Rail Fastening Support Bracket with Segmented Through-Opening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rail fastening systems on solid roadways face challenges in achieving precise alignment of components, particularly the guide plate and support bracket, which is critical for reliable lateral support and preventing abrasive wear, especially in mass operations where accuracy is hard to maintain.

Innovation Solution

The support bracket features a through-opening that allows for loose insertion of the fastening element, enabling preassembly and precise positioning, with a locking piece for secure fixation, ensuring operational reliability through a form-fit connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a through-opening with tight fit is used for the fastening element, then precise alignment of the guide plate and support bracket is achieved, but assembly difficulty increases and mass operations become time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The through-opening is segmented into two functional zones: a loose insertion portion that facilitates easy assembly and a locking portion that ensures precise final positioning. This segmentation allows the fastening element to be inserted freely while still achieving accurate alignment through the locking mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The loose insertion portion of the through-opening enables preliminary positioning of the fastening element without requiring precise alignment during insertion. The precise alignment is then achieved in a second step through the locking portion, separating the insertion action from the alignment action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If a loose through-opening is used for the fastening element, then assembly ease is improved, but alignment precision and operational reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The through-opening is divided into a loose insertion zone and a locking zone. The locking zone contains locking elements (such as protrusions or form-fit features) that engage with corresponding features on the guide plate or support bracket to ensure precise alignment after the loose insertion phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking elements within the through-opening act as an intermediary mechanism that transitions the fastening element from a loose, easily inserted state to a precisely aligned, operationally reliable state. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction between ease of assembly and alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If traditional fastening elements are used without locking mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but operational reliability and lateral support stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening structure complexityVSAvoidlateral support stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking elements are merged into the through-opening structure itself, rather than being separate components. This integration maintains operational reliability by ensuring stable lateral support while minimizing device complexity by avoiding additional separate locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking elements are designed to automatically engage and secure the fastening element in the correct position without requiring additional adjustment or separate locking actions. The through-opening's locking portion self-secures the fastening element, ensuring reliability while keeping the system simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 design ensures operationally reliable lateral support of rails with increased tolerance in component positioning, reducing abrasive wear and simplifying assembly processes in mass operations.

Implementation Method 1

a spring element which is supported on the guide plate and has at least one spring arm which is intended to have an elastic holding force to exercise the foot of the rail

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2229479B1Support for a rail fastening system and rail fastening system
Publication Date: 2013.11.27 VOSSLOH WERKE GMBH
  • EP2229479B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2229479B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a support for a system (1) for fastening a rail (2) on an underlying surface (3), comprising a support angle (14) having a base section (23) with a contact surface (23a) associated with the respective underlying surface (3), a supporting section (22) placed on the base section (23), said supporting section having a contact surface (21) on its free front side where the rail (2) is to be fastened, and a passage opening (29) formed into the base section (23) for passing through a fastening element (17, 19) used for the fixation of the support angle (14) on the underlying surface (3). According to the invention, the passage opening (29) comprises in at least one direction parallel to the contact surface (23a) an overdimension in relation to the circumference of the part (19) of the fastening element (17, 18), which, in the mounted state, is placed in the passage opening. Furthermore, an additional stop piece (15, 16) that cooperates with the fastening element (19) is provided for fixing the support angle (14) in a respective relative position of the fastening element (17, 18) and the support angle, obtained by a relative displacement.