Dustproof breathing structure of tread cleaning device for railway vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for a railway vehicle. The dustproof breathing structure comprises a tread cleaning device main body, one end of the corrugated pipe is connected with the piston head, the other end of the corrugated pipe is fixedly connected to the tread cleaning device body, a sealed inner cavity allowing the piston rod to stretch out and draw back is defined, and a ventilation channel allowing the inner cavity to achieve air exchange with the external environment is formed in the corrugated pipe or the piston head; the piston head is fixedly connected with the piston rod and can do axial telescopic movement along with the piston rod, and the corrugated pipe can be driven to deform during movement so as to realize volume change of the sealed inner cavity; the dustproof filtering assembly is arranged on an air exchange path of the ventilation channel and can filter dust and impurities sucked in the air exchange process, and the dustproof filtering assembly is matched with the ventilation channel to form an extended air inlet path. When the sealed inner cavity of the corrugated pipe exhausts air, dust and impurities adhering to the surfaces of the dustproof filtering assembly and the ventilation channel can be blown out.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of track equipment technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a dustproof breathing structure for a track vehicle tread cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] Today, rail transit vehicles have become a major mode of transportation, and their operational safety is a primary concern. As a crucial running gear component of the bogie, wheel tread defects such as out-of-roundness, scratches, and low adhesion directly impact train operation safety. Tread cleaning devices can improve wheel tread conditions, enhance wheel-rail adhesion, and suppress wheel tread out-of-roundness, making them an indispensable part of the bogie. Trains operate in harsh environments with abundant dust, rain, and snow. During piston movement, the tread cleaning device isolates the external environment from the internal cavity through a bellows, ensuring internal cleanliness. However, the volume of the bellows' internal cavity changes during piston movement, making air exchange between the inside and outside of the bellows essential. Current solutions use filters for air exchange and filtration; however, with increasing service life, these filters often become clogged and fail, causing abnormal collapse or expansion of the bellows, ultimately leading to bellows rupture, contaminating the internal environment of the tread cleaner, reducing its effectiveness, and shortening its lifespan.

[0003] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a dustproof breathing structure for a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles, so as to improve the anti-pollution effect and avoid clogging of the breathing structure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to at least address one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, this disclosure proposes a dustproof breathing structure for a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles.

[0005] This disclosure provides a dustproof breathing structure for a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles, comprising: a tread cleaning device body; a bellows, one end of which is connected to a piston head, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to the tread cleaning device body, forming a sealed inner cavity for the piston rod to extend and retract, and a ventilation channel is provided at the bellows or piston head for air exchange between the inner cavity and the external environment; a piston head, which is fixedly connected to the piston rod and can extend and retract axially with the piston rod, and can cause the bellows to deform during movement to achieve a change in the volume of the sealed inner cavity; and a dustproof filter assembly, which is disposed on the air exchange path of the ventilation channel, and can filter dust and impurities inhaled during air exchange, and the dustproof filter assembly, together with the ventilation channel, forms an extended air intake path. This dustproof breathing structure has self-cleaning capability, and when the sealed inner cavity of the bellows exhausts, it can blow out the dust and impurities adhering to the surface of the dustproof filter assembly and the ventilation channel.

[0006] In some embodiments, one of the combined structures of the ventilation channel or the dust filter assembly is provided at the piston head, or integrated at the bottom crest of the bellows.

[0007] In some embodiments, when the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is provided at the piston head, the piston head is machined with a piston rod head air passage one and a piston rod head air passage two that are interconnected. The piston rod head air passage one is connected to the sealed inner cavity of the bellows, and the piston rod head air passage two is connected to the external environment. Together, they constitute the ventilation channel.

[0008] In some embodiments, the dust filter assembly includes a filter and a rubber inlet pipe. The filter is sealed at the connection between the piston rod head air passage 2 and the external environment. The rubber inlet pipe is sleeved on the outside of the filter and can extend the air intake path of the piston rod head air passage 2.

[0009] In some embodiments, a metal filter screen is embedded in the filter, and a locking ring is fitted on the filter. The locking ring is press-fitted into the inner cavity of the filter and abuts against the metal filter screen to fix the metal filter screen and prevent it from loosening or falling out.

