JP2021024366A - Vehicle comprising handle and handle cover - Google Patents

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle shape capable of suppressing effects of aerodynamic noise and aerodynamic resistance to the minimum, by taking into consideration that aerodynamic design is an important factor in improving energy efficiency of a railroad train, and that aerodynamic noise and aerodynamic resistance are two important items to consider affecting railroad design.SOLUTION: A vehicle comprises a handle and a handle cover. The vehicle has an aperture for housing the handle and the handle cover. The handle cover is fixed to the vehicle with a hinge so as to be freely rotatable from a released state to a closed state, at an end on an upstream side of the aperture. In the closed state, an outer wall surface of the handle cover has a recess to be engaged with the handle so as to be disposed substantially on the same plane as an outer wall of the vehicle, and has a gap between a tip of the handle cover and a downstream side wall of the aperture. In the case that speed of air flowing in the vehicle is a certain speed or faster, the air flows into the aperture through the gap so that a closed state of the handle cover is retained.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle provided with a handle and a handle cover.

Designing railcars from an aerodynamic point of view is important for improving the energy efficiency of railroad trains. In particular, aerodynamically generated noise and aerodynamic resistance (also known as drag) are two important considerations that affect railway design.
Aerodynamically generated noise and aerodynamic resistance increase logarithmically with train speed. For this reason, it has become a major issue in train design to minimize aerodynamically generated noise and aerodynamic resistance as train speeds increase due to advances in railway technology. Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle shape that can minimize the effects of aerodynamically generated noise and aerodynamic resistance.

One means for suppressing the generation of noise and drag in railcars is to streamline the shape of the train and prevent air from flowing through the area of the train, including protrusions and / or cavities. Air flowing through such areas can lead to the generation of vortices that cause external noise, and when the vortices propagate through the body of the train into the train, it produces internal noise and drag. Further, the separation of the high-speed airflow generated in the protruding portion and / or the cavity of the vehicle may vibrate the vehicle structure itself and generate further internal noise.

A handle attached to a vehicle is an example of a protruding portion that can lead to aerodynamically generated noise and drag. Typically, the body of a train is provided with doors for passengers and crew to board the train, with vertical poles on either side of each door acting as handles. In some cases, these handles project from the vehicle body. However, in order to reduce the width of the vehicle body, these handles are often embedded in the vehicle body. By doing so, the width of the vehicle body can be freely determined based on the width of the track gauge.

The leading car of the train is most affected by the air flow velocity and can be one of the major areas where aerodynamically generated noise and drag are generated. In particular, the handle of the leading car contributes significantly to the internal noise of the train cab area. Therefore, it is desirable to arrange the handle cover above the handle attached to the leading vehicle of the high-speed vehicle to prevent internal and external noise and drag generated by the high-speed airflow near the handle.

Conventionally, as a handle cover, a cover that shields a gap consisting of a handle and an opening for accommodating the handle has been used, and a cover that is opened and closed by a mechanism using compressed air or a spring, which requires frequent maintenance, is used. It was adopted.

Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional handle. In particular, Patent Document 1 states, "On the side surface of the vehicle body 10 of the leading vehicle, openings 40 to the conductor room are provided, and handles 140 are attached to both sides of the openings. For the crew to grip the handles. The opening 130 of the above causes the air flow to be disturbed during high-speed traveling. The smoothing handle device 200 moves in parallel between the outer surface of the vehicle body and the inner surface of the vehicle, and closes the opening 130 during traveling for smoothing. " Things are disclosed.

Japanese Patent No. 461109

The invention of Patent Document 1 is to make the shape in the vicinity of the handle streamlined by covering the handle with a cover that is hinged to the opening of the handle and is mechanically closed. However, since the invention of Patent Document 1 is composed of a plurality of mechanical parts that require manual operation, it takes time and effort for the user side (for example, the train driver side) to operate, and the configuration is mechanically complicated. , Manufacturing cost and management cost increase.

Therefore, the present invention has a handle having a simple mechanical structure that can be easily opened when the train is stopped and is automatically maintained in the closed state by the air flowing through the vehicle body when the train is running. The purpose is to provide a cover.

