Ballistic Protection Arrangement for Vehicles

Abstract

A ballistic protection arrangement for vehicles, in particular for rail vehicles chassis, with at least one first wheelset which has a first wheel, a second wheel and a wheelset shaft, wherein in order to provide advantageous construction conditions, a shell includes at least one first material layer, which includes a first fibre material, arranged around the wheelset shaft such that the wheelset shaft is advantageously protected from damage, for example, due to stone impacts at particularly high travelling speeds and at particularly low temperatures, where the first fibre material of the first material layer brings about high absorption of energy with the protection arrangement while, at the same time, having a low mass.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A ballistic protection arrangement for a vehicle chassis, comprising at least one first wheelset which comprises a first wheel, a second wheel and a wheelset shaft; and a shell comprising at least one first material layer having a first fiber material which is arrangeable round the wheelset shaft.

16. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first fiber material of the first material layer comprises polyethylene.

17. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first fiber material of the first material layer is configured as a fiber woven fabric.

18. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first fiber material of the first material layer is configured as a fiber woven fabric.

19. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shell comprises a second material layer.

20. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the shell comprises a second material layer.

21. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the shell comprises a second material layer.

22. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second material layer is made of a metallic material.

23. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second material layer is configured as a fiber-reinforced plastic with a second fiber material.

24. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first material layer is pressed together with the second material layer.

25. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first material layer is pressed together with the second material layer.

26. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first material layer is pressed together with the second material layer.

27. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first material layer is configured as a fiber-reinforced plastic with the first fiber material and a second fiber material.

28. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first material layer is configured as a fiber-reinforced plastic with the first fiber material and a second fiber material.

29. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the second fiber material comprises glass fibers.

30. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 27, wherein the second fiber material comprises glass fibers.

31. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic comprises a matrix of organic material.

32. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic comprises a matrix of organic material.

32. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 29, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic comprises a matrix of organic material.

33. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shell comprises at least one zip fastener.

34. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shell comprises at least one button fastener.

35. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shell comprises at least one first partial shell and one second partial shell; and wherein a first cross-section of the at least one partial shell and a second cross-section of the second partial shell have identical radii.

36. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shell is configured to be cylindrical.

37. The ballistic protection arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The invention will now be described in greater detail making reference to exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a side view of a wheelset shaft in a sectional representation with a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement which comprises a first material layer and a second material layer;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a side view of a wheelset shaft in a sectional representation with a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement which comprises just a first material layer;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a shell of a third exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement which comprises a zip fastener;

[0027] FIG. 4 is two side views of a wheelset shaft in a sectional representation with the third exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a chassis with a first wheelset around the wheelset shaft of which is arranged the third exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement; and

[0029] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a chassis with a first wheelset around the wheelset shaft of which is arranged a fourth exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement with a button fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0030] A side view of a wheelset shaft 4 of a rail vehicle shown in FIG. 1 in a sectional representation with a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement comprises a cylindrical shell 5 which has an inner first material layer 6 and an outer second material layer 7. The wheelset shaft 4 has a corrosion-proof coating (not shown).

[0031] The shell 5 surrounds the wheelset shaft 4 and is secured via a zip fastener 8. No movement, or only negligible movement, of the shell 5 relative to the wheelset shaft 4 is possible, i.e., the shell 5 is fixed on the wheelset shaft 4.

[0032] The first material layer 6 is compressed onto the second material layer 7, whereby for corresponding compression processes an autoclave (not shown) known from the prior art is used. The first material layer 6 comprises a first fiber material with a fiber fabric composed of artificial fibers that are made of polyethylene, via which a high energy-absorption capability is achieved.

[0033] The second material layer 7 is made of steel with a high tensile strength. Due to the first material layer 6 and the second material layer 7, properties of high energy-absorbing capability and high tensile strength are combined in an advantageous manner.

[0034] In accordance with the invention, it is also conceivable to make the second material layer 7 from titanium or fiber-reinforced plastic. In an embodiment in fiber-reinforced plastic, the fiber-reinforced plastic has a second fiber material made of glass fibers and a matrix of epoxy resin with flameproofing. However, in accordance with the invention, other organic matrix materials such as polyurethane are also conceivable.

[0035] The shell 5 has a thickness of 6 mm and is used for traveling speeds of the rail vehicle of up to 380 km/h.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a wheelset shaft 4 of a rail vehicle in a sectional representation with a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement, where the ballistic protection arrangement comprises a cylindrical shell 5 with just a first material layer 6. The wheelset shaft 4 has a corrosion-proof coating (not shown).

[0037] The shell 5 encapsulates the wheelset shaft 4 and is secured via a zip fastener 8.

[0038] The first material layer 6 is made of fiber-reinforced plastic. The fiber-reinforced plastic has a first fiber material composed of polyethylene fibers and a second fiber material composed of glass fibers. A matrix material made of epoxy resin with flameproofing is provided. However, in accordance with the invention, other organic matrix materials such as polyurethane are also conceivable.