[0010] In some embodiments, when the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is integrated at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe, the ventilation channel is an extended rubber air inlet pipe integrally formed at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe, and the dust filter assembly is an air inlet baffle integrally formed on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe.

[0011] In some embodiments, the air intake grille includes a densified structure to enhance the blocking or adsorption of dust and impurities in the air.

[0012] In some embodiments, the dust filter assembly is a metal mesh filter structure or a cross-layered filter structure.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rubber intake pipe is made of flexible rubber and can be bent and arranged according to the actual layout of the installation space to further extend the intake path.

[0014] In some embodiments, the rubber air inlet pipe of the dust filter assembly is interference-fitted with the filter or the corrugated pipe, the free end of the rubber air inlet pipe is an unobstructed straight open structure or a beveled cut structure, and the air inlet grid on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe is a raised structure arranged in multiple layers along the axial direction of the pipe body and evenly spaced along the circumference.

[0015] The dustproof breathing structure of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device provided above, in this embodiment, is equipped with a bellows, a piston head, and a dust filter assembly. The bellows connects the piston head to the main body to form a sealed inner cavity. The dust filter assembly is located on the air exchange path of the ventilation channel and cooperates with the ventilation channel to form an extended air intake path. This filters inhaled dust and impurities, extends the air intake path, and blows away adhering dust during exhaust. This prevents dust from entering the interior of the device, avoids blockage of the breathing structure, prevents the bellows from being damaged due to internal and external pressure differences, and ensures the normal operation of the tread cleaning device. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 An exemplary side view of the dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 2 An exemplary partial cross-sectional view of the dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 3 An exemplary side view of the dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 4 An exemplary partial cross-sectional view of the dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0019] It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” used in this disclosure and claims indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0020] It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes such combinations.

[0021] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0022] This disclosure provides a dustproof breathing structure for a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles. It comprises a bellows, a piston head, and a dust filter assembly. The bellows connects the piston head to the main body to form a sealed inner cavity. The dust filter assembly is positioned on the air exchange path of the ventilation channel and cooperates with the ventilation channel to extend the air intake path. This filters inhaled dust and impurities, extends the air intake path, and blows away adhering dust during exhaust. This prevents dust from entering the device, avoids blockage of the breathing structure, prevents damage to the bellows due to internal and external pressure differences, and ensures the normal operation of the tread cleaning device.

[0023] The specific embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] See Figures 1 to 2 , Figure 1 An exemplary side view of the dustproof breathing structure of a track vehicle tread cleaning device according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 2 An exemplary partial cross-sectional view of the dustproof breathing structure of a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0025] This disclosure provides a dustproof breathing structure for a tread cleaning device used in rail vehicles, including a tread cleaning device body 1, a bellows 2, a piston head 3, and a dustproof filter assembly. One end of the bellows 2 is connected to the piston head 3, and the other end is fixedly connected to the tread cleaning device body 1, forming a sealed inner cavity for the piston rod to extend and retract. A ventilation channel is provided at the bellows 2 or piston head 3 to allow air exchange between the inner cavity and the external environment. The piston head 3 is fixedly connected to the piston rod and can extend and retract axially with the piston rod. During movement, it can cause the bellows 2 to deform, thereby changing the volume of the sealed inner cavity. The dustproof filter assembly is located on the air exchange path of the ventilation channel and can filter dust and impurities inhaled during air exchange. The dustproof filter assembly, together with the ventilation channel, forms an extended air intake path. This dustproof breathing structure has self-cleaning capabilities; when the sealed inner cavity of the bellows 2 exhausts air, it can blow out dust and impurities adhering to the surface of the dustproof filter assembly and the ventilation channel.

