COUPLING SYSTEM FOR A RAIL VEHICLE

Abstract

Described is a coupling system for a rail vehicle, comprising a coupler with a coupler housing, a contact carrier structure attached to the coupler housing, and a plurality of contacts which are mounted on the contact carrier structure and which each have one of a plurality of different functions. The contact carrier structure may be assembled from several separate contact carrier inserts. On each of the separate contact carrier inserts, from the plurality of contacts only those which have the same function are mounted.

Claims

1. A coupling system for a rail vehicle, comprising a coupler a coupler housing, a contact carrier structure to the coupler housing, and a plurality of contacts which are mounted on the contact carrier structure and which each have one of a plurality of different functions, characterized in that the contact carrier structure can be assembled from several separate contact carrier inserts, and on each of the separate contact carrier inserts from the plurality of contacts only those that have the same function are mounted.

2. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupler is an electric or optical coupler, and that the contacts are electric or optical contacts.

3. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the separate contact carrier inserts from which the contact carrier structure can be assembled, are formed of functional pairs which each comprise two contact carrier inserts, the contacts of which have the same function.

4. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that within the contact carrier structure a fixed mounting position is allocated to each contact carrier insert, which mounting position is predetermined depending on the function which the contacts mounted on this contact carrier insert have.

5. The coupling system according to claim 3, characterized in that the mounting positions of the contact carrier inserts that form a respective functional pair are arranged mirror-symmetrically to an axis of symmetry (Y) dividing the contact carrier structure in two halves.

6. The coupling system according to claim 5, characterized in that the contacts of those contact carrier inserts the mounting positions of which are located in the one half of the contact carrier structure are designed as pin contacts, and that the contacts of those contact carrier inserts the mounting positions of which are located in the other half of the contact carrier structure are designed as socket contacts.

7. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized by at least one manual connector which is arranged outside the coupler housing and has several contact inserts with each time at least one preferably electric or optical contact which is connectable to one of the contacts of one of the contact carrier inserts

8. The coupling system according to claim 7, characterized in that it can be assembled from several modules which are mountable independently from one another, each module comprising at least two of the contact carrier inserts that form a functional pair, and at least one of the contact inserts of the manual connector as well as a first, preferably electric or optical connection between the two contact carrier inserts and a second, preferably electric or optical connection between one of the two contact carrier inserts and the contact insert of the manual connector.

9. A The coupling system according to claim 8, characterized in that the first connection has a first, preferably electric or optical line which couples one of the contacts of the one contact carrier insert to one of the contacts of the other contact carrier insert, and that the second connection has a second, preferably electric or optical line which couples the afore-mentioned contact of the other contact carrier insert to one of the contacts of the contact insert of the manual connector.

10. The coupling system according to claim 9, characterized in that the first line and the second line are directly fixed to the contact of the other contact carrier insert.

11. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the contact carrier inserts is mountable on the coupler housing via a screw connection.

12. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized by a circumferential coupler sealing which is held between the coupler housing and the contact carrier structure assembled from the contact carrier inserts.

13. The coupling system according to claim 12, characterized by at least one holder insert which is mountable on the coupler housing by means of a screw connection, the coupler sealing being partially held between the holder insert and the coupler housing.

14. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the different functions of the electric contacts mounted on the separate contact carrier inserts include at least one of a digital data transmission, a high-frequency signal transmission, a low-frequency signal transmission and an energy transmission.

15. A method of manufacturing a coupling system for a rail vehicle according to claim 8, comprising the following steps: preassembling the modules such that a plurality of different modules is provided, selecting those modules that correspond to a predetermined target configuration, and assembling the selected modules.

16. A method of manufacturing a coupling system provided for a rail vehicle, said coupling system comprising a coupler having a coupler housing and a contact carrier structure attached to the coupler housing, and at least one manual connector that is arranged outside the coupler housing, comprising the following steps: providing separate contact carrier inserts used to form the contact carrier structure, wherein on every of the separate contact carrier inserts from a plurality of contacts which each have one of a plurality of different functions only those contacts that have the same function are mounted, providing separate contact inserts used to form the manual connector and having at least one contact each, preassembling a plurality of modules, of which each module comprises at least one of the contact carrier inserts, at least one of the contact inserts and a connection between the contact carrier insert and the contact insert, selecting those modules which correspond to a predetermined target configuration of the coupling system, and assembling the selected modules.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each module is preassembled such that it comprises at least two of the contact carrier inserts that form a functional pair and the contacts of which have the same function, and that a connection between the two contact carrier inserts is provided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the Figures.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an electric coupler according to the prior art.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a contact carrier structure of the coupler according to FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the coupling system according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a contact carrier structure of the electric coupler shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a perspective sectional view of the electric coupler according to FIG. 3.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration showing an inventive module that can be preassembled and is used for setting up the coupling system according to FIG. 3.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a schematic, partially sectional view for illustrating a double line connection with an electric contact mounted on a separate contact carrier insert; and

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration illustrating the module-type set-up of the inventive coupling system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In the following and with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, an electric coupling system 29 is described, which illustrates an inventive development of the solution known from the prior art and illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The following description substantially concentrates on such aspects by which the inventive coupling system 29 differs from the previous solution and which are necessary for the understanding of the invention.

