Cooling fan for railway vehicles

Abstract

We provide cooling fans for railway vehicles that enable efficient maintenance. [Solution] The cooling fan 11 of the embodiment of the present invention includes a motor 1, a fan 3 rotatably connected to the motor 1, and a case 2 housing the fan 3. The case 2 includes a first part 2a connected to a railway vehicle 12, and a second part 2b detachably connected to the first part 2a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a cooling blower for railway vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Parts constituting a cooling blower for railway vehicles deteriorate due to long-term use. In the maintenance of a cooling blower for railway vehicles, deteriorated parts are replaced. However, the cooling blower for railway vehicles is attached so as to hang under the floor of the railway vehicle. In conventional cooling blowers, during maintenance, the entire cooling blower is removed from the railway vehicle using a lift or the like, and then attached to the railway vehicle again. Therefore, a long time is required for maintenance.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Provide a cooling blower for railway vehicles that enables efficient maintenance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The cooling blower for railway vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a motor, a fan rotatably connected to the motor, and a case that houses the fan. The case includes a first part connected to the railway vehicle and a second part detachably connected to the first part.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1]This is a side view of a cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the case of a cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side view of a modified example of the case in the cooling fan for railway vehicles according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a side view of another modified case in the cooling fan for railway vehicles according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0008] The terms used to specify shapes, geometric conditions such as "parallel" and "orthogonal," and values ​​of lengths and angles are not interpreted strictly, but rather within a range that allows for the expectation of similar functionality.

[0009] Directions common to multiple drawings are indicated by arrows with a common reference number in each drawing. In each illustrated direction, the tip of the arrow is the first side, and the opposite side, i.e., the base of the arrow, is the second side. The first side in directions perpendicular to the drawings is indicated by a symbol of a circle with a dot inside.

[0010] Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating a cooling fan 11 according to one embodiment. The cooling fan 11 is connected to a railway vehicle 12. The cooling fan 11 may also be referred to as a cooling fan 11 for a railway vehicle.

[0011] In Figure 1, the cooling fan 11 is connected to the underside of the railway vehicle 12 via vibration-damping rubber 10. In other words, the cooling fan 11 is suspended from the railway vehicle 12 via vibration-damping rubber 10. The vibration-damping rubber 10 in Figure 1 can suppress the transmission of vibrations from the cooling fan 11 to the railway vehicle 12, and from the railway vehicle 12 to the cooling fan 11. By suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the cooling fan 11 to the railway vehicle 12, the deterioration of the ride comfort of the railway vehicle 12 due to vibrations of the cooling fan 11 can be suppressed. By suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the railway vehicle 12 to the cooling fan 11, the durability of the cooling fan 11 can be improved.

[0012] The cooling fan 11 in Figure 1 includes a motor 1, a fan 3 rotatably connected to the motor 1, and a case 2 housing the fan 3. Figure 1 is a view of the cooling fan 11 from the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis As of the fan 3. Hereinafter, the rotation axis As will also be simply referred to as axis As. In a railway vehicle 12 on a roadbed, the rotation axis As may be parallel to the direction of the sleepers or parallel to the direction of the tracks. The motor 1, case 2, fan 3, and their components are the parts that constitute the cooling fan 11.

[0013] The cooling fan 11 in Figures 1 and 2 has an air intake 4 and an air outlet 5. The cooling fan 11 takes in air from the air intake 4 by the rotation of the fan 3. The cooling fan 11 supplies air to the outside from the air outlet 5 by the rotation of the fan 3. The air supplied from the air outlet 5 is used to cool the object to be cooled. The object to be cooled may be electrical equipment included in the railway vehicle 12. The railway vehicle 12 may include one or more of the following electrical equipment: a converter, a control device, and an electric motor.

[0014] The cooling fan 11 in Figure 1 further includes a motor support 6 that supports the motor 1. The motor support 6 is located between the motor 1 and the railway vehicle 12. The motor support 6 is connected to both the motor 1 and the railway vehicle 12. The motor support 6 may be integrated with the case 2. The motor support 6, together with the case 2, may be constructed from a combination of metal plates.

