Railway Electrical Equipment Hanging Structure Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical equipment for railway vehicles faces increased mass and component count due to continuous hanging beams aligned with the direction of travel, and additional hanging parts are needed to accommodate limited mounting positions, leading to stress issues at joint portions.

Innovation Solution

A metallic plate is inserted between the hanging part and the box member, allowing for arbitrary hanging part installation without adding components, thereby alleviating stress at joint portions and maintaining the lightweight design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If continuous hanging beams are used aligned with the direction of travel, then the structure is simple, but the mass increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehanging beam structureVSAvoidequipment mass
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous hanging beam is segmented into discrete hanging parts positioned at specific locations. Each hanging part is connected to the box member via a metallic plate, creating a modular structure that reduces overall mass while maintaining structural integrity for accommodating mounting position limitations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional hanging parts are added to accommodate mounting position limitations, then adaptability improves, but the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting position flexibilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The metallic plate serves multiple functions: it connects the hanging part to the box member, distributes stress from arbitrary mounting positions, and maintains structural integrity. This multi-functional component allows adaptability to various mounting positions without increasing the number of separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If hanging parts are installed at arbitrary positions, then adaptability to mounting limitations improves, but stress at joint portions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting position flexibilityVSAvoidjoint portion stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The metallic plate acts as an intermediary element between the hanging part and the box member. It distributes the load from arbitrary mounting positions across a broader area of the box member, reducing stress concentration at the joint portions while maintaining mounting flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Strength

If the box member thickness is increased to handle stress from arbitrary mounting positions, then strength improves, but the mass increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebox member strengthVSAvoidequipment mass
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The metallic plate serves as a stress-distributing intermediary that allows the box member to maintain its original thin plate construction while still accommodating arbitrary mounting positions. The plate transfers loads away from the box member's thickness requirements, eliminating the need to increase box member thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2591971B1Electrical equipment for railway vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.08.01 HITACHI LTD
  • EP2591971B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1D
  • EP2591971B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2591971B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

In electric equipment for railway vehicle, a hanging structure which is capable of accommodating a limitation in mounting position on the vehicle side without increasing the mass or the number of components and changing the arrangement of electric equipment in a box is provided. A hanging part having an integrated structure in which a hanging part (9A) having a shape accommodating limitations in mounting position on the vehicle side in the direction of crosstie and in the vertical direction is joined to a metallic plate (9C) is joined to a ceiling plate (2a) and a side plate (2b) of a box member (2) at a position corresponding to the limitation in mounting position in the direction of travel of the vehicle side. The electric equipment for railway vehicle is hung from a beam under a floor of the vehicle via a bolt hole provided on an upper portion of the hanging part.