Train front end opening and closing mechanism

Abstract

The application discloses a train front end opening and closing mechanism and belongs to the technical field of rail vehicles. The technical scheme comprises a mounting plate, a rotating arm mechanism and a driving and locking assembly. The driving and locking assembly comprises a driving arm, one end of the driving arm being rotatably connected to the mounting plate and the other end being connected with the rotating arm mechanism so that the rotating arm mechanism rotates; a worm gear is fixedly arranged at the connecting end of the driving arm and the mounting plate so that the driving arm and the worm gear rotate together; a worm is rotatably connected to the mounting plate and is engaged with the worm gear so as to drive the worm gear to rotate; and an electric driving element is used to drive the worm to rotate. The application adopts an electric control scheme to replace a traditional pneumatic system, saves a cylinder, a valve and a complex air path, simplifies the structure, avoids air path leakage faults from the source, improves system reliability and reduces the life cycle cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of rail vehicle technology, and in particular relates to a train front-end opening and closing mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] High-speed trains operate in two modes: single-train operation and coupled-unit operation. To accommodate these modes, the train head typically features an openable and closable front mechanism, with a fairing hatch on the outside. In single-train operation, the fairing hatch must remain closed and locked to create a complete, streamlined front, reducing air resistance and noise. In coupled-unit operation, the fairing hatch must be opened and locked to provide space for the couplers to connect and swing between the two trains.

[0003] Currently, most high-speed trains use pneumatic drive systems for their front-end opening and closing mechanisms. This system typically consists of a power cylinder, solenoid valve assembly, pneumatic lock, and complex air pipelines. It controls the flow of compressed air to drive the cylinder, thus opening, closing, and locking the fairing doors. However, this traditional pneumatic system has several inherent drawbacks: First, it is highly complex, with numerous pneumatic components and pipelines, increasing potential failure points and overall weight. Second, reliability is a significant issue; seals in the air system are prone to aging and failure after prolonged use, leading to air leakage. This not only affects the normal operation of the mechanism but also increases maintenance difficulty and operating costs. Third, technological development is limited. As modern high-speed train technology moves towards integration and lightweight design, some new models are trending towards eliminating the vehicle's air compressor. This will leave traditional pneumatic systems facing a shortage of air sources, necessitating technological innovation.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a front-end opening and closing mechanism that is structurally simple, highly reliable, and independent of the train's centralized gas supply system is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the technical shortcomings of existing traditional pneumatic opening and closing mechanisms, such as complex structure, numerous components, susceptibility to media leakage, low reliability, high maintenance costs, and reliance on the vehicle's centralized air supply system, this application aims to provide a highly integrated and safe electric front-end opening and closing mechanism for trains. By adopting an electric control drive mode of motor-driven worm gear, and integrating the mechanical self-locking of the worm gear and the over-center locking of the drive arm to form a dual safety guarantee, the structure of the entire opening and closing mechanism is simplified, the cost is reduced, and its operational reliability and safety are significantly improved.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a train front-end opening and closing mechanism, including: Mounting plate; A rotating arm mechanism is rotatably connected to the mounting plate; A drive locking assembly is connected to the mounting plate and to the rotary arm mechanism; the drive locking assembly includes, A drive arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to the mounting plate and the other end of which is connected to the rotating arm mechanism to make the rotating arm mechanism rotate. A worm gear is fixedly mounted at the connection end between the drive arm and the mounting plate, so that the drive arm and the worm gear rotate together. A worm gear, rotatably connected to the mounting plate and meshing with the worm wheel to drive the worm wheel to rotate; An electric drive unit is connected to one end of the worm gear to drive the worm gear to rotate.

[0007] This application employs an electrically driven worm gear assembly, completely replacing the traditional pneumatic system composed of cylinders and complex air circuits. This structural design greatly simplifies the overall structure of the opening and closing mechanism, significantly reduces potential failure points, and completely eliminates reliance on the vehicle's centralized air supply system. This not only provides greater flexibility in the spatial layout of the train's front end but also fundamentally improves the long-term operational reliability of the entire system.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, in the drive locking assembly, the lead angle of the worm gear is less than or equal to the equivalent friction angle of the worm wheel, so as to achieve mechanical self-locking of the drive locking assembly.

[0009] This application, through the setting of the worm gear coefficient, endows the entire drive locking assembly with reliable mechanical self-locking characteristics. This structural design prevents any external reverse forces acting on the fairing hatch, such as wind pressure or vibration, from driving the worm gear to rotate in the opposite direction. The self-locking characteristic of the worm gear provides a fundamental and reliable safety barrier for the mechanism, effectively preventing accidental opening of the fairing hatch during high-speed operation, further improving the reliability of the fairing hatch self-locking, and thus ensuring train operation safety.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the rotating arm mechanism includes a first rotating arm and a second rotating arm respectively disposed on both sides of the mounting plate; the drive locking assembly has two parts, which are respectively connected to the first rotating arm and the second rotating arm.

[0011] This application, by providing drive mechanisms for each of the two swing arms, enables the synchronous and smooth driving of the two fairing doors at the front of the train. This structural design ensures that the force is evenly applied to the two doors, effectively avoiding door twisting or jamming that may occur with single-point drive. This makes the opening and closing action of the entire front-end opening and closing mechanism more coordinated and smooth, further improving the operational stability and reliability of the front-end opening and closing mechanism.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, both the locking first rotating arm and the second rotating arm are provided with locking grooves, and the two driving arms are respectively disposed in the corresponding locking grooves to slide within the locking grooves.

