EP2907722A1 - Guide unit for electrical contact couplings and central buffer couplings for rail-bound vehicles comprising an electrical contact coupling attached to a guide unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a guide unit for an electrical contact coupling, comprising at least one guided on a longitudinal guide axially displaceable and connected to the electrical contact coupling guide carriage. The invention is characterized in that the longitudinal guide is heatable over at least a portion of its extension in the longitudinal direction.

Description

The invention relates to a guide unit for electrical contact couplings for use in rail vehicles, in detail with the features of the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a central buffer coupling with a guided on a guide unit electrical contact coupling.

Under an electrical contact coupling is understood to mean the part of a coupling, which is used for the transmission of currents and signals between two systems.

When used in rail vehicles in the coupling of two track-bound units to be coupled to one another, such electrical contact couplings are arranged in the coupling plane and fastened to the coupling, the fastening being displaceable in the longitudinal direction via a guide unit. Such, on a longitudinal guide of a guide unit longitudinally slidable electrical contact coupling is for example from the EP 0 808 760 B1 previously known. The guide unit includes this usually in a support unit mounted guide rods. These allow the attachment of the electrical contact couplings with a degree of freedom in the axial direction of the guide rods to these. Since the guide outside of the track-bound vehicles coupling coupling means, which is usually designed as a mechanical coupling device, is arranged, the electrical contact couplings are unprotected exposed to the environmental influences outside of this coupling.

The electrical contact coupling can also be brought into at least two different positions, these being viewed in each case by a predefined position in the longitudinal direction of the guide rod. The perfect process will be thereby complicated by a variety of factors in railway operation, in particular by weathering, such as icing and pollution.

The invention is therefore based on the object, a guide unit for an electrical contact coupling of the type mentioned in such a way that it is operable safely on the one hand with a cheap and simple way and also a process in the individual functional positions is guaranteed safe.

The solution according to the invention is characterized by the features of claims 1 and 11. Advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

A guide unit for an electrical contact coupling, comprising at least one guided on a longitudinal guide axially displaceable and connected to the electrical contact coupling guide carriage, according to the invention is characterized in that the longitudinal guide over at least a portion of its extension in the longitudinal direction can be heated.

The term guide carriage is to be understood functionally and not limited to a specific structural design. It is crucial that this undergoes a predefined guidance along the longitudinal guide.

The solution according to the invention prevents the guides from icing up or, if appropriate, defrosting them, thereby ensuring a method of the electrical contact coupling in the individual functional positions, in particular under wintry environmental conditions.

Another important advantage is that precisely at the areas where weather-related deposits such as ice or snow can take place in the winter, targeted heat input can take place. According to a first embodiment, at least a portion of the longitudinal guide over the extension thereof in the longitudinal direction can be heated. The heating is preferably at least always in the area coincident with the theoretical range of movement corresponding to the axial displacement area of the electrical contact coupling on the guide unit. However, it is also conceivable, taking into account the thermal conductivity of the longitudinal guide on the guide unit to heat smaller areas.

Preferably, however, always at least the range of motion and also a portion beyond this also be designed to be heated in order to avoid the action of deposits on the electrical coupling protruding components outside the concrete guide area on the guide unit.

In this case, the longitudinal guide in the longitudinal direction in individual subregions, i. Subsections to be heated, the individual subsections assigned to the heaters individually, in groups or can be controlled together. Preferably structurally simple and few expensive solutions are selected, which are characterized in that, if possible, the control engineering effort is kept low. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, self-regulating heating elements are used.

In an advantageous further development, the longitudinal guide is preferably designed to be completely heatable, at least completely outside the bearing points of the longitudinal guide which are present on both sides in the longitudinal direction.

The individual heating devices may be conventional, controllable or self-regulating. Preferably, the individual heating device is at least switched on and off, in a particularly advantageous training in terms of heating effect also adjustable.

With regard to the realization of the heatability, there are a number of possibilities. These differ, inter alia, with regard to the type of heating device used, the arrangement of the heating device, the type of heat transfer and the effective range on the guide unit.

The heating device used can be designed as a contact heater or as a so-called radiation and / or convection heater.

