Rail Vehicle Wheel Sound Absorber with Offset Slotted Plates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sound absorber elements for rail vehicle wheels face a challenge in balancing optimal sound absorption with mechanical durability, as they often compromise on one aspect for the other.

Innovation Solution

The design features a flat layered body with parallel absorber plates having slots that are offset in the plane, ensuring each slot is partially covered by a slot-free area of the adjacent plate, enhancing mechanical stability while allowing for optimized sound-damping properties through various slot arrangements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If slots are introduced in absorber plates to optimize sound absorption, then sound damping properties are improved, but mechanical durability and stability of the slot area deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound absorptionVSAvoidmechanical durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The absorber plates are segmented into slotted regions and slot-free regions, creating a heterogeneous structure where slots provide sound absorption while solid regions provide mechanical strength. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of acoustic performance and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the absorber plate have different properties: slotted regions optimize sound absorption while slot-free regions maintain mechanical stability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functions to different parts of the same component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If absorber plates are made solid to improve mechanical durability, then mechanical stability is improved, but sound absorption performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoidsound absorption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The plate is divided into solid and slotted sections, allowing the solid portions to provide mechanical stability while the slotted portions provide sound absorption. This segmentation enables both requirements to be met simultaneously in different regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The structure transitions from uniform solid material to a composite structure with locally differentiated properties, where slot-free areas provide mechanical strength and slotted areas provide acoustic damping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-generated harmful factors

If slots are made deep and numerous to maximize sound absorption, then sound damping is improved, but structural strength and resistance to deformation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound dampingVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the entire plate deeply slotted, only specific regions are slotted while other regions remain solid. This partial action approach achieves sufficient sound absorption without compromising overall structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Slots are concentrated in specific local regions where sound absorption is most needed, while other regions maintain full structural integrity. This localized slotting optimizes the strength-to-absorption ratio.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 configuration achieves both effective sound absorption and improved mechanical durability by preventing slot area deformation and allowing for customizable slot profiles, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the sound absorber elements.

Implementation Method 1

a flat layered body made of at least two parallel absorber plates (8a, 8b) with a damping layer (10) lying between them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP1892122B1Sound absorbing element and sound absorber for a rail vehicle wheel and wheel equipped with the same
Publication Date: 2009.08.05 GUTEHOFFNUNGSHUTTE RADSATZ
  • EP1892122B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1892122B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1892122B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The sound absorber element (2) for body sound attenuation in a a rail vehicle wheel (1) comprises at least two parallel absorber plates of which at least one is divided into tongue-like sections by at least one slit covered at least partially by another slit-free absorber plate. Independent claims are also included for: (A) a body sound absorber made up of such absorber elements for rail vehicle wheels; (B) a rail vehicle wheel with such body sound absorbers.