[0042] The coupling system 29 comprises an electric coupler 30 having a coupler housing 32, at the front side of which a contact carrier structure 34 is attached. The coupling system 29 further includes two manual connectors 36, 38, each of which being coupled to the coupler housing 32 of the electric coupler 30 via a protective tube 40 and 42, respectively.

[0043] The inventive structure of the contact carrier structure 34 is illustrated in FIG. 4. In contrast to the prior art illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact carrier structure 34 is not designed in the form of the one-piece contact carrier 21, but is assembled from several separate contact carrier inserts 44a, 44b, 46a, 46b, 48a, 48b and 50a, 50b. The contact carrier structure 34 is enclosed at its both ends by two holder inserts 52a and 52b, respectively.

[0044] The contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b form functionally separate assemblies to such an extent that in the contact carrier inserts each time only electric contacts having the same transmission function are mounted. The contact carrier inserts 44a, 44b each have two contacts 54a and 54b, respectively, which are used for the digital data transmission. On the other hand, the contact carrier inserts 46a, 46b are each equipped with several contacts 56a and 56b, respectively, which are used for the high-frequency signal transmission. The contacts 56a, 56b are thus designed e.g. as gold-coated contacts. The respective three contact carrier inserts 48a and 48b, respectively, form assemblies having the same function. Thus, each of these contact carrier inserts 48a, 48b is equipped with several electric contacts 58a and 58b, respectively, which are used for the low-frequency signal transmission. The contacts 58a, 58b are, for example, designed as silver-coated contacts. Finally, the contact carrier inserts 50a, 50b are each equipped with several electric contacts 60a and 60b, respectively, which are used for the energy transmission (electric power transmission).

[0045] The electric contacts 54a, 56a, 58a, 60a, 54b, 56b, 58b, 60b form a mirror-symmetric contact arrangement with respect to a central axis of symmetry Y dividing the contact carrier structure 34 into two halves. The electric contacts 54a, 56a, 58a and 60a arranged in the left half of the contact carrier structure 34 in FIG. 4 are designed as plug contacts. On the other hand, the contacts 54b, 56b, 58b and 60b mounted in the right half of the contact carrier structure 34 are designed as socket contacts. The left and the right side of the contact carrier structure 34 form the cone side and the funnel side, respectively.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a perspective, sectional view of the right half of the contact carrier structure 34 illustrated in FIG. 4. As can be taken from FIG. 5, the coupler 30 has a circumferential coupler sealing 62 that encloses the contact carrier structure 34. The coupler sealing 62 is directly held between the coupler housing 32 and the individual contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b as well as both holder inserts 52a, 52b, respectively. Thus, no additional parts are required for positioning the coupler sealing 62, as this is the case in other solutions known from the prior art.

[0047] Each of the contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b is directly fixed to the coupler housing 32 by several, e.g. two screws, which engage in associated screw holes 64 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Thus, also for attaching the separate contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b no further intermediate parts, for example in the form of holding frames and/or strips especially provided for this purpose, are required. As a result, the production and assembly costs are considerably reduced.

[0048] In FIG. 6, it is illustrated in a schematic illustration with reference to an example how by means of the inventive division of the contact carrier structure 34 into the separate contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b that are only equipped with electric contacts having the same functions modules may be provided, which can be preassembled and from which the coupling system 29 according to FIG. 3 can be put together in a standardized manner.

[0049] In the example shown, such a module is identified with 66 and includes two of the contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b which are identified in FIG. 6 with 68 and 70, respectively, as well as a contact insert 72 which is included in one of the two manual connectors 36, 38 and may be equipped with several electric contacts. The contact carrier insert 68 is located, for example, on the funnel side, and the contact carrier insert 70 is located on the cone side of the contact carrier structure 34. The module 66, which can be preassembled, further comprises two electric lines 74 and 76, of which one line 74 extends between the two contact carrier inserts 68 and 70, and the other line 76 between the contact carrier insert 68 and the contact insert 72 of the manual connector. The line 74 couples an electric contact 78 to be mounted on the contact carrier insert 70 to an electric contact 80 to be mounted on the contact carrier insert 68. On the other hand, the electric line 76 couples the afore-mentioned electric contact 80 with which the contact carrier insert 68 is to be equipped to an electric contact 82 which is to be mounted to the contact insert 72. This means that the two electric lines 74, 76 run together in the manner of a double connection in the electric contact 80 of the contact carrier insert 68, as will be explained still in more detail later with reference to FIG. 7.

