Split Fishplate Rail Joint for Curved Power Rail Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power rail systems for freely steerable heavy work machines face challenges in maintaining a continuous electrical connection due to terrain variations, leading to disconnection issues, especially in modular installations with curvatures and slopes, and existing solutions like the '189 patent are costly and unsuitable for diverse terrain.
Innovation Solution
A fishplate mechanism with grooves and connectors is used to join conductive rail segments, allowing for flexible alignment and stable connection even in curved paths, using a fishplate with grooves and connectors to secure rail segments laterally, ensuring stable electrical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a middle rail segment and wire assembly are used to join rail segments as in the '189 patent, then electrical connection is achieved, but material costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fishplate combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides mechanical joining of rail segments, electrical conductivity through integrated conductive material, and structural support. This eliminates the need for separate middle rail segments and wire assemblies, reducing material costs while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The fishplate serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a mechanical connector, an electrical conductor, and a structural support element. This multi-functionality replaces the need for specialized components like separate wire assemblies and middle rail segments, achieving cost reduction without sacrificing connection reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If power rails are installed as joined segments to accommodate terrain variations, then adaptability to diverse terrain is improved, but connection stability deteriorates due to unexpected position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The fishplate incorporates a flexible connection mechanism that allows for dynamic adjustment of rail segment positions. The conductive material within the fishplate can accommodate slight movements and position changes while maintaining continuous electrical contact, ensuring connection stability even when terrain variations cause unexpected position changes in modular installations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rail segments are joined with parallel rail joints in curved paths, then curvature accommodation is achieved, but the existing joint design becomes unsuitable
Solution Approach 1:
The fishplate design incorporates curved geometry that specifically accommodates parallel rail joints in curved paths. The conductive material and structural configuration are designed to follow the curvature of the rail path, enabling easy installation and reliable electrical connection in curved sections without requiring specialized joint designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular structure supports elevated rail segments for delivering electrical power to a moving work machine, such as a hauler at a mining site. End portions of rail segments having narrower widths than body portions of the rail segments are joined within a split fishplate. Laterally opposing faces within the narrowed end portions form a longitudinal overlap, and connectors underneath the rail segments pull the split fishplate together against the end portions. In arrangements with parallel rails around a curvature, the rail segments are adjusted by sliding so that the longitudinal overlap is larger for rails on an inside of the curvature compared with rails on an outside of the curvature.