Bearing bracket, assembly containing such a bearing bracket and system containing such an assembly

Abstract

An assembly has a bearing bracket and a coupler or connection rod. The bearing bracket has an adapter to which the rod can be connected. A joint allows the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket, and the rod is attached to the adapter. The rod has a surface that extends in a plane at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the rod. The rod surface is held spaced apart from a surface of the bearing bracket by an elastic element. The surface of the rod contacts the surface of the bearing bracket, if a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the rod. A group of parts of the bearing bracket are connected to the bracket such that the parts are set free to move relative to the bracket, if a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the rod.

Claims

1. An assembly with a bearing bracket and a rod, the bearing bracket comprising: an adapter that is adapted such that the rod can be connected to it, a bracket, wherein the bracket is one of a bracket for forming part of a car and a bracket configured for connection to a car of a multi-car vehicle, a joint arranged in such manner that it allows the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, whereby the rod is attached to the adapter or is formed as one piece with the adapter and wherein the rod has at least one surface that extends in a plane that is at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the rod and wherein the at least one surface of the rod is: held spaced apart from a surface of the bearing bracket by an elastic element arranged between a first element and a second element of elements in the line of flow of force for transmitting forces acting along the longitudinal axis of the rod to the bracket that by its resilience keeps the first element spaced apart from the second element and whereby the surface of the rod comes into contact with the surface of the bearing bracket when a pushing force of a first predetermined strength is applied to the rod that overcomes at least a part of the resilience of the elastic element; and wherein a group of parts of the bearing bracket, including at least the adapter and the joint, are connected to the bracket by at least one connection element adapted to shear off responsive to a pushing force of a second predetermined strength in such a manner that the group of parts is set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket when the pushing force of the second predetermined strength is applied to the rod; wherein the rod is one of a coupler rod and a connection rod.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an energy absorbing element that is deformed by the movement of a part of the group of parts set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket when the pushing force of the second predetermined strength is applied to the rod.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surface that extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the rod is arranged above and/or below the horizontal plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod and/or left or right of the vertical plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein a part of the group of parts set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket has a cut-out that engages with a guide-bar that guides the movement of that part.

5. A bearing bracket for connecting a rod to a car, comprising: an adapter that is adapted such that the rod can be connected to it, a bracket forming part of a car or being a bracket suitable for being connected to a car of a multi-car vehicle, a joint arranged in such manner it allows the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, wherein the joint connects the adapter to a joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when a pushing force of a first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into this at least one direction, and wherein the joint receiving part is connected to the bracket by at least one connection element adapted to shear off responsive to a pushing force of a second predetermined strength in such a manner that the joint receiving part is set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket when the pushing force of the second predetermined strength greater than the first predetermined strength is applied to the joint receiving part; and wherein the rod is one of a coupler rod and a connection rod.

6. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, wherein the joint has at least one joint pin that is partially held in a receptacle of the joint receiving part, wherein the receptacle is provided by at least two parts of the joint receiving part, each of the at least two parts forming a part of a wall that delimits the receptacle, wherein the two parts are connected to each other by the at least one connection element that upon application of the force of the second predetermined strength can shear off.

7. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, wherein the joint receiving part has at least one flange that is connected to the bracket by the at least one connection element that upon application of the force of the second predetermined strength can shear off.

8. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, wherein the joint has a vertically extending joint pin that is connected to the joint receiving part and has a horizontally extending joint pin that is connected to the vertically extending joint pin and to the adapter.

9. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, wherein the joint receiving part has at least two vertically extending flanges and whereby the two vertically extending flanges each have a horizontally extending cut-out that engages with the respective one of two guide-bar that are arranged facing inward into a hole formed in the bracket, through which hole the joint receiving part can move once it is set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket, when the pushing force of the second predetermined strength is applied to the joint receiving part.

