Railway Vehicle Stopper Modular Design for Spring Characteristic Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional railway vehicle stoppers require costly mold remodeling to adjust the two-stage spring characteristic, limiting design freedom and production before remodeling.

Innovation Solution

A railway vehicle stopper design featuring a first and second rigid member, a rubber elastic body, a third rigid member with an air chamber, and a communication passage, allowing adjustment of the spring characteristic by replacing only the third rigid member, eliminating the need for mold remodeling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the two-stage spring characteristic is adjusted by changing the shapes of rubber portions and metal fittings, then the spring characteristic can be optimized, but mold remodeling is required which increases cost and restricts design freedom

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespring characteristicVSAvoidmold remodeling cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper is divided into modular components: a base plate with mounting holes, a rubber elastic body, and a stopper main body with a through-hole. This segmentation allows the third rigid member (stopper main body) to be replaced independently to adjust spring characteristics without remodeling the mold for the entire assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The spring characteristic is adjusted by changing parameters of the third rigid member (such as the position, shape, or size of the through-hole) rather than changing the fundamental shape of the rubber portion or metal fitting. This allows optimization of spring characteristics through parameter variation without costly mold remodeling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the two-stage spring characteristic is adjusted by changing component shapes, then performance can be optimized, but production must be restricted during mold remodeling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespring characteristicVSAvoidproduction continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the stopper into replaceable modules (base plate, rubber elastic body, stopper main body), the design can be modified by producing new third rigid members while continuing to manufacture and assemble the other components using existing molds, thus maintaining production continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base plate and rubber elastic body serve universal functions that remain unchanged across different spring characteristic requirements. Only the third rigid member needs to be customized, allowing the majority of the assembly process to continue using standardized components and existing manufacturing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If conventional stopper designs are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but adjustment of spring characteristic requires costly and time-consuming mold remodeling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidadjustment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper is segmented into a simple base plate, a rubber elastic body, and a customizable stopper main body. This segmentation maintains overall structural simplicity while enabling easy adjustment of spring characteristics by replacing only the third rigid member without affecting the other simple components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The third rigid member is designed as a relatively simple, replaceable component that can be manufactured at low cost. When spring characteristic adjustment is needed, instead of investing in expensive mold remodeling, a new third rigid member can be produced more economically and installed in place of the old one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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

Enables low-cost adjustment and easy return to previous spring characteristics, enhancing design freedom by allowing changes to the spring characteristic without mold remodeling.

Implementation Method 1

a rubber elastic body (4) that elastically couples the supporting portion (6) of the first rigid member (2) to the second rigid member (3)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a communication passage (31) that communicates the air chamber (30) with an outside

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11110942B2Railway vehicle stopper

Publication Date: 2021.09.07 SUMITOMO RIKO CO LTD

AI summary

A railway vehicle stopper includes a first rigid member, a second rigid member, a rubber elastic body, a third rigid member, an abutting member, and a communication passage. The second rigid member is arranged opposed to the truck frame or the vehicle body with an interval. The rubber elastic body elastically couples the supporting portion of the first rigid member to the second rigid member. The third rigid member is mounted inside the supporting portion of the first rigid member to form an air chamber with the second rigid member. The abutting member is coupled to at least one of mutually opposed surfaces of the second rigid member and the third rigid member. The communication passage is provided on one or both of the first rigid member and the third rigid member to communicate the air chamber with an outside.