Rail Vehicle Interface Arrangement Reducing Coupling Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and complexity of electrical contact couplings in rail vehicles due to project-specific designs and the need for multiple EMC line categories, leading to increased costs and mechanical robustness demands.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a standardized interface arrangement using data bus cabling to connect coupling contacts, reducing the number of coupling contacts and cable types, and utilizing uniform data bus cabling to simplify the electrical contact coupling and interface, allowing for cost-effective design while maintaining EMC compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If project-specific designs are used for electrical contact couplings, then specific requirements can be met, but costs and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a standardized data bus coupling contact design that can serve multiple communication functions (data transmission, signal exchange, voice communication) across different train applications. This single universal interface replaces multiple project-specific designs, reducing the number of variants while maintaining the ability to meet specific requirements through software configuration rather than hardware variation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple EMC line categories are used for different cable types, then electromagnetic compatibility is ensured, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple EMC line categories into a single standardized data bus coupling interface. By consolidating data, signal, and voice transmission into one unified coupling contact design with integrated shielding and grounding, the system maintains EMC compliance while eliminating the need for separate cable types for different communication purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized data bus coupling contact acts as an intermediary that handles EMC requirements centrally. It provides integrated shielding, grounding, and filtering functions that protect all communication signals (data, signals, voice) simultaneously, replacing the need for multiple specialized cable types with different EMC properties.
3Adaptability or versatility
If many coupling contacts and cable types are used, then specific transmission requirements are met, but maintainability and diagnostic capability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized data bus coupling contact provides universal multi-functionality for data, signal, and voice transmission through a single interface design. This uniformity across all applications makes maintenance and diagnostics straightforward, as technicians only need to learn one interface type and its associated troubleshooting procedures, rather than multiple project-specific designs.
4Strength
If traditional electrical contact couplings are used, then mechanical robustness is achieved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based electrical coupling with a standardized data bus coupling system that uses optimized electrical contacts integrated into a compact housing. This substitution reduces weight while maintaining mechanical robustness through improved structural design and material selection in the coupling housing and contact mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an interface arrangement (1) for data, signal and/or voice transmission between two adjacent vehicle bodies (A, B) of a multiple-element vehicle, in particular a rail-guided vehicle. The interface arrangement (1) has an electrical contact coupling (10), which is associated with a first vehicle body (A), having at least one coupling plane-side coupling contact (2.1, 2.4) for data, signal and/or voice transmission to a mating electrical contact coupling (10') of a second vehicle body (B) which is adjacent to the first vehicle body (A). In order to design the interface arrangement (1) to be particularly cost-effective, without losing the ability to be designed for specific projects, it is provided, according to the invention, that the at least one coupling plane-side coupling contact (2.1, 2.4) is connected to a vehicle body-side coupling contact (4) of an electrical coupling/train interface (5) solely by means of a data bus cabling arrangement.