[0013] This application provides a clear and reliable motion trajectory and structural constraint for the sliding end of the drive arm by setting a dedicated locking groove on the swing arm. This structural design constitutes a stable and reliable motion mechanism that can effectively and precisely convert the swing of the drive arm into a force that propels the swing arm.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the drive arm includes: A lower rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate; the worm gear is fixed to the lower rotating shaft. The upper sliding shaft is located at the other end of the drive plate arm and is opposite to the lower rotating shaft; The upper sliding shaft is slidably connected to the locking groove. When the worm gear rotates, it drives the drive arm to rotate around its lower rotating shaft, thereby driving the upper sliding shaft to move in the locking groove, so as to drive the rotating arm to the open or closed position and form a center lock.

[0015] This application provides a clear motion reference and connection point for the entire transmission system by specifically designing the drive arm with a lower rotating shaft and an upper sliding shaft. The lower rotating shaft ensures that the drive arm can rotate stably around the base, while the upper sliding shaft serves as a movable connection point that mates with the locking groove. When the upper sliding shaft moves within the locking groove and passes the dead point of its movement path, the entire mechanism enters a mechanical self-locking state. At this time, the movement of the rotating arm is locked, ensuring that the fairing hatch can be securely locked when opening or closing. Simultaneously, this design clearly separates the rotation center and sliding action point of the drive arm, resulting in a simple and reliable structure that ensures the driving force can be smoothly and effectively transmitted from the power component to the rotating arm mechanism.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the worm gear has a central hole, and the lower rotating shaft passes through the central hole and is fixedly connected to the worm gear.

[0017] This application clarifies the fixed connection between the worm gear and the lower rotating shaft through the central hole, ensuring that the driving torque transmitted from the worm gear can be directly transmitted to the drive arm. This structural design guarantees the accuracy and timeliness of the entire mechanism's movement, ensures the positional accuracy of the drive arm, and provides the necessary conditions for achieving reliable over-center locking.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the drive locking assembly further includes: A fixing plate is detachably fixed to the mounting plate; the electric drive component is mounted on the fixing plate. The electric drive unit has a flange at its end, and the fixing plate has mounting holes that match the flange; multiple fasteners pass through the mounting holes to fix the flange to the fixing plate.

[0019] This application introduces a detachable mounting plate to pre-integrate drive components such as the motor into an independent electric drive module. This structural design not only greatly simplifies the installation process on the vehicle production line and improves installation accuracy, but also enables rapid replacement and maintenance of the entire electric drive structure during subsequent maintenance, thereby significantly reducing vehicle maintenance downtime and improving train operating efficiency.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the fixing plate is provided with two bearing seats, and the two ends of the worm gear are respectively equipped with bearings, and the two bearings are respectively installed in the corresponding bearing seats.

[0021] This application provides support for the worm by setting a dedicated bearing seat on the fixed plate, ensuring stable and precise radial and axial positioning at both ends of the high-speed rotating worm. This structural design provides reliable support for the worm, ensures smooth worm gear meshing, reduces transmission noise and wear, and thus significantly extends the service life of the core transmission components.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the electric drive has an output shaft; the connecting end of the worm gear is provided with an inner hole for accommodating the output shaft of the electric drive, and the output shaft of the electric drive extends into the inner hole and is connected to the worm gear for transmission.

[0023] This application clarifies the connection method between the worm gear and the electric drive component. The worm gear connection end has an inner hole adapted to the output shaft of the electric drive component. An internal insertion connection method is adopted, where the output shaft directly extends into the inner hole of the worm gear, eliminating the need for the bulky and potentially gap-prone external coupling found in traditional solutions. This compact connection design not only significantly reduces the axial dimension of the entire drive module but also greatly improves the alignment accuracy between the electric drive component and the worm gear, ensuring high efficiency and long-term reliability of power transmission.

[0024] Secondly, this application provides a rail train, including a train head, which integrates all the above-mentioned solutions into the train head, so that the rail train has a train head with more reliable and safer front-end opening and closing, and with a better structure, thereby improving the overall operational reliability and market competitiveness of the train.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: 1. This application uses an electronic control scheme to replace the traditional pneumatic system, eliminating cylinders, valves, and complex air circuits, thus simplifying the structure. This design avoids air circuit leakage failures from the source, improves system reliability, and reduces the total life cycle cost.

[0026] 2. This application combines the mechanical self-locking characteristic of worm gear transmission with the over-center locking function of the drive arm mechanism to form a double locking system. This design provides redundant safety protection and can effectively prevent the fairing hatch from being accidentally opened by external forces.

[0027] 3. This application adopts an electrically controlled drive, with power sourced from the train's electrical system, eliminating the need for traditional centralized gas supply pipelines. The application of this mechanism is no longer limited by whether the vehicle is equipped with a pneumatic compressor, better adapting to the development trend of modern rail vehicle electrification.

