Vehicle Sleeping Berth Frame With Concealed Beam Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleeping berth structures in railway vehicles lack sufficient mechanical strength and aesthetic appeal, with visible reinforcement arms and protruding screws posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A sleeping berth structure with horizontal beams concealed within hollow extruded frames, supported by mounting plates and fasteners, providing structural integrity while minimizing visible components and reducing injury risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an L-shaped profile bracket is used to support the berth, then the berth can be attached to the vertical post, but the mechanical strength is insufficient to support the berth weight
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal beam is nested inside the hollow extruded beam of the berth frame, creating a compact structure where the support element is contained within the berth structure itself, eliminating the need for separate external reinforcement arms
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket structure is merged with the berth frame by integrating the horizontal beam into the hollow extruded beam, combining the support function with the berth structure to reduce overall complexity while maintaining strength
2Strength
If reinforcement arms and multiple screws are used to strengthen the bracket, then the mechanical strength is sufficient, but the aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible components
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal beam is hidden inside the hollow extruded beam, and fasteners are concealed by the cushion, creating a clean aesthetic appearance without visible reinforcement arms or protruding screws
Solution Approach 2:
The disturbing visual elements (reinforcement arms, visible screws) are extracted from the external view by nesting them within the berth structure or concealing them behind the cushion, leaving only the essential functional components visible
3Strength
If multiple screws are used to attach the bracket, then the mechanical strength is sufficient, but safety risks increase due to protruding screws posing injury hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal beam is nested inside the hollow extruded beam, eliminating external protruding parts that could cause injury, while fasteners are concealed by the cushion
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful protruding screws are extracted from the external accessible area by nesting them within the berth structure or concealing them behind the cushion, removing the injury hazard while maintaining the necessary mechanical strength
4Strength
If a traditional bracket with visible reinforcement arms is used, then the structural strength is adequate, but the overall bulk of the sleeping berth structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal beam is nested inside the hollow extruded beam, significantly reducing the overall bulk and volume of the sleeping berth structure while maintaining adequate structural strength through the integrated design
Data Source
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AI summary
The sleeping berth structure (10) for a vehicle sleeping compartment comprises a vertical post (12), a partition wall, extending from the vertical post, a first berth (18A), located on a first side (16A) of the partition wall, the first berth comprising a frame (26) and a cushion (24), and a first horizontal beam (34A), located on the first side of the partition wall and extending from the vertical post perpendicular to the partition wall to support an extremity of the first berth. To reduce the bulk of the berth structure, improve its aesthetics and reduce the risk of injury of a user the sleeping berth structure, the frame of the first berth comprises a hollow extruded beam (30), and the first horizontal beam is received inside the hollow extruded beam of the frame of the first berth.