[0015] The motor 1 in Figure 1 supplies the driving force for the rotation of the fan 3. The motor 1 in Figure 1 includes a shaft member 1s that rotates about axis As, a housing 1h that houses the shaft member 1s, and a bearing 1b positioned between the shaft member 1s and the housing 1h. The shaft member 1s is rotatably connected to the housing 1h via the bearing 1b. The motor 1 in Figure 1 supplies the driving force for rotation to the fan 3 by being connected to the fan 3 at the shaft member 1s.

[0016] In Figure 1, the motor 1 is connected to the case 2 and the motor support 6 within the housing 1h. The motor 1 may also be connected to the case 2 and the motor support 6 by bolts. The housing 1h may be made of metal.

[0017] The cooling fan 11 in Figure 1 further includes a filter 7 that constitutes the air intake 4. The illustrated filter 7 extends into the housing space 2s of the case 2. The housing space 2s is the space that houses the fan 3. The filter 7 prevents foreign matter such as dust from flowing into the case 2. By preventing foreign matter from flowing into the case 2, the durability of the cooling fan 11, including the motor 1 and fan 3, can be improved.

[0018] The fan 3 in Figure 1 is housed in case 2. The fan 3 is connected to the filter 7 in an axial direction DA parallel to the axis As. The fan 3 may also be connected to the filter 7 so as to be rotatable about the axis As. The fan 3 is located between the motor 1 and the filter 7 in the axial direction DA. The fan 3 is located within the housing space 2s of case 2. The fan 3 opens radially perpendicular to the axis As.

[0019] When fan 3 rotates, air from outside the cooling fan 11 flows into fan 3 from the intake port 4. The air flows radially from the inside to the outside due to the rotation of fan 3. In other words, the air flows radially away from the axis of rotation As due to the rotation of fan 3. The air flows out of fan 3 and is discharged outside the cooling fan 11 from the outlet port 5.

[0020] The cooling blower 11 in FIG. 1 may be connected to a duct (not shown) at the air outlet 5. In the illustrated cooling blower 11, a later-described first portion 2a of the case 2 has the air outlet 5.

[0021] The case 2 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a substantially cylindrical member that houses the fan 3. The case 2 may be referred to as a fan case. The illustrated case 2 is divided into a plurality of portions. Specifically, the illustrated case 2 includes a first portion 2a and a second portion 2b. The illustrated first portion 2a and second portion 2b are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction of the railway vehicle 12. Each of the first portion 2a and the second portion 2b constitutes a part of the accommodation space 2s.

[0022] The first portion 2a shown in FIG. 2 is open downward in a state of being connected to the railway vehicle 12. The illustrated second portion 2b is open upward. The downward opening of the first portion 2a and the upward opening of the second portion 2b are blocked by connecting the second portion 2b to the first portion 2a.

[0023] The case 2 in FIG. 2 is connected to the railway vehicle 12 at the first portion 2a. The second portion 2b is detachably connected to the first portion 2a. That is, by removing the second portion 2b, it becomes possible to access the fan 3 without removing the first portion 2a. By the second portion 2b being detachably connected to the first portion 2a, the illustrated case 2 can be switched between a state where the accommodation space 2s is closed and a state where the accommodation space 2s is open.

[0024] In the case 2 of FIG. 2, the first portion 2a has a flange portion 2fa. Also, the second portion 2b has a flange portion 2fb. When the second portion 2b is connected to the first portion 2a, as shown in FIG. 2, the first portion 2a and the second portion 2b may contact each other at the flange portions 2fa, 2fb.

[0025] The second part 2b in Figure 2 is connected to the first part 2a by bolts B and nuts N located outside the housing space 2s. The illustrated second part 2b can be removed from the first part 2a by removing bolts B and nuts N.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, Case 2 may be provided with multiple through holes 2h for the shaft portion of bolt B to pass through. In Figure 1, two through holes 2h aligned in the axial direction DA are observed in each of the first portion 2a and the second portion 2b. The illustrated multiple through holes 2h are provided in the flange portion 2fa of the first portion 2a and the flange portion 2fb of the second portion 2b. The bolt B passes through the through holes 2h in its shaft portion. The through holes 2h may also be referred to as bolt through holes 2h.

