RAIL VEHICLE WITH CONNECTING DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a rail vehicle with at least one first car body and a second car body, wherein the rail vehicle has at least one connecting device of the first car body with the second car body of the rail vehicle by means of a chassis, wherein the first car body is rotatably connected to the chassis by means of a first articulation device and the second car body is rotatably connected to the chassis by means of a second articulation device, and to a rail vehicle with such a connecting device.

[0002] Connecting devices between two car bodies of rail vehicles, especially trams, which are each supported on a common, intermediate bogie, for example a so-called Jacobs bogie, are known from the prior art. In order to ensure the mutual rotation of the car bodies, double turntables or the like are often used in practice, as described by way of example in FR 2 357 409 A1 or KR 2011 0066529 A.

[0003] However, when a chassis or bogie is connected to two car bodies by means of slewing rings, no rocking movement of the car bodies against each other, i.e., no rotational movement of the car bodies around the longitudinal axis of the vehicle or car body, is possible.

[0004] This leads to high torsional forces between the car bodies, which usually have to be countered by correspondingly large dimensions of the turntables and the car body structures.

[0005] To avoid this, WO 2008 / 151976 A1, for example, proposes connecting only one of the two car bodies directly to a bogie via an articulating mechanism, while the two car bodies are connected to each other via a separate, additional articulating mechanism. Through this separate, additional articulating mechanism, one of the car bodies rests on the other car body and thus not directly on the bogie. The supporting forces of both car bodies are transferred to the bogie through this connection.

[0006] However, this makes separating the car bodies considerably more complex, and in particular, the car bodies cannot be detached from the chassis independently. This leads to increased time and costs, especially during uncoupling procedures, such as for repairs or maintenance.

[0007] The invention is based on the objective of providing a connecting device between two car bodies of a rail vehicle and a rail vehicle with at least one such connecting device, which enables both a rocking movement of the car bodies relative to each other and, in a simple manner, the separation of the car bodies from a chassis by means of which the two car bodies are connected to each other.

[0008] The problem is solved by the features of independent claim 1. Further developments and embodiments of the invention can be found in the features of dependent claims.

[0009] A connecting device for a first car body with a second car body of a rail vehicle is specified by means of a chassis, wherein the first car body is connected with a first articulation device and the second car body with a second articulation device, wherein the first and the second articulation device are each rotatably connected to the chassis, wherein the first and the second articulation device do not directly touch each other, and the first and the second car body rest independently of each other on the chassis.

[0010] In the connection device according to the invention, the car bodies are advantageously not directly connected to each other. This allows the supporting forces acting on the car bodies to be introduced separately into the chassis and thus distributed more effectively. Furthermore, the connection device according to the invention enables separate movement, in particular roll movement, of the two car bodies while maintaining very high stability, thereby significantly reducing the mechanical stress on the car bodies and increasing ride comfort.

[0011] Furthermore, the car bodies can be detached from the chassis very easily and quickly, for example in case of defects and / or for repair or service work, and can be replaced very quickly with a spare car body as needed, so that only very short downtimes or standby times occur, which saves corresponding costs.

[0012] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second car bodies can be separated from the chassis independently of each other.

[0013] This means that each car body can be quickly and separately detached from the chassis, for example in case of defects and / or for repair or service work, and can be replaced very quickly with a spare car body if required, thus further reducing downtime or standing time, or even eliminating it altogether, which also further reduces corresponding costs.

[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the second articulation device is arranged essentially centrally to the first articulation device on the chassis. This advantageously ensures a common axis of rotation for both car bodies, thereby further increasing stability and thus passenger safety as well as ride comfort.

[0015] According to a further preferred embodiment, the first articulated joint is designed as a slewing ring. This advantageously allows correspondingly large axial forces, especially during cornering, to be absorbed without difficulty, thereby ensuring a particularly stable connection between the associated car body and the chassis.

