Side wall for a rail vehicle

Abstract

A side wall (1) for a rail vehicle of differential design, configured for fastening the lower end (2) to a base frame and the upper end (3) to a roof, comprising a grid structure of bows (4) and frames (5), and panelling (6) of said grid structure, wherein the panelling (6) is produced in one piece and comprises a vertical first section (7) and a second section (8) which is arranged at the upper end (3) of the side wall (1) and is angled or bent with respect to the first section (7), and wherein a cover plate (9) which is oriented substantially perpendicularly in the installed position of the side wall (1) is connected to the panelling (6) at the upper end of the second section (8), and wherein a plurality of ribs (10) which are distributed along the longitudinal extent of the side wall (1) are welded in in the intermediate space between the upper section of the panelling (6) and the cover plate (9).

Description

Technical Area

[0001] The invention relates to a side wall for a rail vehicle in differential construction. Such a side wall is known, for example, from EP 3, 798 080 A1. State of the art

[0002] Large components of rail vehicles, such as side walls, end walls, roofs, or underframes, can be manufactured from metal using a so-called differential construction method. In this method, a lattice structure is built from sheet metal parts and clad with a sheet metal panel, which forms the outer skin of the large component. The resulting structure offers high strength at a low weight and is equally suitable for production from steel or corrosion-resistant steel. The lattice structure consists of frames and stringers oriented perpendicular to the frames, which are typically welded to each other and to the cladding. The joining of these sheet metal parts is achieved using a welding process with minimal heat input, thus minimizing distortion of the components and reducing the need for post-processing, such as grinding and cementing.Automated welding processes are particularly advantageous, although the accessibility of the welding point for the welding machine must be carefully considered in the design. A commonly used welding process is spot welding, in which an electric current is passed through two overlapping sheets, melting them locally. This requires an overlap of the sheets, which can lead to increased mass of the large component and potentially to corrosion protection problems at the overlap point. At the transition from a side wall to a roof, longitudinal beams (roof beams) are typically arranged, extending over the entire length of the vehicle and significantly reinforcing the structure of the car body at these points. This is particularly necessary for rail vehicles with multiple wide door openings, such as subways or trams.These roof longitudinal beams can be manufactured as sheet metal bending components and connected to the side wall and roof. This construction is complex, as very large sheet metal parts require intricate bending, and the limited accessibility for spot welding makes automated welding difficult. Laser welding offers significant advantages, as it allows for butt joints and T-joints while minimizing heat input. This allows the Z-shaped sheet metal profiles used in conventional side walls to be replaced with flat sheets. It is also desirable to integrate the roof longitudinal beams, which contribute to their strength, into the side wall itself, rather than designing them as separate components.No design is known from the state of the art that avoids the described disadvantages and combines a simple structure with low mass, high strength, good accessibility for corrosion protection measures and suitability for automated welding using laser light. Description of the invention

[0003] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a side wall of a rail vehicle which is optimized with regard to its manufacture by means of laser welding and which has the strength of a conventional side wall with a roof longitudinal beam.

[0004] The problem is solved by a side wall for a rail vehicle with the features of claim 1 and a rail vehicle according to claim 6. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of dependent claims.According to the basic idea of ​​the invention, a side wall for a rail vehicle in differential construction is described, which is designed for attaching its lower end to a subframe and its upper end to a roof, and which comprises a grid-like assembly of bows and frames and a planking of this grid-like assembly, wherein the planking is manufactured in one piece and comprises a vertical first section and a second second section, arranged at the upper end of the side wall and angled or bent relative to the first section, and at the upper end of the second section a finishing plate, oriented essentially vertically in the installed position of the side wall, is connected to the planking, and several ribs distributed along the longitudinal extent of the side wall are welded in the space between the upper section of the planking and the finishing plate.

[0005] This offers the advantage of being able to construct a side wall that can be directly attached to a substructure and a

[0006] The roof can be attached, and a roof longitudinal beam is integrated into the structure of the side wall. A particular advantage is that the complex manufacturing processes required for producing a roof longitudinal beam in differential construction can be eliminated, and instead, the significantly simpler production of a planked, grid-like structure made of ribs and frames is sufficient. A significant advantage of the present invention lies in its suitability for manufacturing by laser welding.

[0007] According to the invention, a grid-like structure of ribs and frames is constructed, which is provided with sheathing, the outer skin of the side wall. The side wall is divided into a first and second section, the first section being the generally vertical part, usually equipped with door and window openings. The second section is angled or curved relative to the first section and forms that part of the side wall which transitions into a roof. According to the invention, the sheathing is made in one piece, so that no weld is required in the sheathing at the transition point between the first and second sections.

[0008] However, it is possible and can be advantageous to assemble the sheathing from several individual pieces with different properties and bend them into the required shape as a single, whole piece. This allows for flexible adaptation to locally varying strength requirements, for example, by inserting stronger or thicker sheets into the sheathing at door openings.

