A System of a Bearing Bracket and a Coupler Rod Or Connection Rod, a Multi-Car Vehicle and a Method for Controlling the Movement of a Coupler Rod or Connection Rod

Abstract

A system includes a bearing bracket, for connecting a coupler rod or a connection rod to a car, and a coupler rod or a connection rod connected to the bearing bracket. The bearing bracket has an adapter and a joint that allows the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket. The rod has a stabilizing element having a surface that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod and is spaced apart from a surface of the bearing bracket. Upon application of a force of a predetermined first strength in one direction, the adapter moves relative to the bracket in the one direction until the surface of the stabilizing element contacts the surface of the bearing bracket. Upon application of a force of a second strength to the rod, the stabilizing element detaches from the rod, so that the rod can move relative to the stabilizing element.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A coupling system for multi-car vehicles, comprising: a bearing bracket, having a surface, and comprising: a bracket suitable for being connected to a car of a multi-car vehicle, and a joint connected to the bracket; an adapter connected to the joint, the joint allowing the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, the adapter configured to be set free to move relative to at least some parts of the bearing bracket in at least one direction, if a pushing force of a predetermined first strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction, and a rod, the rod being at least one of a coupler rod or a connection rod, having a longitudinal axis, connected to the bearing bracket, comprising a stabilizing element and one or more further parts; the stabilizing element having at least one surface that extends in a direction that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod, that is arranged spaced apart from the surface of the bearing bracket in a normal traveling condition and is configured to, once the adapter is set free to move relative to the bearing bracket in the at least one direction, move in the at least one direction until the surface of the stabilizing element comes into contact with the surface of the bearing bracket, the stabilizing element attached to the one or more further parts of the rod in such a manner that the further parts of the rod can move relative to the stabilizing element, if a pushing force of a predetermined second strength is applied to the rod along the longitudinal axis of the rod in the operating condition where the surface of the rod is in contact with the surface of the bearing bracket.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the pushing force of the predetermined second strength is at least 10% higher than the pushing force of the predetermined first strength.

13. System according to claim 11, wherein the stabilizing element is connected to the one or more further parts of the rod by way of at least one of shear off bolts, shear off pins or a frictional connection.

14. System according to claim 11, wherein the stabilizing element is attached to the one or more further parts of the rod via at least one of a welded or glued attachment.

15. System according to claim 11, wherein the stabilizing element is a unitary piece with the one or more further parts of the rod, with a material weakness that lets the stabilizing element break away from the one or more further parts of the rod, if the pushing force of the predetermined second strength is applied to the rod along the longitudinal axis of the rod in the operating condition where the surface of the rod is in contact with the surface of the bearing bracket.

16. System according to claim 11, wherein the joint has at least one joint pin that is received in a receptacle of a joint receiving part, and wherein: the adapter is configured to be set free to move relative to the joint pin, if a pushing force of the predetermined first strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction.

17. System according to claim 11, wherein the joint has at least one joint pin that is received in a receptacle of a joint receiving part, and wherein: the joint pin is configured to be set free to move relative to the joint receiving part, if a pushing force of the predetermined first strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction.

18. System according to claim 11, wherein the joint has at least one joint pin that is received in a receptacle of a joint receiving part, and wherein: the joint receiving part is configured to be set free to move relative to the bracket, if a pushing force of the predetermined first strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction.

19. System according to claim 11, wherein the surface of the rod is arranged at least one of: (a) above a horizontal plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod, (b) below the horizontal plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod, (c) left of a vertical plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod or (d) right of the vertical plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the rod.

20. System according to claim 11, wherein the rod comprises at least one of a rubber draft gear or a destructive energy absorbing element.