[0027] Unlike the example in Figure 2, the nut N may be omitted. The bolt B may connect the first part 2a and the second part 2b by engaging with a threaded hole provided in the through hole 2h of the first part 2a or the second part 2b.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the case 2 may be provided with multiple through holes 2hh for connecting the filter 7 to the case 2. The through holes 2hh may also be referred to as filter connection holes 2hh. The filter 7 may be connected to the case 2 by bolts passing through the through holes 2hh, as shown in Figure 1. The illustrated multiple through holes 2hh are spaced apart in the circumferential direction centered on axis As.

[0029] Case 2 in Figures 1 and 2 is provided with a through-hole 2hc through which the filter 7 can pass. The illustrated through-hole 2hc includes a portion provided in the first part 2a and a portion provided in the second part 2b. The filter 7 in Figure 1 extends into the containment space 2s by passing through the through-hole 2hc. The filter 7 is connected to the fan 3 in the containment space 2s. When the fan 3 rotates, air flows into the containment space 2s by passing through the filter 7.

[0030] The operation of the cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be explained.

[0031] The components of a cooling fan for railway vehicles deteriorate with prolonged use. For example, in a cooling fan that includes a motor, a fan rotatably connected to the motor, and a case housing the fan, the motor's bearings may deteriorate due to wear. The motor may include bearings, a shaft member, and a housing, as described above with reference to Figure 1. The bearing rotatably supports the shaft member connected to the fan relative to the housing. The motor's bearings may wear down due to the rotational movement of the shaft member and the fan. In the bearing, for example, the rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer rings may wear down.

[0032] Deteriorated parts can be replaced during maintenance of railway vehicle cooling fans. However, conventional railway vehicle cooling fans require the removal and reinstallation of numerous components during maintenance. For example, maintenance of a conventional cooling fan requires the removal and reinstallation of the motor, case, and fan. In other words, maintenance of a conventional cooling fan requires the removal and reinstallation of the entire cooling fan. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, maintenance of a cooling fan located at the bottom of a railway vehicle requires the operation of a lift to hold the cooling fan in its removed state. As a result, conventional railway vehicle cooling fans can require a long time for maintenance.

[0033] In contrast, in the cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2, the case 2 includes a first part 2a connected to the railway vehicle 12 and a second part 2b detachably connected to the first part 2a. In the illustrated cooling fan 11, by disconnecting the connection between the first part 2a and the second part 2b, the case 2 can expose the housing space 2s to the outside while maintaining the state in which the first part 2a is connected to the railway vehicle 12. Specifically, the illustrated second part 2b can be removed from the first part 2a while maintaining the state in which the first part 2a is connected to the railway vehicle 12 by removing the nut N and bolt B.

[0034] The cooling fan 11 in Figures 1 and 2 allows for the removal of the fan 3 and the motor 1 bearing 1b while the first part 2a is connected to the railway vehicle 12, by exposing the housing space 2s to the outside. In the illustrated cooling fan 11, the motor 1 bearing 1b can be replaced while the motor 1 housing 1h, motor support part 6, and vibration damping rubber 10 connected to the first part 2a are connected to the railway vehicle 12.

[0035] The cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 reduces the number of parts that need to be removed during maintenance. Furthermore, compared to conventional cooling fans that require the removal and reinstallation of the entire fan, the illustrated cooling fan 11 eliminates the need for lift operation during maintenance. Therefore, the illustrated cooling fan 11 enables more efficient maintenance compared to conventional cooling fans for railway vehicles.

