Non-Ferrous Railroad Bracket with Kick Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
The railroad industry faces challenges in preventing injuries and fatalities among maintenance and inspection personnel due to the risk of being struck by trains or rail vehicles entering work zones without warning, despite existing safety protocols and methods.
Innovation Solution
A tool-less lockable railroad bracket with a built-in kick plate and sensor mounting mechanism, utilizing a TPASS system for early warning alerts, featuring an adjustable clamp plate, pointed wedge for under-rail installation, and RFID tagging, designed for easy attachment and identification, and made from non-ferrous materials to ensure secure and durable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor mounting bracket is designed to attach to railroad tracks for detecting passing trains, then worker safety is improved through early warning alerts, but the device complexity increases due to the need for sensor integration, mounting mechanisms, and power systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary wireless communication system to transmit alerts between the sensor and workers, eliminating the need for complex direct integration between the sensor and worker equipment. The wireless intermediary simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining safety effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the sensor unit mounted on the track, the wireless communication module, and the worker's portable receiver. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies installation and maintenance.
2Ease of operation
If a tool-less lockable railroad bracket with kick plate is used for easy placement and gravel displacement, then installation ease is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase to ensure proper function of the kick plate and clamp mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket incorporates a self-aligning kick plate design that automatically positions itself during installation, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment. The self-service mechanism reduces installation complexity while maintaining functional precision through inherent design features rather than requiring high manufacturing tolerances.
3Loss of information
If RFID tagging is implemented for bracket identification and tracking, then asset management is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tag is integrated into the bracket structure during manufacturing, merging the identification function with the structural component. This combination eliminates separate identification devices and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining asset tracking capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The non-ferrous anticorrosive railroad bracket 10 includes a stainless steel threaded shaft 50 for preventing oxidation on moving parts. A sliding clamp plate mechanism 36 is for mounting to virtually any common rail 54 in use throughout the world. The bracket 10 includes a pointed wedge end 14 for providing under-rail installation by displacing stone gravel base underneath. It also includes a tool-less clamping rail attachment mechanism 32 requiring only hand-tighten for installation. There is a large knob-nut 34 for tightening and securing to the rail 54 by easily hand-tightening. A simple folded kick-plate 12 is utilized for kicking by foot, pushing by hand, and hammering so as to easily displace gravel, stones, slag, and other material. Lastly, the folded kick-plate 12 acts as a handle to carry the bracket 10 and an attached sensor detector unit 30.