Grooved Rail Switch S-Joint for Smooth Wheel Transition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing monobloc grooved rail switch devices face issues with wheel transition wear and comfort due to abrupt joints, and oblique joints lead to material breakage and increased maintenance needs.

Innovation Solution

An S-shaped joint is introduced to connect the switch rail and connecting rail, providing a low-wear, stable wheel transition with a two-part bearing surface, and a friction-locked connection using wedge elements, allowing for easy rail exchange and material selection flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a butt joint is used to connect the switch rail and connecting rail, then the mechanical connection is simple, but the wheel transition causes abrupt transitions leading to wear and poor travel comfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical connection simplicityVSAvoidwheel wear and travel comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies an S-shaped joint design with curved transition sections instead of straight butt joints. The S-shape includes a first curved section and a second curved section that provide gradual wheel transition, eliminating abrupt edges that cause wear and discomfort while maintaining mechanical connection simplicity through standardized curved components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If an oblique joint is used to connect the switch rail and connecting rail, then the wheel transition is improved, but the tips of the rails are prone to breaking requiring frequent maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel transition qualityVSAvoidrail tip durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The S-shaped joint uses curved transition sections with rounded profiles instead of oblique joints with sharp tips. The curved geometry distributes stresses along the entire S-shaped contact surface, preventing stress concentration at rail tips that leads to breaking, while maintaining smooth wheel transition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extends the connection from a simple linear or planar joint to a three-dimensional S-shaped configuration with both horizontal and vertical curvature components. This multi-dimensional approach provides a larger contact area and more gradual transition, improving both wheel comfort and rail durability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If the switch rail and connecting rail are mechanically connected with pointed edges, then the connection is secure, but the pointed edges are susceptible to damage and wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection securityVSAvoidedge wear and material damage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The S-shaped joint replaces pointed edges with curved surfaces that have continuous radii. The rounded geometry eliminates stress concentration points while maintaining connection security through the extended S-shaped contact area that distributes loads more evenly across the joint interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11473247B2Switch device

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 VOESTALPINE BWG GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A grooved rail switch device (10) having a switch rail (12), the switch device having a monobloc design and comprising at least one stock rail (14), a junction rail (18) and a switch rail support (23), and the switch rail (12) and the junction rail (18) being mechanically interconnected. The switch rail (12) and the junction rail (18) merge into each other by means of a joint (20) that is S-shaped in the horizontal section.