Adjustable Balise Mounting Device for Railway Track Installation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic train protection systems, such as SCMT and ERTMS, have limited flexibility in installing balises for temporary railway worksites or anomalous situations, requiring precise and strong fastening to ensure safety and information transmission.

Innovation Solution

A mounting device for a pair of balises that includes a collapsible structure with telescopic tubular members and adjustable fastening elements, allowing for flexible installation on railway sleepers, enabling quick setup and transportation, and accommodating varying sleeper distances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional mounting methods (holes and bolts or binding strips) are used to fix balises to sleepers, then strong fastening is achieved, but installation flexibility and ease of transportation are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening strengthVSAvoidinstallation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting device is divided into separate modular components: a mounting base that attaches to the sleeper, support legs that extend to support the balise, and fastening elements. This segmentation allows the device to be transported in disassembled state for ease of transportation, then assembled on-site for flexible installation at various locations along the railway track.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting device incorporates adjustable support legs with telescopic sections that can be extended or retracted to accommodate different sleeper distances and track configurations. This dynamic adjustment capability provides installation flexibility while maintaining strong fastening through the adjustable fastening elements that can be positioned optimally for each specific installation scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If balises are installed at predetermined locations with fixed spacing, then system standardization is achieved, but adaptability to temporary worksites and anomalous situations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to temporary worksitesVSAvoidmounting device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting device features telescopic support legs with adjustable lengths that can be extended or retracted to accommodate varying distances between sleepers at temporary worksites or anomalous locations. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same mounting device to be used across different installation scenarios without requiring custom-made fixtures for each location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting device is designed as a universal solution that can be applied to various railway track configurations and sleeper types. The standardized mounting base combined with adjustable support legs creates a multi-functional device that handles both permanent installations at predetermined locations and temporary installations at worksites, eliminating the need for multiple specialized mounting solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If precise installation accuracy is required for balises, then information transmission reliability is improved, but installation time and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation accuracyVSAvoidinstallation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting device incorporates pre-marked alignment features and guide elements on the mounting base and support legs that indicate the correct positioning for the balise. These preliminary alignment markers allow installers to quickly achieve the required installation accuracy without complex measurement procedures, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting device includes self-aligning features where the geometry of the support legs and mounting base automatically positions the balise at the correct orientation and spacing once the legs are extended to the appropriate length. This self-service alignment mechanism reduces the need for manual measurement and adjustment, simplifying the installation process while ensuring precise placement for reliable information transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2828137B1Mounting device for mounting a pair of balises to a railway track and system comprising said device
Publication Date: 2015.12.30 ECM SPA
  • EP2828137B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2828137B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2828137B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention describes a mounting device (10; 110) for mounting a pair of balises (11A, 11B; 11C, 11D) to the sleepers (Tl, T2) of a track (T_R) of a railway line or similar. The mounting device comprises a first support base (12A) for supporting a first balise (11A) of said pair, and first fastening elements (13A) associated with the first support base (12A) to fix the mounting device (10, 110) to a first sleeper (Tl) of said track (T_R). The mounting device is characterised in that it comprises : - a second support base (12B) to support a second balise (11B) of said pair; second fastening elements (13B) associated with the second support base (12B) to fix the mounting device (10; 110) to a second sleeper (T2) of said track (T_R) that is situated a given distance from the first sleeper (Tl); and mechanical connection elements (15, 115) arranged between said first and second support base (12A, 12B); the distance between the first and second fastening elements (13A, 13B) being selectively modifiable.