Rail Vehicle Collision Absorption Structure for Lightweight 36 km/h Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional urban rail vehicle collision energy absorbing structures are inadequate for higher collision speeds without increasing production costs or compromising the vehicle's lightweight target, and they fail to integrate with powered car train-set couplers during operations.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body collision energy absorbing structure with a front-end energy absorbing module mounted on a hermetic partition wall, symmetrically deviating towards the vehicle's center line, and a middle shearing coupler with anti-climber to absorb energy, eliminating the need for alignment and additional reinforcement, thus maintaining lightweight design and enhancing safety to 36 km/h.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the collision energy absorbing structure of the powered car train-set is directly used for urban rail vehicles, then collision safety at 36 km/h can be met, but the vehicle body strength must be increased to 1500kN which increases production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the energy absorbing module specifically at the front-end of the vehicle body where collision impacts occur. The module is mounted on the hermetic partition wall rather than requiring overall vehicle body strengthening, concentrating the energy absorption function where it is most needed while maintaining the original vehicle body strength specifications of 1200kN.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the collision energy absorption function into a separate, independent module that can be mounted on the hermetic partition wall. This modular approach allows the energy absorption capability to be added without redesigning or strengthening the entire vehicle body structure, thereby reducing production costs while achieving 36 km/h collision safety.
2Reliability
If the powered car train-set energy absorbing structure is used, then collision safety at 36 km/h is achieved, but the coupler head cannot be coupled with traditional urban rail vehicle couplers during party-line operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing the front-end energy absorbing module to work compatibly with both powered car train-set couplers and traditional urban rail vehicle couplers. The module is positioned and configured to allow party-line operation between different vehicle types, enabling the same energy absorption structure to serve multiple coupling scenarios without compromising compatibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional urban rail vehicle energy absorbing structure is used, then production cost and vehicle body strength are maintained, but collision safety speed is limited below 36 km/h
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the energy absorbing module on the hermetic partition wall in the front-end of the vehicle body before collision occurs. The module is pre-configured with the necessary structural properties and mounting position to absorb collision energy effectively at 36 km/h, eliminating the need for costly vehicle body strengthening while achieving the required safety speed.
4Stability of the object's composition
If energy absorbing modules are mounted symmetrically on both sides, then structural balance is improved, but alignment during collision becomes critical and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by mounting only a single front-end energy absorbing module on the hermetic partition wall rather than symmetric modules on both sides. This asymmetric configuration eliminates the alignment complexity between multiple modules during collision, simplifying the device while maintaining structural balance through the module's positioning and design.
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 structure achieves improved collision safety performance by maintaining the vehicle's lightweight target and structural strength, integrating with existing urban rail vehicle platforms, and increasing collision safety speed to 36 km/h while reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a front-end energy absorbing module (3) mounted on a hermetic partition wall (4) of the vehicle body
Implementation Method 2
a middle shearing coupler (10) with anti-climber (12) to absorb energy
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A vehicle body collision energy absorption structure, comprising a front end collision energy absorption structure mounted at the front end of a head vehicle and a middle end collision energy absorption structure mounted at an end of a middle vehicle (14); the front end collision energy absorption structure comprises an airtight partition wall (4) connected to both a framework and a skin of driver's cab, a front end coupler (1) arranged below the airtight partition wall (4) along a central line of the vehicle body, front end anti-creepers (2) symmetrically distributed at two sides of the central line of the vehicle body and located below the airtight partition wall (4), and a front end energy absorption module (3), the front end energy absorption module (3) being mounted on the airtight partition wall (4) at a side deviating to the central line of the vehicle body; and the middle end collision energy absorption structure comprises a middle breakable coupler (10) mounted below a chassis, middle energy absorption modules (11) mounted at two sides of an end wall of the middle vehicle (14), and middle anti-creepers (12) located below the middle energy absorption modules (11) and corresponding to positions of side beams, wherein the length of the middle energy absorption modules (11) extends along the height direction of the end wall where the middle energy absorption modules are located. A rail vehicle, comprising a vehicle body collision energy absorption structure mounted at the head end of a vehicle body. Said structure can be used to improve the safety performance during vehicle collision while the existing urban rail vehicle platform remains unchanged.