Railway vehicle with a deformable driver's cab with dedicated repair interface

[0001] The present invention relates to a railway vehicle with a deformable driver's cab.

by truck 15 showing [0002] Annex A to the Technical Specifications to

Interoperability (Technical Specification for

Interoperability - TSI) published in the Official Journal of the European Communities of 09.12.2002, page 403 et seq., Identifies three different collision scenarios (Scenario 1: Collision between two identical high speed trainsets at a relative speed of 36 km / h; Scenario 2: Collision between high speed trainset and rail vehicle fitted with side buffers at 36 km / h, the UIC 571-2 four-axle freight car weighing 80 tonnes is the railway vehicle; Scenario 3: Collision at 110 km / h at a railroad crossing with a ton representing a rigid mass for a collision of a vertical surface).

While for the TSI-2 and TSI-3 scenarios, partial deformation of the front of the driver's cab is considered acceptable if the survival zone at the rear of the driver's cab of 750 mm remains intact, in the TSI-1 scenario there can be no spatial deformation of the vehicle structure. This makes it necessary to increase the vehicle's ability to absorb energy, i.e. to shorten the vehicle structure, no significant occurrence while maintaining a specific longitudinal force.

[0003] To absorb energy resulting from a collision, multi-stage solutions that provide front-to-back deformation are commonly used.

As a rule of thumb, non-structural deformation elements, i.e. elements that do not support parts of the vehicle body, such as collapsing joints and / or collapsing bumpers at the front of the vehicle, together with an energy absorber allowing dynamic plastic deformation, are used as the first stage of these solutions that guarantee, after accidents between similar vehicles (with a bumper system) involving relatively low collision forces, easy interchangeability, low repair costs and short downtime. In addition, until now there was no need for effective maintenance, the main goal was to control energy absorption and passenger safety.

[0005] The damage caused to the vehicle and the zones where the damage occurred, in some designs positioned in a whole undeformable cabin, were not taken into account. The crumple zones described are in front of a relatively stiff, driver. In others, parts of the driver's cab are formed as deformable and also used to absorb energy. The first solution accepts that if the front crumple elements are worn, immediate severe structural damage to the driver's cab and engine room can occur, which usually cannot be repaired in a cost-effective way. The second solution allows for greater energy absorption in a limited construction space, but there is still a risk of the force of deformation being transferred to subsequent construction zones, i.e. the driver's cab and / or the engine room. This solution also normally prevents repair in a cost-effective manner. [0006] An example of such a vehicle is in EP0888946B1. The railway vehicle described therein has a main vehicle body including a central portion for accommodating passengers and a steel end frame which is attached by bolts at the front end of the central section. The prefabricated driver's cab, which has quick couplings for the controllers and vehicle interface circuits, is mounted within the steel end frame. The frame includes shock-absorbing elements such as buffers and connectors mounted on the front of the frame and the front of the railway vehicle. The steel end frame is surrounded by a replaceable fairing and is tightly connected to the central part. However, the steel end frame is rigid and is not designed for controlled crushing in the event of a collision in which the shock-absorbing members are worn or completely crushed. In particular, when the longitudinal beams of the frame begin to bend under the impact of a frontal impact, high uncontrolled bending loads will be transmitted to the repair interface. It will not be possible to completely absorb excessive impact energy through the steel end frame, which will increase the risk that the impact energy will be transferred to the central part. This will increase the likelihood of local overloading and cracking of the driver's cab and / or the middle section, resulting in catastrophic structural failure. In addition, with such an impact, the vehicle interface will most likely be destroyed, which will prevent the driver's cab and / or parts of the driver's cab, such as the control panels, from being replaced effectively, without also changing the vehicle interface, and most likely, in worse scenarios, will not save the remaining damaged parts of the center section.

[0007] It would be desirable to have solutions to control and limit deformation, and to provide pre-structured repair interfaces that would also be applicable to the above events. In this case, it would be possible, even after severe collisions, to repair damaged vehicles at a relatively low cost and with little time.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need for an interchangeable deformable vehicle cab for a railway vehicle, which vehicle cab absorbs collision energy with an obstacle by the controlled deformation of the vehicle cab, thereby protecting the central part, whereby the railway vehicle can be repaired for reuse .

