Elastic Coupling for Direct Rail Drive Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rail vehicle traction motors typically operate at higher speeds than wheels, requiring a transmission to adapt speeds, but advances in electric motors and inverters allow for operation at lower speeds, necessitating a direct coupling solution to compensate for relative movements between motors and wheels without a gearbox.
Innovation Solution
A drive assembly featuring an elastic coupling that directly connects the motor to the wheel set shaft or rail vehicle wheel, using elastic devices and flanges to ensure coaxial alignment and compensate for relative movements, allowing for a direct drive without a transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a transmission is used to adapt motor speed to wheel speed, then speed adaptation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the transmission component entirely from the drive assembly, directly coupling the motor to the wheel set shaft. This extraction of the transmission eliminates the associated complexity while relying on modern motor control capabilities to achieve the necessary speed adaptation through inverter technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical transmission system with an electrical control system (inverter) that adjusts motor speed electronically. This substitution eliminates mechanical gears and belts, reducing device complexity while maintaining speed adaptability through electronic control.
2Device complexity
If direct coupling between motor and wheel set is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but relative movements between motor and wheel set cause misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an elastic coupling as an intermediary element between the motor and the wheel set shaft. This elastic coupling accommodates relative movements and maintains coaxial alignment without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, thus preserving both simplicity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an elastic coupling that changes its physical parameters (flexibility, damping characteristics) to accommodate relative movements between the motor and wheel set. This allows the system to maintain stable coaxial alignment despite operational displacements or vibrations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If elastic coupling is used to compensate for relative movements, then alignment stability is maintained, but device complexity increases compared to rigid coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an elastic coupling composed of flexible elements that can deform to accommodate relative movements. This flexible approach maintains coaxial alignment without requiring complex rigid adjustment mechanisms, achieving stability with minimal added complexity.
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
Enables direct driving of rail vehicle wheels or wheel sets by motors while compensating for relative movements, eliminating the need for a gearbox and maintaining efficiency and stability through the use of elastic couplings and fiber-reinforced articulating devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one elastic coupling that has at least one elastic device, wherein the at least one elastic coupling is embodied to couple the at least one motor directly to the wheel set shaft or directly to the at least one rail vehicle wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A drive assembly is provided for a rail vehicle, having at least one motor, at least one wheel set shaft or at least one rail vehicle wheel, and at least one elastic coupling that has at least one elastic device, wherein the at least one elastic coupling is embodied to couple the at least one motor directly to the wheel set shaft or directly to the at least one rail vehicle wheel.