Vehicle Cable Support Kit

Abstract

Cable support assembly for vehicle The present invention relates to a cable support assembly (20) for installing a cable network in a vehicle body, said assembly comprising: a wiring slab (22) made of an electrically conductive material, said wiring slab comprising a zone (30) for receiving the cables and a zone (46) for fixing to the vehicle body, said fixing zone comprising a first wall (48) intended to come into contact with the vehicle body. The fixing zone comprises a second wall (40) substantially opposite the first wall, said first and second walls forming a housing (50). The assembly further comprises a decoupling element (26) made of a thermal insulating material, said decoupling element being able to be arranged in the housing between the first and second walls of the fixing zone of the wiring slab. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle cable support assembly

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable support assembly for installing a cable network in a vehicle body, in particular a land vehicle. Said assembly comprises: a wiring slab made of an electrically conductive material, said wiring slab comprising a cable reception area and a zone for fixing to the vehicle body, said fixing area comprising a first wall intended to come into contact with the vehicle body.

[0002] The invention applies particularly to railway vehicles of the train or tram type. A cable support assembly of the aforementioned type is described in particular in document WO2018001890.

[0003] It is necessary for the electrical installations in a railway vehicle to be grounded, which implies electrical continuity between the cable support and the structure of the body. The cable support elements and their fixings are therefore typically made of an electrically conductive material, in particular metallic.

[0004] However, metallic materials are also thermal conductors. At the level of the fixings between the cable supports and the structure of the body, thermal bridges are therefore formed, generating undesirable thermal exchanges with the exterior of the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a cable support assembly having improved thermal decoupling at the level of the fixings to the body.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a cable support assembly of the aforementioned type, in which: the fixing zone comprises a second wall substantially opposite the first wall, said first and second walls forming a housing; and the assembly further comprises at least one decoupling element made of a first thermal insulating material, said at least one decoupling element being capable of being arranged in the housing between the first and second walls of the fixing zone of the wiring slab.

[0007] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the assembly comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0008] - the first wall comprises at least one fixing hole; the assembly comprises further at least one fixing rod capable of passing through the at least one fixing hole to fix the wiring slab to the vehicle body; and the at least one decoupling element comprises a cavity capable of receiving the at least one fixing rod;

[0009] - the at least one decoupling element is formed of at least two separate parts, preferably made from different materials;

[0010] - the wiring slab comprises a third wall connecting the first and second walls, said third wall being formed from an electrically conductive sheet, a thickness of said sheet being less than or equal to 1 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.5 mm;

[0011] - the wiring slab has an internal face opposite the reception area of ​​the cables; and the assembly further comprises an insulation panel made of a second thermal insulating material, said insulation panel being capable of being received against said internal face of the wiring slab.

[0012] The invention further relates to a cable support assembly for installing a cable network, said assembly comprising a land vehicle body and a cable support assembly as described above, the first wall of the wiring slab attachment zone being in contact with the vehicle body, the at least one decoupling element being arranged in the housing between the first and second walls of the attachment zone.

[0013] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the assembly comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0014] - the first wall is fixed to the body by at least one fixing rod, said at least one at least one fixing rod being received in the cavity of said at least one decoupling element;

[0015] - the at least one decoupling element is in contact with both the first and the second walls of the wiring slab;

[0016] - the insulation panel is arranged between the receiving area of ​​the wiring slab and the vehicle body;

[0017] - the insulation panel is in contact with both the internal face of the slab of wiring and vehicle body.

[0018] The invention further relates to a vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising a cable support assembly as described above.

[0019] The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a schematic sectional view of a support assembly of cables according to one embodiment of the invention, produced from a cable support assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0021] [Fig.l] shows a cable support assembly 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. Said assembly 10 is intended for the installation of a network 12 of cables inside a body 14 of a land vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle. rovary.

[0022] The body 14 comprises in particular a structure 16 essentially made of an electrically conductive material such as aluminum. The structure 16 delimits in particular an internal compartment 18 of the body and is in contact with the exterior 19.

[0023] The assembly 10 comprises the box 14 and a cable support assembly 20, assembled to the structure 16 of said box and arranged in the internal compartment 18.

[0024] We consider an orthonormal base (X, Y, Z) associated with the assembly 10. In the remainder of the description, we consider that near the assembly 20, the structure 16 is substantially planar and arranged in a plane (X, Z).