[0009] A vehicle comprising an impact absorber device is known from US 5579699. The impact absorber device is located at the front end of the vehicle. The front frame of the railway vehicle body includes a housing formed of two side sills, between which a front pivot beam based on the front bogie is placed. The first and second rigid rings form a safety cage. The floor beams and reinforcement members are attached to rigid rings to stiffen the safety cage. The first deformable area constituting the front part of the frame is formed of first and second impact absorber devices and a connecting beam. The first shock absorber devices are positioned on the respective sides of the center axis of the housing. These first shock absorber devices are generally trapezoidal and each consists of a longitudinal member absorbing, by deformation, the energy generated by the impact in a given direction, which member is made of a thin sheet having a substantially triangular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the direction of impact.

[0010] A rail vehicle with a head module made of composite fiber material is known from US6431083. For this purpose, a connecting zone with high-tolerance compensating means is formed on the chassis, and a connecting edge with compensating means with longitudinal and lateral tolerance is formed on the wagon body module. The front module has connecting edges facing the wagon body and chassis module and is equipped with reinforced sections that are integrated in the fiber composite material. The front module is attached to the chassis and at least to the side walls of the front module of the wagon body module by means of fastening means that create prestressing forces in such a way as to form shear-resistant joints. As a result, it is possible to control size deviations in order to avoid stress from manufacturing methods, joining indefinite internal times, to absorb without disturbing the different thermal expansion of the front modules of the fibrous composite material and the wagon body module, as well as to produce the front modules from the fibrous composite material and connectors of said modules to the wagon body module and to the chassis in such a way so that they are not only self-supporting, but also with load sharing and easy to repair.

[0011] According to the invention, a railway vehicle is provided defining a longitudinal direction and comprising:

- a central part, a vehicle cab that is shorter than the middle part, which vehicle cab has a crushable front part which in the event of a collision undergoes controlled collapse, and at least one rigid part located between the front part and the middle part, the front part has less resistance to deformation than the rigid part and the rigid part comprises a reinforced ring structure extending in a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, at least one specialized repair interface for removable attachment of the vehicle cabin to the central part, wherein the ring is rigidly connected via rigid longitudinal frame members to the rear rigid frame members extending in a subsequent vertical transverse plane located between the ring and the specialized repair interface, and the rigid rear frame members are rigidly attached to the specialized repair interface.

[0012] It is preferable to place the specialized repair interface in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, since this provides a reduction in the longitudinal stress that is applied to the specialized repair interface. However, the repair interface can also be tilted or graduated.

[0013] Preferably, the repair interface comprises a thick metal sheet plate extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. This metal sheet plate may extend throughout the entire cross-section of the vehicle body, with or without an opening for access from the vehicle cabin to the center.

Preferably, the rigid part is such that it does not deform in the event of a frontal collision between a railway vehicle and a UIC 571-2 four-axle freight car with a mass of 80 tonnes, fitted with side buffers, at a speed of 36 km / h. and / or in the event of a collision at a railroad crossing with a speed of 110 km / h. with a 15 ton truck representing a rigid mass representing a vertical surface for the collision.

[0015] Preferably, the cabin of the vehicle for driving a railway vehicle further includes a driver's instrument panel located in the front part and / or a survival space located in the rigid part or directly behind the specialized repair interface. In addition, it is beneficial if the vehicle cabin has a survival space to improve the safety of users in the event of a frontal impact. Such a survival space would be made of rigid hard material to protect users against obstacles, vehicle parts and / or collision debris.

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of modifying the installation of a cab for the repair interface of variants.

vehicle vehicle and any rail including the specialized one described herein [0017] The advantage of installing a removable vehicle cabin and a specialized repair interface in a railway vehicle is that the railway vehicles and the essential bodywork or central parts thereof will benefit from both the controlled deformation of the vehicle cabin and the option of replacing deformed parts of the vehicle cabin when re-recovering or remaining

There are many middle ways of one specialized use of a railway vehicle part installing at least the interface and the vehicle cabin for the railway vehicle. For example, versions of the specialized repair interface and the vehicle cab can be installed in the railway vehicle during production as described herein. Alternatively, the existing railway vehicle may be equipped with the above-mentioned components providing a cost-effective solution for current fleet operators.