[0028] 4. This application pre-integrates core drive components such as the motor, worm gear, and bearings onto a single mounting plate, forming an independently detachable drive module. This modular design not only simplifies the overall assembly process but also makes on-site maintenance and replacement more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of this application and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the train head fairing hatch in the closed state provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the open state of the train head fairing hatch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the front-end opening and closing mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the view; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electric drive component and worm gear assembly provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a front view of the electric drive component and worm gear assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the connection between the electric drive component and the worm and worm wheel provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drive arm and worm gear assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a top view of the worm gear provided in an embodiment of this application; In the above figures: 1. Deflector hatch; 2. Opening and closing mechanism; 21. Mounting plate; 22. Rotary arm mechanism; 221. First rotary arm; 222. Second rotary arm; 223. Locking groove; 23. Drive locking assembly; 231. Electric drive component; 2311. Output shaft; 2312. Flange; 232. Drive arm; 2321. Upper sliding shaft; 2322. Lower rotating shaft; 233. Worm gear; 2331. Inner hole; 234. Worm wheel; 2341. Center hole; 235. Fixing plate; 236. Bearing seat; 2361. Bearing. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application is described and illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments provided in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can apply this application to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without any inventive effort. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this application, any changes to design, manufacturing, or production based on the technical content disclosed in this application are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient disclosure of the content of this application.

[0032] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments without conflict.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms “a,” “an,” “an,” “the,” and similar words used in this application do not indicate quantity limitation and may indicate singular or plural. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and any variations thereof used in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may also include steps or units not listed, or may include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. The terms “connected,” “linked,” “coupled,” and similar words used in this application are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Multiple” used in this application refers to two or more. “And / or” describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, “A and / or B” can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship. The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in this application are merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects.

[0034] In the field of rail vehicle technology, particularly in the design of opening and closing mechanisms for the front end of high-speed trains, pneumatic solutions using cylinders as the core driving element are currently the mainstream technical approach. This approach aims to automatically open, close, and lock the fairing doors by controlling compressed air, thus meeting the different needs of trains in single-unit and multiple-unit operation. However, this pneumatic solution, widely used in existing technologies, has inherent and increasingly prominent technical shortcomings.

[0035] Its typical design relies on a massive system consisting of power cylinders, solenoid valve assemblies, pneumatic locks, and a dense network of pipes and connectors. This system not only requires a complex electronic control system to send commands but also necessitates a series of air source processing components such as filters and dryers to ensure the quality of the pneumatic medium. This hybrid electro-pneumatic approach inherently leads to a highly complex structure. This complexity directly results in a significant increase in the number of components, manufacturing costs, and system weight. More critically, the numerous rubber seals in the pneumatic system are highly susceptible to aging, hardening, and failure under long-term vibration and temperature variations, leading to unavoidable media leakage. The difficulty in locating and diagnosing this leakage problem results in a persistently high system failure rate, time-consuming and labor-intensive on-site maintenance, and a substantial increase in the vehicle's total lifecycle operating and maintenance costs.

[0036] More importantly, this technical solution relies entirely on the vehicle's centralized air supply system. As future train technology evolves towards higher integration, intelligence, lightweight design, and even the elimination of pneumatic compressors, this pneumatic approach will face a fundamental power source dilemma, becoming a bottleneck for overall vehicle technology upgrades. Furthermore, the response characteristics of pneumatic control are far inferior to electronic control, exhibiting problems such as action delays and poor speed consistency, affecting the accuracy of mechanism operation and posing a potential threat to the reliability and safety of train operation. Compared with existing technologies, this application can more effectively solve the above problems.

[0037] refer to Figures 1-9 As shown, the present application will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments.

[0038] This application provides a train front-end opening and closing mechanism 2, including a mounting plate 21; The rotating arm mechanism 22 is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 21; A drive locking assembly 23 is connected to the mounting plate 21 and to the rotating arm mechanism 22; the drive locking assembly 23 includes... A drive arm 232, one end of which is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 21, and the other end of which is connected to the rotating arm mechanism 22, so as to make the rotating arm mechanism 22 rotate; Worm gear 234 is fixedly mounted at the connection end between the drive arm 232 and the mounting plate 21, so that the drive arm 232 and the worm gear 234 rotate together; The worm 233 is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 21 and meshes with the worm wheel 234 to drive the worm wheel 234 to rotate. An electric drive unit 231 is connected to one end of the worm gear 233 to drive the worm gear 233 to rotate.

[0039] Specifically, the mechanism mainly includes a mounting plate 21 as a base, a swing arm mechanism 22 as the final execution component, and a drive locking assembly 23 as its power core. The mounting plate 21 is a high-strength metal plate, which is bolted to the inside of the train head and provides a mounting reference for all other components. One end of the swing arm mechanism 22 is rotatably pivotally connected to the mounting plate 21 via a bearing seat 236. The drive locking assembly 23 is also mounted on the mounting plate 21, and a clear and highly rigid power transmission chain is formed inside it. The output shaft 2311 of the electric drive component 231 is coaxially connected to one end of the worm gear 233. The worm gear 233 is rotatably mounted via a bearing 2361 and meshes with the gear ring of the worm wheel 234. The worm wheel 234 is fixed to the rotating end of the drive arm 232, while the other end of the drive arm 232 is movably connected to the swing arm mechanism 22.

[0040] During operation, the train control system sends a command to the electric drive unit 231 to start its rotation. The rotation of the electric drive unit 231 drives the worm wheel 234 to rotate slowly and powerfully at a large reduction ratio via the worm gear 233. Since the worm wheel 234 is fixed to the drive arm 232, the rotation of the worm wheel 234 is directly converted into the swing of the drive arm 232, which ultimately pushes or pulls the swing arm mechanism 22, thereby smoothly opening or closing the fairing door 1.