[0036] The cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a motor support 6 positioned between the railway vehicle 12 and the motor 1. The motor support 6 is integrated with the first portion 2a of the case 2. According to the illustrated cooling fan 11, the motor support 6 can move the motor 1 downwards relative to the railway vehicle 12. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations generated in the motor 1 to the railway vehicle 12. Furthermore, because the motor support 6 is integrated with the first portion 2a, it is not necessary to remove the motor support 6 from the railway vehicle 12 during maintenance of the cooling fan 11. Therefore, the illustrated cooling fan 11 can improve the ride comfort of the railway vehicle 12 and reduce the time required for maintenance.

[0037] In the cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first part 2a has an outlet 5 for the cooling fan 11. According to the illustrated cooling fan 11, the above-mentioned maintenance can be performed while the cooling fan 11 remains connected to a duct (not shown) at the outlet 5. Therefore, the time required for maintenance can be further reduced.

[0038] In the embodiment described above, the cooling fan 11 includes a motor 1, a fan 3 rotatably connected to the motor 1, and a case 2 housing the fan 3. The case 2 includes a first part 2a connected to the railway vehicle 12 and a second part 2b detachably connected to the first part 2a. With the first part 2a connected to the railway vehicle 12, the housing space 2s of the case 2 can be exposed to the outside. This allows for efficient replacement of components constituting the cooling fan 11 in the exposed housing space 2s during maintenance of the cooling fan 11. Therefore, the cooling fan 11 enables more efficient maintenance compared to conventional cooling fans for railway vehicles.

[0039] Next, a modified example of the cooling fan 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be described. In the following description and the drawings used therein, parts that can be configured in the same way as in Figures 1 and 2 will be given the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above-described specific example, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0040] In the case 2 of the cooling fan 11 described above, the first part 2a and the second part 2b were restricted from moving relative to each other by a bolt B and a nut N. However, the first part 2a and the second part 2b are not limited to this, and their movement relative to each other may also be restricted by a clamp C, as shown in Figure 3. The illustrated clamp C pushes one flange portion of the first part 2a and the second part 2b toward the other flange portion of the first part 2a and the second part 2b. By using the clamp C, the through hole 2h described above can be omitted in the first part 2a and the second part 2b. Note that the means for restricting the movement of the first part 2a and the second part 2b relative to each other may also be the combination of the bolt B, nut N, and clamp C described above.

[0041] In the case 2 of the cooling fan 11 described above, the second part 2b was removable from the first part 2a by removing the bolt B and nut N. However, the second part 2b may be pivotably connected to the first part 2a as shown in Figure 4. The illustrated second part 2b is connected to the first part 2a via a hinge H. By being connected to the first part 2a via the hinge H, the second part 2b is pivotably connected to the first part 2a about an axis SP parallel to the axial direction DA described above. In case 2 of Figure 4, the second part 2b, which is detachable from the first part 2a, is restricted from being removed from the first part 2a. The second part 2b, which is detachably connected to the first part 2a, does not have to be detachable from the first part 2a as long as the housing space 2s can be exposed to the outside. By pivotably connecting the second part 2b to the first part 2a, the time required for the process of exposing the housing space 2s to the outside can be shortened. Furthermore, the first part 2a and the second part 2b of Figure 4 close off the storage space 2s with the clamp C described above, which is not shown in Figure 4.

[0042] While several embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1: Motor, 2: Case, 2a: First part, 2b: Second part, 3: Fan, 4: Intake port, 5: Outlet, 6: Motor support, 7: Filter, 10: Vibration damping rubber, 11: Cooling fan, 12: Railway vehicle

Claims

1. Motor and, A fan rotatably connected to the motor, A case for housing the aforementioned fan, The case comprises a first part connected to a railway vehicle and a second part detachably connected to the first part, wherein the case is a cooling fan for a railway vehicle.

2. The system further comprises a motor support portion positioned between the railway vehicle and the motor, The motor support portion is integrated with the first portion, as described in claim 1, for a cooling blower for a railway vehicle.

3. The first part comprises a cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first part has an outlet.

4. The cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second part is detachably connected to the first part by bolts.

5. The cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second part is detachably connected to the first part by a clamp.

6. The cooling fan for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second part is pivotably connected to the first part.

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