Railway Vehicle Protective Device with Sensor-Controlled Flap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protection devices for land vehicles, particularly railway vehicles, are complex to implement and do not effectively prevent wheel injuries to pedestrians by maintaining a consistent distance from the ground across varying terrain and slopes.
Innovation Solution
A protection device featuring a flap with a flexible, non-stretchable textile strip wound around a reel, controlled by sensors and a motor to maintain a consistent spacing from the ground, and a computer to adjust the reel's position based on measured distances, ensuring the flap remains effective across different slopes and terrains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective device is equipped to prevent bogie wheels from injuring pedestrians, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device employs dynamic elements including a flap that can rotate about a first axis and a winder that can rotate about a second axis, allowing the device to adapt its configuration based on terrain conditions. The flexible material strip connects these rotating components, enabling the system to dynamically adjust to maintain ground clearance while preventing wheel contact with pedestrians.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes geometric parameters through the rotation of the flap and winder components. The computer controls the motor to rotate the winder, which winds or unwinds the flexible material strip, thereby changing the position and orientation of the flap relative to the ground. This parameter adjustment allows the device to maintain effective protection across varying terrain conditions.
2Reliability
If the protective device maintains consistent distance from ground across varying terrain, then protection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates sensors that detect ground conditions and provide feedback to the computer. The computer processes this sensor data and controls the motor to adjust the winder position accordingly. This feedback loop enables the protective device to maintain consistent spacing from the ground across varying terrain and slopes by automatically adjusting its configuration based on real-time terrain information.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is designed to function universally across different terrain conditions including slopes and varying ground levels. The combination of the flap, winder, flexible material strip, and motorized adjustment system allows a single device configuration to maintain protection effectiveness whether the vehicle is on flat ground, uphill, downhill, or uneven terrain.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sensors and computer control are added to adjust reel position based on measured distances, then adaptability to terrain is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors mounted on the vehicle measure distances to the ground and provide this information to the computer. The computer processes the measured distances and controls the motor to rotate the winder accordingly, adjusting the position of the flexible material strip and flap to maintain appropriate spacing from the ground. This feedback-controlled adjustment system enables automatic adaptation to varying terrain conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device replaces purely mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an automated system combining sensors, computer control, and motor actuation. Instead of manual or purely mechanical linkages for adjusting the protective device position, the invention uses electronic sensors to detect terrain conditions, a computer to process this information and determine required adjustments, and a motor to execute the positioning changes through the winder mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a protective device (30) for a railway vehicle (10), comprising: a shutter (34) movable and rotatable relative to said body; and a first sensor (44) for measuring a first distance (64) between the vehicle body and a surface located beneath said vehicle. The protective device also includes: a flexible band (36), one end of said band being fixed to the shutter; a winder (40) movable and rotatable relative to the body, one end of the band (36) being fixed to said winder; a motor (42) for winding or unwinding the flexible band around the winder; and a computer for determining a position of the winder based on the first distance measured by the first sensor and for controlling the motor accordingly.