[0018] Other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given as a non-restrictive example with reference only to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1a shows a longitudinal section view of a railway vehicle of the present invention, and • Figure 1b shows a partial vertical longitudinal section along the line II-II of Figure 1a.

[0019] With reference to figures 1a and 1b, these figures show a railway vehicle designated 2. The railway vehicle 2 comprises a vehicle cabin 12 which is attached to the central part 10 by means of a specialized repair interface 14.

[0020] The railway vehicle 2 of Figures 1a and 1b includes a vehicle housing or base 4 supported on one or more bogies (not shown). The vehicle base 4 supports the body structure comprising the main walls 6 extending upwards to the roof 8 (only one wall is shown in longitudinal section in figure 1a), the walls 6, the roof 8 and the base 4 of the vehicle being defined as the central part 10 defining the direction longitudinal. The central part 10 includes at least one central plane in the longitudinal, with an interface, which is perpendicularly connected in the direction of one to the outer edge of at least the end of the bodywork frame and the vehicle base 4. The middle interface is the assembly platform for mounting and supporting the specialized repair interface 14, as well as the interface for electrical and mechanical connections that can be connected to the control of the railway vehicle 2.

[0021] The specialized repair interface 14 includes plates of thick sheet metal, which extends through a vertical cross-section of the vehicle and has a central hole that allows passage between the vehicle cabin and the central part of the vehicle. The specialized repair interface 14 may include wires for electrical and mechanical connections for the necessary equipment that can be used to control the railway vehicle 2. A sheet metal plate is welded to the frame structure of the middle part. This ensures high stability and dimensional accuracy so that it can act as an integrated manufacturing device in the manufacturing step and as a dimensional reference during repairs. The sheet metal plate is connected to the vehicle cabin frame by a permanent connection (e.g. welded) or detachable (e.g. riveted or screwed).

[0022] The cab 12 of the vehicle comprises a rigid part 18 and the front part 16. The cab 12 of the vehicle is supported by the base 17 of the cab (some of which may not be shown) and the roof 15 of the cab is supported by the rigid part 18 and the front part 16.

[0023] The rigid portion 18 is positioned between the repair interface 14 and the front portion 16 and includes a stiffening ring that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The stiffening ring in cross-section must be resistant to bending and torsion and, which is preferably formed from a structural pipe. On each side of the vehicle, this ring also forms the front side exit frame 20, which can be used both for entry into the cabin and as an escape route. The rear frames 19 are formed by a reinforced frame member welded or otherwise rigidly connected to the repair interface 14. The rear frames are rigidly connected to the ring through a rigid portion of the longitudinal beam 23 of the vehicle base and the upper frame member 40. This connection is also reinforced with a central beam (not shown) extending in the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle. The survival space is located in the rigid part 18 so that in case of danger, the driver can escape from the front part 16 where the instrument panel and driver's seat are located and take refuge in the survival space.

[0024] The front portion 16 includes at least one deformable zone that has a lower deformation strength compared to the rigid portion 18. The front portion 16 includes support members 23, 26, 30, 32, 34 and 44 of the frame. These frame members may be made of, but not limited to, steel, mild steel, fiberglass, aluminum, carbon fiber, its laminates or any other such material, subassembly or component which is suitable for the purposes of the front part 16 To minimize the bending moment of the force transmitted to the ring 21 and the interface, the support members 23, 26, 30, 32, 34 and 44 of the frame have a predetermined limitation of their bending strength.

[0025] The beam 23 extends longitudinally towards the front of the front portion 16 and includes at least one removed elongated portion that forms the deformable base zone 24. The deformable base zone 24 provides energy absorption by longitudinal crushing and / or buckling.