[0025] The assembly 20 comprises: a wiring slab 22; at least one fixing rod 24; at least one thermal decoupling element 26; and preferably an insulation panel 28.

[0026] The wiring slab 22 is formed from an electrically conductive material, for example an aluminum sheet. The wiring slab 22 extends in the X direction, called the longitudinal direction.

[0027] The wiring slab comprises a zone 30 for receiving the cables. In the embodiment shown, the wiring slab 22 comprises a surface 32 substantially arranged in a plane (X, Z) and a plurality of bars 34 projecting from said surface and extending along X. The surface 32 and the bars 34 form a plurality of channels 36 capable of receiving cables or bundles 38 of cables belonging to the network 12.

[0028] In the embodiment shown, the surface 32 forms part of a main wall 40 of the wiring slab 22, said main wall comprising an internal face 42 opposite said surface 32. The main wall 40 is delimited by two edges 44 extending along X.

[0029] The wiring slab 22 further comprises a zone for attachment to the structure 16. More precisely, said wiring slab comprises two portions 46 having an L-shaped section, each of said portions being adjacent to one of the two edges 44 of the main wall 40. The two portions 46 are substantially identical and form the attachment zone.

[0030] Each portion 46 comprises a fixing wall 48, arranged in a plane (X, Z) opposite the internal face 42 of the main wall 40. Preferably, the fixing wall 48 has a small width along Z to limit the heat transfer between the inside and the outside of the box.

[0031] Each portion 46 further comprises a connecting wall 49, adjacent to one of the two edges 44 and connecting the main wall 40 and the fixing wall 48. In the embodiment shown, the connecting wall 49 is arranged in a plane (X, Y).

[0032] Each portion 46, formed by a fixing wall 48 and a connecting wall 49, defines a housing 50 with the main wall, said housing being arranged between the internal face 42 and the fixing wall 48.

[0033] Each fixing wall 48 has at least one orifice 52. In the embodiment shown, each fixing wall 48 comprises a plurality of orifices 52 aligned along X.

[0034] The at least one fixing rod 24 is capable of fixing the wiring slab 22 to the structure 16 by passing through said structure. The fixing rod 24 is for example a screw or a rivet.

[0035] Preferably, the assembly 20 comprises a plurality of fixing rods 24, each of said rods passing through one of the orifices 52 of a fixing wall 48. A first end of each of said rods is arranged at a face of the structure 16 facing the exterior 19 of the box 14. A second end of each of said rods is arranged in one of the housings 50 of the wiring slab 22.

[0036] Alternatively, as visible in the left part of [Fig.l], the fixing wall 48 of at least one portion 46 is fixed to the structure 16 by welding or gluing, preferably with an electrically conductive glue. In this configuration, the fixing orifices 52 are optional.

[0037] The at least one thermal decoupling element 26 is intended to improve the thermal insulation between the wiring slab 22 and the structure 16.

[0038] In the embodiment shown, the assembly 20 comprises a plurality of thermal decoupling elements 26, each of said elements 26 being associated with a fixing rod 24.

[0039] Each thermal decoupling element 26 has a shape adapted to be received in one of the housings 50, around a fixing rod 24. For example, a decoupling element 26 has a substantially parallelepiped shape, extending along Y with a square or rectangular section. Said decoupling element comprises a cavity 54 extending along Y and capable of receiving the associated fixing rod 24.

[0040] Preferably, each thermal decoupling element 26 has a height along Y so that in the assembly 10, said element 26 is in contact with both the main wall 40 and the fixing wall 48 of the wiring slab, for better absorption of mechanical stresses.

[0041] Each thermal decoupling element 26 is made of a thermal insulating material. Said material is for example cork or a composite such as the material marketed under the name MORTON®.

[0042] In the embodiment shown, each thermal decoupling element 26 is formed of at least two separate parts 56, 58, preferably made of separate materials. More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the parts 56, 58 are superimposed along Y. In a variant not shown, said parts are arranged coaxially around the cavity 54.

[0043] In a variant not shown, at least one thermal decoupling element is formed from a single piece.