[0016] According to the invention, the second joint assembly is designed as a spherical bearing. The use of a spherical bearing, due to its design and the resulting degrees of rotational freedom, enables, in particular, a rolling motion of the associated car body. Due to the track on which the associated rail vehicle travels, the maximum roll angle is limited and thus automatically restricted to the required and permissible range. Furthermore, spherical or pivot bearings of this type are largely insensitive to shocks and vibrations and, due to their compact size, require significantly less space on the chassis than comparable solutions, which contributes to cost and weight savings.

[0017] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the first joint assembly is designed as a slewing ring and the second joint assembly as a spherical bearing. Thus, the properties, and in particular the advantages, of both joint assemblies can be combined and thus advantageously complement each other. A rolling motion of the car body, which is connected to the slewing ring, can be ensured by the suspension of the chassis.

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the figures are designated with the same reference numerals. The figures show: Fig. 1 a connecting device according to the invention between a first and a second car body (perspective), Fig. 2 a cross-section through a connecting device according to the invention along the longitudinal axis of the car body line I - I Figur 1 and Fig. 3 a perspective view of a cross-section of a connecting device according to the invention along the longitudinal axis of the car body line I - I from Figure 1.

[0019] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a connecting device 1 according to the invention between a first 3 and a second car body 5 of a rail vehicle, which are connected to each other by means of the chassis 2, viewed from an oblique angle from above.

[0020] The second car body 5 is connected to a second articulated joint 7, which in this case is concealed by the end 6 of the car body 5. The in Fig. 1 The concealed joint assembly 7, which is designed as a spherical bearing, forms a rotatable connection with the chassis. 2.Furthermore, the first car body 3 is connected to a first articulation device 8, the articulation device 8 also forming a rotatable connection with the chassis 2. The first articulation device 8 is designed as a turntable, with the semicircular end 4 of the first car body 3 being directly connected to the turntable 8.

[0021] The concealed pivot bearing 7 is arranged centrally to the slewing ring 8, thus forming a common, vertical axis of rotation 12 around which the two car bodies 3, 5 can rotate relative to the running gear 2. The common, vertical axis of rotation 12 points vertically upwards with respect to the longitudinal axis 13 of the two car bodies 3, 5. The common, vertical axis of rotation 12 particularly increases stability and thus passenger safety as well as ride comfort.

[0022] Fig. 1 The figure further shows that the first car body 3, in particular the end 4 of car body 3, and the second car body 5, in particular the end 6 of car body 5, rest independently of each other on the chassis 2 and consequently do not directly touch each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the first 3 and the second 5 car bodies can be detached from the chassis 2 independently of each other, allowing the respective car bodies 3 and 5 to be uncoupled very quickly, for example in the event of defects and / or for repair or maintenance work, and, if necessary, replaced very quickly with a spare car body. This results in no or very little downtime and corresponding cost savings.

[0023] A section through the connecting device 1 according to the invention along the in Fig. 1 The section line I - I shown, which runs along the longitudinal axis 13 of the two car bodies 3, 5, is described below in Fig. 2 shown.

[0024] In Fig. 2 The cross-section of the connecting device 1 according to the invention shows in detail, in particular the two ends 4 and 6 of the car bodies 3 and 5 and their respective connection with the pivot bearing 7 and the slewing ring 8, respectively. Furthermore, Fig. 2 The respective rotatable connection of the articulated bearing 7 and the slewing ring 8 with the chassis 2 is shown, demonstrating that the two articulated devices, articulated bearing 7 and slewing ring 8, do not touch each other, or at least not directly. For clarity, the common vertical axis of rotation 12, which points vertically upwards with respect to the longitudinal axis 13 of the two car bodies 3, 5, is also shown.