[0039] The first fiber material is mixed with the second fiber material, so that properties of a high energy-absorbing capability and a high tensile strength are combined in an advantageous manner.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a shell 5 of a third exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement with a zip fastener 8. The zip fastener 8 is arranged on an outer surface of the cylindrical shell 5. The zip fastner 8 is configured straight and is oriented parallel to a wheelset longitudinal axis 19.

[0041] The zip fastener 8 is welded to the shell 5 that is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. In accordance with the invention, it is also conceivable, for example, to interweave the zip fastener 8 with the shell 5.

[0042] Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the shell 5 comprises a first material layer 6 and a second material layer 7, where the second material layer 7 is made of a metallic material and the zip fastener 8 is welded to the second material layer 7.

[0043] The zip fastener 8 has a first tooth row 9 and a second tooth row 10 and a slider 11. With the slider 11, teeth of the first tooth row 9 and teeth of the second tooth row 10 can be hooked into one another and released again to close and open the shell 5. In a closed state of the zip fastener 8, the shell 5 is fixed on a wheelset shaft 4 (not shown in FIG. 3).

[0044] FIG. 4 shows, at left, a first state of a shell 5 of a third exemplary embodiment of an inventive ballistic protection arrangement with a zip fastener 8 and, at right, a second state. The zip fastener 8 has a first tooth row 9 and a second tooth row 10.

[0045] In the first state, the zip fastener 8 is open and the shell 5 is bent open and partially pulled over a wheelset shaft 4.

[0046] In the second state, the shell 5 encapsulates the wheelset shaft 4 and the zip fastener 8 is closed, i.e. the first tooth row 9 and the second tooth row 10 are hooked into one another.

[0047] In the second state, the shell 5 is fixed on the wheelset shaft 4.

[0048] The shell 5 has a first material layer 6, as described, and as shown in FIG. 1, and a second material layer 7, where the first material layer 6 comprises a first fiber material with a fiber woven fabric. The second material layer 7 is configured as a thin steel sheet. The ballistic protection arrangement is therefore configured thin, lightweight and pliable, so that a small effort for assembly and disassembly, as shown in FIG. 4 at left, of the shell 5 is achieved.

[0049] FIG. 5 shows a chassis of a rail vehicle with a chassis frame 13, a drive motor gearbox unit 14 connected to the chassis frame 13 and a first wheelset 1 with a first wheel 2, a second wheel 3 and a wheelset shaft 4. The first wheelset 1 is coupled via a first wheelset bearing to a first wheelset bearing housing 15 and via a second wheelset bearing to a second wheelset bearing housing 16 on the chassis frame 13. Furthermore, a first primary spring 17 and a second primary spring 18 are arranged between the first wheelset 1 and the chassis frame.

[0050] The drive motor gearbox unit 14 is coupled to the first wheelset 1.

[0051] Not shown in FIG. 5 is a second wheelset that is configured, with regard to design and its coupling to the chassis frame 13, identically to the first wheelset 1.

[0052] Arranged on the wheelset shaft 4 in a region between the drive motor gearbox unit 14 and the first gearbox bearing housing 15 is a ballistic protection arrangement. This arrangement has a shell 5 that encapsulates the wheelset shaft 4. Arranged on the shell 5, as shown also in FIGS. 3 and 4, is a zip fastener 8. The zip fastener is closed and the shell 5 is fixed on the wheelset shaft 4.

[0053] Shown in FIG. 6 is a chassis of a rail vehicle which, with regard to design principles, corresponds to the chassis variant shown in FIG. 5. Therefore, some of the same reference characters are used in FIG. 6 as in FIG. 5.

[0054] Arranged on the wheelset shaft 4 in a region between a drive motor gearbox unit 14 and a first wheelset bearing housing 15 is a ballistic protection arrangement. This arrangement has a shell 5 that encapsulates the wheelset shaft 4. A button fastener 12 is arranged on the shell 5.

[0055] The button fastener 12 has, on one side of the shell 5, a row of buttons with press buttons and, on the other side of the shell 5, a row with recesses.

[0056] In an assembled state shown in FIG. 6, the press buttons are snap-locked into the recesses. The button fastener 12 is therefore closed and the shell 5 is fixed on the wheelset shaft 4.

[0057] In accordance with the invention, it is also conceivable to dispense with a closure on the shell 5 and to produce the shell 5, for example, from a stretchable material. With this, following a production process of the wheelset shaft 4, the shell 5 can be pushed over it similarly to a stocking. The shell 5 is placed on the wheelset shaft 4 and is then fixed on the wheelset shaft.

[0058] Furthermore, it is also possible to arrange a plurality of shells 5 on the wheelset shaft 4, for example, a first shell between the first wheelset bearing housing 15 and a first shaft brake disk (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 6) and a second shell between the first shaft brake disk and a second shaft brake disk (also not shown), etc.

[0059] It is also conceivable that the shell 5 comprises, for example, a first partial shell and a second partial shell, the cross-sections of which have the same radii and that can be connected to one another via a first zip fastener and a second zip fastener.

[0060] Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.