Rail Vehicle Air Conditioning Duct Segments with Marked Cladding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing air conditioning ducts in rail vehicles require complex and time-consuming adjustments to achieve the desired air outlet pattern, as they have limited accessibility and precise requirements for energy distribution, making series production challenging due to the need for manual counting and precise opening/closing of air outlet openings.

Innovation Solution

The air conditioning duct features elongated holes as air outlet openings on cladding elements, which can be easily modified and marked for assembly, allowing for simplified adjustability and assembly by using prefabricated partial air outlet patterns and screw connections, enabling easier implementation of the air outlet pattern along the duct's length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional air outlet openings are used in climate ducts, then precise air outlet pattern can be achieved, but assembly becomes time-consuming and complex due to manual counting and selective closing of openings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair outlet pattern precisionVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cladding elements are pre-marked with indication marks during manufacturing that correspond to specific air outlet openings. This preliminary action eliminates the need for technicians to manually count and identify which openings to close during assembly, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining precise air outlet patterns. The markings are applied in advance to guide the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses visual indication marks (color coding or symbolic markings) on the cladding elements to differentiate between air outlet openings that should remain open and those that should be closed. This visual guidance system allows assembly technicians to quickly identify the correct pattern without complex counting or measurement, improving both speed and accuracy of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple air outlet openings are provided per climate duct segment, then better air distribution pattern can be achieved, but adjustability becomes more difficult due to limited accessibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair outlet pattern flexibilityVSAvoidadjustability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The climate duct is divided into multiple climate duct segments, each with its own cladding element that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows technicians to work on one segment at a time with clear accessibility, while the overall system achieves complex air distribution patterns through the combination of multiple segments. Each segment's cladding element can be removed and repositioned independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cladding elements are pre-configured with specific air outlet patterns and marked during manufacturing to indicate which openings should be closed. This preliminary configuration reduces on-site adjustment work, making the system adaptable to different vehicle projects without requiring complex manual adjustments during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If climate duct is customized for each vehicle project, then precise climate comfort standards can be met, but production time and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclimate comfort complianceVSAvoidcalibration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Cladding elements are pre-marked with indication marks during manufacturing that specify the air outlet pattern required for different vehicle projects. This preliminary preparation allows the same standardized cladding elements to be used across multiple vehicle projects with different climate requirements, eliminating the need for time-consuming custom calibration for each vehicle while maintaining compliance with specific climate comfort standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The climate duct system uses standardized climate duct segments with universally applicable cladding elements that can be configured for different vehicle projects through selective closing of pre-marked air outlet openings. This universal design allows a single cladding element type to serve multiple vehicle projects with different climate requirements, reducing production time and complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3507163B1Air-conditioning duct and passenger transport vehicle equipped therewith
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 SIEMENS MOBILITY GMBH
  • EP3507163B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3507163B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3507163B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an air-conditioning duct for laying in the form of a floor air-conditioning duct which extends in the longitudinal direction of a passenger transport vehicle and has a series of air outlet openings over its longitudinal extent for realizing a predetermined air outlet pattern, wherein the air-conditioning duct is at least partially constructed from air-conditioning duct segments (1, Seg1, Seg2, Seg3, Seg4) which are connected to one another and each have a main body (2, 21, 22, 23, 24), which has at least one elongate recess (3, 31, 32, 33, 34) running in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a covering element (4, 41, 42, 43, 44), which is matched to the at least one recess (3, 31, 32, 33, 34), is connectable releasably to the main body (2, 21, 22, 23, 24) and has some of the series of the air outlet openings over its longitudinal extent.