10. The bearing bracket according to claim 9, whereby the cut-outs on the two vertically extending flanges and the two guide bars are arranged in such a manner that they can take up a momentum around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

11. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, further comprising an elastic element which connects the adapter to the joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when the pushing force of the first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into this at least one direction to overcome at least a part of a resilience of the elastic element.

12. The bearing bracket according to claim 5, further comprising at least one first connection element which connects the adapter to the joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when the pushing force of the first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into this at least one direction to break the at least one first connection element.

13. An assembly, comprising: a bearing bracket for connecting one of a coupler rod and a connection rod to a car, comprising an adapter that is adapted such that the rod can be connected to it, a bracket, the bracket either (a) forming part of a car or (b) being suitable for being connected to a car of a multi-car vehicle, a joint arranged to allow the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, wherein the joint connects the adapter to a joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when a pushing force of a first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into this at least one direction, and wherein the joint receiving part is connected to the bracket by at least one connection element adapted to shear off responsive to a pushing force of a second predetermined strength in such a manner that the joint receiving part is set free to move longitudinally relative to the bracket when the pushing force of the second predetermined strength greater than the first predetermined strength is applied to the joint receiving part; and the rod attached to the adapter; wherein the rod is one of a coupler rod and a connection rod.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the adapter is formed as one piece with parts of the rod.

15. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein at least one of a rubber draft gear and a destructive energy absorbing element is arranged as part of the rod.

16. The assembly according to claim 13, further comprising an elastic element which connects the adapter to the joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when the pushing force of the first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into the at least one direction to overcome at least a part of a resilience of the elastic element.

17. The assembly according to claim 13, further comprising at least one first connection element which connects the adapter to the joint receiving part in such a manner that the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part in at least one direction when the pushing force of the first predetermined strength is applied to the adapter that points into this at least one direction to break the at least one first connection element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Below, the invention will be described with reference to Figures that only show exemplatory embodiments of the invention. In the Figures, the following is shown

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a connection suitable to connect two cars of a multi-car vehicle, the connection shown making use of parts of the assembly of the invention and the bearing bracket of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 a sectional view of a section of the connection of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 a partial sectional view of parts of the assembly according to the invention as used in the connection of FIG. 1 in the operational state where the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part;

(6) FIG. 4 the parts of the assembly according to the invention of FIG. 3 in a non-sectional view in the operational state where the adapter is set free to move relative to at least some parts of the joint receiving part;

(7) FIG. 5a, 5b schematic illustrations of the stabilizing forces provided by the assembly according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 a sectional view of the system according to the invention;

(9) FIG. 7a, b a perspective view onto the assembly according to the invention that forms part of the system according to the invention as shown in FIG. 6 in two different operational stages;

(10) FIG. 8 a perspective view of the system according to the invention as shown in FIG. 6 in a normal operational mode,

(11) FIG. 9 a system according to the invention as shown in FIG. 6 in a perspective view with the energy-absorbing deformation element having been deformed due to a crash;

(12) FIG. 10 a view from the back onto the joint receiving part, its flanges and the bracket of the bearing bracket, the bracket being formed as part of the underframe of the car and

(13) FIG. 11 a partially sectional, perspective view of parts of the rod, the bearing bracket, the underframe of the car and the deformation tube arranged inbetween the underframe of the car.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) In FIGS. 1 to 4, the parts of the bearing bracket according to the invention and the assembly according to the invention are shown that can be used to implement the first shear-off step according to the invention. Especially FIGS. 7a, b, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show, how the second shear-off step according to the invention can be best realized.

(15) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a connection rod 1 that extends between a first assembly of a bearing bracket (of which only parts are shown in the FIGS. 1 to 4) 2 and a second assembly of a bearing bracket (of which only parts are shown in the FIGS. 1 to 4) 3 according to the invention. To complete the assemblies 2 and 3 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, brackets suitable for being connected to the respective car will be added as they were shown in FIG. 7a, b, FIGS. 8 and 9.