[0041] This structural design greatly simplifies the overall structure of the opening and closing mechanism 2, significantly reducing potential failure points caused by aging seals and damaged pipelines. This design eliminates the dependence of the locking system of the opening and closing mechanism 2 on the vehicle's centralized air supply system, making its application no longer limited by train model or technical route, and particularly suitable for the future trend of highly electrified trains eliminating air compressors. At the same time, the simplified structure provides greater flexibility for the spatial layout of the train's front end, and eliminates the long-standing industry problem of air leakage at its source, revolutionarily improving the long-term operational reliability of the entire system.

[0042] In some specific embodiments of this application, in the drive locking assembly 23, the lead angle of the worm 233 is less than or equal to the equivalent friction angle of the worm wheel 234, so as to achieve mechanical self-locking of the drive locking assembly 23.

[0043] Specifically, this application selects a worm gear 234 and worm 233 mechanism as the core transmission element. This is not only based on its inherent characteristics of large transmission ratio, compact structure, smooth operation, and low noise, but also utilizes the unique mechanical self-locking performance of the worm gear 234 and worm 233 under specific design conditions. The self-locking performance of the worm gear 234 and worm 233 is the key guarantee for the high safety of this application. It is not inherent but is achieved through the design of the geometric parameters of the worm 233 and worm gear 234.

[0044] The core design principle of the self-locking mechanism of the worm gear 234 and worm 233 lies in controlling the relationship between the lead angle of the worm 233 and the equivalent friction angle of the transmission pair. The lead angle is a key geometric parameter reflecting the inclination of the helix of the worm 233, mainly determined by the number of threads, module, and diameter of the worm 233. The equivalent friction angle is a comprehensive physical parameter determined by the friction coefficient between the meshing surfaces and the tooth profile pressure angle. In mechanical principles, when power is input from the worm 233, the mechanism can always transmit normally; however, when the force acts in the opposite direction on the worm gear 234, attempting to drive the worm 233, whether transmission can occur depends entirely on the comparison between the lead angle and the equivalent friction angle. In the preferred design of this application, we selected a smaller number of threads for the worm 233 (such as a single-threaded or double-threaded worm 233) and optimized other geometric parameters to ensure that the final lead angle of the worm 233 is less than or equal to the equivalent friction angle. This design makes the reverse transmission efficiency of the worm gear 234 and worm 233 mechanism approach zero or even negative, making reverse transmission from the worm gear 234 to the worm 233 impossible, thus putting the worm gear 234 and worm 233 mechanism into a mechanical self-locking state. Therefore, even in the event of a complete power outage, any external force applied to the fairing door 1 cannot drive the worm 233 to rotate in the reverse direction via the transmission chain, physically eliminating the possibility of the fairing door 1 opening accidentally. Conversely, if a larger lead angle is chosen, the worm gear 234 and worm 233 mechanism will not possess self-locking properties. In this case, once power is lost, external force can easily reverse drive the entire transmission chain, causing the fairing door 1 to lose its position and posing a significant safety hazard.

[0045] This structural design endows the drive locking assembly 23 with reliable mechanical self-locking characteristics, preventing any external reverse forces such as wind pressure and vibration acting on the fairing door 1 from driving the worm gear 234 to rotate in the opposite direction. The self-locking characteristics of the worm gear 234 and worm 233 provide a reliable safety barrier for the mechanism, effectively preventing the fairing door 1 from accidentally opening during high-speed operation, further improving the reliability of the fairing door 1's self-locking, and thus ensuring the train's operational safety.

[0046] In some specific embodiments of this application, the rotating arm mechanism 22 includes a first rotating arm 221 and a second rotating arm 222 respectively disposed on both sides of the mounting plate 21; the drive locking assembly 23 is provided in two parts, which are respectively connected to the first rotating arm 221 and the second rotating arm 222.

[0047] Specifically, the entire front-end opening and closing mechanism 2 is designed as a symmetrical double-arm structure driven by two independent drive locking assemblies 23. A first arm 221 and its corresponding first drive locking assembly 23 are provided on one side of the mounting plate 21, and a second arm 222 and its corresponding second drive locking assembly 23 are provided on the other side in a mirror manner.

[0048] By setting drive mechanisms on the two swing arms respectively, the two fairing hatches 1 at the front of the train can be driven synchronously and smoothly. Specifically, the electric drive components 231 in the two drive locking assemblies 23 can be connected in parallel or commanded by the same controller to ensure that they can start simultaneously, operate synchronously, and output nearly identical speeds and torques. This structural design ensures that the driving force is applied evenly and directly to the two swing arms, thereby transmitting it to the two fairing hatches 1, effectively avoiding the hatch twisting or movement jamming that may occur in traditional single-point drive schemes that distribute force through complex mechanical linkages due to linkage deformation or clearance wear.

[0049] Therefore, this structural design makes the opening and closing actions of the entire front-end opening and closing mechanism 2 more coordinated and smooth. The synchronous deployment of the two fairing doors 1 during opening and their precise alignment during closing are reliably guaranteed. This further improves the operational stability and reliability of the front-end opening and closing mechanism 2.

[0050] In some specific embodiments of this application, both the locking first rotating arm 221 and the second rotating arm 222 are provided with locking grooves 223, and the two driving arms 232 are respectively disposed in the corresponding locking grooves 223 so as to slide within the locking grooves 223.

