Rail Vehicle Floor Joint Strength via Steel Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rail vehicles with different floor heights face challenges in connecting high-floor and low-floor areas due to reduced strength values at joints and weld seams, particularly in aluminum extruded profiles, requiring a strong and rigid connection with minimal material usage.
Innovation Solution
A rail vehicle design featuring a central longitudinal member and floor element indirectly welded with an intermediate element that bridges the height difference, using weld seams along the longitudinal direction to enhance strength, and optionally incorporating intermediate plates for tolerance compensation and reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If aluminum extruded profiles are used for the car body, then manufacturing ease and weight reduction are improved, but joint and weld seam strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A steel intermediate element is introduced between the aluminum extruded profiles to bridge the height difference between high-floor and low-floor areas. This intermediate element serves as a mediator that provides high-strength connection capabilities, compensating for the reduced strength of aluminum weld seams while maintaining the lightweight aluminum car body structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection structure combines aluminum extruded profiles with a steel intermediate element, creating a composite material system. The steel intermediate element provides high strength for load-bearing connections, while the aluminum profiles maintain lightweight characteristics, achieving both ease of manufacture and sufficient joint strength.
2Strength
If weld seams are arranged transversely to connect high-floor and low-floor areas, then connection strength is improved, but stress on welds during operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The orientation parameter of the weld seams is changed from transverse to longitudinal arrangement. This parameter change allows the weld seams to align with the primary stress directions during vehicle operation, reducing weld stress while maintaining connection strength through the steel intermediate element.
3Device complexity
If direct welding is used to connect central longitudinal member and floor element, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steel intermediate element acts as a mediator that simplifies the connection structure between the central longitudinal member and floor element. By providing a standardized intermediate component, the system reduces overall device complexity while the intermediate element's design accommodates tolerance variations, reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
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 provides a surprisingly high level of strength in the connection between the central longitudinal beam and floor element, minimizing material usage and allowing for efficient tolerance compensation, while reducing stress on welds during vehicle operation.
Implementation Method 1
a connection between a central longitudinal member (20) arranged in a high-floor area (11) and a floor element (30) arranged in a low-floor area (12) has been achieved with a surprisingly high level of strength by means of at least one weld seam (100), which extends along or at least also along the longitudinal direction (L) of the vehicle
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle (10), comprising a higher floor region (11, 13) and a lower floor region (12) which is at a lower level than the higher floor region (11, 13). According to the invention, a centre sill (20, 21) located in the higher floor region (11, 13) and a floor element (30) located in the lower floor region (12) are directly or indirectly welded by means of at least one weld seam (100) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L) of the vehicle, or at least also in said direction.