[0009] The invention provides for connecting a termination plate, oriented essentially vertically in the installed position of the side wall, to the sheathing at the upper end of the second section, and for welding several ribs distributed along the longitudinal extent of the side wall into the space between the upper section of the sheathing and this termination plate. In this way, a support structure with essentially triangular stiffeners is created in the upper, second section of the side wall. This constitutes a roof longitudinal beam integrated into the side wall, capable of absorbing the acting bending forces and moments. The integrated roof longitudinal beam according to the invention is significantly simpler to manufacture than conventional roof longitudinal beams in differential construction. The integrated roof longitudinal beam has an essentially triangular cross-section (optionally with one curved side) and is open at the bottom, as it is bounded by the sheathing and the termination plate.In this way, surface coatings can also be applied very easily to the inside of the integrated roof support beam.

[0010] Laser welding is particularly well suited for manufacturing a side wall according to the invention, as this process is suitable for producing butt welds with low heat input, thus allowing the side wall to be manufactured from simple, cut-out sheet metal parts without bends. Furthermore, laser welding does not impair the surface quality of the cladding on the side opposite the weld seam, so that no post-processing such as sealing and grinding is required there. This is particularly advantageous since this side is generally a visible surface, the appearance of which is of great importance.

[0011] In certain areas, however, it is advantageous to use more complexly shaped sheet metal parts to minimize local stress concentrations at the welds. This is particularly true for the ribs, which can be fitted with a flange on the open side of the integrated roof longitudinal beam. The ribs can be designed, for example, as flat sheets with a bend on one side of their circumference. If this side is not straight and therefore a bend is not possible, the flange can also be manufactured as a separate sheet metal part and welded to the rib. For example, this allows the rib to have a T-shaped cross-section, and the flange can include radii at the connection points to the end plate and the top bow.

[0012] In a further development of the invention, it is advantageous to arrange at least one reinforcing plate between a top stringer and the upper section of the sheathing and to weld it to these components. In this way, a further increase in the strength of the integrated roof longitudinal beam can be achieved. The welded-in reinforcing plate, together with the top stringer and part of the upper section of the sheathing, forms a hollow beam with a triangular cross-section, which is arranged within the integrated roof longitudinal beam. The reinforcing plates can be designed as simple, flat sheet metal components and are each arranged between two ribs. To ensure accessibility of the resulting cavity for surface coatings, it is advantageous to equip the reinforcing plates, or even the top stringer, with recesses.These reinforcing plates can be provided along the entire length of the side wall, or only in areas with increased strength requirements, such as around door openings.

[0013] According to the invention, a further increase in the strength of the side wall is achieved by providing a strike plate, which is oriented essentially parallel to the first section of the sheathing and extends between two adjacent frames, as well as the uppermost bow and a bow below it, and is welded to these components. This strike plate forms a local box girder with high stiffness together with the sheathing and is suitable for reinforcing the side wall next to areas of structural weakness, particularly next to door openings, with one strike plate preferably being provided on each side of a door opening. Such a strike plate thus forms a second layer relative to the sheathing.

[0014] The present invention enables the production of a side wall for a rail vehicle using a differential construction method, whereby the function of a roof longitudinal beam is already integrated into the side wall structure. Furthermore, simple, flat sheets can be used, which are joined by laser welding, thus avoiding the need for overlapping sheets to produce spot welds. The resulting good accessibility of all surfaces allows for the particularly easy application of a surface coating for corrosion protection. Brief description the drawings

[0015] They show, for example: Fig. 1 side wall. Fig. 2 Side panel detail. Fig. 3 Side wall section. Fig. 4 Side wall from the outside. Implementation of the invention

[0016] Fig. 1Figure 1 shows an exemplary and schematic side wall. It depicts a side wall 1 as used in the construction of rail vehicles. The side wall 1 is constructed as a planked lattice structure of frames and bows and has a lower end 2, which is designed for connection to a subframe, and an upper end 3, which is designed for connection to a roof. The illustrated embodiment of a side wall 1 with large door and window openings is typical for a rail vehicle used for local public transport, such as a subway or tram. These large door and window openings weaken the supporting structure of frames and bows despite the door columns 12 integrated into the structure, so a roof longitudinal beam arranged at the upper end 3 ensures the strength of the side wall 1. This roof longitudinal beam is integrated into the side wall 1 and is manufactured simultaneously with the side wall using a differential construction method.

[0017] Fig. 2Figure 1 shows an exemplary and schematic detail of the side wall. It is an oblique view from the inside of a section through a side wall 1 in the area of ​​a door opening. The side wall 1 has a supporting structure consisting of ribs 4 and frames 5, with the frame closest to the door opening serving as the door jamb 12, which is reinforced compared to the frames 5 between them. A sheathing 6 is attached to this supporting structure, which is divided into a first section 7 and a second section 8. The first section 7 is oriented essentially vertically when the side wall 1 is installed, and the second section 8 is angled or curved relative to the first section 7. The second section forms the part of the side wall 1 that represents the transition to a roof and in which a roof beam is arranged as an integral component.The sheathing 6 is made in one piece and connected to the supporting structure by welding. The transition from the first section 7 to the second section 8 occurs without the need for any joining of sheets at this point. A finishing plate 9 is arranged at the upper end 2 of the side wall 1. This plate is permanently connected to the sheathing 6 and extends essentially perpendicularly towards the lower end 2 of the side wall 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the finishing plate 9 is angled so that it has an L-shaped cross-section, with one of the two legs of the finishing plate 9 extending away from the sheathing 6. A connection to a roof can be made at this leg. The space between the finishing plate 9 and the second section 8 of the...