[0025] The spherical bearing 7 is designed with two mutually movable, sliding, annular structures, an inner ring or ball 20 and an outer ring or shell 22, and is embedded in a corresponding holding or support device 24, which can be made in multiple parts. This device is detachably connected to the stationary part 9 of the slewing ring 8, which sits on the chassis 2, by suitable fasteners 15, for example, screws, and thus to the chassis 2. The end 6 of the car body 5 is detachably connected to the inner ring or ball 20 of the spherical bearing 7 by means of suitable fasteners 15, for example, screws. The design of the spherical bearing 7 with the two mutually movable, annular structures, inner ring or ball 20 and outer ring or shell 22, is described in the following section.Shell 22, and the resulting degrees of rotational freedom, enable in particular a rocking motion of car body 5 relative to car body 3, i.e., a rotational movement about the longitudinal axis 13 of car body 5. The rocking motion of the two car bodies 3 and 5 relative to each other is limited by design and by the design of the track on which the associated rail vehicle travels to a maximum value of the rocking angle and thus automatically to the required and permissible range of the rocking angle. Furthermore, the articulated bearing 7 is largely insensitive to shocks and vibrations and, due to its compact size, requires very little space on the bogie 2, which allows the articulated bearing 7 to be positioned centrally to the slewing ring 8.

[0026] The corresponding forces occurring, in particular the support forces that occur via the car body 5, are introduced into the chassis 2 via the end 6 of the car body 5, the inner ring or ball 20, the outer ring or shell 22, the holding or support device 24 and the stationary part 9 of the slewing ring 8.

[0027] The turntable 8 consists of a stationary part 9 and a movable part 10, which is movably connected to the stationary part 9 by means of balls (not shown here) and can thus rotate around the stationary part 9. As described above, the stationary part 9 of the turntable is connected to the chassis 2. The end 4 of the car body 3 is detachably connected to the movable part 10 of the turntable 8 by means of suitable fasteners 15, for example, screws. Due to its design, the connection between the car body 3 and the turntable 8 is particularly stable, which advantageously allows correspondingly large axial forces, especially when cornering, to be absorbed and transmitted without difficulty.The corresponding forces, in particular the support forces of the car body 3, are transferred to the chassis 2 via the end 4 of the car body 3, the movable part 10 of the turntable 8, and the stationary part 9 of the turntable 8. By separately transferring the forces from the car bodies 3 and 5 to the chassis 2, these forces can be distributed more effectively.

[0028] By using the articulated bearing 7 in combination with the slewing ring 8 in the connecting device 1, the advantages of both articulated devices 7 and 8 can thus be combined according to the invention. Even an independent rocking motion of the car body 3, which is connected to the slewing ring 8, can be ensured by means of the suspension of the chassis 2.

[0029] In Fig. 3 The connection device 1 according to the invention is shown again in cross-section. Fig. 2 along the longitudinal axis of the car body, line I - I from Figur 1 The diagram is shown in perspective, viewed from a slant above, to illustrate that the first 3 and the second 5 car bodies rest independently of each other on the chassis 2, meaning that the two car bodies 3 and 5 do not directly touch each other, and that the first 3 and the second 5 car bodies can be separated from the chassis 2 independently of each other, and that the two articulating devices, articulating bearing 7 and turntable 8, do not directly touch each other.

Claims

1. Rail vehicle with at least a first car body (3) and a second car body (5), wherein the rail vehicle has at least one connecting device (1) for the first car body (3) and the second car body (5) of the rail vehicle by means of a chassis (2), wherein the first car body (3) is connected to a first articulation device (8) and the second car body (5) to a second articulation device (7), wherein the first (8) and the second (7) articulation device are each connected to the chassis (2) such that they can rotate, wherein the first (8) and the second (7) articulation device are not in direct contact with one another, and the first (3) and the second (5) car body rest on the chassis (2) independently of one another, characterised in that the second articulation device (7) is embodied as a spherical plain bearing.

2. Rail vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that the first (3) and the second (5) car bodies can be disconnected from the chassis (2) independently of one another.

3. Rail vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the second articulation device (7) is arranged substantially centrally in relation to the first articulation device (8) on the chassis (2).

4. Rail vehicle according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the first articulation device (8) is embodied as a rotating assembly.

5. Rail vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first articulation device (8) is embodied as a rotating assembly and the second articulation device (7) is embodied as a spherical plain bearing.