Wind directional system for arrangement between two vehicle parts of a rail vehicle

Abstract

A fairing for arrangement between two vehicle parts, in particular of a rail vehicle, movably connected to one another, having at least one fairing element that is arranged at a respective vehicle part, that is elastically deformable, and that has a U-shaped or arcuate cross-section. The fairing also has at least one stabilization body that extends at least sectionally into the fairing element and extends from at least one front face of the fairing element.

Claims

1. A fairing for arrangement between two vehicle parts, in particular of a rail vehicle, which are movably connected to one another, the fairing comprising: a plurality of fairing elements each arranged at a vehicle part, the fairing elements each having at least one front face and a longitudinal direction (L), the fairing elements each being elastically deformable and having a U-shaped or arcuate cross-section; and at least one stabilization body extending at least sectionally into the fairing elements through the at least one front face of fairing elements; wherein the at least one stabilization body comprises a first section and a second section; the plurality of fairing elements being disposed adjacent to one another at their respective front faces along their longitudinal directions; and the first section of the at least one stabilization body extending into one of the fairing elements and the second section of the at least one stabilization body extending into another of the fairing elements.

2. The fairing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of fairing elements each have at least one mounting passage and a section of the at least one stabilization body extends into the at least one mounting passage.

3. The fairing in accordance with claim 2, wherein the plurality of fairing elements each have a hollow chamber, the at least one mounting passage being formed in the hollow chamber.

4. The fairing in accordance with claim 3, wherein the plurality of fairing elements each have a material section projecting into the hollow chamber and forming the at least one mounting passage, the fairing elements comprising an elastomer.

5. The fairing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one stabilization body is a bar or a rod with oppositely disposed sections, the oppositely disposed sections extending into the fairing elements that are disposed adjacent to one another at their respective front faces.

6. The fairing in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least one stabilization body is a rope, a belt, or a chain extending through the at least one mounting passage.

7. The fairing in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least one mounting passage extends in the longitudinal direction (L) over a peripheral length through fairing elements, with the at least one stabilization body running through the mounting passages of at least two, of more than two, or of all the plurality of the fairing elements.

8. The fairing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one stabilization body is a pulling means, a tension being applied to the pulling means with the pulling means being tensioned as a closed ring or with the ends of the pulling means being tensioned against a front wall of the vehicle part or against another body of an installation environment.

9. The fairing in accordance with claim 1, further having at least one installation section with a first side and a second side, the at least one installation section provided for the arrangement of the fairing elements at the vehicle part, the first side of the at least one installation section being arranged at the vehicle part and the fairing elements being arranged at the second side.

10. The fairing in accordance with claim 3, wherein the fairing elements each have a window-shaped cut-out through which the hollow chamber is accessible from an outer side of the fairing elements, the window-shaped cut-out being formed over a partial length or over a total length of the fairing elements.

11. A fairing element of a fairing for arrangement between two vehicle parts of a rail vehicle, which are movably connected to one another, comprising: at least one fairing element having a U-shaped or arcuate cross-section with a hollow chamber, the at least one fairing element having a mounting section for mounting to one of the vehicle parts and an outer-side contact surface disposed away from the mounting section for contact with an oppositely disposed fairing element on the other of the vehicle parts; a mounting passage formed in the U-shaped or arcuate cross-section adjacent the contact surface for receiving a stabilization body extendable into the U-shaped or arcuate cross-section for stabilizing the at least one fairing element.

12. The fairing element in accordance with claim 11, further comprising at least one material component for forming a material section of the at least one fairing element, the material section projecting into the hollow chamber and forming the mounting passage.

13. The fairing element in accordance with claim 11, wherein the U-shaped or arcuate design of the at least one fairing element having a base section and limbs projecting from the base section, the base section forming the outer-side contact surface, and the mounting passage being formed in at least one inner corner region between the base section and a limb in the U-shaped or arcuate cross-section of the at least one fairing element.