[0026] To the front end of the shock absorbing beam 23 and adjacent to the deformation of the entire base zone 24 a frame head e-member 26 is attached. The frame head member 26 extends along the distance between the sides of the vehicle cabin 12 and supports the front portion of the front portion 16. In addition, subassemblies including, but not limited to, buffers, connectors, scrapers, piping, anti-climbing devices, or other non-structural energy absorbing members that do not support parts of the vehicle body and allow energy to be absorbed through dynamic attachment may be supported on frame head element 26. plastic deformation.

[0027] At the top and / or adjacent to the frame head member 26, at least one lower frame member 30 is connected, which is inclined at an angle towards the front of the vehicle cabin 12, the upper part of the lower frame member 30 being centrally located in a certain the distance between the base 17 of the cabin and the roof 15 of the cabin 12 of the vehicle. The lower frame member 30 may redirect the impact energy that may hit up the lower frame member 30 towards the impact absorbing beam 23 and through the frame head member 26 to the deformable base zone.

[0028] The lower deformable zone 31 is located at the base of the lower frame member 30. The lower deformable zone 31 can provide energy absorption by compression or crushing and / or acting as a hinge for bending or buckling as a result of collision with an obstacle. The lower deformable zone 31 promotes deformation of the lower frame member 30 towards the interior of the vehicle cabin 12.

[0029] In the vicinity of the upper part of the lower frame member 30, a central frame member 32 is connected, which extends transversely between the sides of the cabin 12 of the vehicle. In addition, at least one upper frame member 34 adjacent the top of the lower frame member 30. Basically, near the zone adjacent the upper frame member 34 and the lower frame member 30 there is a central deformable zone 36. In this case, the central deformable zone 36 is located above the connection of the middle frame member 32 and the bottom frame member 30.

[0030] In the event of a collision, the position of the middle frame member 32 and the bottom frame member 30 assists in deforming and bending the central deformable zone 36 towards the interior of the vehicle cabin 12. As can be seen in Figure 1a, the central deformable zone 36 is made of two distant, substantially opposing, non-intersecting semicircular, removable sections, which gives the lower and upper members of the frame 30 and 34 the property of rotational deformation. The upper frame member 34 can be made of a material with high rigidity which prevents, when colliding, the full penetration of the vehicle cabin 12 by an obstacle.

[0031] At least one upper deformable zone 38 is located either adjacent the top of the upper frame member 34 or the top of the upper frame member 38. At least one first frame roof member 40 is connected adjacent to either the upper frame member 34 or the upper deformable zone 38. At least one first deformable roof zone 42 is located near the end of the first roof frame member 40 that adjoins the upper frame member 34 or upper deformable zone 38. The first roof frame member 40 extends toward the rear of the vehicle cabin 12 above the rigid end portion 18 on the specialized repair interface 14. Adjacent and above the first roof frame member 40 there is a second roof frame member 44 with at least one second deformable roof zone 46 located within it. The second deformable roof zone 46 of the roof is adjacent to the first deformable roof zone 42.

[0032] The first deformable roof zone 42 includes at least two longitudinally spaced holes that act as a hinge, providing absorption of energy by rotation about a rotation axis between the two holes. In addition, the holes can act as a longitudinal energy absorption mechanism in the form of crushing or buckling effects. The second deformable roof zone 46 includes half-round corrugations in the upper and lower edges of the second roof frame member 44. A second deformable roof zone 46 absorbs energy by longitudinal kneading or buckling to further minimize the transmission of impact energy to the rear of the vehicle cabin 12.

[0033] In the event of an obstacle hitting the front of the cabin 12 of the railway vehicle 2 shown in figure 1a, the front part 16 will undergo controlled collapse to absorb the kinetic energy of the collision. In the case of an average frontal collision with an obstacle with a flat frontal surface, the lower, middle and upper deformable zones, respectively 31, 36, 38, will not be fully deformed because the obstacle has a flat frontal surface and does not penetrate into the cabin 12 of the vehicle. The base, first and second deformable roof zones 24, 42, and 46, respectively, absorb the kinetic energy of the impact substantially in the longitudinal direction by crushing or buckling in the longitudinal direction.