[0026] The main body 1 of the tread cleaning device is the main structure of this dustproof breathing structure. The corrugated pipe 2, piston head 3, and main body 1 of the tread cleaning device are all fixedly connected. Its shape can deform synchronously with the extension and retraction of the piston head 3, thereby realizing flexible changes in the volume of the sealed inner cavity. The ventilation channel is selected to be opened at the corrugated pipe 2 or piston head 3 according to the actual installation requirements to ensure smooth air exchange. The dustproof filter component is set on the air intake side of the ventilation channel along the airflow direction. The extended air intake path formed by it and the ventilation channel can reduce the airflow velocity and reduce the probability of dust and impurities entering. The airflow when the sealed inner cavity is exhausted can directly wash the surface of the dustproof filter component and the ventilation channel. This self-cleaning structural design does not require additional cleaning parts and can effectively avoid channel blockage caused by dust accumulation.

[0027] In this embodiment, the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is located at the piston head 3, or integrated at the bottom crest of the bellows 2. These two configurations can be flexibly selected based on the actual installation space and layout requirements of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device. When located at the piston head 3, the combined structure and the piston rod's extension and retraction are more interconnected, allowing air exchange to occur instantly with the piston's movement. Integrating it at the bottom crest of the bellows 2 reduces the number of independent components and simplifies the overall assembly process. Both configurations ensure the air exchange efficiency of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly's dust-proofing effect.

[0028] Further, or optionally, when the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is located at the piston head 3, the piston head 3 is machined with interconnected piston rod head air passage 1 31 and piston rod head air passage 2 32. Piston rod head air passage 1 31 is connected to the sealed inner cavity of the bellows 2, and piston rod head air passage 2 32 is connected to the external environment. Together, they constitute the ventilation channel. Piston rod head air passage 1 31 and piston rod head air passage 2 32 can be integrally machined into the piston head 3, and the two are interconnected inside the piston head 3 to form a continuous and uninterrupted airflow path. Among them, the inner end of piston rod head air passage 1 31 is seamlessly connected to the sealed inner cavity of the bellows 2, and the outer end is connected to piston rod head air passage 2 32. The outer end of piston rod head air passage 2 32 is directly connected to the external environment. This integrated air passage structure has no additional connecting gaps, which can prevent unfiltered air from entering the sealed inner cavity through gaps. At the same time, it can allow the volume change of the inner cavity of the bellows 2 caused by the piston's extension and contraction to exchange air with the outside in a timely manner, avoiding the formation of air pressure difference in the inner cavity that could cause the bellows 2 to collapse or expand abnormally.

[0029] In addition, the dust filter assembly includes a filter 5 and a rubber inlet pipe 4. The filter 5 is sealed at the connection between the piston rod head air passage 2 32 and the external environment. The rubber inlet pipe 4 is fitted over the filter 5, extending the air intake path into the piston rod head air passage 2 32. The connection between the filter 5 and the piston rod head air passage 2 32 is sealed, with no gaps between them, preventing unfiltered air from leaking into the air passage. The rubber inlet pipe 4 can be configured as a cylindrical structure, with its inner wall abutting against the outer wall of the filter 5 and fitting over the entire external area of ​​the filter 5. Compared to direct air intake from the filter 5, the rubber inlet pipe 4 forms an additional air intake extension. This structural design further extends the overall air intake path into the piston rod head air passage 2 32, effectively reducing the airflow velocity and causing some dust and impurities in the air to settle naturally due to gravity or airflow deceleration, preventing them from entering the interior of the air passage 2 32, thus improving the overall dustproof effect.

[0030] Further or optionally, the filter 5 is embedded with a metal filter screen 51, and a locking ring 52 is fitted onto the filter 5. The locking ring 52 is press-fitted into the inner cavity of the filter 5 and abuts against the metal filter screen 51 to fix the metal filter screen 51 and prevent it from loosening or falling out. The metal filter screen 51 is a built-in filter structure embedded in the air intake side of the filter 5, and it is designed to completely cover the air intake channel of the filter 5 to comprehensively filter the incoming air. The locking ring 52 is an annular structure, which is tightly fitted to the inner wall of the filter 5 by press-fitting. Its axial end face can abut against the edge of the metal filter screen 51 to form an axial limit. This fixing method does not require additional fasteners or adhesives, simplifies the internal structure of the filter 5, and can effectively resist the vibration and impact during train operation, preventing the metal filter screen 51 from loosening, shifting, or even falling out, ensuring the stability of the filter structure and the continuity of the filtration effect.

