Frangible Shunt Link for Railcar Current Collector

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electrically powered systems, such as transit railcars, mechanical or structural failures of the collector shoe assembly can lead to damage to the fuse assembly and the railcar truck due to broken components being dragged, as they remain tethered to the railcar.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a frangible shunt link assembly that mechanically or structurally breaks to disconnect the current collector from the fuse assembly in case of a failure, preventing further damage by allowing the collector to separate completely and avoiding the dragging of broken components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hard-wired connection is used to connect the collector shoe assembly to the fuse assembly, then the electrical connection is reliable and stable, but the fuse assembly and railcar truck are vulnerable to damage when mechanical failure occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoiddamage to fuse assembly and railcar truck

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hard-wired connection is divided into two segments: a frangible link segment that can break and a rigid connection segment that remains intact. The frangible link is positioned between the collector shoe assembly and the fuse assembly, allowing the electrical connection to be segmented such that only the frangible portion fails during mechanical failure, while the fuse assembly remains protected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible link serves as an intermediary element between the collector shoe assembly and the fuse assembly. It mediates the force transmission during mechanical failure by breaking first, thereby protecting the fuse assembly from the harmful effects of dragging forces while maintaining electrical connectivity during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the collector shoe assembly is mechanically connected to the railcar, then the assembly remains tethered and can be recovered, but broken portions drag along the ground causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical connection stabilityVSAvoiddragging damage to railcar truck

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The frangible link is pre-configured with a breaking point that will fail before the main mechanical connection fails. This preliminary action ensures that when mechanical failure occurs, the frangible link breaks first to prevent the collector shoe assembly from dragging, while the main mechanical connection to the railcar remains intact for recovery purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible link is designed as a disposable, sacrificial component that is intended to break and be replaced. It is made from materials and designed with geometry that ensure it will fail under excessive force, serving as a cheap protective measure that sacrifices itself to protect more expensive components like the fuse assembly and railcar truck.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS11522305B2Frangible shunt link and assembly

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 TRANSTECH OF SOUTH CAROLINA INC

AI summary

A frangible shunt link assembly includes a frangible link configured to conductively couple a current collector coupled with a vehicle and one or more components of the vehicle. The frangible link is configured to break responsive to the current collector being at least partially separated from the vehicle to interrupt a conductive connection between the current collector and the one or more components of the vehicle.