Head module for a rail vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a head module for a rail vehicle, said head module being suitable to be detachably fixed to the front face of a subsequent railcar unit without additional underframe. The head module consists of an inner and an outer shell and includes three systems which convert, in the event of a crash, the collision energy into a deformation one after the other or simultaneously and substantially independently of another.

Claims

1. Head module for a rail vehicle which is suitable to be detachably fixed to the end face of a coach section, wherein the end face of the coach section has a plurality of interfaces, which are provided for mounting the following: two longitudinal beams of the underframe, which extend in the longitudinal direction on the lower edges of the coach section and the end faces of which are suitable for the installation of the head module, an underframe support which runs between the two longitudinal beams of the underframe and opens into the main cross beam which is mounted in the bogie of the coach section, wherein the end face of the underframe support is suitable for the installation of the head module, two longitudinal beams of the coach roof, which extend in the longitudinal direction on the upper edges of the coach section and the end faces of which are suitable for the installation of the head module, and the head module comprises an inner and an outer shell, and the following three systems which convert the impact energy into deformation one after the other or simultaneously and largely independently of one another in the event of a crash: a stiffener designed as a ring beam in the roof area of the cab, which conducts forces into the upper longitudinal beams of the coach section, wherein the ring beam has a U shape in which the two ends of the ring beam are fixed to the upper longitudinal beams of the following coach section, a railing reinforcement which conducts impact forces into the lower longitudinal beams of the coach section via a force transmitting member running on the sides of the cab, wherein the railing reinforcement is arranged underneath a front window and above a crash box of the head module, a lower crash conduction element which is fitted with a crash box and in addition conducts the remaining impact energy into the underframe support, wherein a central buffer coupling is arranged on the lower crash conduction element after the section which leads from the crash box to the horizontal section of the lower crash conduction element, and the lower crash conduction element runs from the crash box, and the lower crash conduction element is arranged underneath the railing and above the central buffer coupling, diagonally downwards to underneath the base of the inner shell.

2. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell is designed in one piece and the inner shell is designed in several parts.

3. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the inner shell, the outer shell, the ring beam, the railing reinforcement and the force transmitting member as well as the lower crash conduction element are made from fibre composite material.

4. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the ring beam has at its ends metallic fixing devices for fixing to the upper longitudinal beam of the coach section.

5. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the ring beam is arranged in the upper part of the outer shell, above the inner shell.

6. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the force transmitting member are integrated into a lower part of the inner shell.

7. Head module according to claim 1, wherein in front of the crash box of the lower crash conduction element in the direction of movement of the head module, a plate made of carbon fibre composite material is arranged which absorbs a portion of the impact energy in the event of a crash.

8. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the lower crash conduction element runs from the crash box in a downward sloping manner in the direction of a horizontal section running underneath the cab base and after the horizontal section in an upward sloping manner to the fixing device of the lower crash element on the underframe support.

9. Head module according to claim 1, wherein the lower crash conduction element has a U-shaped cross section open towards the bottom.

Description

(1) The following figures illustrate a preferred embodiment of the head module for a rail vehicle designed according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the cab according to the invention without the outer shell. The central buffer coupling has also been omitted for the sake of clarity. The inner shell 701 is designed in two parts. The division occurs in the horizontal plane above the railing reinforcement 711. The upper part of the inner shell 701 comprises the opening 704 for the front window and the side windows 703. The window openings are separated from each other by the A pillar 705. Above the upper part of the inner shell the ring beam 720 is represented. It is detachably fixed to the upper longitudinal beams of the following coach section (not represented) via the fixing device 721. In preferred embodiments, the ring beam 720 is non-detachably connected to the outer shell (not represented here).

(3) The railing reinforcement 711 and the UD braces 710 which transmit the force from the railing reinforcement 711 to the introduction points 712 into the lower longitudinal beams of the following coach section are integrated into the lower part of the inner shell.

(4) The lower crash conduction element 730 runs underneath the lower part of the inner shell. On the front side of the cab the plate 734 is represented. The crash box 733 is arranged behind it. In the event of a crash, the collision takes place on the plate 734, which passes the force onto the crash box 733 and dissipates it as far as possible there. Remaining impact energy is passed on into the lower crash conduction element 730 and there is transferred at the fixing point 732 into the underframe support of the following coach section. In the horizontal section of the lower crash conduction element 730, the openings 731 for fixing the central buffer coupling are visible.

(5) FIG. 2 shows the schematic front view of the cab without the outer shell. Compared with the side view from FIG. 1, the cover flap of the central buffer coupling with the reference number 706 is additionally provided, which fits into a corresponding opening in the outer shell.

(6) FIG. 3 shows the schematic rear view of the inner shell of the cab. This is the side with which the cab is installed on the following coach section. The installation is preferably effected on the two upper longitudinal beams of the following coach section by means of the fixing elements 721 of the upper ring beam, by means of the fixing elements at the introduction points 712 of the UD braces from the railing reinforcement and by means of the fixing device 712 (only one is represented, a second is arranged symmetrically on the right-hand side) of the lower crash element on the underframe support.

(7) FIG. 4 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the outer shell 702. In particular, it can be seen how the upper ring beam 720 with its fixing elements 721 fits into the outer shell 702. The opening for the cover flap 706 of the central buffer coupling is also represented.

(8) FIG. 5 shows, schematically, how the inner shell 701 is fitted into the outer shell and, by way of example, how the internal fittings 707 can be arranged.

(9) FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of the crash conduction element 730. The crash conduction element has a downward sloping area 7301 in which it runs from the crash box (not represented) to the horizontal section 7302. With the upward sloping section 7303 the crash conduction element runs from the horizontal section to the connection point to the central buffer coupling (not represented).

(10) FIG. 7 shows a schematic 3D view of the crash conduction element 730 from FIG. 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(11) 701 inner shell 702 outer shell 703 side window opening 704 front window opening 705 A pillar 706 cover flap of the central buffer coupling 707 internal fittings 710 UD brace of the railing reinforcement 711 railing reinforcement 712 introduction point of the forces from the railing reinforcement into the lower longitudinal beam of the following coach 720 ring beam 721 fixing device of the ring beam to the upper longitudinal beam of the following coach 730 lower crash conduction element 7301 section of the crash conduction element from the crash box to the horizontal section 7302 horizontal section 7303 section of the crash conduction element from the horizontal section to the fixing element on the underframe support 731 holes for fixing the central buffer coupling 732 fixing device of the lower crash conduction element on the underframe support 733 crash box 734 plate