[0018] The sheathing 6 has a plurality of ribs 10 welded into it, connecting the sheathing 6 to the end plate 9 and forming a support structure with a substantially triangular cross-section that extends over the entire length of the side wall and forms a roof beam. The ribs 10 are spaced closer together in areas of increased strength requirements, particularly above the door openings, than in the intervening sections. This roof beam is open at the bottom, allowing for easy implementation of corrosion protection measures and providing space for installation, e.g., for pipes and cables. In the illustrated embodiment, further reinforcement is provided in the area of ​​the door openings. Reinforcing plates 13 are welded between the uppermost rib 14 and the sheathing 6. These components, in their interaction, form a hollow beam with a triangular cross-section.Further reinforcement is provided by means of a strike plate 11, which is arranged on both sides of the door opening between the uppermost bow 14 and the bow 4 below it, and which is welded to the bows 4 and 14, the adjacent frame 5, and the door jamb 12. This strike plate 11 is arranged essentially parallel to the sheathing 6 in this area and distributes the forces acting in the area of ​​the door opening into the remaining side wall, thus reducing stress concentrations in this area. The ribs 10 are designed as flat sheets, which are either bent on one side or provided with a welded-on flange. This bending or the flange serves to reduce the stress concentration at the connection points with the end plate 9 and the uppermost frame 14, respectively.

[0019] Fig. 3This shows an exemplary and schematic cross-section through a side wall. It is side wall 1 from Fig. 2 The section perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the side wall 1 is shown. The shape of the ribs 10 and the arrangement of the reinforcing plates 13 are visible. It is also evident that the flange of the ribs 10 transitions into the horizontal section of the end plate 9, thus reducing stress concentrations at this point as well. The sheathing 6 is divided into sections of varying thickness, with a thinner section 15 inserted at points of lower strength requirements, thereby reducing the mass of the side wall.

[0020] Furthermore, it is evident that the sheathing 6 has an area with a greater material thickness than the other areas. These thickened areas are used along the length of the side wall wherever the stresses are correspondingly high.

[0021] Fig. 4 Figure 1 shows an exemplary and schematic view of a side wall from the outside. It is an oblique view from the outside of a side wall, as shown in the preceding figures, but without sheathing. In this illustration, the arrangement of the reinforcing plates 13, starting from the uppermost frame member 14, is clearly visible. The arrangement of the closing plate 11 in relation to the supporting structure of frame members and ribs is also clearly recognizable, with a substantially cuboid cavity extending between the sheathing and the closing plate 11. The welded-in ribs 10, reinforcing plates 13, as well as frame members and ribs are equipped with recesses that reduce the mass of the side wall 1 and provide better accessibility for the application of a surface coating. List of designations

[0022] 1 Side wall 2 Side wall lower end 3 Side wall upper end 4 Bow 5 Frame 6 Sheathing 7 Sheathing first section 8 Sheathing second section 9 End plate 10 Rib 11 Strike plate 12 Door jamb 13 Reinforcing plate 14 Top bow 15 Sheathing thinner section

Claims

1. Side wall (1) for a rail vehicle in differential construction, designed for fastening the lower end (2) to an underframe and the upper end (3) to a roof, comprising a grid-form network of crossrails (4) and frames (5) and a cladding (6) of said grid-form network, wherein the cladding (6) is produced as a single piece and comprises a vertical first section (7) and a second section (8) which is arranged at the upper end (3) of the side wall (1) and is angled or bent relative to the first section (7), and a cover plate (9) which is oriented substantially vertically in the installed position of the side wall (1) is connected to the cladding (6) at the upper end of the second section (8), and a plurality of ribs (10) which are distributed along the longitudinal extent of the side wall (1) are welded into the intermediate space between the upper section of the cladding (6) and the cover plate (9), characterised in that provision is made for a closing plate (11) which is aligned substantially parallel to the first section (7) of the cladding (6) and extends between two adjacent frames (5) and between the uppermost crossrail and a crossrail below this, and is welded to these structural elements.

2. Side wall (1) for a rail vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that one of the two frames (5) is embodied as a door pillar (12).

3. Side wall (1) for a rail vehicle according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the ribs (10) are embodied as flat plates with an edge bend at one side of their perimeter.

4. Side wall (1) for a rail vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the cover plate (9) has an L-form cross section, wherein one of the two limbs of the cover plate (9) extends away from the cladding (6).

5. Side wall (1) for a rail vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that at least one reinforcing plate (13) is arranged between an uppermost crossrail (14) and the upper section of the cladding (6) and is welded to these structural elements.

6. Rail vehicle comprising a side wall (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5.

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