Device Carrier for Automatic Vehicle Coupling Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for assembling and maintaining coupling heads for automatic vehicle coupling require significant effort due to individual mounting of components, making the process laborious and complex.
Innovation Solution
A device carrier is introduced that pre-assembles necessary components such as valves, actuating mechanisms, and terminal boxes, allowing for disconnectable mounting on the coupling head, simplifying assembly and maintenance by consolidating connections into fewer lines and cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If components are individually mounted on the coupling head framework, then each component can be positioned at its respective location, but assembly and maintenance require great effort and are extremely laborious
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual mounting brackets and components are merged into a single device carrier that can be mounted as one unit on the coupling head framework. This consolidates numerous individual mounting operations into a single assembly step, dramatically reducing assembly effort while maintaining the functional complexity of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The device carrier is designed as a separable module that can be independently mounted and removed from the coupling head framework. This segmentation allows the entire assembly of components to be installed as one unit, simplifying both assembly and maintenance operations without permanently fixing components to the framework.
2Ease of repair
If components are individually mounted on the coupling head, then full functioning is ensured, but reassembling components for maintenance is extremely laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The device carrier is designed as a removable module that can be easily detached from the coupling head framework as a complete unit. This allows all components mounted on the device carrier to be accessed and maintained together without requiring individual disassembly, significantly reducing maintenance time and effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The device carrier is pre-assembled with all necessary components (valves, actuators, terminal boxes) before being mounted on the coupling head. This preliminary assembly ensures that all components are properly positioned and connected before installation, eliminating the need for complex on-site assembly during maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If multiple mounting brackets are provided at different locations, then individual fixing is achieved, but the number of mounting elements increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual mounting brackets distributed at different locations are replaced by a single device carrier that incorporates all mounting functions. This single carrier is secured to the coupling head framework with fewer mounting elements while providing reliable fixation for all components through its integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling head with a device carrier for the automatic coupling of couplable vehicles is disclosed, wherein the device carrier comprises a plurality of the components necessary for realizing the automatic coupling and/or decoupling. In order to enable assembly/disassembly of these components on the coupling head which is as simple as possible, the device carrier is disconnectably mounted on the coupling head such that at least one of the components will be activated or deactivated during the coupling and/or decoupling. Also disclosed is a method for assembling a coupling head with a device carrier which comprises a plurality of components necessary for realizing the automatic coupling and/or decoupling.