Rail Vehicle Antenna Guide Part for Waveguide Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rail vehicle data transmission systems face challenges in reliable and efficient data transfer, particularly during transitions between different rail sections, where misalignment and vibrations can lead to interference and antenna displacement.

Innovation Solution

A slotted waveguide system with a U-shaped guide part made of electrically insulating material, featuring leg sections with increasing wall thickness and a central wall section, ensures the antenna remains within the permissible range, using a threading aid with decreasing clear width to facilitate smooth transitions and reduce friction, allowing for continuous data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the antenna is allowed to move freely in the slotted waveguide, then the threading process is simpler, but the antenna may displace due to vibrations or misalignments leading to data transmission errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethreading processVSAvoiddata transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide part acts as an intermediary component between the antenna and the slotted waveguide. It features a receiving area that guides the antenna during threading and leg sections that contact the wall section to provide lateral guidance, ensuring the antenna remains properly positioned without requiring complex threading procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide part is designed to automatically guide and center the antenna during the threading process through its geometric shape. The receiving area and leg sections work together to self-align the antenna within the slotted waveguide without requiring external alignment tools or complex procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of manufacture

If the guide part has a constant clear width, then manufacturing is simpler, but the threading process becomes difficult and may cause antenna damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide part productionVSAvoidthreading process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide part features variable wall thickness along its length, creating different clear widths in different zones. The clear width is larger in the receiving area to facilitate easy threading, and smaller in the leg section areas to provide precise lateral guidance. This local variation in geometry optimizes both threading ease and guidance precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If the wall thickness of the guide part is uniform, then production is simpler, but the guidance precision and friction characteristics are suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide part productionVSAvoidguidance precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide part has non-uniform wall thickness distributed along its length. The wall thickness increases in specific zones to provide structural support and precise guidance where needed, while being thinner in other zones to reduce friction during the threading process. This local variation optimizes both manufacturing precision and operational performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

The solution enables reliable, low-error data transmission by maintaining the antenna within the slotted waveguide, preventing damage and interference, while allowing for simple and gentle threading and production, even under vibrations or misalignments.

Implementation Method 1

a slotted waveguide system with a U-shaped guide part... ensures the antenna remains within the permissible range... allowing for continuous data transmission

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWaveguide: Waveguide

Data Source

PatentEP2994953B1Installation comprising a rail vehicle that can be moved along a rail section, in particular along a rail part
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 SEW EURODRIVE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2994953B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2994953B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2994953B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an installation comprising a rail vehicle that can be moved along a rail section, wherein the installation has a first installation part and a second installation part that can be displaced relative to the first installation part, wherein a rail part of the first installation part and a rail part of the second installation part can be brought into alignment, in particular in a first relative displacement position, wherein both installation parts each have a slot waveguide, wherein at least one feed-in part is arranged between the two slot waveguides, in particular feed-in parts that are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner to each other in the rail direction, wherein a guide part is fastened by means of a spring element to the rail vehicle, in particular to the body of the rail vehicle, to which guide part an antenna is connected, wherein the guide part can be delimited by the feed-in part in a transverse direction to the rail direction, in particular when the region covered by the guide rail in the rail direction overlaps with the region covered by the feed-in part in the rail direction.