Separable Center Position Coupling for Rail Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing central buffer coupling systems for rail-mounted vehicles require a wide and tall crossbar for overload protection, leading to increased weight and complexity due to the need to move the center position device and linkage backward upon extreme impact, which is inefficient and weight-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A separable center position coupling that tensionally locks the actuating means to the center position guide, disengaging upon exceeding a critical impact force, allowing the linkage and coupling shaft to be positioned by transfer elements and guide means, enabling a simpler and lighter crossbar configuration by isolating the actuating means from the energy flux during crashes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a non-separable center position coupling is used to tensionally lock the actuating means to the center position guide, then reliable torque transmission is achieved, but the crossbar must be wide and tall to move the entire center position device backward during overload, increasing weight and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The center position coupling is divided into separable components: the center position guide remains connected to the linkage, while the actuating means can disengage independently during overload. This segmentation allows the crossbar to only move the linkage without needing to accommodate the entire center position device, reducing crossbar dimensions and weight while maintaining torque transmission reliability during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating means is extracted from the permanent connection to the center position guide. During normal operation, it remains tensionally locked for reliable torque transmission. During overload, it can be taken out of the force flux through the separable coupling, allowing the crossbar to have a simpler, lighter design that only needs to handle the linkage movement
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the entire center position device is moved backward during overload to protect the vehicle underframe, then excess impact energy is absorbed, but the crossbar must be oversized and weight-intensive to accomplish this movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented so that only the linkage (not the entire center position device) needs to be moved backward during overload. The separable center position coupling allows the actuating means to remain stationary while the linkage disengages and moves rearward, reducing the mass that the crossbar must accelerate and thereby reducing crossbar weight
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating means is extracted from the overload protection movement path. During impact, it stays in place while the linkage is taken out of the force flux and moved backward by the crossbar. This extraction allows the crossbar to be designed for a lighter, more efficient structure while still achieving adequate impact energy absorption
3Device complexity
If a separable center position coupling is used to reduce crossbar weight and complexity, then the crossbar can be simpler and lighter, but the torque transmission reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The center position coupling transitions from a static tensionally-locked connection to a dynamic separable connection. During normal operation, it maintains reliable torque transmission through tensional locking. During overload, it automatically disengages to protect the system. This dynamic behavior allows the crossbar to be lighter while maintaining reliability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The separable center position coupling acts as an intermediary between the actuating means and the center position guide. It provides a controlled connection that ensures reliable torque transmission during normal operation but allows safe disengagement during overload, enabling the crossbar to be simpler without compromising overall system reliability
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 separable center position coupling reduces the weight and complexity of the coupling arrangement by allowing only the linkage to be moved backward, enabling the use of secondary buffer systems to absorb excess impact energy while maintaining reliable torque transmission and compensating for offset, resulting in a more efficient and lightweight design.
Implementation Method 1
for transferring a restoring moment of the actuating means (5) to the center position guide (4)
Implementation Method 2
upon the exceeding of a definable critical impact/tractive force exert longitudinal to the coupling shaft (2) and transferred by same
Implementation Method 3
a center position guide (4) following a pivoting movement of the coupling shaft (2) around a vertical pivot axis
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a central buffer coupling for rail-mounted vehicles having a coupling shaft arranged to be vertically pivotable around an articulated housing of a railway vehicle and supporting a coupling head and a device for horizontal resetting to center at its free end. In order to realize a disengaging of the frictionally-locked connection between an actuating means of a center position device and a coupling shaft in the event of a crash; i.e., upon extreme impact/tractive force being transferred through the coupling shaft, a separable center position coupling in accordance with the invention is provided, which disengages the frictionally-locked connection between the actuating means and the center position guide upon a definable critical impact/tractive force being exceeded.