Tamping Assembly Valve Electronic Unit Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully hydraulic linear tamping drives in track tamping machines experience reduced service life due to high stress on control valves and hydraulic lines from vibration-induced accelerations and pressure peaks, leading to increased size and cost of cylinders and leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
The valve electronic unit is mounted in a vibration-damped manner using rubber-elastic or spring damper elements, separate from the mechanical hydraulic cylinder actuation valve part, and hydraulic accumulators are integrated in pressure supply and return lines to mitigate pressure peaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control valves are constructed directly on the hydraulic cylinder with integrated electronic units, then the cylinder size and cost increase, but the durability decreases due to high stress from vibrations and pressure peaks
Solution Approach 1:
The control valve is divided into two separate parts: the electronic control unit is mounted separately on the hydraulic cylinder, while the mechanical valve part remains integrated. This segmentation allows the electronic unit to be isolated from high-stress vibration zones, improving durability while maintaining functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
A vibration-damping mounting system acts as an intermediary between the electronic control unit and the hydraulic cylinder. This intermediary absorbs and reduces vibrations transmitted to the electronic components, protecting them from stress-induced failures without requiring complete separation of the valve system.
2Reliability
If hydraulic lines are routed close to the cylinder to reduce complexity, then leakage risks increase due to stress from pressure peaks and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic line connections are extracted from the immediate vicinity of the cylinder and routed through stress-relieved pathways. This extraction removes the hydraulic lines from high-stress zones caused by pressure peaks and vibrations, reducing leakage risks while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic system incorporates pressure relief features and flexible line routing that cushion against pressure peaks before they can cause damage. This beforehand cushioning protects the hydraulic lines and connections from stress-induced failures without requiring complete system redesign.
3Device complexity
If the cylinder is designed to accommodate all valve components, then the cylinder size increases, but this creates space constraints in the tamping assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system is segmented into integrated mechanical components and separately mounted electronic components. This segmentation allows the cylinder to maintain its compact size while still housing the essential mechanical valve parts, with the electronic unit mounted externally to avoid increasing cylinder volume.
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
This solution significantly increases the durability of the tamping drive by reducing stress on control valves and hydraulic components, allowing for a smaller, cost-effective cylinder design and minimizing leakage risks.
Implementation Method 1
The valve electronic unit is mounted in a vibration-damped manner with respect to the hydraulic cylinder and/or the mechanical hydraulic cylinder actuation valve part by means of vibration dampers
Implementation Method 2
The vibration-damping mounting can be formed by corresponding rubber-elastic elements
Implementation Method 3
by spring damper elements
Data Source
AI summary
A tamping assembly (1) for a track tamping machine is proposed comprising tamping tool pairs (3), which are arranged on a girder (7) guided vertically adjustable in a tamping assembly frame and are formed as swing arms, and the lower tamping pick ends (10) of which intended for plunging into a ballast bed (4) are drivable using an oscillation drive and are hydraulically closable toward one another, wherein a hydraulic cylinder (11) and possibly a distance sensor (7) for determining the hydraulic cylinder position are associated with each of the tamping tools (3) of a tamping tool pair, and the hydraulic cylinders (11) form both the linear closing drive and also the oscillation drive of the tamping tools (3), and wherein electrohydraulic valves (25) are provided for actuation of the hydraulic cylinders (11), which comprise a mechanical hydraulic cylinder actuation valve part (12) and an associated valve electronic unit (13). To provide advantageous construction conditions, it is proposed that the valve electronic unit (13) is mounted in a vibration-damped manner by means of vibration dampers (D) with respect to the hydraulic cylinder (11) and/or the mechanical hydraulic cylinder actuation valve part (12).