Convertible Rail Vehicle Floor Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rail vehicles are often designed for specific purposes and platform levels, leading to inefficiencies and economic disadvantages when switching between different standard platform levels, resulting in unused vehicles and safety concerns due to inadequate door configurations for non-existent platform levels.
Innovation Solution
A rail vehicle design with a travel area floor at an intermediate level between two standard platform levels, allowing for adaptable transition devices to facilitate step-free entry across varying platform heights, enabling economical and safe operation across different route networks with minimal modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rail vehicles are designed for a specific standard platform level, then the entry area can be optimized for step-free entry at that level, but the vehicle cannot be economically used on route networks with different platform levels
Solution Approach 1:
The floor level in the travel area is set to be changeable between a first level and a second level, allowing the vehicle to adapt dynamically to different standard platform levels. This dynamic adjustment enables the vehicle to maintain step-free entry capability while serving multiple route networks with different platform heights
Solution Approach 2:
The entry area is designed with dual functionality to serve both a first standard platform level and a second standard platform level. By providing a changeable floor level and configurable transition devices, the vehicle becomes universal and can be economically deployed across different route networks without remaining unused
2Adaptability or versatility
If generic rail vehicles with entrances at both low-floor and high-floor areas are used, then adaptability to different platform levels is improved, but transport capacity is lost and passenger flow is poorer
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing static entrances at both low and high levels simultaneously, the invention uses a dynamic floor level that can be positioned at either the first level or the second level. This ensures that only the necessary entrance configuration is active at any given time, maintaining full transport capacity while adapting to the required platform level
Solution Approach 2:
The entry area is configured with local quality variations - the floor level and transition devices are adapted specifically to match the required standard platform level for each operational context, rather than providing uniform dual-level access points that would reduce transport efficiency
3Adaptability or versatility
If the floor in the travel area is at an intermediate level, then adaptability to different platform levels is improved, but transition devices are required to overcome height differences
Solution Approach 1:
The transition from the intermediate level to the standard entry level is achieved through segmented transition devices such as ramps or steps that can be configured in the entry area. This segmentation allows the height difference to be overcome in manageable increments while maintaining a compact design suitable for tight spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate level in the travel area serves as a mediator between the two standard platform levels. By positioning the travel area floor at this intermediate height, the vehicle creates a compromise level that minimizes the height difference to be overcome by transition devices while maintaining adaptability to both platform levels
Data Source
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AI summary
Rail vehicle having a superstructure (102, 202) which has an interior space (103, 203) with a floor (104, 204) and at least one entry door (105.1, 105.2; 205.1, 205.2), wherein the interior space has a travel region and an entry region, the entry door is arranged in the entry region (103.1, 203.2), the floor has a first level in the travel region and a second level in the region of the entry door, said second level being different from the first level. The second level is a first standard entry level for an essentially stepless entry from a first standard platform level, whereas the first level is an intermediate level between the second level and a third level. The third level is a second standard entry level for an essentially stepless entry from a second standard platform level, wherein the first standard platform level is directly adjacent to the second standard platform level.