Railcar Bogie Frame Coupling for Position Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing bogie designs face challenges in achieving high accuracy due to integrated attaching portions, which restrict adjustability and lead to significant dimension errors during assembly, requiring skilled labor for precise production.

Innovation Solution

The bogie design incorporates a coupling device with a separately formed second member that projects from the bogie frame and is positioned using a fitting portion, allowing for horizontal adjustment and reducing accumulated dimension errors, enabling easier and more accurate assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the attaching portion is formed integrally with the side sill by welding, then the structural strength and rigidity are improved, but the position adjustability is lost and accumulated dimension errors cannot be corrected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidposition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The attaching portion is divided into two separate components: the side sill and the attaching portion itself. These are connected through a coupling device rather than being integrally welded, allowing independent positioning and adjustment of each component to eliminate accumulated dimension errors while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A coupling device acts as an intermediary between the side sill and the attaching portion. This coupling device includes positioning features that enable precise adjustment and fixation of the attaching portion position relative to the side sill, resolving the conflict between structural strength and position accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the attaching portion is formed integrally with the side sill, then the device complexity is reduced, but the assembly accuracy deteriorates due to uncorrectable dimension errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidassembly accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bogie frame structure is segmented into the side sill and the attaching portion as separate components. This segmentation introduces a coupling device that provides adjustment capability, allowing assembly accuracy to be corrected even though the overall device complexity increases slightly due to the additional coupling mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling device incorporates adjustable parameters such as positioning holes or slots that allow the attaching portion to be positioned at different locations relative to the side sill. This parameter adjustability enables correction of accumulated dimension errors during assembly while maintaining relatively simple device structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2944534B1Railcar bogie
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK
  • EP2944534B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2944534B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2944534B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A railcar bogie includes: a bogie frame including a cross beam supporting a carbody of a railcar; a pair of axles respectively arranged at both sides of the cross beam in a car longitudinal direction and extending in a car width direction; bearings provided at both car width direction sides of each of the axles and rotatably supporting the axles; axle boxes respectively accommodating the bearings; and coupling devices coupling the axle boxes and the bogie frame to one another, each of the coupling devices including a first member projecting from the axle box to the bogie frame, a second member projecting from the bogie frame to the first member, and a coupling portion coupling the first member and the second member to each other, and the second member being formed separately from the bogie frame and positioned by contacting the bogie frame.