[0051] Specifically, a locking groove 223 for transmitting and guiding force is provided on the arm body of the first rotating arm 221 and the second rotating arm 222. The locking groove 223 is preferably an elongated oval groove with a defined length and a smooth inner wall. Simultaneously, a sliding pin serving as a force output point is provided at the end of each driving arm 232 furthest from its rotation center. In the assembled state, the sliding pin of each driving arm 232 is movably disposed within the corresponding locking groove 223. During the movement of the opening and closing mechanism 2, the driving arm 232 swings around its own rotation center, and simultaneously, the sliding pin at its end slides accordingly within the locking groove 223, thus converting the swinging motion of the driving arm 232 into the rotational motion of the rotating arm.

[0052] This structural design provides a reliable transmission connection between the drive mechanism and the rotating arm mechanism 22. It allows necessary relative sliding between the two when the drive arm 232 pushes the rotating arm to rotate, accommodating changes in geometry at different positions; simultaneously, the contour of the locking groove 223 constrains the movement trajectory of the drive mechanism and the rotating arm. This design is not only simple in structure and reliable in connection, but also provides a crucial structural guarantee for the smooth and stable completion of the entire opening and closing mechanism 2's full stroke from opening to closing.

[0053] In some specific embodiments of this application, the drive arm 232 includes: The lower rotating shaft 2322 is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 21; the worm gear 234 is fixed to the lower rotating shaft 2322. The upper sliding shaft 2321 is located at the other end of the drive plate arm and is opposite to the lower rotating shaft 2322; The upper sliding shaft 2321 is slidably connected to the locking groove 223. When the worm gear 234 rotates, it drives the drive arm 232 to rotate around its lower rotating shaft 2322, thereby driving the upper sliding shaft 2321 to move within the locking groove 223, so as to drive the rotating arm to the open or closed position and form a center lock.

[0054] Specifically, the drive arm 232 can be a single rigid component, such as a metal sheet or a boom. At one end of the drive arm 232, a lower pivot 2322 is provided. This lower pivot 2322 engages with a bearing seat 236 or a rotating hole on the mounting plate 21, serving as the rotation center of the drive arm 232, thereby ensuring that the drive arm 232 can stably rotate around a fixed axis on the mounting plate 21.

[0055] At the other end of the drive arm 232, away from the lower rotating shaft 2322, there is an upper sliding shaft 2321. The size of this upper sliding shaft 2321 matches the size of the locking groove 223 of the first rotating arm 221 or the second rotating arm 222, allowing it to move smoothly within the locking groove 223. To make the movement of the upper sliding shaft 2321 within the locking groove 223 smoother and reduce wear, rollers or wear-resistant bushings can also be installed on this upper sliding shaft 2321. During the entire opening and closing mechanism 2 movement, the lower rotating shaft 2322 is always fixed on the mounting plate 21 as a fulcrum, while the upper sliding shaft 2321 slides within the locking groove 223 of the rotating arm, simultaneously pushing or pulling the rotating arm to rotate.

[0056] When the drive arm 232 swings to the end of its stroke, its geometry allows the upper sliding shaft 2321 to pass the dead point of the movement, thereby using the reverse force to achieve a firm over-center lock.

[0057] By specifically designing the drive arm 232 as a structure with a lower rotating shaft 2322 and an upper sliding shaft 2321, a clear motion reference and connection point are provided for the entire transmission system. The lower rotating shaft 2322 ensures that the drive arm 232 can rotate stably around the mounting plate 21, while the upper sliding shaft 2321 serves as a movable connection point that cooperates with the locking groove 223. This structural design clearly separates the rotation center and sliding action point of the drive arm 232, resulting in a simple and reliable structure that ensures the driving force can be smoothly and effectively transmitted from the power component to the swing arm mechanism 22.

[0058] It's important to note that in mechanical structures, a dead point is a special critical position. At this position, the force applied by the driving component to the driven component passes precisely through the center of rotation of the driven component. At this point, the torque generated by the driving force on the driven component is zero; no matter how large the driving force is, the driven component cannot continue to rotate, and the mechanism will be locked in this position. However, by utilizing the mechanism's inertia or structural design, the mechanism's movement can smoothly pass through this dead point, achieving a reliable mechanical self-locking mechanism. Once the mechanism passes the dead point, any load attempting to reverse the mechanism's movement will cause the mechanism to tend towards the dead point position, thus firmly locking the mechanism. This over-dead-point self-locking method relies entirely on the geometry of the mechanical structure itself, requiring no continuous power to maintain the locked state, and possesses extremely high reliability and stability.

[0059] In some specific embodiments of this application, the worm gear 234 is provided with a central hole 2341, and the lower rotating shaft 2322 passes through the central hole 2341 and is fixedly connected to the worm gear 234.

[0060] Specifically, to ensure that the torque transmitted by the worm gear 234 can be reliably applied to the drive arm 232, a stable, non-rotating connection must be formed between the worm gear 234 and the lower shaft 2322, which serves as the rotation center of the drive arm 232. Therefore, the worm gear 234 is machined with a central through-hole, the inner wall of which may have a structure for transmitting torque, such as a keyway or spline. A matching key or spline structure is machined on the lower shaft 2322. During assembly, the lower shaft 2322 passes through the central hole 2341 of the worm gear 234, and is circumferentially positioned by the key or spline. To increase the tightness of the connection, an interference fit can also be used for assembly, effectively preventing relative rotation between the two under load. Through the above methods, the worm gear 234 and the lower shaft 2322 are firmly combined into a rigid transmission unit. The rotation of the worm wheel 234 driven by the worm 233 can be directly converted into the synchronous swing of the drive arm 232 around its lower rotating shaft 2322 without delay or slippage.