One of the typical railcars of the present invention has an opening for accommodating the handle and the handle cover, and the handle cover rotates from the open state to the closed state at the upstream end of the opening. It is fixed to the vehicle by a hinge so that it can be freely moved, and in the closed state, it has a recess that engages with the handle so that the outer wall surface of the handle cover is almost flush with the outer wall of the vehicle, and the tip of the handle cover. When there is a gap between the door and the downstream side wall of the opening and the speed of air flowing through the vehicle body (hereinafter, also referred to as "wind speed") is above a certain level, air flows into the opening through the gap. , Keep the handle cover closed.

In another aspect of the present invention, the horizontal cross section of the tip of the handle cover on the outer wall surface side has a round shape, and the angle between the downstream side wall of the opening and the outer wall of the vehicle is larger than 90 degrees.

In another aspect of the present invention, the opening is formed by a curved line from the downstream side surface to the bottom portion in a horizontal cross section, and the shape of the handle is substantially semicircular.

In another aspect of the present invention, the outer wall surface of the handle cover has an inclined protrusion whose horizontal cross section faces the outside of the vehicle at the upstream end of the recess, and the outer wall surface of the handle is at the downstream end. , The horizontal cross section has an inclined protrusion toward the outside of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, a handle cover having a simple mechanical structure that can be easily opened when the train is stopped and automatically maintained in the closed state by the air flowing through the vehicle body when the train is running. Can be provided.
Issues, configurations and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the following embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the position of a handle in a leading vehicle of a railway vehicle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an external view of the vehicle body, the handle, and the handle cover according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of cross sections AA'in FIG. 2 when the handle cover according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is in the closed state. FIG. 4 is another view showing the details of the cross sections AA'in FIG. 2 when the handle cover according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is in the closed state. FIG. 5 shows a diagram showing details of the cross section AA'of FIG. 2 when the handle cover is in the open state according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a region B in FIG. 3 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the upper end of the handle and the handle cover according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Further, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.
Although aspects of the disclosure are described by way of example for railcars, it should be noted that the disclosure is not limited to application to railcars. The present invention may also be appropriately applied to, for example, aircraft, buses, automobiles, or any other means of transportation.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the position of a handle on a leading vehicle of a railway vehicle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the train may be composed of a plurality of rolling stock (not shown) including the leading rolling stock 70. The body 10 of the lead vehicle 70 may include at least one entrance door 50 that passengers and / or crew members enter and exit when getting on and off. Handles 30 that passengers and / or crew members grip when entering and exiting the lead vehicle 70 may be attached to both sides of the door 50. As shown in FIG. 1, the handles may be arranged vertically on either side of the door 50 and substantially perpendicular to the ground.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the vehicle body 10, the handle 30, and the handle cover 20 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

The handle 30 is housed in the opening 40. The opening 40 is a hollow portion of the vehicle body 10 configured to accommodate the handle 30. By arranging the handle 30 in the opening 40, the overall width of the leading vehicle 70 can be reduced, and the aerodynamically generated noise and drag can be reduced. As shown in FIG. 2, a handle cover 20 is attached to the opening. The handle cover 20 is configured to swing on the hinge of the opening 40 and engage with the handle 30 in order to reduce the air flow into the opening 40. The details of the handle cover 20 will be described later.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of cross sections AA'in FIG. 2 when the handle cover 20 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is in the closed state. As shown in FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, the state in which the handle cover 20 is rotated upward so as to engage with the handle 30 is referred to as a “closed state”. The area B surrounded by the broken line indicates the area where the handle cover 20 engages with the handle 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the handle 30 is covered by the handle cover 20 in the opening 40. The handle cover 20 is attached so as to be rotatable around a hinge 21 fixed to one end (for example, the upstream side wall 43) of the opening 40 accommodating the handle 30. The handle cover 20 is rotatable between an open state in which the handle cover 20 abuts on the upstream side wall 43 of the opening 40 and a closed state in which the handle cover engages with the handle 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the handle cover 20 is configured to swing around the hinge 21 to a position where it engages with the handle 30 (closed state). Further, the handle cover 20 is rotatable around the hinge 21, and a person can grip the handle 30 when the handle cover 20 is open (open state).

