Diamond Crossing Locking Mechanism with Removable Access Cover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance and inspection of diamond crossings for central rail-guided vehicles are complicated due to the compact nature of the mechanical, control, and locking systems, which are required to be non-intrusive in the vehicle's path, and the rotating shaft of the central panel is difficult to access for these tasks.
Innovation Solution
A compact operating and locking mechanism that mechanically fixes the moving part of the diamond crossing in its end positions, integrating with the drive motor and allowing easy accessibility for maintenance, inspection, and assembly, while preventing involuntary movement and ensuring safety by locking the guide wheels in correct positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mechanical system is made compact to not invade the vehicle's path area, then safety is improved, but maintenance and inspection accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A removable access cover is introduced as an intermediary element that allows maintenance personnel to access the locking mechanism and rotating shaft when needed, while keeping the system compact and safe during normal operation. The cover acts as a mediator between the compact design requirement and the maintenance accessibility requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is segmented into a main body and a removable access cover portion. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a compact footprint during operation while providing easy access to internal components for maintenance and inspection by simply removing the cover.
2Area of stationary object
If the locking mechanism is integrated compactly with the drive motor, then the system footprint is reduced, but accessibility for maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The removable access cover serves as an intermediary that provides access to the integrated locking mechanism and drive motor assembly. This allows the components to remain compactly integrated during operation while enabling maintenance personnel to access them when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The access cover is designed to be removable from the outset, providing preliminary prepared access paths to the integrated components. This preliminary design consideration ensures that maintenance accessibility is built into the compact integrated structure without requiring disassembly of the entire system.
3Volume of moving object
If the rotating shaft is positioned below the central panel for compactness, then the mechanism size is reduced, but accessibility for inspection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The removable access cover acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the compact positioning of the rotating shaft below the central panel and the need for inspection accessibility. By removing the cover, inspectors can access the shaft without requiring it to be positioned in a more accessible location.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of positioning the rotating shaft in a location that is accessible from the top surface, the shaft is positioned in the vertical dimension below the central panel. The removable cover provides access through the vertical dimension, allowing compact horizontal positioning while maintaining accessibility through a different spatial dimension.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an operating and locking mechanism for diamond crossings of central rail-guided vehicles, comprising:a sliding plate (2A) fixed to a fixed part (2) of the diamond crossing forming a channel in its central area in the direction of the X axis,a guide block (10) fixed to the sliding plate (2A) comprising four guide grooves (10A, 10B, 10C, 10D) in the form of circular sectors located on the main plane of the guide block (10), the geometric center of which coincides with a theoretical pivoting point (17) of a moving panel (6) of the diamond crossing, where the sliding plate (2A) and the guide block (10) form a rectangular section groove (2F) the axis of which is parallel to the direction of the X axis,four shafts (12A, 12B, 13A, 13B) fixed to the moving panel (6) symmetrically with respect to a guide rail (7) of said moving panel (6) and perpendicular to the main plane of the moving panel (6), comprising respective rollers (12E, 12F, 13E, 13F) that can be moved and rolled respectively within the guide grooves (10A, 10B, 10C, 10D), anda cam plate (14) sliding in the longitudinal direction within the groove (2F) formed by the sliding plate (2A) and the guide block (10).