(16) FIGS. 1 to 4 show an adapter 4 that is adapted such that the connection rod 1 can be connected to it. As best shown in FIG. 2, the adapter 4 has an end plate 5 arranged inside the connection rod that is partially hollow and has a cross section with the shape of a ring.

(17) FIGS. 1 to 4 further show a joint 6 that is arranged in such a manner that it allows the adapter 4 to swivel relative to the bracket (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 4) about at least one swivel axis. In the embodiment shown, the adapter 4 can swivel about a vertical and a horizontal axis relative to the bracket.

(18) The joint 6 connects the adapter 4 to a joint receiving part 7. The joint 6 has one joint pin 8 that extends vertically and is held at its upper end by an upper receptacle 9 of the joint receiving part. The vertically pin 8 is also held at its bottom end by a bottom receptacle of the joint receiving part 7 that is not shown in the views of FIGS. 1 to 4.

(19) The receptacle 9 is provided by two parts of the joint receiving part 7. Each of the two parts forms a part of the wall that delimits the receptacle 9. The one of the two parts, namely the part 10 for a part of its extent has the shape of a horseshoe. At the end of the horseshoe vertically extending flanges 11 are provided. The other of the two parts, namely part 12 is connected to the part 11 by means of four shear-off bolts. The two parts 10, 12 are thus connected to each other by a connection that upon application of a force of a predetermined strength can shear-off. FIG. 1 shows the two parts 10, 12 in the connected stage. Especially FIGS. 3 and 4 show, how the two parts 10, 12 are disconnected, once the shear-off bolts 13 shear off.

(20) Making use of the two parts 10, 12 that provide the receptacle 9 allows for the joint 6 to connect the adapter 4 to the joint receiving part 7 in such a manner that the adapter 4 is set free to move relative to at least some parts (namely the part 10) of the joint receiving part 7 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1, if a pushing force of the predetermined strength that is sufficient to have the shear-off bolts 13 shear off is applied to the adapter 4, the pushing force pointing into the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1. FIG. 10 shows the symmetrical arrangement of the four shear-off bolts 13. In each of the quadrants delimited by the horizontal plane H that contains the longitudinal axis of the connection rod and the vertical plane V that contains the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1 one of the four shear-off bolts 13 is arranged.

(21) FIG. 2 shows that inside the connection rod 1, a damping element 14 is arranged such as to dampen the transmission of impacts along the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1. The damping elements 14 are donut-shaped rubber elements. A group of these damping elements is arranged on one side of a connection element, such as to take up draft loads applied to the connection rod 1. A further group of damping elements is arranged on a further side of a connection element such as to take up buff loads applied to the connection rod. Furthermore, a deformation tube 14a is arranged inside the connection rod 1. The bearing bracket according to the invention especially the joint of the bearing bracket and the joint receiving part of the bearing bracket do not contain any damping elements that are arranged such as to dampen the transmissions of impacts of impacts from the adapter to the bracket. The shear-off bolts 14 that are provided as part of the bearing bracket according to the invention are not considered as damping elements that are arranged to dampen the transmissions of impacts from the adapter to the bracket, because shear-off bolts do not provide any substantial damping, but are of brittle material.

(22) The joint 6 has the vertically extending joint pin 8 that is connected to the joint receiving part 7 and has a horizontally extending joint pin 15 that is connected to the vertically extending joint pin 8 and to the adapter 4. Making use of the vertically extending joint pin 8 and the horizontally extending joint pin 15 makes the joint 6 into a cardan joint. This allows the connection rod 1 to swivel relative to the joint receiving part 7 about a horizontal and a vertical axis.

(23) The horseshoe-shaped part 10 of the joint receiving part 7 has guides (not shown) that guide the movement of the second part 12 such that the part 12 moves in a linear movement relative to the guiding part of part 10.

(24) As can be seen from the FIGS. 1 to 4, the adapter 4 is formed by two parallel extending, spaced-apart, plate-like sections 16 that are connected to the connection rod 1. Each of the two plate-like sections 16 contains a hole to receive the opposite ends of the horizontally extending pin 15.