21. System according to claim 11, wherein: the rod has a front end; an energy absorbing element is at least one of arranged in contact with the front end or spaced apart from the front end; and the energy absorbing element is configured to be deformed to absorb energy by a movement of the front end that is caused by the adapter being set free to move relative to at least some parts of the bracket in the at least one direction, if a pushing force of a predetermined strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction,

22. A multi-car vehicle, comprising: a first car; a second car; and a connection between and connecting the first car and the second car, the connection comprising: a bearing bracket, having a surface, and comprising: a bracket suitable for being connected to a car of a multi-car vehicle, and a joint connected to the bracket; an adapter connected to the joint, the joint allowing the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, the adapter configured to be set free to move relative to at least some parts of the bearing bracket in at least one direction, if a pushing force of a predetermined first strength is applied to the adapter in the at least one direction, and a rod, the rod being at least one of a coupler rod or a connection rod, having a longitudinal axis, connected to the bearing bracket, comprising a stabilizing element and one or more further parts; the stabilizing element having at least one surface that extends in a direction that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod, that is arranged spaced apart from the surface of the bearing bracket in a normal traveling condition and is configured to, once the adapter is set free to move relative to the bearing bracket in the at least one direction, move in the at least one direction until the surface of the stabilizing element comes into contact with the surface of the bearing bracket, the stabilizing element attached to the one or more further parts of the rod in such a manner that the further parts of the rod can move relative to the stabilizing element, if a pushing force of a predetermined second strength is applied to the rod along the longitudinal axis of the rod in the operating condition where the surface of the rod is in contact with the surface of the bearing bracket.

23. The multi-car vehicle of claim 22, wherein the adapter is an end section of the rod.

24. The multi-car vehicle of claim 22, wherein the adapter is separate from the rod.

25. Method for providing multi-stage energy absorption in a connector between two cars in a multi-car vehicle, comprising: in a normal traveling condition, connecting two cars of a multi-car vehicle by a system including: a bearing bracket, having a surface, and comprising: a bracket connected to one of the cars, and a joint connected to the bracket; an adapter connected to the joint, the joint allowing the adapter to swivel relative to the bracket about at least one swivel axis, and a rod, the rod being at least one of a coupler rod or a connection rod, having a longitudinal axis, connected to the bearing bracket, comprising a stabilizing element and one or more further parts; the stabilizing element having at least one surface that extends in a direction that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod, that is arranged spaced apart from the surface of the bearing bracket in the normal traveling condition and attached to one or more further parts of the rod; responsive to a pushing force of a predetermined first strength being applied to the adapter in at least one direction, setting the adapter free to move relative to at least some parts of the bearing bracket in the at least one direction, and the stabilizing element moving in the at least one direction until the surface of the stabilizing element comes into contact with the surface of the bearing bracket; and responsive to a pushing force of a predetermined second strength applied to the rod along the longitudinal axis of the rod in the operating condition where the surface of the stabilizing element is in contact with the surface of the bearing bracket, the stabilizing element separating from the one or more further parts of the rod and the one or more further parts of the rod moving relative to the stabilizing element.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the pushing force of the predetermined second strength is at least 10% higher than the pushing force of the predetermined first strength.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the pushing force of the predetermined second strength is at least 20% higher than, and not more than 40% higher than, the pushing force of the predetermined first strength

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Below, the invention will be described with reference to Figures that only show exemplary embodiments of the invention. In the Figures, the following is shown.

[0044] In the drawings:

[0045] FIG. 1 is a side view of a system according to the invention in a normal travelling condition;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a side view of a system according to the invention in a normal travelling condition with a pushing force below the predetermined first strength being applied to the coupler rod;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a side view of a system according to the invention in a crash scenario with a pushing force above the predetermined first strength, but below the predetermined second strength being applied to the coupler rod;

[0048] FIG. 4 is a side view of a system according to the invention in a crash scenario with a pushing force above the predetermined second strength being applied to the coupler rod and

[0049] FIG. 5 is a side view of a system according to the invention in a crash scenario with the pushing force above the predetermined second strength still being applied to the coupler rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows the system according to the invention. The system has a coupler rod 1 and a coupler head 2 attached to one end of the coupler rod 1. The system also has a bearing bracket 3 suitable to connect the connection rod 1 to a car of a multi-car vehicle, for example a car of a train.

[0051] The bearing bracket 3 has an adapter 4 that is part of the coupler rod 1. The bearing bracket 3 also has a bracket 20 suitable for being connected to the car and a joint 6 arranged in such manner it allows the adapter 4 to swivel relative to the bracket 20 about at least one swivel axis, namely the vertical axis.

