Exterior-Access Threaded Rod for Tram Glazing Tolerance Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for fixing glazing in means of transport, such as trams, face challenges due to manufacturing tolerances, making it difficult and time-consuming to replace glazing after breakage, especially when multiple plates are involved or when the glazing is laminated, which is necessary for safety reasons.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a threaded rod that can be rotated or locked from the exterior, with through holes in the plate and glazed element allowing for coaxial passage and free rotation, facilitating adjustment of tolerances and enabling easier fixing from the outside, thus reducing the bulk of the fixing mechanism and increasing interior space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the threaded rod is fixed to the plate on the inside face (prior art method), then the glazing can be secured to the opening, but the bulk of the fixing mechanism increases and reduces interior space
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional fixing approach by allowing the threaded rod to be accessed and operated from the exterior space rather than the interior space. The rod passes through the plate from the exterior, enabling nuts to be tightened from outside, which eliminates the need for interior space accommodation of the fixing mechanism while maintaining secure attachment
2Reliability
If multiple plates are used per glazing (recommended for strength), then the fixing reliability improves, but the complexity of positioning and assembly increases due to manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded rod system enables self-aligning and self-adjusting capabilities during assembly. The rod can be inserted through multiple plates and adjusted to accommodate manufacturing tolerances without requiring precise pre-positioning, allowing the assembly process to self-correct minor misalignments and reducing overall positioning complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded rod provides dynamic adjustment capability during assembly, allowing for real-time positioning corrections. The ability to rotate and tighten the rod from the exterior enables flexible adjustment of multiple plates to achieve proper alignment, transforming a static positioning problem into a dynamic adjustment process
3Reliability
If the glazing is made laminated (necessary for safety), then the safety performance improves, but the manufacturing complexity and tolerance accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded rod system compensates for tolerance accumulation in laminated glazing assemblies through self-adjusting capabilities. The ability to adjust and tighten from the exterior allows the system to accommodate variations in lamination thickness and plate positioning, maintaining assembly precision without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances
4Ease of manufacture
If the threaded rod is accessed from the interior space (prior art), then the assembly can be completed, but the time required for replacement increases due to limited access
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the access direction to exterior space, the invention enables faster replacement operations. The threaded rod can be quickly accessed, rotated, and secured from the exterior without requiring disassembly or access from the interior, significantly reducing replacement time while maintaining assembly feasibility
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a lateral glazing (1) of a means of transport, particularly to a tramway glazing, said glazing comprising a mounting plate (20) having a through-hole (24) opening at the exterior face (21) and at the interior face (22) of the mounting plate (20) and a glazed element (10) having at least one through-hole (14) opening at the exterior face (11) and at the interior face (12) of the glazed element (10), said hole (14) of the glazed element (10) being coaxial with said hole (24) of said mounting plate (20).