at several mines. Another would be the long train pulls into the yard and the cars are reblocked for local delivery into other trains and then they are switched to different industries.

The place this would excel would be a non interchange railroad with shorter trains. Trains could be switched into various loading unloading points very easily. With limited numbers of cars to deal with the address availability and the cost per car do not really become a major issue. I can think of a few railroads that we have all read about that could incorporate something like this and it would be a viable option.

Coupler

I made a comment in the http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/26117 thread opining on the OP's post.

I went and looked at the Japanese website. There looks to be more information on the coupler. It looks like a small circuit board is involved from the pictures I see. The idea of using either a bi-metal or muscle wire actuator is a much better idea than using a pager motor. The bi-metal and muscle wire are easier to hide in a car. I think that the mechanical parts involved are cheap. It's the electronic components that will cost. Such as a decoder in every car.

I'd like to present an idea here on control of the mechanical part. Since there is a constant source of voltage on the tracks perhaps a circuit board that senses a laser pointer's light could be used to activate the circuit. Unfortunately that would only work with DCC or RC where constant voltage is on the track. Would not work for plain DC control.

One more cost factor jumps into the picture here. All wheels on the cars would need to have metal wheels and wheel wipers. A large cost factor and time consumer for doing (insert how many cars you have) to make the fleet operable.

I like the idea of a, lets call it a remote uncoupling unit, it sure would let you uncouple a car anywhere you want. I'm also not a DCC user. I'm more interested in RC with constant voltage on the track. I've often though about how make a system like this affordable and simple every time a subject such as this comes up. Perhaps one of these days I'll have an "Ah ha" moment, but I doubt it since I'm having more "senior moments".

Bernd

right!

Take the DCC out of the equation

Use the bi-metal actuator and a magnetic wand to throw a reed switch in the car activating the coupler.

How hard can that be?

At Portland

@ Bernd, can you provide a link to the Japanese website.

As I remember this product, or something identical, was demonstrated at Portland by a young couple speaking broken English.  There is a YouTube video that demonstrates the Smart Coupler in action.  Sorry, but unable to find the one-page flyer they handed out.

Regards,

Dave

One Smart Coupler

I might add that I would strongly consider installing one on a switcher that already has the decoder installed.  It wouldn't replace the skewer for breaking down trains, but would be convenient for spotting cars or cuts of cars at industries.  And it would be pretty nifty too.

EDIT: One of these would be perfect for my classification yard.

Dave

link

as stated int he opening post:

There is a website for the product but no English content so far: http://www.smart-coupler.com/

There is however a Japanese page: http://www.smart-coupler.com/#!homejapanese/cmil

[ Note: Link fixed ]

@ Bill

Hmmmm...  Your Japanese link takes me to the same English 'Under Construction' page.  And yes, I did see that video, even in the original thread.

EDIT: Hand entered the address and got the Japanese site.  Google translated to English.

Dave

Found the flyer

Memory is coming back.  They only had one flyer at their demonstration at Portland so it was saved on my phone.

Regards,

Dave

Overseas market?

Seeing there is mention of Japanese, then it could possibly be aimed at the non-US market, to which I could understand. The use of passenger Multiple Units, where there is one decoder in the set, could permit passnger sets to be MU'd, as is common in both Japan and Europe, where you'd only need two couplers on a set.

Just a thought?

The Austrian firm of Krois

The Austrian firm of Krois offers a product. It designed for the European market, so not knuckle couplers. The price point also seem too high for equipping an entire fleet - ~ €20.00 not including the decoder from what I can see.

http://www.krois-modell.at/produkt/digikupp/

Just some more food for thought.

3 rail has had these for decades

     The problem is they only make sense on a loco with a decoder or other electrical system already in place. Adding wipers and a control system to all the cars in a fleet is not cost efficient when one can uncouple for free in less than a second without these.....DaveB

another link with more info

Here is another link with more info: http://www.smart-coupler.com/#!about-us/c4vb

Thanks to Dave (HVT) for posting it.

IR or reed switch

Very interesting ideas in lieu of DCC mobile decoders in freight or passenger cars! A 3.7V battery with Pololu converter to 12V (if necessary) along with a reed switch seems a very "do-able" option. While the add implies that the board provided is a decoder, it would still need good contact with the rails through the trucks or wipers. An on board battery, or capacitor, could act as an air reservoir with just enough juice to activate the uncoupled until recharged.  Imagine, however, a string of cars - do equipped - pulling power from the rails all at once! 

IR would be similar to the reed switch and allow some distant uncoupling. A magnet in a stick over the car doesn't seem much simpler than simply picking the coupler albeit less hands on ... Hmm. Very interesting topic. 

