Wagon Sliding Wall Sealing System Labyrinth Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sealing systems for railway wagon sliding walls, particularly in corners and underpass areas, are inadequate in preventing dust, powder snow, and water penetration due to interruptions in vertical and horizontal sealing connections.

Innovation Solution

A sealing system comprising a bottom labyrinth construction with a first sealing plate attached to the sliding wall and a second sealing plate attached to the wagon's horizontal firm part, along with an upper labyrinth construction featuring an extruded profile with projections that fit between firm profiles, enhancing sealing properties by creating a fluent transition in corners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional sealing stripes and labyrinths are used, then sealing is provided in sliding wall areas, but interruptions occur in vertical and horizontal sealing connections (especially in corners and underpass areas) allowing dust and powder snow penetration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust and powder snow penetrationVSAvoidsealing connection continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements nested labyrinth constructions where multiple sealing plates are arranged in sequential overlapping layers. The first sealing plate overlaps with the second sealing plate, which in turn overlaps with the third sealing plate, creating a nested configuration that prevents penetration paths for dust and powder snow while maintaining continuous sealing connections in corner and underpass areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional single-plane sealing to a multi-dimensional labyrinth construction with sealing plates arranged in multiple overlapping layers. This dimensional approach creates a three-dimensional sealing barrier that blocks penetration paths that would exist in single-plane sealing, particularly effective in corner and underpass areas where traditional sealing fails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sealing interruptions are accepted in corner and underpass areas, then device complexity is reduced, but resistance against water penetration decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater penetrationVSAvoidsealing system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the sealing system into multiple discrete sealing plates (first, second, and third sealing plates) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each sealing plate is a separate component that overlaps with adjacent plates, allowing for modular construction that provides comprehensive water protection while maintaining manageable device complexity through standardized segmented units.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3708398B1Sealing system for wagon sliding walls
Publication Date: 2022.09.28 TATRAVAGONKA AS
  • EP3708398B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3708398B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3708398B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The sealing system for the wagon sliding walls consists of the bottom labyrinth construction and the upper labyrinth construction, where the bottom labyrinth construction consists of the first sealing plate (5) attached to the sliding wall (6), where the first sealing plate (5) is directed towards the second sealing plate (7), which is attached to the horizontal firm part (8) of the wagon, where the end part of the horizontal firm part (8) of the wagon is equipped with the third sealing plate (7a) directed towards the first sealing plate (5), then the upper labyrinth construction consists of the extruded profile (3), which is attached to the sliding wall (6) edge and which contains two projections (2), which fit between three projections (4) of the firm profile (1), which is attached to the firm part (8) of the wagon, whereby the upper labyrinth construction creates a fluent transition of the extruded profiles (3) in the corners of the sliding walls (6), which fit into the opposite located firm profiles (1) on the firm part (8) of the wagon for increasing sealing ability of the sliding walls (6) and the firm part (8) of the wagon.