[0031] In addition, see Figures 3 to 4 , Figure 3 An exemplary side view of the dustproof breathing structure of a track vehicle tread cleaning device according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 4 An exemplary partial cross-sectional view of the dustproof breathing structure of a track vehicle tread cleaning device according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, when the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dustproof filter assembly is integrated at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe 2, the ventilation channel is an extended rubber air inlet pipe 4 integrally formed at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe 2, and the dustproof filter assembly is an air inlet baffle 42 integrally formed on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe 4. The extended rubber air inlet pipe 4 and the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe 2 can be integrally formed, so that there is no connection gap between them. The inner end of the rubber air inlet pipe 4 is directly connected to the sealed inner cavity of the corrugated pipe 2, and the outer end is connected to the external environment, forming an independent and complete air exchange channel. The air inlet baffle 42 and the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe 4 can also be integrally formed, protruding directly from the inner wall surface of the rubber air inlet pipe 4. This integrated structural design not only reduces the assembly steps and costs of components, but also avoids air leakage or dust infiltration caused by assembly gaps. At the same time, the rubber air inlet pipe 4 serves as a ventilation channel that is directly connected to the inner cavity of the bellows 2, further improving ventilation efficiency.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the air intake baffle 42 includes a densified structure to enhance the blocking or adsorption effect on dust and impurities in the air. The densified structure of the air intake baffle 42 involves increasing the number of air intake baffles 42 or reducing the spacing between adjacent air intake baffles 42 on the inner wall of the rubber air intake pipe 4. This structural design further reduces the airflow velocity entering the rubber air intake pipe 4, making it easier for dust and impurities in the air to be blocked or adsorbed by the baffle wall surface when passing through the air intake baffle 42 multiple times, significantly improving the interception effect on dust and impurities. Moreover, the densified air intake baffles 42 are still spaced out and will not completely block the internal channels of the rubber air intake pipe 4, ensuring normal airflow and ensuring that the airflow meets the air exchange requirements of the corrugated pipe 2's inner cavity.

[0033] In this embodiment, the dust filter assembly is either a metal mesh filter structure or a cross-layered filter structure. The metal mesh filter structure is a metal filter screen 51 structure applied inside the filter 5 at the piston head 3, while the cross-layered filter structure is an air intake baffle 42 structure corresponding to the inner wall of the rubber air intake pipe 4 at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe 2. The metal mesh filter structure can adapt to different operating environments by adjusting the mesh size, thereby filtering dust and impurities of different particle sizes. The cross-layered filter structure intercepts dust and impurities through physical baffles. Both structures are simple in structure and not easily clogged, effectively achieving the core function of air filtration.

[0034] Further, or optionally, the rubber air inlet pipe 4 is made of flexible rubber, allowing for bending arrangements based on the actual layout of the installation space to further extend the air intake path. The flexible rubber material used in the rubber air inlet pipe 4 possesses excellent bending, flexibility, and vibration resistance, allowing for bending arrangements at any angle according to the actual installation space of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device and the layout of surrounding components. The bent rubber air inlet pipe 4 further extends the overall air intake path, improving dust prevention. Simultaneously, the flexible rubber material can adapt to the continuous vibration during train operation, reducing the probability of rigid pipes breaking or cracking due to vibration, effectively extending the structural service life of the rubber air inlet pipe 4.

[0035] In some embodiments, the rubber air inlet pipe 4 and the filter 5 or the corrugated pipe 2 of the dust filter assembly are fitted with an interference fit. The free end of the rubber air inlet pipe 4 is an unobstructed, straight, open structure. The air intake baffle 42 on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe 4 is a multi-layered protrusion structure arranged axially along the pipe body and evenly spaced circumferentially. The rubber air inlet pipe 4 and the filter 5 are fitted with an interference fit, while the rubber air inlet pipe 4 and the corrugated pipe 2 are integrally formed to ensure a tight fit between the connection surfaces without any loose gaps. This effectively prevents the connection between the rubber air inlet pipe 4 and the filter 5 or the corrugated pipe 2 from detaching due to vibrations during train operation, while also preventing dust and impurities from entering the internal channel through connection gaps. The free end of the rubber air inlet pipe 4 is set as an unobstructed, straight, open structure without additional obstructions or flow-limiting components, ensuring smooth air intake and preventing the ventilation volume from being affected by the opening structure. The air intake baffle 42, with its multi-layered, circumferentially evenly spaced protrusions arranged along the axial direction of the rubber air intake pipe 4, forms an all-round, multi-level airflow deceleration zone within the rubber air intake pipe 4. This allows dust and impurities in the air to be blocked from all directions, significantly improving the overall filtration and dust prevention effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that in some other embodiments (not shown), the free end of the rubber air intake pipe 4 may also be a beveled cut structure. This disclosure does not specifically limit the shape of the free end of the rubber air intake pipe 4; it can be determined according to the installation interface and usage requirements.