[0061] This structural design ensures the effectiveness of power transmission, enabling the motor output to be stably converted into the swing of the drive arm 232, which is a prerequisite for subsequent precise locking. It also enhances the structural strength of the transmission node, allowing it to withstand various dynamic loads during operation, thus ensuring the reliability and service life of the mechanism.

[0062] In some specific embodiments of this application, the drive locking assembly 23 further includes: A fixing plate 235 is detachably fixed to the mounting plate 21; the electric drive component 231 is mounted on the fixing plate 235. The electric drive component 231 has a flange 2312 at its end, and the fixing plate 235 has mounting holes that match the flange 2312; multiple fasteners pass through the mounting holes to fix the flange 2312 to the fixing plate 235.

[0063] Specifically, to achieve a high degree of integration and maintainability of the entire drive locking assembly 23, this application introduces the core concept of modular design. In this embodiment, the drive locking assembly 23 includes a fixing plate 235 serving as a base. The fixing plate 235 itself can be a metal sheet with sufficient strength and installation precision. The fixing plate 235 has multiple mounting holes and is detachably fixed to the base mounting plate 21 on the vehicle body using multiple high-strength bolts. The electric drive component 231, as well as core transmission components such as the worm gear 233 and bearing 2361, are precisely assembled on the fixing plate 235, together forming a functionally independent and integrated motor drive module.

[0064] To ensure the stable and precise installation of the electric drive component 231, the housing of the electric drive component 231 is provided with an integrally formed mounting flange 2312, on which multiple mounting holes are evenly distributed. Correspondingly, the fixing plate 235 is machined with positioning surfaces and through holes that perfectly match the flange 2312 and the mounting holes. During assembly, simply align the mounting flange 2312 of the electric drive component 231 with the positioning surfaces of the fixing plate 235, and then use multiple high-strength fasteners to lock them in place through the aligned mounting holes.

[0065] This application introduces a detachable mounting plate 235 to pre-integrate drive components such as the motor into an independent electric drive module, bringing significant technical advantages. Firstly, in the manufacturing process, this module can be pre-assembled and tested as an independent subsystem at a dedicated workstation. This not only greatly simplifies the installation process on the vehicle assembly line, avoiding complex on-site alignment and debugging work, but also significantly improves installation accuracy and product consistency. Secondly, its advantages are even more pronounced in the lifecycle maintenance phase. When the drive system malfunctions, maintenance personnel do not need to disassemble parts one by one in the confined space of the train's front end; instead, they can directly and quickly replace the entire motor drive module as a whole, thereby significantly shortening vehicle maintenance downtime and improving train operating efficiency and availability.

[0066] Furthermore, the electric drive component 231 can be a motor.

[0067] Furthermore, the fastener can be a bolt or a screw.

[0068] In some specific embodiments of this application, the fixing plate 235 is provided with two bearing seats 236, and the two ends of the worm gear 233 are respectively equipped with bearings 2361, and the two bearings 2361 are respectively installed in the corresponding bearing seats 236.

[0069] Specifically, to ensure the long-term, stable, and precise operation of the worm gear 233, which is the core transmission element, the reliability of its support structure is crucial. In a preferred embodiment of this application, at least two parallel bearing seats 236, manufactured by machining or precision casting, are mounted on the fixing plate 235, which serves as the base of the motor drive module. The center holes 2341 of these two bearing seats 236 are precision-machined to ensure their coaxiality and dimensional tolerances, providing a precise reference for the subsequent installation of the bearings 2361. Rolling bearings for bearing radial and axial loads are respectively mounted at both ends of the worm gear 233. During assembly, the two ends of the worm gear 233 equipped with bearings 2361 are installed in the corresponding bearing seats 236 on the fixing plate 235.

[0070] This application offers significant technical advantages by providing support for the worm gear 233 via a bearing housing 236 on the fixed plate 235. First, the bearing housing 236 achieves high-precision positioning and support, ensuring stable and accurate radial and axial positioning at both ends of the worm gear 233. This guarantees that the spatial relationship between the worm gear 233 axis and the worm wheel 234 axis remains at its optimal design state, thus ensuring smooth meshing of the worm wheel 234 and worm gear 233 and effectively reducing noise and vibration during transmission. Second, the bearing housing 236 optimizes the force transmission path. The enormous radial and axial forces generated by the meshing of the worm wheel 234 and worm gear 233 are directly transmitted to the fixed plate 235 through the bearing 2361 and the high-strength bearing housing 236, without generating harmful additional torque or impact on adjacent bearings 2361, significantly extending the service life of core transmission components, including the motor. Finally, this structural design improves assembly and maintenance efficiency. Since the bearing housing 236 is part of the fixed plate 235, the assembly of the entire worm gear 233 shaft system can be completed in one go during the modular assembly stage, ensuring assembly quality. At the same time, it also facilitates the subsequent replacement of vulnerable parts such as the bearing 2361.

