Railway Vehicle Cable Routing via Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing railway vehicle wiring between successive cars is complex and bulky due to numerous cables passing through the gangway space, requiring extensive support members that complicate assembly, maintenance, and can cause cable stress during movement.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of dedicated casings on each car with guide holes and connectors for high and low voltage cables, allowing these cables to extend freely between cars without additional support in the intercirculation space, simplifying wiring and reducing bulk by eliminating the need for support elements within the gangway device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If numerous cables pass through the gangway space between cars with support members in the intercirculation device, then the cables can be supported and guided, but the wiring becomes complex and bulky with increased device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable support and guidanceVSAvoidwiring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the support members from the intercirculation device and relocates them to the car bodies themselves. Each car body includes support members that guide cables from the cable access points directly along the car body exterior to the gangway space, eliminating the need for support elements within the intercirculation device and simplifying the overall wiring structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cable access points as intermediary structures located in the gangway space between cars. These access points serve as mediators that receive cables from support members on each car body and facilitate their passage into the intercirculation space, organizing the cable routing without requiring complex support structures within the gangway device itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If support members extend into the gangway device to guide cables, then cables can be properly routed, but the bulk of the intercirculation space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable routingVSAvoidintercirculation space bulk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes support members from the intercirculation device and intercirculation space, relocating them exclusively to the car bodies. This extraction eliminates the bulk occupying the intercirculation space while maintaining cable routing functionality through the car body-mounted support members that guide cables to external cable access points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If cables are constrained by support elements in the intercirculation space, then cables remain organized, but stresses develop on cables during car displacements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable organizationVSAvoidcable stress resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic cable routing system where cables are guided along the flexible exterior surfaces of car bodies rather than being rigidly constrained in the intercirculation space. The support members on car bodies and cable access points in the gangway space allow cables to naturally accommodate car displacements and vibrations, reducing stress while maintaining organization through the support members' guidance function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3409560B1Railway vehicle comprising an optimised electricity distribution network
Publication Date: 2021.04.21 ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECH SAS
  • EP3409560B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3409560B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The railway vehicle (10) comprises a first car (12) having a first end (13A), and a second car (14) having a second end (15A), the first (13A) and second (15A) ends being arranged opposite each other and separated by an intercirculation space (16) including an intercirculation device. The first (12) and second (14) cars are equipped with first (20H) and second (22H) high-voltage electrical cables and first (20B) and second (22B) low-voltage electrical cables. Each car (12, 14) has a box (28, 32) mounted at its end (13A, 15A), the electrical cables all passing through this box (28, 32). Each box (28, 32) includes a support element (26, 30) for the electrical cables.The support members (26, 30) are arranged opposite each other, the electrical cables extending freely in the intercirculation space (16) between the support members (26, 30), the intercirculation space (16) and in particular the intercirculation device being devoid of any support element for the electrical cables.