Bellows Fold Reinforcement for Sound-Insulated Vehicle Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bellows systems fail to provide effective sound insulation in transitions between vehicle carriages or passenger boarding bridges and aircraft, despite successfully shielding against environmental influences.
Innovation Solution
The bellows design incorporates reinforcing sections along the narrow sides of folds or waves, with these sections having a greater thickness than normal sections, arranged to optimize sound insulation without increasing the overall material thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional bellows are used to shield against environmental influences, then weather protection is achieved, but sound insulation remains ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows structure incorporates reinforcing sections with increased material thickness at specific locations (apex regions of folds or waves) rather than uniformly throughout. These localized thickened sections provide enhanced sound insulation and damping properties where acoustic waves naturally concentrate, while maintaining thin material thickness in other areas to preserve flexibility and movement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows employs a composite structure combining material regions of different thicknesses within a single continuous element. The elastomer-coated carrier material is configured with varying thickness - thin in flexible regions and thickened in reinforcing sections - creating a composite material system that simultaneously provides flexibility for movement and enhanced acoustic insulation where needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If material thickness is increased throughout the bellows to improve sound insulation, then acoustic performance improves, but material expenditure and structural weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows structure incorporates reinforcing sections with increased material thickness at specific locations (apex regions of folds or waves) rather than uniformly throughout. These localized thickened sections provide enhanced sound insulation and damping properties where acoustic waves naturally concentrate, while maintaining thin material thickness in other areas to preserve flexibility and movement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying material thickness uniformly across the entire bellows structure, the invention applies thickening only partially - specifically at the apex regions of folds or waves where acoustic damping is most needed. This partial action achieves effective sound insulation with minimal material expenditure, avoiding the excess material use that would result from uniform thickening.
3Quantity of substance
If the bellows structure is made thinner to reduce material use, then material expenditure decreases, but sound insulation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows structure incorporates reinforcing sections with increased material thickness at specific locations (apex regions of folds or waves) rather than uniformly throughout. These localized thickened sections provide enhanced sound insulation and damping properties where acoustic waves naturally concentrate, while maintaining thin material thickness in other areas to preserve flexibility and movement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material thickness parameter selectively across different regions of the bellows. The elastomer-coated carrier material transitions from a base thickness to a increased thickness in reinforcing sections, and potentially varies thickness along the longitudinal direction. This parameter change optimizes the balance between material expenditure and sound insulation effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves significant sound insulation and damping with minimal material expenditure, enhancing the acoustic performance of the bellows while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
An elastomer-coated carrier material is used as the material for the fold or wave
Implementation Method 2
effective sound insulation in the area of a transition protected by the bellows remains a challenge
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a bellows (1, 1') as transition protection for a transition (4) between two movably connected car bodies (3) of a multi-section vehicle or a passenger boarding bridge, wherein the bellows (1, 1') has a roof (7) and two opposing side parts (8, 9), wherein at least the two side parts (8, 9) each have a plurality of folds (15) or waves (18) with a flexible, web-shaped material (16), wherein each of the folds (15) or waves (18) has a narrow side (13) and a long side (12), wherein two abutting folds (15) or waves (18) are connected to each other along one of their long sides (12), wherein at least one of the folds (15) or waves (18) has at least one reinforcing section (23) and at least two normal sections (24), wherein the reinforcing section (23) has a thickness greater than the thickness of the two normal sections (24),wherein the reinforcing section (23) has a narrow side (13) and a long side (12), wherein the long side (12) of the reinforcing section (23) extends substantially in the direction of the long side (12) of the fold (15) or wave (18), and wherein the extent of the narrow side (13) of the reinforcing section (23) is at most 75% of the extent of the narrow side (23) of the fold (15) or wave (18).