[0050] The module 66 is designed to realize one of the transmission functions provided in the coupling system 29 such as the digital data transmission, the high-frequency signal transmission, the low-frequency signal transmission or the energy transmission. The module 66 forms one of several standardized assemblies, which each create a unique allocation between the separate contact carrier inserts 44a/b to 50a/b forming the contact carrier structure 34 and the contact inserts (e.g. contact insert 72 in FIG. 6) of the manual connectors 36, 38. By providing so different standard modules of the type merely exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 6, the disadvantages encountered in the prior art and which in particular are associated with the construction, the production, the maintenance and the retrofitting of a customer-specific assembly may be avoided.

[0051] The inventive modularization also enables the provision of so-called transverse connections between two respective contact carrier inserts included in the contact carrier structure 34 of the coupler 30. In the example according to FIG. 6, such a transverse connection is given by the electric line 74, which couples the two contact carrier inserts 68, 70 to one another. For this, the electric contact 80, which is to be mounted on the contact carrier insert 68, is designed for a double connection of the lines 74, 76, as is shown in more detail in FIG. 7.

[0052] For realizing the double connection of the two lines 74, 76, the latter are de-insulated to a length L, i.e. their insulating coating is removed. Thereafter, their conducting wires 84 and 86, respectively, are electrically connected to the contact 80, e.g. crimped, soldered or screwed. Finally, the contact 80 is inserted into a bore 88 formed in the contact carrier insert 68 (see also FIG. 6) and fixed therein.

[0053] The inventive direct double connection of the lines 74, 76 in the electric contact 80 may be realized with only little technical effort. In particular, additional components such as a heat-shrinkable tube, as used in conventional solutions, can be done without. These additional components are required in the prior art for insulating the de-coated portions of the lines to meet the required air and creepage distance specifications that are provided for the use in the railway area. In conventional solutions, the crimping point is located outside the contact carrier insert due to the installation space of the contact carrier insert. These additional components are not necessary in the present embodiment, since here, for example, the point of crimping with the conducting wires 84 and 86 is directly located inside the insulating contact carrier insert 68, so that the air and creepage distance specifications are reliably met.

[0054] In FIG. 8, once again the inventive modularization of the electric coupling system 29 is illustrated. Here, the contact carrier inserts of the electric coupler 30 are for the sake of simplicity identified with A to F, and the contact inserts of the two manual connectors are identified with a to f The abbreviation EKU-KS stands for the cone side of the coupler 30, the abbreviation EKU-TS stands for the funnel side of the coupler 30, the abbreviation HS-KS stands for the cone side of the respective manual connector, and the abbreviation HS-TS stands for the funnel side of the respective manual connector.

[0055] In the example according to FIG. 8, a standard module is formed in that the two contact carrier modules B of the coupler 30 having the same function and the contact insert c of the manual connector 38 are combined to a preassembled functional unit.

[0056] The inventive standard module is formed of assemblies, each of which having a predefined place in the coupler 30 and the manual connector 36 and 38, respectively. With reference to the example of FIG. 6, the length of the electric line 74, which connects the two contact carrier inserts 68, 70 to each other, is fixed in a manner that can be standardized. As a variable which must still be defined in a project-specific manner, there is only the length of the electric line 76. As a result, the technical documents for the respective modules may be firmly defined and created and do not have to be created specifically for each and every project. The expenditure for the offer and project-planning phase is thus considerably reduced. There is a significant advantage for the stocking of spare parts both at the manufacturer and at the customer. The invention thus makes it possible for the first time to manufacture a coupling system according to the so-called configured-to-order principle (in short CTO). From the prior art, only solutions are known which work according to the modified-to-order principle (in short MTO) or even according to the designed/developed-to-order principle (in short DTO).

[0057] As becomes clear from the above explanations, the mentioned technical advantages result in particular from the circumstances that the inventive coupling system 10 is the sum of individual standard modules, each module having its predefined place within the system. This applies to both the coupler components of the respective standard module provided in the coupler 30 and to the coupler components provided in the respective manual connector 36 and 38, respectively. A further advantage is that such a standard module may be demounted in a non-destructive manner without endangering the function of other modules.

[0058] The inventive module concept, which provides the prefabrication of individual standard modules, moreover makes it possible to design the coupler housing 32 of the coupler 30 in a one-piece form. As a result, less individual component parts and connecting elements are required, this resulting in a lower number of interfaces to be sealed. This makes the sealing concept and the machining of the individual component parts easier. On the other hand, the coupler housing known from the prior art is designed in several parts with a removable lid on the housing back.

[0059] The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments. The described embodiments are directed to an electric coupling system which provides the transmission of electric signals between the coupler 30 and the manual connectors 36, 38. The invention is, however, likewise applicable to an optical coupling system in which optical signals are transmitted.