Rail Vehicle Wheel Set Bearing Sensor Unit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor-equipped wheel set bearing units for rail vehicles face issues with unreliable electrical connections due to dust and water ingress, mechanical damage, and time-consuming maintenance procedures, particularly under harsh operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A plug-in connection-free, one-piece sensor unit design with a die-cast sensor module and hollow cylinder flange part that can be inserted through a radial bore in the axle bearing housing, featuring a centering pin and elastomer rings for secure attachment and protection against mechanical damage, ensuring a permanent and secure electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If plug connectors are used for the sensor unit, then the sensor module can be easily installed and removed, but the electrical connection becomes unreliable due to dust and water ingress under harsh operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor module, data transmission cable, and connecting piece into a single integrated plug-in unit. This combination eliminates separate plug connectors that are vulnerable to dust and water ingress, while maintaining the ease of installation and removal through the unified plug-in design. The integrated structure ensures that the electrical connection remains reliable under harsh operating conditions.
2Reliability
If a fixed installation of the sensor unit is used, then the electrical connection is secure, but the maintenance work becomes time-consuming due to difficulty in removing the sensor module
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic design where the sensor module can be easily inserted and removed from the axle bearing housing through a radial bore. The plug-in unit features a connecting piece with a hollow cylinder that allows the data transmission cable to pass through, enabling quick removal during maintenance while maintaining secure electrical connection during operation. This dynamic approach balances connection stability with maintenance accessibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a thin-walled data transmission cable is used, then the cable is flexible and easy to route, but the cable becomes vulnerable to mechanical damage from stone chips and other external factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hollow cylinder formed as an integral part of the connecting piece, which serves as a protective sheath for the data transmission cable. This cylindrical protection extends from the sensor module through the flange part to the connection to the electronic processor unit, shielding the cable from mechanical damage by stone chips and other external factors while maintaining cable flexibility for easy routing.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rail vehicle wheel set bearing unit (1) which is equipped with sensors and which is formed essentially by an axle bearing for a rotating axle (2), a fixed axle bearing housing (3) which surrounds the axle bearing, and by a sensor unit (4) for monitoring the state of the axle bearing. The axle bearing is composed here of at least one concurrently rotating component which is mounted on the rotating axle (2) and one stationary component which is mounted in the fixed axle bearing housing (3), and is sealed axially from the outside by at least one sealing unit (5) with a sealing ring (6) which is attached to the stationary part of the axle bearing and on the outside of which a sensor module (7) which is in contact with a plurality of signal transmitter elements on the axle bearing is mounted, said sensor module (7) essentially forming the sensor unit (4), together with a data transmission cable (8) and a connecting element (9) connecting to an electronic processor unit. According to the invention, the sensor unit (4) is embodied as a single-piece mounting unit which is free of plug-type connections and whose sensor module (7) can be introduced into the axle bearing housing (3) through said axle bearing housing (3) during mounting, and said sensor unit (4) can be secured to the wheel set bearing unit (1) with permanently reliable contacts by means of a flange component (10) which is arranged between the sensor module (7) and the connecting element (9) on the axle bearing housing (3).