14. The fairing element in accordance with claim 13, wherein the U-shaped or arcuate design of the at least one fairing element having a peak section between the limbs for forming the outer-side contact surface and the mounting passage being formed in the peak section of the at least one fairing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. In addition, although the terms used in the present invention are selected from generally known and used terms, some of the terms mentioned in the description of the present invention have been selected by the applicant at his or her discretion, the detailed meanings of which are described in relevant parts of the description herein. Furthermore, it is required that the present invention is understood, not simply by the actual terms used but by the meaning of each term lying within. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fairing in an arrangement between two vehicle parts;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle part having a fairing arranged at a front face;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fairing with two fairing elements;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fairing element from a front face with an arrangement of a mounting passage;

(6) FIG. 5 is another perspective view of a fairing element that is mounted by installation sections and cut-outs at a side;

(7) FIG. 6 is another embodiment of a fairing having individual fairing elements that are not adjacent to neighboring fairing elements at the front face; and

(8) FIG. 7 is another embodiment of a fairing having individual fairing elements that are tensioned at the front wall of the vehicle by means of providing linking means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) The present invention provides various embodiments of fairing. Such fairings may take a variety of forms. Certain examples of the present invention are shown in the figures. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a schematized view of the arrangement of a fairing 1 between a first vehicle part 10 and a second vehicle part 11. The fairing 1 is part of a transition between the two vehicle parts 10, 11 and is arranged substantially aligned with the outer side of the vehicle parts 10, 11. An inner bellows 23 is located within the fairing 1 between the vehicle parts 10, 11. Together with further components, not shown, in particular a base assembly, the fairing 1 and the inner bellows 23 form a transition between two vehicle parts 10, 11.

(11) The fairing 1 has a plurality of fairing elements 12 that are arranged peripherally at the respective front face of the vehicle parts 10, 11. The cross-sectional view of the fairing elements 12 consequently shows them in the side regions of the vehicle parts 10, 11.

(12) The fairing elements 12 are arranged at the vehicle parts 10, 11 by means of mounting sections 21 and contact one another via associated contact surfaces at their front faces in an opposed arrangement. Consequently at least one fairing element 12 is arranged at each of the vehicle parts 10, 11 and said respective fairing elements are thus opposite one another and touch at their front faces.

(13) Hollow chambers 17 are shown by the cross-sectioned view of the fairing elements 12 and are surrounded by the material walls and by the mounting sections 21 for mounting the fairing elements 12. In accordance with the invention, mounting passages 16 that are formed by material sections 18 of the fairing elements 12 are located at the inner side in the fairing elements 12. Stabilization bodies can be inserted into the mounting passages 16 such as shown and described in more detail in connection with the further FIGS. 3, 5, 6, and 7.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a first vehicle part 10 to which a plurality of fairing elements 12, 13, and 14 are attached at the front face. The fairing elements 12, 13, 14 meet one another at abutment points 25 so that the front faces of the respective adjacent fairing elements 12, 13, 14 formed with respect to the longitudinal direction L of the fairing elements 12, 13, 14 contact one another.

(15) In particular to stabilize the fairing elements 12, 13, 14 against one another, the mounting passages 16 are provided that extend in accordance with the embodiment in the longitudinal direction L over the total length of the fairing elements 12, 13, 14 and through them. The possibility is thus provided of leading a continuous stabilization body, for example in the form of a rope or of a chain, through the mounting passages 16 of the plurality of fairing elements 12, 13, 14 forming a ring closure.

(16) FIG. 3 shows by way of example the arrangement of a stabilization body 15 in the form of a pulling means that is led through the mounting passages 16 in the fairing elements 12, 13. Due to a section through the fairing element 13, the illustration shows the fairing elements 12, 13 spaced apart from one another, that, however, contact one another in an arrangement at the vehicle parts 10, 11 in operation of the fairing 1. If a tension force is applied to the stabilization body 15 in the form of a rope or of a chain, indicated by arrows at the ends of the stabilization body 15, the front faces of the fairing elements 12, 13 are pressed onto one another and thus stabilized against one another in the transverse direction. A lateral movement of the fairing elements 12, 13 against one another is reduced or even avoided by this stabilization.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a fairing element 12, 13, 14 that is mounted by means of a mounting section 21. The fairing element 12, 13, 14 has a material web in a U shape, with the mounting of the fairing element 12, 13, 14 taking place at the free ends of the two limbs of the U shape by means of the mounting section 21. On the cross-section between the two limbs of the U shape of the fairing element 12, 13, 14, a contact surface 22 is located at the outer side over which the fairing element 12, 13, 14 is brought into contact with an oppositely disposed fairing element, with the contact likewise taking place via a contact surface taking place at the complementary position of the further fairing element at the adjacent vehicle part.

