Railcar Impact Transmitting Structure for Offset Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional impact absorbing devices in railcars fail to uniformly absorb collision energy when there is a large offset between cars due to differences in air spring heights or displacement during curve travel, leading to inefficient load transfer and energy absorption.
Innovation Solution
An impact transmitting structure with a convex and concave member configuration, where one member is convex and the other concave, with opposing surfaces forming a V shape, allowing for point-contact or line-contact, ensuring smooth guidance and correction of offset, thereby enabling uniform crushing and effective energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional impact absorbing devices with comb-shaped anti-climbers are used, then crush postures are stabilized and relative displacement is prevented, but when large offset is generated between cars, the anti-climber inclines and load transfer along the neutral axis is not performed, resulting in non-uniform crushing and deteriorated energy absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary impact transmitting structure consisting of a convex member and a concave member between the two impact absorbing devices. This intermediary structure guides the load transfer path when offset occurs, ensuring that the convex member of one device engages with the concave member of the other device, thereby maintaining proper load transfer along the neutral axis even when cars are significantly offset vertically or laterally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric geometric shapes for the convex and concave members, where the convex member has a specific curvature radius and the concave member has a complementary shape. This asymmetric design ensures that under offset conditions, the convex member is guided by the concave member in a controlled manner, preventing inclination of the anti-climber and maintaining uniform crushing posture of the impact absorbing devices.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the elasticity of the air spring in car width direction is high, then car stability is improved, but offset is generated in the car width direction between colliding cars, causing non-uniform crushing of the impact absorbing device
Solution Approach 1:
The convex-concave intermediary structure acts as a mediator that compensates for lateral offset caused by high air spring elasticity. When cars collide with lateral displacement, the convex member of one car engages with the concave member of the other car, guiding the load transfer path and ensuring uniform crushing of the impact absorbing devices despite the lateral offset.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the heights of air springs of colliding cars are largely different, then collision scenario is accommodated, but large offset is generated between impact absorbing devices, causing anti-climber inclination and non-uniform crushing
Solution Approach 1:
The impact transmitting structure with convex and concave members serves as an intermediary that accommodates large vertical offsets between cars with different air spring heights. The convex member of the lower car engages with the concave member of the higher car, guiding the load transfer path and preventing anti-climber inclination, thereby ensuring uniform crushing and effective energy absorption despite the height difference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes geometric parameter relationships between the convex and concave members, specifically setting the curvature radius of the convex member and the opening angle of the concave member, to accommodate various offset conditions. These parameter designs allow the structure to adapt to different collision scenarios while maintaining proper load transfer and uniform crushing.
Data Source
AI summary
An impact transmitting structure includes: a first member provided at an end portion of a first car; and a second member provided at an end portion of a second car. One of the first member and the second member is a convex member. The other of the first member and the second member is a concave member. An opposing surface of the convex member which surface is located close to the concave member has a substantially V shape that is convex in a direction toward the concave member. An opposing surface of the concave member which surface is located close to the convex member has a substantially V shape that is concave in a direction away from the convex member. A tip end angle of the convex member is smaller than an opening angle of the concave member.