In the embodiment as a contact heater, the entry of heat energy to the guide unit is preferably carried out by heat transfer, wherein the heater comprises at least one heating element, which emits the heat to a standing in contact with this contact surface, and the heat is applied to the guide unit by heat conduction and heat transfer.

Structurally, it can be provided to associate with the longitudinal guide a heating device which comprises at least one heating element which is integrated into the longitudinal guide.

The integration can be done by arranging directly on the guide unit, recording in the guide unit and training the guide unit as a heater.

The first embodiment is characterized by the integration of at least one heating element of the heater in the guide unit or the immediate arrangement of this. Are conceivable, for example, on a peripheral surface of the guide unit, in particular longitudinal guide arranged, at least unilaterally open, extending in the longitudinal direction openings into which the heating elements can be integrated. Preferably, the single heating element is fitted accurately in an open-edged recess and the recess is closed by a cover.

An advantageous embodiment consists in the integration of the at least one heating element of the heating device in the guide unit by looking in the longitudinal direction complete sheathing in the circumferential direction. In this case, no additional space for the heater outside the guide unit is taken into account, but it will be used here anyway already required space with.

The integration in the guide unit can be done directly on the longitudinal guide or adjacent areas, in particular the support unit for the longitudinal guide.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the integration of the heater in the longitudinal guide consists in the formation of the longitudinal guide as a heater. In particular, at least one heating element of a heating device is designed as a longitudinal guide. The latter possibility represents a particularly compact and efficiency-optimized variant.

If the heating is effected by thermal radiation or convection, the guide unit is assigned at least one heating device, comprising at least one heating element which is assigned to the longitudinal guide. The required heating device can thereby be arranged at a distance from the longitudinal guide. The spaced arrangement for longitudinal guidance takes place at a predefined distance on the guide unit or another connection component.

With regard to the execution of the guide unit, there are a plurality of possibilities. This is formed in a particularly advantageous embodiment of a support unit on which at least one guide rod is mounted. The storage can be unilateral, d. H. flying, or preferably done on both sides of the support unit.

The guide rod itself can be designed differently. In an advantageous embodiment, the guide rod is designed as a hollow profile element. Any cross-sectional shapes are conceivable. With regard to the guide, rotationally symmetrical cross sections are particularly preferred. However, deviating cross-sectional shapes are also conceivable, in which case the corresponding guide surface cooperating with the guide rod would be analogous to the electrical contact coupling, ie a passage opening in the guide component would be provided on the electrical contact coupling which corresponds to the guide rod with respect to the cross-sectional geometry.

If the guide unit is characterized in a particularly advantageous embodiment by a guide rod with a hollow cylindrical cross-section, it is possible to make the heating element insertable as a cylindrical element in this recess. The integration of the heater in the overall system can thus be done in a space-saving manner. The heating device can be secured in the axial direction in a force, form or material fit relative to the guide rod, in particular the guide rod forming the longitudinal guide. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the guide rod on the inner circumference on non-positive connecting elements, which are engageable with arranged on the outer periphery of the heating element complementary connecting elements in operative connection. These fasteners are in the simplest case an inner and an outer thread. Other versions are conceivable.

The individual heating element of a heating device can be connected detachably or else inseparably connected to the respective guide unit. The connection can be force, positive or cohesive. Preferably, however, releasable compounds are chosen.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a central buffer coupling is equipped with an electrical contact coupling, which is guided on a previously described guide unit.

Die Figur 1

zeigt in schematisch vereinfachter Darstellung eine Mittelpufferkupplung für ein schienengebundenes Fahrzeug mit einer an einer mit dieser verbundenen Führungseinheit in Längsrichtung verschiebbaren Elektrokontaktkupplung in der Draufsicht;

Figur 2

verdeutlicht in schematisch vereinfacht Darstellung einen Ausschnitt aus einer Führungseinheit mit einer an dieser geführten Elektrokontaktkupplung;

Figuren 3a und 3b

zeigen beispielhaft mögliche Ausführungen einer Führungsstange mit integrierter Heizeinrichtung;

Figur 4

verdeutlicht in schematisch vereinfachter Darstellung eine Ausführung einer Führungseinheit mit beabstandeter Anordnung der Heizeinrichtung zur Längsführung;

Figur 5

zeigt beispielhaft eine Ausführung einer Längsführung mit einer Mehrzahl von Heizelementen.