(25) FIGS. 1 to 4 show that four elements 17 are arranged on the connection rod 1 and the four elements 17 have a cross section that is substantially shaped like a triangle. The elements 17 each have a vertically extending surface that thus extends in a plane at an angle of 90 relative to the horizontal longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1. These four surfaces are each arranged spaced-apart from respective vertically extending surfaces on the horseshoe-shaped part 10 of the joint receiving part 7, if the assembly of parts according to the invention is in a normal operational state. This state is shown in FIG. 1. The surfaces of the four elements 17 are held distanced from respective vertically extending surfaces on the horseshoe-shaped part 10 until a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the connection between a first element, namely the part 12, and a second element, namely the horseshoe-shaped part 10, of the elements in the line of flow of force for transmitting forces acting along the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod or the connection rod 1 to the bracket 20 that brakes the connection (shears off the shear-off bolt 13) and sets the part 12 free to move relative to at horseshoe-shaped part 10, which movement allows the surface of the rod 1 to come into contact with the surface of the bearing bracket

(26) Once the adapter 4 is set free to move relative to the joint receiving part 7, if a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the adapter 4 and the shear-off bolts 13 shear off, the four surfaces of the elements 17 move in the direction that the pushing force is pointing and come into contact with the vertically extending surface on the horseshoe-shaped part 10 of the joint receiving part 7. The four surfaces of the elements 17 are arranged in the same vertical plane, whereby in each of the quadrants delimited by the horizontal plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the connection rod and the vertical plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1 one of the four surfaces is arranged.

(27) FIG. 1 in comparison to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 shows a different operational stage of the assembly according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows the normal operational stage, where the shear-off bolts 13 have not sheared off and wherein the surfaces of the elements 17 are distanced from the vertical surface on the part 10 of the joint receiving part 7. If a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the adapter 4 that points along the longitudinal axis of the adapter 4, this force is passed via the adapter 4 and the joint 6 into the joint receiving part 7 and pushes the part 12 of the joint receiving part 7 away from the horseshoe-shaped part 10 of the joint receiving part. If this pushing force reaches a predetermined level, the shear-off bolts 13 will shear off and thereby set the part 12 to move relative to the part 10. Given that the adapter 4 and thus the connection rod 1 as well as the elements 17 are connected to the part 12 of the joint receiving part 7 via the joint 6, the adapter 4, the connection rod 1 and the elements 17 are set free to travel relative to part 10 of the joint receiving part 7. This will lead to the above discussed vertical surfaces of the elements 17 to come into contact with the vertical surface on the part 10 of the joint receiving part 7. If the connection rod 1 points at an angle to the horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b in such a situation, the vertical surfaces of the elements 17 arranged on the top of the connection rod 1 on the one side of the connection rod 1 will start to come into contact with the vertical surface of the horseshoe-shaped part 10 facing them. This is highlighted in FIG. 5 a by a circle. Likewise at the other end (left-hand side in FIG. 5a) the vertical surfaces of the lower elements 17 start to come into contact with the vertical surfaces on the horseshoe-shaped part 10 of the joint receiving part 7. This is also highlighted by a circle in FIG. 5a. The continuous application of the force and the contact between surfaces of the connection rod and the joint receiving part only on one side of the horizontal plane at the respective end of the connection rod 1 lead to a stabilizing force drawn into FIG. 5a that points into the direction necessary to move the connection rod 1 back into the horizontal plane.

(28) FIGS. 6 to 9 show that the bearing bracket according to the invention has a bracket 20 that forms part of the car. The flanges 11 are connected to the bracket 20 by means of four shear-off bolts 21. The flanges 11 being part of the joint receiving part 7 lead to the joint receiving part 7 being connected to the bracket 20 in such a manner that the joint receiving part 7 is set free to move relative to the bracket 20, if a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the joint receiving part pointing into the direction that leads the shear-off bolts 21 to shear off. As can be seen from FIGS. 7a and b, the four shear-off bolts 21 are arranged at the same distance to the vertical plane that contains the longitudinal axis and are arranged at the same distance to the horizontal plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1.