[0071] In some specific embodiments of this application, the electric drive 231 has an output shaft 2311; the connecting end of the worm 233 is provided with an inner hole 2331 for accommodating the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive 231, and the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive 231 extends into the inner hole 2331 and is connected to the worm 233 for transmission.

[0072] To achieve a highly compact and precise power transmission within the motor drive module, this application employs an intercalation-type coaxial connection scheme. Specifically, in this embodiment, the end of the worm gear 233 connected to the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive component 231 is designed as a hollow structure with a central inner hole 2331. The diameter, depth, and inner wall geometry of this inner hole 2331 are precision-machined to ensure that it can accommodate the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive component 231. To achieve reliable torque transmission, matching transmission structures are machined on the inner wall of the inner hole 2331 and on the outer surface of the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive component 231.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, a keyed or splined connection, which is industrially mature and reliable, can be used. During assembly, the output shaft 2311 of the electric drive unit 231 extends directly into the inner hole 2331 of the worm gear 233, and circumferential locking is achieved through a key or spline, thereby combining the two into a transmission unit capable of synchronous rotation. This application clarifies the connection method between the worm gear 233 and the electric drive unit 231, adopting an internal insertion connection method in which the output shaft 2311 extends directly into the inner hole 2331 of the worm gear 233, eliminating the need for the bulky and potentially gap-prone external coupling found in traditional solutions. This compact connection design brings significant technical advantages and greatly optimizes the spatial layout. Because the external coupling is eliminated, the axial dimension of the entire drive module is significantly shortened, resulting in a more compact structure, which is crucial for placement in the limited space of a train locomotive. This structural design also significantly improves transmission accuracy. Compared to external couplings that require on-site alignment, this internal insertion connection utilizes the high-precision mating surfaces of the parts themselves for positioning, greatly improving the alignment accuracy between the electric drive component 231 and the worm gear 233, effectively avoiding vibration and premature wear caused by misalignment. The keyed or splined connection further enhances the reliability of power transmission, reduces intermediate links, and results in a shorter, more rigid power transmission path, ensuring high efficiency and long-term reliability.

[0074] Secondly, this application provides a rail train, including a train head, which integrates all the above-mentioned solutions into the train head, so that the rail train has a train head with more reliable and safer front-end opening and closing, and with a better structure, thereby improving the overall operational reliability and market competitiveness of the train.

[0075] Specifically, the railcar includes a train body and a train head located at the front end of the train body. The train head opening and closing mechanism 2 described in all the aforementioned embodiments of this application is completely integrated and installed inside the train head, and is used to drive the opening and closing of its fairing door 1.

[0076] By integrating the aforementioned front-end opening and closing mechanism 2 into the train head, this railcar gains significant technical advantages. In terms of reliability, since the opening and closing mechanism 2 employs a fully electronically controlled drive locking assembly 23, completely replacing the traditional pneumatic system, the front section of the railcar no longer requires complex and leak-prone air pipelines. This not only fundamentally eliminates the risk of mechanism failure due to air circuit malfunctions, but its modular design also makes maintenance and replacement more convenient, thereby improving the overall operational reliability of the vehicle.

[0077] In terms of safety, the opening and closing mechanism 2 creatively integrates two mechanisms: mechanical self-locking of the worm gear 234 and worm 233, and over-center locking of the drive arm 232, providing dual safety locking for the fairing hatch 1. Even when facing enormous wind pressure or strong vibrations during high-speed operation, the aerodynamic shape of the front end of the railcar remains absolutely stable, effectively preventing any possibility of accidental opening and giving the railcar a safer front end.

[0078] In terms of structural optimization and technological foresight, the opening and closing mechanism 2 does not rely on the centralized air supply system of the whole vehicle, which makes the design of the train head more flexible and compact, and better adapts to the future development trend of highly electrified and lightweight rail vehicles. This gives the train a train head with a better structure, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness.

[0079] Furthermore, to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail. This embodiment provides a train front-end opening and closing mechanism 2 installed at the front end of a railcar. The mechanism uses a high-strength mounting plate 21 as its structural base, which is firmly fixed to the internal frame of the train front. A first rotating arm 221 and a second rotating arm 222 are rotatably mounted on both sides of the mounting plate 21. To drive these two rotating arms, the opening and closing mechanism 2 is provided with two sets of symmetrical and mechanically independent drive-locking assemblies 23. Each assembly includes a motor drive module as its core power unit and a drive arm 232 as the final actuator.

[0080] In this motor drive module, a fixing plate 235 is provided, which is detachably fixed to the base mounting plate 21 by multiple bolts. The electric drive component 231 is specifically a motor with a mounting flange 2312, which is securely fixed to the fixing plate 235 by multiple fasteners. Two high-precision bearing seats 236 are also machined on the fixing plate 235. Bearings 2361 are pre-assembled at both ends of the worm gear 233, and then these two bearings 2361 are precisely installed in the corresponding bearing seats 236, thereby providing stable and reliable rotational support for the worm gear 233. To achieve power transmission, one end of the worm gear 233 is designed as a hollow structure, with an inner hole 2331 inside that matches the motor output shaft 2311. This inner hole 2331 has a keyway, and the motor output shaft 2311 extends directly into this inner hole 2331. A spline connects the motor and worm gear 233 in a compact, precise, and high-strength transmission configuration. Through this structure, the motor, worm gear 233, bearing 2361, and mounting plate 235 are pre-integrated into a high-precision motor drive module that can be independently disassembled and reassembled.

