Railway Brake Release Units via Bogie Cable Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing brake devices for railway vehicles require workers to circumnavigate the vehicle to manually release the spring brake mechanism, reducing efficiency and increasing the risk of contamination from foreign substances for cable members.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of two or more release units for the spring brake mechanism, each equipped with a cable member and a lever member, allowing for the manual release of braking force without needing to access the opposite side of the vehicle, with cable members passing over bogies to minimize contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a single release unit is provided for the spring brake mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity decreases as workers must circumnavigate the vehicle to manually release the brake

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake release efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of release units
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manual brake release device is segmented into two or more independent release units distributed at different locations on the railway vehicle. Each release unit includes its own cable member and lever member, allowing workers to release brakes from multiple access points without circumnavigating the vehicle, thereby improving productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If cable members are routed along the vehicle body for manual brake release, then the ease of operation is improved, but foreign substances adhere to the cable members during travel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of release unitVSAvoidforeign substance contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cable members are routed through the vertical dimension by passing over the bogies located beneath the vehicle, rather than along the horizontal surface of the vehicle body. This dimensional change allows workers to access and operate the release units from the side platforms while keeping the cable members suspended above ground-level contaminants, thereby maintaining ease of operation while reducing foreign substance contamination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enhances working efficiency by allowing workers to release braking forces without moving around the vehicle and reduces foreign substance adherence on cable members during travel.

Implementation Method 1

The lever member (434) includes a fulcrum portion (434A) by which the lever member (434) is supported pivotably about a rotation shaft (441), an effort portion (434B) coupled to the cable member (420), and a load portion (434C) coupled to the spring brake mechanism (240)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLever: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3789258B1Brake device and railway vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 NABTESCO CORP
  • EP3789258B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3789258B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3789258B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A brake device 100 includes a spring brake mechanism 240 that generates a braking force by pressing a brake shoe 302 against a pressed member 12 by a spring force, and a manual brake release device 400 that releases the braking force by preventing transmission of the spring force to the brake shoe 302. Two or more cable members 420 of the manual brake release device 400 are provided for the spring brake mechanism 240.