The solution according to the invention is explained below with reference to figures. It details the following:

The figure 1

shows a schematic simplified representation of a central buffer coupling for a rail vehicle with a longitudinally displaceable on a guide unit connected thereto electrical contact coupling in plan view;

FIG. 2

illustrates in schematically simplified representation of a section of a guide unit with a guided on this electrical contact coupling;

FIGS. 3a and 3b

show exemplary possible embodiments of a guide rod with integrated heater;

FIG. 4

illustrates in a schematically simplified representation of an embodiment of a guide unit with a spaced arrangement of the heater for longitudinal guidance;

FIG. 5

shows an example of an embodiment of a longitudinal guide with a plurality of heating elements.

The FIG. 1 shows a schematic simplified representation of the leadership of an electrical contact coupling 1 of an inventively designed guide unit 2, which is fixed to a central buffer coupling 3, in particular the coupling head 21. The guide unit 2 comprises at least one longitudinal guide 4 and at least one carriage 5 guided on it. The term carriage is to be understood functionally and not limited to the possible structural design. On the carriage 5, the electrical contact coupling 1 is attached. About the displaceability of the carriage in the longitudinal guide 4, the electrical contact coupling is longitudinally displaceable in the longitudinal guide 4 is arranged. According to the invention, the longitudinal guide 4 is designed to be heatable in the longitudinal direction over at least one partial area in the direction of extent. With regard to the concrete structural design and realization of the heatability is a plurality of possibilities. Advantageous embodiments are shown in the following figures.

The FIG. 2 shows a section of a guided on the guide unit 2 electrical contact coupling 1. The longitudinal guide 4 here comprises at least one longitudinally formed guide member 6, which is here in the form of a so-called guide rod 7. At this the electrical contact coupling 1 is guided axially displaceable. The direction of displacement is reproduced by double arrow. The longitudinal direction is here with the extension direction of the guide rod 7, in particular a theoretical center axis M this together. The single guide rod 7 is guided in a support unit 8, preferably mounted on both sides, wherein between the two storage areas, here 9 and 10, a guide path forming region of the guide rod 7 is provided. For this purpose, the electrical contact coupling 1 comprises a guide region 11, which is designed to cooperate with the guide rod 7 at least indirectly. In the illustrated case, the guide region 11 comprises a passage opening 12, through which the guide rod 7 is guided extending in the installation position. For this purpose, the connection between the guide region 11 and the guide rod 7 is preferably designed and designed such that a sliding guide can be realized between the guide region 11 and the guide rod 7. The fixability in the axial direction, ie in the extension direction of the longitudinal guide 4, can be realized by the structural design of guide portion 11 and guide rod 7 or can be realized via additional, not shown here fixing. According to the invention, a partial region of the guide rod 7 can be heated at least indirectly.

When in the FIG. 2 illustrated advantageous embodiment, the heater 13 is integrated in the longitudinal guide 4. The guide rod 7 is designed as a hollow cylindrical element comprising an opening which is open at least on one side or else a passage opening 15, into which at least one heating element 14 of the heating device 13 can be introduced. The single heating element 14 is, for example, merely inserted into the passage opening 15 and is secured laterally against the end regions of the guide rod 7 against moving out. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, a positive and / or non-positive connection between the individual heating element 14 and the longitudinal guide 4 is provided. When in the FIG. 2 illustrated embodiment, the heating element 14 to the outer periphery on an external thread 17, via which the heating element 14 with an internal thread 16 at the end circumference of the opening 15 on the guide rod 7 can be brought into engagement. Depending on the depth of thread can be the Effective range of the heating element 14 in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal guide 4 can be varied. The integration offers the advantage that the heating element is not exposed to environmental influences and the heat transfer can take place by heat transfer directly to the guide rod 7.

In contrast, illustrates the FIG. 3a By way of example, with reference to a detail of a guide rod 7 of the longitudinal guide 4, an embodiment with open-edged recesses 19 arranged on the outer circumference 18 of the guide rod 7 and configured to receive at least one heating element 14. The recess 19 is closed by a closing element 20 forming a cover. Shown is an example of a partially closed by the closure element 20 recess 19. Preferably, the recess 19 is formed to fit the dimensions of the heating element 14.

