Railway Bogie Frame Cross Beam Bracket Mounting via Butt Weld

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bogie frames for railway vehicles face challenges in welding workability and design flexibility for mounting brackets, leading to reduced fatigue strength and inefficient welding processes, as well as limited ability to accommodate different functional part positions due to the use of multiple steel plates and round pipe cross beams.

Innovation Solution

A bogie frame design featuring a cross beam with a rectangular cross section, including a top plate section, a bottom plate section, and side plate sections, with cutout openings for mounting brackets that are joined via butt welding, allowing for longer, straight weld lines and increased design flexibility by modifying the sizes and shapes of the mounting brackets and cutout openings to suit individual railway vehicle specifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If mounting brackets are formed of multiple steel plates welded together and welded to round pipe cross beams, then the brackets can be mounted to conventional bogie frames, but the weld zones have reduced fatigue strength and welding workability is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue strength of mounting bracketVSAvoidwelding workability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is divided into a first bracket body portion and a second bracket body portion that are separately formed and then joined together through welding. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity and fatigue resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket is designed with nested structural portions where the first and second bracket body portions are positioned within or alongside each other, creating a compact configuration that optimizes space utilization and structural efficiency within the bogie frame constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If mounting brackets are welded to the outer peripheral surface of round pipe cross beams, then the brackets can be attached to the cross beams, but the weld lines become short and curved reducing welding efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of mounting bracket attachmentVSAvoidwelding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of welding the mounting bracket to the outer peripheral surface of the round pipe cross beam, the invention inverts the approach by positioning the bracket portions at the end surface of the cross beam, allowing for longer, straighter weld lines that improve welding efficiency and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the cross beam uses a round pipe configuration, then the conventional bogie frame structure is maintained, but the design flexibility for mounting functional parts at different positions is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrity of cross beamVSAvoiddesign flexibility for functional part positions
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is designed with multi-functional capability, where the first and second bracket body portions can accommodate different types of functional parts (traction motors, gearboxes, brakes) at various positions on the cross beam, making the bogie frame adaptable to different railway vehicle specifications.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket design incorporates dynamic adaptability through its segmented structure, allowing the bracket configuration to be optimized for different mounting positions and functional requirements while maintaining structural integrity of the round pipe cross beam.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2883778B1Bogie frame for railway vehicles
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
  • EP2883778B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2883778B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4(b)
  • EP2883778B1 patent drawingFigure 5(a)~5(b)

AI summary

A bogie frame for railway vehicles includes: a pair of left and right side beams disposed along a direction of rails; a cross beam that connects the side beams to each other; and a mounting bracket for mounting a functional part, the mounting bracket being joined to the cross beam, wherein the cross beam has a rectangular cross section and includes a top plate section, a bottom plate section, and a pair of side plate sections; the top plate section has a cutout opening extending to one of the side plate sections; the mounting bracket is inserted in the cutout opening; and the mounting bracket and the top plate section are joined together by butt welding. This configuration enhances welding workability for welding mounting brackets for mounting functional parts such as a traction motor, a gearbox, and a brake, and allows a greater degree of design flexibility for the positions where functional parts are mounted.