Composite Spring Lever Bogie Kinematics Damping

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bogie designs for rail vehicles face challenges with high weight, complex construction, and inadequate damping properties, leading to increased wear and reduced driving comfort due to the use of multiple parts and limited installation space.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement of a kinematics package with a hollow chamber spring lever, incorporating a damping element, friction covering, and joint bearing, which transfers forces and movements while providing improved damping and weight reduction through a fiber composite construction, specifically using carbon fibers for the spring lever.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If conventional steel bogie designs are used, then structural strength and stability are ensured, but weight increases and installation space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebogie weightVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The spring lever is constructed as a composite structure combining a steel tube profile with plastic coating, integrating the high strength of steel with the damping and corrosion resistance properties of plastic. This composite construction maintains structural strength while reducing overall weight and adding beneficial damping characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If multiple individual parts are used in bogie construction, then functional requirements are met, but device complexity increases and installation space is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring lever integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides spring suspension, incorporates damping through plastic coating, ensures corrosion resistance, and facilitates mounting. This merging of functions reduces the total number of parts and simplifies the bogie construction while improving installation space availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If steel spring levers are used, then mechanical strength is sufficient, but damping properties are inadequate leading to increased wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent wear resistanceVSAvoiddamping deficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The plastic coating on the steel tube profile provides viscous damping to complement the elastic damping of the steel spring lever. This composite damping system reduces vibrations and impacts, thereby decreasing component wear and improving reliability without sacrificing mechanical strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Weight of moving object

If the spring lever is designed as solid steel, then manufacturing is simple, but weight increases and damping properties remain insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring lever weightVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The spring lever uses a steel tube profile instead of solid steel, reducing weight while maintaining structural strength. The plastic coating is applied through conventional processes, adding damping properties without significantly complicating manufacturing. This composite approach achieves weight reduction and improved damping while keeping manufacturing feasible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution achieves enhanced damping properties, reduces component wear, and provides a lightweight, compact design with improved mechanical performance, maintaining the same mechanical properties as conventional steel profiles.

Implementation Method 1

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a kinematics package and a spring lever for a bogie

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

friction covering

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

fiber composite construction, specifically using carbon fibers for the spring lever

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Data Source

PatentEP4263316B1Arrangement of a kinematics assembly and a spring lever for a bogie
Publication Date: 2025.01.29 CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG CO LTD
  • EP4263316B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4263316B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4263316B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The application relates to an arrangement of a kinematics assembly (300) and a spring lever (200) for a bogie, by means of which both advantageous damping properties and also reductions in wear can be achieved due to improved compensation for relative movements of components of the bogie. For this purpose, the kinematics assembly (300) of the arrangement has at least one damping element (306), a friction lining (304) and a pivot bearing (302) and is arranged in regions in the inner volume of at least one hollow chamber of the spring lever (200) which is designed as a hollow chamber profile.