Railway Vehicle Access Platform with Movable Ramp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing railway vehicles with vertically movable access platforms often create steps between the platform and the passenger area, restricting access for people with reduced mobility, especially in varying track conditions and platform heights, and do not ensure safe passage without assistance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a railway vehicle with a vertically movable platform and adjustable passage means, including a movable floor integral with the platform and fixed floor, forming a longitudinal ramp that adjusts to different heights, and adjustment mechanisms like pivoting pallets to minimize distance and slope, ensuring safe and independent access for passengers with reduced mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a vertically movable platform is used to allow access from platforms of different heights, then accessibility is improved, but steps are created between the mobile platform and the passenger area, creating safety risks and blocking access for people with reduced mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the floor between the mobile platform and passenger area a movable ramp that can adjust its inclination. When the mobile platform is at a different height than the passenger area, the ramp automatically inclines to bridge the height difference, eliminating steps and ensuring continuous, safe access for people with reduced mobility while maintaining adaptability to various platform heights.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile platform is positioned at different heights to match various platform levels, then accessibility from multiple platforms is enabled, but the distance and slope between the platform and mobile platform become unpredictable, requiring assistance for people with reduced mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The movable ramp dynamically adjusts its length and inclination based on the vertical position of the mobile platform. When the platform is lowered to match different dock heights, the ramp extends and inclines appropriately to maintain an accessible slope (typically less than 1:12), ensuring that the distance and angle remain within safe limits for autonomous wheelchair access regardless of the starting platform height.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect the position of the mobile platform relative to the dock and automatically adjust the ramp's inclination and extension to maintain optimal access conditions. This feedback control ensures that the ramp always provides a safe, assisted-free pathway regardless of variations in platform height or track conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If track conditions and vehicle suspension variations cause the mobile platform to be at random positions with different inclinations, then the system adapts to varying operational conditions, but the space between the vehicle access area and platform exceeds safe limits for autonomous access
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic adjustment mechanisms that continuously monitor and compensate for variations in mobile platform position caused by track conditions, suspension wear, or wheel wear. The movable ramp adjusts its geometry in real-time to maintain the space between the vehicle access area and platform within safe limits (horizontal distance less than 75mm, vertical distance less than 75mm), ensuring autonomous access is always possible despite operational variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The vehicle (1) has an access platform (4) extending between lateral surfaces, where the platform is adjacent to a traveling space (6). The platform comprises a vertically movable plate (5) to permit a reduced mobility passenger to access/exit from the platform from/towards a wharf of height (Qi) when the plate is placed in a loading/unloading position. A passage unit (11) e.g. movable floor, permits circulation of the reduced mobility person between the traveling space and the plate independent of the loading/unloading position. An independent claim is also included for a method for adjusting a position of an accessing device.