Rail Vehicle Central Buffer Coupling Shearing Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing central buffer couplings for rail-mounted vehicles require external shearing elements to disconnect the coupling shaft from the power flow during extreme impacts, which is complex and costly, and necessitates large openings in the car body's fixing plate for mounting, limiting their application.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a shock absorber within the drawgear that disengages the connection between the drawgear and coupling shaft upon exceeding a critical impact force, allowing the coupling shaft to be removed from the power flow without external shearing elements, enabling direct mounting from the front side of the fixing plate and minimizing structural modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external shearing elements are used to disconnect the coupling shaft during extreme impacts, then energy absorption reliability is improved, but device complexity and mounting complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy absorption reliabilityVSAvoidmounting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the shearing function directly into the drawgear structure by providing a bearing bracket with a predefined breaking point, eliminating the need for separate external shearing elements. The bearing bracket itself becomes the shearing element, combining the mounting function and the energy absorption function into a single integrated component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the shearing function from external elements and relocates it to the bearing bracket structure. The bearing bracket is designed with a predefined breaking point that serves as the shearing location, allowing the coupling shaft to be disconnected from the power flow during extreme impacts without requiring external shearing elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If external shearing elements are used for mounting the bearing bracket, then energy absorption is improved, but the required opening size in the fixing plate increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy absorptionVSAvoidopening size in fixing plate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the shearing function into the bearing bracket structure, allowing the bearing bracket to be mounted directly to the fixing plate without requiring large openings for external shearing elements. The bearing bracket itself provides the shearing capability through its predefined breaking point.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the bearing bracket is affixed from the back side with external shearing elements, then energy absorption reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy absorption reliabilityVSAvoidmounting ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the mounting approach by allowing the bearing bracket to be affixed from the front side of the fixing plate rather than from the back side. This inversion simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for complex back-side mounting operations and large openings, while the bearing bracket still provides the shearing function through its integrated breaking point.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This solution enhances energy absorption reliability and simplifies the mounting process by eliminating the need for external shearing elements and large openings, ensuring maximum calculable energy absorption during impacts while maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

The objective is the absorption of energy by means of elastic deformation and thus avoiding overstressing of the underframe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the drawgear can comprise a bearing bracket with a tension/shock device, whereby the tension/shock device elastically routes tractive and compressive forces up to a defined magnitude through the bearing bracket to the vehicle underframe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic cushioning: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7552830B2Central buffer coupling for rail-mounted vehicles

Publication Date: 2009.06.30 TAKEDA PHARMA CO LTD

AI summary

A central buffer coupling for rail-mounted vehicles has a coupling shaft (1) and a drawgear (2) comprising a bearing bracket (4), whereby the rear end (3) of the coupling shaft (1) is connected to the drawgear (2) and coupled to the car body of the rail vehicle via the bearing bracket (4) of the drawgear (2) so as to be horizontally pivotable. The drawgear (2) includes a shock absorber (5, 8), wherein the shock absorber (5, 8) is configured such that upon the exceeding of a definable critical impact force being transmitted through the coupling shaft (1) to the drawgear (2), the connection between the drawgear (2) and the coupling shaft (1) is disengaged and the coupling shaft (1) is at least partially removed from the power flow transmitted to the drawgear (2).