(29) As can be seen in FIG. 7b, a hole 22 (fully taken up by the joint receiving part 7 in FIG. 7b) is formed by the bracket 20. Through the hole 22 the joint bearing part 7 can move, if it is set free to move relative to the bracket 20. To assist the movement of the joint bearing part 7, the joint bearing part 7 has two vertically extending flanges 11 that each have a horizontally extending cut-out 23 that engages with respective one of two guide-bars 24 that are arranged facing inward into the hole 22 in the bracket 20. As can be seen from FIG. 7b, the recesses 23 on the two vertically extending flanges 11 and the two guide-bars 24 are arranged in such a manner that they can take up a momentum around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connection rod 1. The interaction between the recesses and the guide-bars will thus lead to the joint receiving part 7 being guided to move along a horizontal line.

(30) FIGS. 6 to 9 show that an energy-adsorbing deformation element in the form of a deformation tube 25 is arranged behind the bearing bracket and in between beams of the underframe of the multi-car vehicle. FIGS. 8 and 9 show that the energy-adsorbing deformation element 25 is deformed by the movement of the joint receiving part 7. The use of the interaction between the guide-bars 24 and the cut-outs 23 on the flanges 11 of the joint receiving part 7 leads to the situation that only a force pointing in the longitudinal direction is applied to the energy-adsorbing deformation element 25 in the crash condition. This leads to an advantageous deformation of the energy-adsorbing deformation element 25. As can be best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the underframe 26 has a clearance 27 taken up by the bearing bracket according to the invention. The connection rod 1 moves through the clearance 27 once the joint receiving part 7 is set free to move relative to the bracket 20.

(31) As can be seen from FIG. 7a, a plate 30 is provided that is connected to the bracket 20 by means of four bolts 28 and is connected to the flange 11 by the four shear-off bolts 21.

(32) The shape of the underframe 26 that in the area of the assembly according to the invention has a U-shaped section that surrounds the energy-adsorbing deformation element 25 leads to the advantageous situation that the energy-adsorbing deformation element 25 can be attached to the underframe 26 to take up forces which have been introduced into the energy-absorbing deformation element 25 by the joint receiving part 7 and to redirect these forces back towards an area of the car, where the clearance 27 is arranged. If the underframe 26 of the car has longitudinal beams that are intended to transmit longitudinal forces along the car and if these beams are placed further away from the assembly according to the invention, redirecting the forces back towards an area of the car where the clearance 27 is arranged, allows for these forces to then be introduced into the longitudinal beams of the underframe that transmit these forces further along the car.

(33) FIG. 11 shows that the guide-bars 24 continue behind the bearing bracket and are attached to parts of the underframe 26. A claw-like element 28 continues the cut-out 23 provided in the flanges 11. Because of the longitudinal extend of the claw-like elements 28 it can take up a momentum around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod very well. This leads to a second stabilizing function.

(34) FIG. 11 also shows that the deformation tube 25 is held in a bush that is fixedly connected to the second part 12. As can be seen in FIG. 11 that shows a operation condition during normal travel, the end of the deformation tube is at a distance to the bottom of the bush. Once the shear off bolts 13 shear off, the second part 12 will move relative to the horse-shoe shaped first part 10. This movement will start to close the gap between the bottom of the bush and the end of the deformation tube. The gap will be fully closed, once the shear off bolts 21 shear off. As an alternative, the gap can be provided on the other side of the deformation tube as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 the one end of the deformation tube is in contact with the bottom of the bush 29, but a gap is provided at the opposite end of the deformation tube between this opposite end of the deformation tube and a counter wall. Providing gaps allows for a secure shear off of the bolts 13 and 21 that will stretch a little before they shear off.