[0034] In collision with a profiled obstacle striking at a height that is central between the base 17 of the cabin and the roof 15 of the cabin, the deformable zones 31, 36, 38 24, 42 and 46 cooperate to adapt to the contours of the obstacle and absorb the kinetic energy of the impact. The base and roof members of the frames 23, 40 and 44 typically undergo rotational and / or bending deformation such that the members rotate inwardly of the vehicle cabin 12 around the deformable zones 24, 42 and 46. At the same time, when the obstacle hits centrally, most likely, the upper frame member 34, then the central deformable zone 36 deflects and begins to undergo rotational and / or bending deformation around the central deformable zone 36. The obstacle pushes the central deformable zone 36 further into the cabin 12 of the vehicle. However, in practice, the upper frame members 34 prevent the obstacle from entering and / or puncturing into vehicle cabin 12. This is when the entire surface of the cabin area 12 of the vehicle begins to rapidly absorb the kinetic energy of the collision, eventually stopping the momentum of the obstacle forward.

[0035] At the same time, the deformable zones, lower, upper, first and second roof zones and base zone, 31, 38, 42, 46 and 24, respectively, undergo further rotational deformation by absorbing collision energy as much as possible. also carried by

The remaining collision energy is crushing deformable lower and upper zones 31 and 38 towards members 23 and 40, 44, frame base and frame roof. The residual collision energy is absorbed in the deformable zones 24, 42 and 46 of the base and roof by longitudinal crushing of these deformable zones. The kinetic energy of the collision is effectively transferred to the vehicle.

away from the users of the cabin 12 [0036] The front part 16 will adapt to the shape of the obstacle and absorb as much kinetic energy as possible by deforming the central deformable zone 36 and other deformable zones 31,

38, 42, 46 and 24.

[0037] During the collision, users of the vehicle cabin 12 are pushed backwards through the deformed front part 16 into the survival space located in the rigid part 18. Alternatively, users may be pushed towards the survival space by the driver's console, which may be in the front part 16 vehicle 12 cabins or they can take refuge in the survival section.

[0038] Furthermore, in the event of a collision, the rigid part 18 protects the specialized repair interface 14 against an obstacle and / or parts of the vehicle cabin 12 that can damage the specialized repair interface 14, and also prevents the transfer of rotational bending moment to the specialized repair interface 14.

[0039] After collision with an obstacle, provided that the middle interface and the middle part 10 are intact, the deformed cabin 12 implemented vehicle from the vehicle can be replaced. This is by disconnecting the deformed cabin 12 of the sheet metal plate specialized repair interface 14. Said cabin 12 of the vehicle will be welded or otherwise attached to the plate so that the central part 10 of the rail vehicle 2 can be reused, resulting in increased savings in maintenance and operating costs.

[0040] Furthermore, with smaller collisions instead of replacing the entire vehicle cabin 12, the vehicle cabin 12 may have one or more additional specialized repair interfaces and / or one or more additional crumple zones that can be used to replace only those damaged parts of the vehicle cabin 12 . For example, a specialized repair interface and / or a central interface to cover the specialized repair interface may be placed between the rigid part 18 and the front part 16 of the vehicle cabin 12. This will ensure that in collisions that do not damage the part of the vehicle cabin 12 which includes the rigid part 18, only the front part 16 is replaced.

[0041] This concept can be applied to even smaller interchangeable parts of the vehicle cabin 12 after deformation.

[0042] For example, the front part 16 may have additional specialized repair interfaces and / or matched middle interfaces attached to the front part 16 that may be damaged in such a way that only the collision part is repaired and / or replaced.

[0043] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form and details of the embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0044] In this specification, references to "rail vehicle" or "rail vehicles" should not be considered to be restricted to a particular type of rail transport, but should be interpreted as references to all types of rail vehicles, including but not limited to to: rail vehicles, trains, passenger carriages, freight wagons, locomotives, trams, remote controlled vehicles and means of transport and the like. The terms "railway vehicle" and "railway vehicles" are used herein to refer to a typical group of facilities, unless otherwise specified.

Bombardier Transportation GmbH

Proxy:

77P37234PL00

EP 2 407 367 B1