[0081] At the power output end, the worm gear 233 in the motor drive module meshes with the gear ring of the worm wheel 234. The worm wheel 234 has a central through hole and is fixedly connected to the lower rotating shaft 2322, which serves as the rotation center of the drive arm 232. The other end of the drive arm 232 has an upper sliding shaft 2321, the axis of which is spatially offset from the axis of the lower rotating shaft 2322. Meanwhile, each rotating arm has a locking groove 223. In the final assembled state, the lower rotating shaft 2322 of the drive arm 232 is rotatably mounted on the base mounting plate 21, while the upper sliding shaft 2321 is slidably placed in the locking groove 223 of the corresponding rotating arm.

[0082] During operation, the train's control system simultaneously sends commands to the electric drive units 231 in both assemblies. The motors rotate, driving the worm gear 233 to rotate. The worm gear 233 then drives the worm wheel 234 to rotate slowly and powerfully at a large reduction ratio. Since the worm wheel 234 is fixed to the lower shaft 2322 of the drive arm 232, the rotation of the worm wheel 234 is directly converted into the spatial swing of the drive arm 232 around its lower shaft 2322. Finally, the upper sliding shaft 2321 of the drive arm 232 slides within the locking groove 223 of the swing arm, thereby smoothly and synchronously driving the first swing arm 221 and the second swing arm 222 to open or close.

[0083] This structural design achieves dual safety locking for the fairing hatch 1. Precise pre-design ensures that the lead angle of the worm gear 233 is less than or equal to the equivalent friction angle of the worm wheel 234, forming the first layer of mechanical self-locking in the transmission system itself. When the upper sliding shaft 2321 of the drive arm 232 moves to the end of the locking groove 223, its unique geometry allows it to pass the dead point of motion, forming an extremely stable over-center lock—the second layer of purely mechanical locking. The combination of these two locking mechanisms provides a safety guarantee for the fairing hatch 1. Simultaneously, the modular design of the motor drive greatly facilitates production assembly and on-site maintenance.

[0084] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0085] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A train front-end opening and closing mechanism, characterized in that, include: Mounting plate (21); A rotating arm mechanism (22) is rotatably connected to the mounting plate (21); A drive locking assembly (23) is connected to the mounting plate (21) and to the rotating arm mechanism (22); the drive locking assembly (23) includes, A drive arm (232) is rotatably connected at one end to the mounting plate (21) and at the other end to the rotating arm mechanism (22) so that the rotating arm mechanism (22) can rotate. A worm gear (234) is fixedly mounted at the connection end between the drive arm (232) and the mounting plate (21) so that the drive arm (232) and the worm gear (234) rotate together. A worm (233) is rotatably connected to the mounting plate (21) and meshes with the worm wheel (234) to drive the worm wheel (234) to rotate; An electric drive unit (231) is connected to one end of the worm gear (233) to drive the worm gear (233) to rotate.

2. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the drive locking assembly (23), the lead angle of the worm (233) is less than or equal to the equivalent friction angle of the worm wheel (234) to achieve mechanical self-locking of the drive locking assembly (23).

3. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating arm mechanism (22) includes a first rotating arm (221) and a second rotating arm (222) respectively located on both sides of the mounting plate (21); the drive locking assembly (23) has two parts, which are respectively connected to the first rotating arm (221) and the second rotating arm (222).

4. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the locking first rotating arm (221) and the second rotating arm (222) are provided with locking grooves (223), and the two driving arms (232) are respectively disposed in the corresponding locking grooves (223) to slide within the locking grooves (223).

5. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive arm (232) includes: The lower rotating shaft (2322) is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate (21); the worm gear (234) is fixed to the lower rotating shaft (2322); The upper sliding shaft (2321) is located at the other end of the drive plate arm and is opposite to the lower rotating shaft (2322); The upper sliding shaft (2321) is slidably connected in the locking groove (223). When the worm gear (234) rotates, it drives the drive arm (232) to rotate around its lower rotating shaft (2322), thereby driving the upper sliding shaft (2321) to move in the locking groove (223) to drive the rotating arm to the open or closed position and form a center lock.

6. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The worm gear (234) has a central hole (2341), and the lower rotating shaft (2322) passes through the central hole (2341) and is fixedly connected to the worm gear (234).

7. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive locking assembly (23) also includes: A fixing plate (235) is detachably fixed to the mounting plate (21); the electric drive unit (231) is mounted on the fixing plate (235); The electric drive unit (231) has a flange (2312) at its end, and the fixing plate (235) has mounting holes that match the flange (2312); multiple fasteners pass through the mounting holes to fix the flange (2312) to the fixing plate (235).

8. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fixed plate (235) is provided with two bearing seats (236), and the two ends of the worm (233) are respectively equipped with bearings (2361), and the two bearings (2361) are respectively installed in the corresponding bearing seats (236).

9. The train front-end opening and closing mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The electric drive unit (231) has an output shaft (2311); the connecting end of the worm gear (233) is provided with an inner hole (2331) for accommodating the output shaft (2311) of the electric drive unit (231), and the output shaft (2311) of the electric drive unit (231) extends into the inner hole (2331) and is connected to the worm gear (233) for transmission.

10. A rail train, characterized in that, include: The train front-end opening and closing mechanism (2) according to any one of claims 1-9.

Images