[0052] The coupler rod 1 has two horizontal surfaces 5 that each extends in a direction (lie in a plane) that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod 1. The horizontal surfaces 5 are each arranged on a stabilizing element 7 that is attached to the further parts of the coupler rod 1, namely to the outer surface of a cylindrical section of the coupler rod 1.

[0053] In the normal driving conditions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two horizontal surfaces 5 are arranged spaced apart from respective horizontal surfaces 10 of the bearing bracket 3.

[0054] The joint 6 has a joint pin 8 held in a receptacle of a joint receiving part of the joint 6. The joint receiving part is connected to the bracket 20.

[0055] The system furthermore has a deformation tube 25 as energy absorbing element. As can be best seen by the partial cut-out provided in FIG. 2, the deformation tube 25 reaches into a central opening of the bracket 20. In this central opening of the bracket 20, the front end of the coupling rod 1 is in contact with the front end of the deformation tube 25. The front end of the coupling rod 1 has the shape of a cone (see FIGS. 4 and 5) that is in contact with a conical lateral contraction of the deformation tube.

[0056] The coupler rod 1 has a hydraulic cylinder 14 as damping element. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the left part of the coupler rod 1 ends in a piston rod that is inserted into the cylinder of the hydraulic cylinder. In FIG. 2 the piston rod has moved further into the cylinder because of a pushing force being applied from the left hand side onto the coupler head, for example if the train is travelling from right to left and is braking.

[0057] The coupler rod 1 is supported by two additional hydraulic cylinders 15 that provide an alignment function, namely to align the coupling rod 1 into a specific horizontal position and to return the coupling rod 1 to this horizontal position, if the coupling rod 1 has swivelled to the left or to the right in the horizontal plane (the horizontal plane being the plane that is perpendicular to the paper and that contains the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod 1).

[0058] FIG. 3 shows an operational condition, in which a pushing force of a predetermined first strength has been applied to the coupler rod 1 acting along the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod from left to right. This force has led to the deformation tube 25 being activated. The cone shaped front end of the coupler rod 1 has been pushed into the deformation tube 25 thereby widening the diameter of the deformation tub 25 and thereby absorbing energy. In FIG. 3 the cone shaped front end of the coupler rod 1 can be seen protruding out of the right hand side of the deformation tube 25.

[0059] FIG. 3 also shows that the surfaces 5 of the coupler rod 1 have moves in the direction of the bracket 20 to come into contact with the surface 10 of the bearing bracket. This contact of the stabilizing element 7 with the bracket 20 limits the further movement of the coupler rod 1 towards the right. A pushing force that still might be acting along the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod 1 is introduced via the stabilizing element 7 into the bracket 20. The pushing force will those not be transmitted through the joint 6 and the hydraulic cylinder 14 anymore. This helps to prevent destruction of the joint 6 and/or the hydraulic cylinder 14.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows that once the axial movement of the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder 14 integrated into the coupling rod 1 has been fully used up (as is shown in FIG. 2), the stabilizing element 7 has a stroke A. The deformation tube 25 has an active stroke B, in which the deformation tube can absorb energy. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS. 1 to 5, the stroke A and the stroke B have synchronized in such a manner that the stroke A is used up substantially at the same time as the stroke B is used up (and the cone shaped front end of the coupler rod 1 leaves the right hand end of the deformation tube 25).

[0061] FIG. 3 also shows that the connection of the additional hydraulic cylinders 15 to the coupler rod 1 has broken away.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows the operational condition, in which a pushing force of a predetermined second strength is applied along the longitudinal axis of the coupler rod 1 from the left. The pushing force of a predetermined second strength is larger than the pushing force of the predetermined first strength. The application of the pushing force of the predetermined second strength leads to the further parts of the coupler rod or connection rod to move relative to the stabilizing element 7, namely by the stabilizing element braking way from the cylindrical part of the coupler rod 1 that it is connected to. This sets the coupler rod 1 free to move again (as seen in FIG. 5). This allows for additional crash absorbers (not shown), like anticlimbers or crash side absorbers to be activated.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows, how the cone shaped front end of the joint 6 has protruded fully from the right hand end of the deformation tube 25.