[0044] The insulation panel 28 is made of a thermal and possibly sound insulating material, such as melamine or glass or rock wool. In the embodiment shown of the assembly 10, the insulation panel 28 is arranged along Y between the main wall 40 of the wiring slab 22 and the structure 16. Preferably, the insulation panel 28 has a height along Y so that in the assembly 10, said panel 28 is in contact with both the main wall 40 and the structure 16, for better absorption of mechanical stresses.

[0045] Furthermore, in the assembly 10, the insulation panel 28 is arranged along Z between the two fixing walls 48.

[0046] In the assembly 10 shown in [Fig.l], the electrical continuity between the wiring slab 22 and the structure 16 is ensured at the interface of the fixing walls 48 and by the fixing rods 24. The limited width of the fixing walls 48 however reduces the heat exchange between said wiring slab 22 and the structure 16.

[0047] Furthermore, the presence of the decoupling elements 26 and the insulation panel 28 between the main wall 40 and the structure 16 stiffens the assembly 10 by absorbing the mechanical stresses.

[0048] It is thus possible to limit the thickness 60 of the aluminum sheet forming the wiring slab 22, in particular at the level of the connecting wall 49.

[0049] Estimates of the thermal resistance of the assembly 10 at the level of the fixing rods 24 were carried out, with several thicknesses 60. The results are indicated below [Table 1]: Thickness 60 (mm) 2.0 1.0 0.5 Thermal resistance of the decoupled fastener (K / W) 1.14 1.73 2.34

[0050] Table 1

[0051] The reduction in the thickness 60 of the sheet metal forming the connecting wall 49, in particular below 1 mm, therefore generates a significant gain in thermal insulation at the level of the fixing rods. Such a reduction in the thickness 60 is only possible due to the presence of the decoupling elements 26 and possibly the panel 28 which stiffen the assembly 10.

[0052] Furthermore, the configuration of the wiring slab 22 in the embodiment shown makes it possible to simplify the shape of the panel 28 compared to existing configurations and to increase the volume occupied by the insulating material of said panel, which improves the thermal and sound insulation at the assembly 10.

Claims

Claims

1. Cable support assembly (20) for installing a network (12) of cables in a vehicle body (14), said assembly comprising: - a wiring slab (22) comprising a zone (30) for receiving the cables and a zone (46) for fixing to the vehicle body, said fixing zone (46) comprising: a first wall (48) intended to come into contact with the vehicle body, and a second wall (40) substantially opposite the first wall, said first and second walls forming a housing (50); and - at least one decoupling element (26) made of a first thermal insulating material, said at least one decoupling element being capable of being arranged in the housing between the first and second walls of the fixing zone of the wiring slab;said assembly being characterized in that: - the wiring slab (22) is made of an electrically conductive material, and the first wall (48) comprises at least one fixing orifice (52); the assembly further comprises at least one fixing rod (24) capable of passing through the at least one fixing orifice to fix the wiring slab to the vehicle body; and the at least one decoupling element comprises a cavity (54) capable of receiving the at least one fixing rod.;

2. Cable support assembly according to claim 1, in which the at least one decoupling element is formed of at least two separate parts (56, 58), preferably made of separate materials.

3. Cable support assembly according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the wiring slab (22) comprises a third wall (49) connecting the first and second walls, said third wall being formed from an electrically conductive sheet, a thickness (60) of said sheet being less than or equal to 1 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

4. Cable support assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: the wiring slab has an internal face (42) opposite the cable receiving area; and the assembly further comprises an insulation panel (28) made of a second thermal insulating material, said insulation panel being capable of being received against said internal face of the wiring slab.

5. A cable support assembly (10) for installing a cable network, said assembly comprising a land vehicle body (14) and a cable support assembly (20) according to one of the preceding claims, the first wall (48) of the wiring slab attachment zone being in contact with the vehicle body and attached to said body, the at least one decoupling element (26) being arranged in the housing (50) between the first and second (40) walls of the attachment zone.

6. A cable support assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first wall (48) is secured to the box by the at least one securing rod (24), said at least one securing rod (24) being received in the cavity (54) of said at least one decoupling element

7. A cable support assembly according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the at least one decoupling element (26) contacts both the first (48) and second (40) walls of the wiring slab.

8. A cable support assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7 taken in combination with claim 4, wherein the insulation panel (28) is disposed between the wiring slab receiving area (30) and the vehicle body (14).

9. Vehicle, in particular railway, comprising a cable support assembly according to one of claims 5 to 8.

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