I was at Portland and missed this but would have funded it on the spot to try with an engine. 

Neil E

Coupler Control Device

Neil,

I would prefer a laser diode over an IR diode simply because you can see the red dot of the laser where as the IR diode the human eye cannot see. The one problem I do see for using some sort of light beam for control would be inside a building unless you did a delayed uncoupling outside the building.

I question your statement of using a LiPo 3.7V battery and using a converter to bring the voltage to 12V. I'm missing something here. I experimented with muscle wire back when it first came out. It took only 1.5 to 3 volts to activate the muscle wire. No need for 12V.  A simple on/off control circuit could be used. Now you'll need a light sensor, possibly two on the car. So that presents the problem of disguising that.

The easiest part of this idea is the mechanical end of the system. Working out the electrical and it's components is the tough part.

Here's a link to a muscle wire website with a sample of using 3 volts and a simple on/off switch to activate a robot arm. http://www.talkingelectronics.com/projects/Nitinol/Nitinol-1.html Check out the other two pages. Some interesting information. Gives some simple circuits plus parts list and how to figure how much wire is needed to move an object.

As I said, the mechanics are easy. It's the control circuitry that'll be the tough part.

Bernd

Interesting Video

Could this be what is needed.

Here's the problem with using IR. The light scatters over a large area were as using a laser diode it's more focused. The control is more complicated than needed for a simple uncoupling procedure.

Bernd

@Bernd

Thanks, great site! 

I have been thinking about how/where to disguise the IR as well. Good question. In On30 it would seem that behind a ladder might work but limit line of sight. Idk. 

I assumed that the product shown would draw 12V from the rails and need to be converted to 3.7v (or less) to activate. To keep things simple a 12V power source made the most sense rather than make my own with magnet wire or a pager motor. Some testing of the board might reveal a better solution to add a "keep alive" circuit. We will have to wait and see. 

As for rolling our own, the electronics are within reach but, as you point out, activating it without marring a car (too much) may require some thought. If a car was to be located inside a building, for example l, then an under car mount may do it (assuming a Kadee trip pin is not an option). 

Engines might have the diode in each side of the cab. The micro Arduino would have to fit in along with everything else but, again, not to hard in On30. Your S scale stuff may work. 

I am begins g to see that DCC may have an advantage here even if only to operate working couplers (or brakes next?). Perhaps the DelTang RF might work as well (or similar) but I am not familiar with these. My engines use the Tam Valley and NCE receivers either attached to the decoder (TV) or integrated (NCE) with batteries on board. 

Neil E

the problem with light based activation...

The problem with light based activation as I see it, is that the IR or Laser signal could be picked up by multiple cars at once, where the wand is very "focused" and easy to control.

couplers

What I would like to see is a working rotary coupler. It would need to couple to a existing Kadee, coupler box would need to use a standard #5 style mount. Sergent did one years ago but it was designed for one particular make of hopper and will not couple with Kadee's. The rotary need not function as a working coupler just be able to couple to a working version. ----   Ken 

One site for rotary coupler idea

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/cleveland-2014-somerset-power-plant-working-rotary-car-dump-interview-12197384

He said these started out as Kadee #5 with rounded off edges to allow them to swivel in the draft box. It is held in place with a pin drilled from the back through the coupler. Interesting g discussion starts at about 2:45 min into the video. 

Neil E

IR vs Laser

Bill,

I'm talking using a laser such as used for pointers when somebody is doing a presentation and they need to point out points of interest on the projected image. The red laser light is focused enough for the distance used in model railroading were I wouldn't think it would interfere with a sensor close by. The IR can't be seen so even focusing the IR light wouldn't help much.

Neil,

The DelTang has a couple of separate outputs but I prefer a seperate "tool" to activate the uncoupling method.

The last time this subject came up I experimented with a couple of laser pointers. I posted in that thread about these that could be used.

Here's the spot on a piece of gray cardboard compared to a penny. I can't remember how far away I was at the time.

It would work well on passengers cars with windows. The receiving diode could be placed facing out the window.

These are just some thoughts from a while back. Just trying to add fuel to the disscusion.

Bernd

I'm in N scale so discussions

I'm in N scale so discussions like this and battery power could be considered mostly theory for me, but I find them interesting. It seems I can usually pick up some related ideas that may or may not be useful, regardless of scale.

I like the idea of something using muscle wire triggered by a magnetic wand. I'm sure I can think of someplace to use that. I let it rattle around in my brain with all the other loose parts for a while. 

gs