Railway Central Buffer Coupling Sealing Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Central buffer couplings for rail vehicles have complex and expensive closure mechanisms that are heavy and take up space, making them inefficient for compact and lightweight designs that operate reliably.

Innovation Solution

A compact and lightweight central buffer coupling design featuring an axially displaceable sealing body with a sealing surface and a passage opening, utilizing an elastically flexible annular sealing lip that makes positive contact with the closure part to seal pneumatic lines, reducing the need for complex mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex closure mechanisms are used to seal pneumatic lines, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity, weight, and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidclosure mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential sealing function from the complex closure mechanism, using only the necessary components (sealing body with sealing lip and closure part) to achieve reliable sealing, thereby eliminating unnecessary mechanical elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing body is designed to automatically seal the pneumatic line when the coupling heads come together, using the coupling force itself to press the sealing lip against the closure part, eliminating the need for separate actuating mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If complex closure mechanisms are used to seal pneumatic lines, then sealing reliability is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidcoupling head weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes unnecessary heavy components from the closure mechanism, retaining only the essential sealing body and closure part, thereby significantly reducing the weight of the coupling head while maintaining sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing body is designed with material and structural parameters that allow it to achieve reliable sealing with minimal mass, using the coupling force directly rather than requiring additional actuating mass

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If complex closure mechanisms are used to seal pneumatic lines, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts only the necessary sealing components from the complex mechanism, reducing the number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and quality-tested, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing body is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if necessary, using basic materials and simple geometry that are cost-effective to produce

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Volume of moving object

If compact design is implemented, then space efficiency is improved, but sealing reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling head volumeVSAvoidsealing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the sealing body and closure part into a tightly integrated compact arrangement where the sealing lip and closure part are positioned in close proximity, achieving reliable sealing in a minimal space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing body incorporates a flexible sealing lip that can deform to ensure reliable contact with the closure part, maintaining sealing effectiveness despite the compact dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The design ensures reliable sealing of pneumatic lines while being easy to operate and manufacture, resulting in a cost-effective and space-efficient coupling solution.

Implementation Method 1

the sealing element is designed as an annular circumferential sealing lip, which is elastically flexible at least in the radial direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the pressure prevailing in the line makes positive contact with the closure part of the closure member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP1800987B1Central buffer coupling for railway vehicles

Publication Date: 2008.12.03 SCHWAB VERKEHRSTECHNIK AG

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~7
Figure 8~11

AI summary

The central buffer coupling has a pneumatic brake hose (8) and or supply line (9) connected to a coupling head (1) and has a shut-off member (15) for locking and or opening a line (8, 9). The line near the clutch is level with a front side sealing surface (12, 13) of a body (10, 11). A passage opening, in which a sealing element is arranged locks in a sealing position with a plug (16) of the shut-off member and the line. The sealing body is axially adjustable.