(18) A hollow chamber 17 in which a mounting passage 16 is produced is formed by the U shape of the fairing element 12, 13, 14. The formation of the mounting passage 16 takes place via a material section 18 of the material from which the fairing element 12, 13, 14 is also formed. The fairing element 12, 13, 14 can, for example, be manufactured from an elastomer in an extrusion process so that the material section 18 can be formed in a simple manner by means of a corresponding design of an extrusion die to form the mounting passage 16. The material section 18 is consequently formed in one part and with material unity with the material of the fairing element 12, 13, 14 so that a subsequent arrangement of the mounting passage 16 at the inner side of the hollow chamber 17 of the fairing element 12, 13, 14, for example by a sewing or by a joining with material continuity, is not necessary.

(19) FIG. 5 finally shows a further perspective view of the fairing element 12, 13, 14 with lateral window-shaped cut-outs 19. In addition, an arrangement of installation sections 20 is shown that are located between the fairing element 12, 13, 14 and the vehicle part 10, 11. The arrangement of the installation sections 20 takes place, for example, toward the inner side into the transition between the vehicle parts 10, 11 and the further limb of the fairing element 12, 13, 14 is mounted on the outer side by means of the mounting section. The mounting passage 16 through which a stabilization body 15 in the form of a rope is led is additionally shown in the region of the hollow chamber 17 due to the cross-sectioned view of the fairing element 12, 13, 14. If a further fairing element 12, 13, 14 adjoins the face side of the shown fairing element 12, 13, 14, the stabilization body 15 can be led through in the likewise adjoining mounting passage 16 of the further fairing element.

(20) The shown fairing elements 12, 13, 14 can have a coating at at least the outer side that forms a lacquer to improve the visual appearance of the fairing 1 and thus of the transition between the vehicle parts 10, 11. The lacquer film or the coating can in particular be on a polyurethane (PU lacquer) base, on a rubber (rubber lacquer) base, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC lacquer) base, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) base, or a thermoplastic film base. The possible application of such coatings or lacquers is based on the fact that an elastic deformation of the fairing elements 12, 13, 14 no longer occurs so strongly due to the arrangement in accordance with the invention of a stabilization body 15 between the fairing elements 12, 13, 14, in particular in an arrangement in a mounting passage, and the lacquers and coatings now only have to withstand slight deformations and stretching, which is what makes their use possible at all.

(21) A further embodiment of a fairing 1 is shown in FIG. 6 and individual fairing elements 24, that are thus not adjacent to neighboring fairing elements at the front face, are attached in the side regions at the front face of the vehicle part 10. The stabilization bodies 15 shown that are led through the fairing elements 15 for its stabilization are designed as respective ropes 25 and are connected to one another at the top side by a connection means 27. A section of the stabilization bodies 15 that is led out of the fairing elements 24 thus extends freely through the transition.

(22) At the lower side, the ropes 25 are fastened to the front wall of the car part 10 by linking means 26. A tensioning means, not shown, can here be provided at at least one side and the rope 25 can be tensioned therewith.

(23) FIG. 7 illustrates for this purpose that the stabilization bodies 15 in the form of ropes 25 can also be tensioned at the front wall of the vehicle part 10 by means of the linking means 26 in the upper region between the fairing elements 24 designed as curved.

(24) As a result, the invention is thus directed to a stabilization body 15 in an arrangement in or at a fairing element 12, 13, 14, 24 that effects a stabilization of the generally elastic fairing element 12, 13, 14, 24 independently of whether a stabilization takes place by two mutually adjacent fairing elements 12, 13, 14 or whether a stabilization of a single fairing element 24 takes place at or against an installation environment, for example at the front wall of a vehicle part 10, 11.

(25) The invention is not restricted in its design to the preferred embodiment indicated above. A number of variants are conceivable that also makes use of the solution shown with generally differently designed embodiments. All the features and/or advantages, including any construction details or spatial arrangements, originating from the claims, the description or the drawings can be essential to the invention both per se and in the most varied combinations. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(26) 1 fairing 10 vehicle part 11 vehicle part 12 fairing element 13 fairing element 14 fairing element 15 stabilization body 16 mounting passage 17 hollow chamber 18 material section 19 cut-out 20 installation section 21 mounting section 22 contact surface 23 inner bellows 24 fairing element 25 rope 26 linking means 27 connection means L longitudinal direction