Tramcar Hydraulic Brake Oil Tank Vent Plug Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The ventilation performance of tramcar hydraulic brake oil tanks is compromised in high-latitude areas due to snow and ice coverage, leading to potential water ingress and safety risks, as existing vent plugs have unidirectional airflow paths that are susceptible to blockage and penetration.
Innovation Solution
An oil tank ventilation device with a vent plug housed inside an electrical element protection case, featuring a gas guide hole and gas guide pipe within the integrated valve block, and symmetrically or asymmetrically mounted waterproof vent assemblies to ensure communication with outside air, preventing rain and snow from entering while maintaining ventilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional vent plug with unidirectional airflow path is used, then the structure is simple, but the ventilation performance deteriorates when covered with snow or ice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the unidirectional longitudinal airflow path into a three-dimensional multi-directional airflow structure. The vent plug incorporates multiple vent holes distributed across different surfaces (top surface, side surfaces, bottom surface), enabling air to flow through the oil tank from multiple directions simultaneously. This dimensional transformation ensures that at least some vent holes remain uncovered and functional even when snow or ice accumulates on certain surfaces, thereby maintaining reliable ventilation performance in harsh winter conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the single venting function into multiple segmented vent holes distributed across different locations and orientations. Instead of relying on one central vent hole that can be completely blocked, the system segments the ventilation function into numerous smaller openings throughout the vent plug structure. This segmentation ensures redundancy - if some holes are blocked by snow or ice, others remain open to maintain airflow, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and ventilation reliability.
2Reliability
If the vent plug is exposed on the oil tank surface, then ventilation is straightforward, but rain and snow can penetrate into the oil tank
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two previously separate functions into a single integrated vent plug structure: (1) the ventilation function through multiple vent holes for airflow, and (2) the waterproof protection function through the hydrophobic material and multi-directional hole arrangement. The vent plug simultaneously serves as both an air passage and a water barrier, combining what were traditionally separate components (vent hole + waterproof cover) into one unified element, thus achieving both protection from water ingress and maintained ventilation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydrophobic material to form a protective barrier within the vent plug structure. This hydrophobic layer acts as a flexible thin film that allows air molecules to pass through while blocking water molecules due to surface tension effects. The hydrophobic coating on the vent holes creates a selective permeability barrier that maintains ventilation while preventing water penetration, resolving the contradiction between protection and ease of operation.
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 configuration ensures effective ventilation of the oil tank, preventing water ingress and ensuring driving safety by maintaining airflow even when the vent surfaces are covered with ice or snow, allowing for convenient replacement of waterproof vent assemblies without detaching the entire vent plug.
Implementation Method 1
The vent plug 4 is somewhat hydrophobic, and in general cases, can ensure the communication of oil liquid in the oil tank 3 with the atmosphere and prevent water vapor from getting into the oil tank 3
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to an oil tank ventilation device for a hydraulic brake unit of a tramcar, comprising a vent plug, a sealing ring, a gas guide hole and a gas guide pipe; the gas guide hole is a through-hole structure arranged at an upper end inside an integrated valve block; the communications of electrical element protection case, integrated valve block and the oil tank are realized by the gas guide pipe stretched into an air chamber of the oil tank and by the vent plug configured in the electrical element protection case. When the surface of the oil tank is covered with ice or snow, the rain or snow can be effectively prevent from falling on the vent plug body and the driving safety of the train is ensured.