Telescopic Sleeve Buffer with Mechanical Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleeve buffers for rail vehicles and support structures lack universality and scalability, failing to effectively manage energy dissipation across different types and sizes of support structures during collisions, which can lead to damage.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic sleeve buffer with guide parts of different diameters and an additional mechanical resistance system, such as cutting tools or plastically deformable barriers, that inhibit telescoping movement and consume energy when a triggering force is exceeded, allowing for adjustable resistance and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sleeve buffers are designed with fixed structures for specific support structures, then they provide reliable energy dissipation for that specific application, but they lack universality and cannot be adapted to different types and sizes of support structures
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve buffer is designed with a standardized interface and modular structure that enables it to be universally applied to different types and sizes of support structures. The buffer sleeve can be attached to various support structures through a common mounting mechanism, allowing one design to serve multiple functions across different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer sleeve is divided into modular components including the sleeve body, energy dissipation elements, and mounting structures. This segmentation allows the buffer to be configured for different applications by selecting appropriate combinations of components while maintaining a universal base design.
2Reliability
If sleeve buffers are designed with high energy dissipation capacity for severe collisions, then they provide high safety, but they become overly complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer sleeve incorporates sacrificial energy dissipation elements that are designed to be consumed or permanently deformed during collision events. These elements provide high energy dissipation capacity through controlled deformation or fracture, achieving safety goals without requiring complex reusable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer sleeve utilizes controlled deformation and fracture of its components as the primary energy dissipation mechanism. The harmful impact forces are converted into beneficial plastic deformation of the buffer materials, which absorb energy while simplifying the overall structure compared to elastic rebound systems.
3Loss of energy
If sleeve buffers incorporate consumables and machining tools for energy dissipation, then they effectively absorb impact energy, but they require through-holes in the support structure which complicates installation
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer sleeve is designed to be mounted on the external surface of the support structure without requiring through-holes. The sacrificial elements and machining tools are nested within or attached to the sleeve body, allowing the entire assembly to be installed from the outside while maintaining effective energy dissipation capabilities.
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 sleeve buffer effectively absorbs and dissipates energy across various support structures, preventing damage by allowing reversible elastic movement within the elastic range and consuming energy through mechanical resistance when forces exceed the triggering point, ensuring scalability and high safety.
Implementation Method 1
A structure forming a mechanical resistance is provided to slow down the telescoping movement of the guide parts and/or the elongated sections... such as cutting tools or plastically deformable barriers
Implementation Method 2
a structure forming a mechanical resistance is provided to slow down the telescoping movement... consume energy through mechanical resistance
Implementation Method 3
allowing reversible elastic movement within the elastic range... effectively absorbs and dissipates energy across various support structures
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A universal sleeve buffer (1) for movable or fixed support structures (5) is proposed, comprising a first and second guide part in the form of a sleeve (3) and a plunger (2), wherein the sleeve (3) can be fixedly attached to the support structure (5) and the plunger (2) is displaceable relative to the sleeve (3) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is displaced by the sleeve (3) during its displacement movement, wherein the first and second guide parts (2, 3) are designed to be telescopically displaceable into one another, and comprising a force transmission element (9, 29, 39) for flexibly coupling the plunger (2) with the support structure (5), wherein a structure (2a, 6, 7, 11) forming a mechanical resistance is provided to brake the telescoping movement during one of the telescoping movements of the guide parts (2, 3) and/or the elongated sections (2, 8).