Railway Track Mounting With Elastic Layer and Knobs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rigid rail fastenings prevent rail tipping but increase manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulties, while elastic tracks with soft fasteners and intermediate layers can tilt under load, requiring costly angled guide plates to prevent tilting.

Innovation Solution

An elastic intermediate layer 1.5 mm to 3 mm thicker than the knobs, allowing relative movement and forming a form fit to prevent excessive deformation, with knobs engaging in through holes to allow vertical rail movement and reduce noise and vibration transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rigid rail fastenings are used to prevent rail tipping, then rail stability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase and maintenance becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverail stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The base is designed with localized reinforcement features (nubs or ribs) only in specific areas where anti-tilting support is needed, rather than making the entire base rigid. This allows the base to provide stable support against tilting while keeping other areas flexible and cost-effective to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The base is constructed as a composite structure combining rigid elements (nubs, ribs, or plates) with the elastic intermediate layer. This composite design provides the necessary anti-tilting stability through the rigid features while maintaining overall flexibility and cost-effectiveness through the elastic material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If elastic tracks with soft fasteners and intermediate layers are used to reduce noise and vibration, then noise and vibration transmission is reduced, but the rail tends to tilt under load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise and vibration transmissionVSAvoidrail stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic intermediate layer has localized rigid features (nubs, ribs, or plates) positioned specifically to provide anti-tilting support, while the rest of the layer remains soft and elastic. This allows the majority of the structure to absorb noise and vibration while specific localized areas prevent rail tilting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediate layer is designed as a composite structure combining elastic material with rigid support features (nubs, ribs, or plates). This composite design allows the elastic portion to reduce noise and vibration transmission while the rigid features provide necessary stability against rail tilting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If angled guide plates are used to prevent rail tilting in elastic tracks, then rail stability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase and maintenance becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverail stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anti-tilting function is merged into the base or intermediate layer itself through integrated rigid features (nubs, ribs, or plates), eliminating the need for separate angled guide plates. This integration simplifies the overall structure while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-tilting function is extracted from a separate component (angled guide plate) and incorporated directly into the existing base or intermediate layer structure. This eliminates unnecessary separate parts and simplifies the overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Prevents rail tilting while allowing vertical movement, reducing noise and vibration transmission, and lowering manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for angled guide plates.

Implementation Method 1

the intermediate layer, which is made of a material that is much more elastic than the base, allows the desired vertical movement of the rail, thereby reducing the transmission of noise and vibrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

A form fit is formed between the knobs and the intermediate layer in the area of the through holes, which allows a certain, small deformation of the elastic intermediate layer, but larger deformation is prevented by the knobs engaging in the through holes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForm fit: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentEP3292245B1Arrangement for mounting a railway track and associated railway track
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 RAIL ONE GMBH
  • EP3292245B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3292245B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for mounting a railway track, comprising an elastic intermediate layer (2) that can be positioned between a rail and a sleeper and comprises at least one row (4, 5) of through-holes (6), into which knobs (7), which are arranged on a support, engage in the mounted state.