The FIG. 3b shows a particularly advantageous embodiment of the integration of the heater 14 in the longitudinal guide 4, in particular guide rod 7. In this case, the guide rod 7 is formed by the heater 14 which is in rod form.

By way of example, regions a and b are shown, wherein the region b is the region of the guide rod 7 which is at least indirectly acted upon by the heating element, while the regions a1 and a2, which are located in the edge regions of the guide rod 7, are formed unheated.

The FIG. 4 shows an example of an alternative embodiment in which the heating of the individual guide rod 7 is not directly by arranging at least one heating element 14 of the heater 13 on or in the longitudinal guide 4, but indirectly via a spaced apart from the guide rod 7 or on the outer circumference of the guide rod 7 arranged heating element 14 , The heating of the longitudinal guide is effected by thermal radiation and / or convection depending on the design of the heater 13. The execution is exemplary.

The FIG. 5 shows by way of example in an axial section through a longitudinal guide 4, an embodiment of a heater 13 with a plurality of heating elements 14.1 and 14.2, which may be arranged spaced apart by example. The individual heating elements 14.1, 14.2 can be controlled individually or jointly.

The embodiment according to the invention of a guide unit 2 which can be heated at least partially over the extension in the longitudinal direction is structurally not restricted to the embodiment with guide rods 7. However, the guide rod design offers the advantage of a particularly simple and directly realizable arrangement of the heater 13 to the required and the environmental conditions extremely exposed areas. It is also conceivable otherwise to design the guide unit 2, for example, viewed in cross section in the form of a profile element, in / on which the guide carriage 5 is guided. In this case, however, not shown here, for example, provided on the guide unit 2 recesses into which the heating elements 14 can be accommodated.

The solution according to the invention is not limited to the statements in the FIGS. 1 to 5 limited.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Electrical contact coupling

2

Guide unit

3

Central buffer coupling

4

longitudinal guide

5

carriage

6

guide element

7

guide rod

8th

support unit

9, 10

storage area

11

guide region

12

Through opening

13

heater

14, 14.1, 14.3

heating element

15

opening

16

inner thread

17

external thread

18

outer periphery

19

recess

20

closure element

M

mid-axis

Claims (12)

Guide unit for an electrical contact coupling, comprising at least one guided on a longitudinal guide axially displaceable and connected to the electrical contact coupling guide carriage,
characterized in that
the longitudinal guide is heatable over at least a portion of its extension in the longitudinal direction. Guide unit according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the longitudinal guide has at least two partial regions which are arranged at a distance from one another and can be heated individually or in groups or together. Guide unit according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that
associated with a heating device which is designed as a heating device from the group of heating devices mentioned below: - A contact heater - A radiation heater - a convection heating. Guide unit according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that
associated with a heating device, comprising at least one heating element which is associated with the longitudinal guide and transmits the heat by thermal radiation or convection to this. Guide unit according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that
the longitudinal guide is associated with a heating device which comprises at least one heating element which is integrated in the longitudinal guide. Guide unit according to claim 5,
characterized in that
the at least one heating element is introduced into a recess arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal guide and is covered to the outside. Guide unit according to one of claims 5 to 6,
characterized in that
the at least one heating element is incorporated in an opening which is integrated in the longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction and surrounds the heating element in the circumferential direction. Guide unit according to claim 6 or 7,
characterized in that
the single heating element is releasably connected to the longitudinal guide. Guide unit according to one of claims 6 to 8,
characterized in that
in a single recess or opening at least one or more heating elements are accurately inserted. Guide unit according to claim 5,
characterized in that
the longitudinal guide is formed by a heating element of a heating device. Guide unit according to one of claims 1 to 10,
characterized in that
the longitudinal guide comprises at least one guide rod, which is mounted in a support unit flying or both sides, wherein in the guide rod of the guide carriage can be guided in the axial direction. Central buffer coupling for a track-bound vehicle with an electrical contact coupling, which is guided via a guide unit according to one of claims 1 to 10 in the longitudinal direction displaceably on the central buffer coupling.

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