[0036] While numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of this disclosure described herein may be employed in the practice of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of this disclosure and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. A dustproof and breathing structure for a tread cleaning device for rail vehicles, characterized in that, include: Main body of tread cleaning device (1); The bellows (2) is connected at one end to the piston head (3) and at the other end to the main body (1) of the tread cleaning device, forming a sealed inner cavity for the piston rod to extend and retract. A ventilation channel is provided at the bellows (2) or the piston head (3) to allow the inner cavity to exchange air with the outside environment. The piston head (3) is fixedly connected to the piston rod and can move axially with the piston rod. During movement, it can cause the bellows (2) to deform to achieve a change in the volume of the sealed inner cavity; and The dust filter assembly is located on the air exchange path of the ventilation channel and can filter the dust and impurities inhaled during the air exchange process. The dust filter assembly and the ventilation channel form an extended air intake path. The dust-proof breathing structure has self-cleaning ability. When the sealed inner cavity of the corrugated pipe (2) exhausts, it can blow out the dust and impurities adhering to the surface of the dust filter assembly and the ventilation channel.

2. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the combined structures of the ventilation channel or dust filter assembly is located at the piston head (3), or integrated at the bottom crest of the bellows (2).

3. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is set at the piston head (3), the piston head (3) is machined with a piston rod head air passage one (31) and a piston rod head air passage two (32) that are interconnected. The piston rod head air passage one (31) is connected to the sealed inner cavity of the bellows (2), and the piston rod head air passage two (32) is connected to the external environment. The two together constitute the ventilation channel.

4. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The dust filter assembly includes a filter (5) and a rubber air inlet pipe (4). The filter (5) is sealed and installed at the connection between the piston rod head air passage two (32) and the external environment. The rubber air inlet pipe (4) is sleeved on the outside of the filter (5). The rubber air inlet pipe (4) can extend the air intake path of the piston rod head air passage two (32).

5. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filter (5) is fitted with a metal filter screen (51) and a locking ring (52) is fitted on the filter (5). The locking ring (52) is press-fitted into the inner cavity of the filter (5) and abuts against the metal filter screen (51) to fix the metal filter screen (51) to prevent it from loosening or falling out.

6. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the combined structure of the ventilation channel and the dust filter assembly is integrated at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe (2), the ventilation channel is an extended rubber air inlet pipe (4) integrally formed at the bottom crest of the corrugated pipe (2), and the dust filter assembly is an air inlet baffle (42) integrally formed on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe (4).

7. The dustproof breathing structure of the tread cleaning device for rail vehicles according to claim 6, characterized in that, The air intake baffle (42) includes a densified structure to enhance the blocking or adsorption effect on dust and impurities in the air.

8. The dustproof breathing structure of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The dust filter assembly is a metal mesh filter structure or a cross-layered filter structure.

9. The dustproof breathing structure of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The rubber intake pipe (4) is made of flexible rubber and can be bent and arranged according to the actual layout of the installation space to further extend the intake path.

10. The dustproof breathing structure of the rail vehicle tread cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The rubber air inlet pipe (4) of the dust filter assembly is fitted with the filter (5) or the corrugated pipe (2) by an interference fit. The free end of the rubber air inlet pipe (4) is an unobstructed straight open structure or a beveled cut structure. The air inlet baffle (42) on the inner wall of the rubber air inlet pipe (4) is a raised structure with multiple layers arranged along the axial direction of the pipe body and evenly spaced along the circumference.

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