In addition, in this specification, the "upstream side" means the side (that is, the traveling direction of a vehicle) through which air flows while the train is running. Further, the "downstream side" is defined as a side through which air flows toward the train while the train is running (for example, a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle). Further, here, the state in which the handle cover 20 is engaged with the handle 30 is referred to as a closed state, and the state in which the handle cover 20 is not completely engaged with the handle 30 is referred to as an open state (that is, the handle cover 20). The state in which is located between the handle 30 and the upstream side wall 43 is also regarded as an open state).

As shown in FIG. 3, the handle cover 20 includes a recess 22 configured to engage or fit the handle 30. By providing the recess 22, the outer surface 11 of the vehicle body, the outer surface 23 of the handle cover, and the outer surface 31 of the handle are substantially flush with each other during train travel. In this way, the inflow of air into the opening 40 can be reduced during travel, reducing the generation of vortices (and the resulting aerodynamic noise and drag) in the vicinity of the opening 40. can do.

FIG. 4 is another diagram showing details of the cross section AA'of FIG. 2 when the handle cover 20 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is in the closed state.

As shown in FIG. 4, a gap 24 is provided between the tip end (for example, the downstream end) of the handle cover 20 and the downstream side wall 41 of the opening 40. The gap 24 functions as a passage for guiding the air flowing along the vehicle body 10 between the handle cover 20 and the downstream side wall 41 into the opening 40. As shown in FIG. 4, the downstream outer surface 25 of the handle cover 20 facing the downstream side wall 41 of the opening 40 has a rounded edge. According to this configuration, air can be sent into the gap 40 through the rounded edge of the handle cover 20. The air sent into the opening 40 swirls like a vortex, creating an air vortex 60 in the opening 40. As a result, the air pressure inside the opening 40 rises, and the pressure inside the opening 40 exceeds the air pressure outside the opening 40. This pressure difference generates a negative moment (a moment that rotates the handle cover 20 counterclockwise) acting on the handle cover 20 in the y direction, and forces the handle cover 20 to the closed position. When the train reaches a constant speed, the pressure inside the opening 40 and outside the opening 40 is maintained in this state.
That is, according to the structure in which the opening is formed by a curved line from the downstream side surface to the bottom in the horizontal cross section and the shape of the handle is substantially semicircular, the air flow passes through the gap while the vehicle is running. Guided to the opening, it can generate pressure to keep the handle cover closed.

Further, the tangent line 12 of the downstream side wall 41 of the opening 40 to the outside of the vehicle and the outer surface 11 of the vehicle body intersect so as to form an obtuse angle α (greater than 90 degrees). According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the outflow of the air flow 80 in the opening 40.
That is, according to the configuration in which the horizontal cross section of the tip of the handle cover on the outer wall surface side has a round shape and the angle between the downstream side wall of the opening and the outer wall of the vehicle is larger than 90 degrees, air is used while the vehicle is running. It is possible to prevent the flow from easily flowing into the opening and the air in the opening from flowing out.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the downstream inner surface 26 of the handle cover 20 also has a rounded shape. By forming the downstream inner surface 26 of the handle cover 20 into a rounded shape, the gap length L (the length of the gap 24 along the downstream side wall 41) is small when the handle cover 20 is in the closed state. It is possible to reduce the pressure loss of the opening due to the above and prevent the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the opening 40 from being reduced. In order to preferably reduce the pressure loss, a radius of curvature r ₁ that is at least as high as the gap length L in the z direction is preferable. If the radius is smaller than this, the air flow may change suddenly, which may lead to separation of the air flow in the opening 40 and pressure loss.

FIG. 5 shows a view of a cross section AA'of FIG. 2 when the handle cover 20 is in an open state according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

The curved shape of the opening 40 extends from the downstream side wall 41 of the opening 40 through the bottom 44 of the opening 40 to the upstream side wall 43 and extends over the length of the entire contour in the cross section of the opening. Such a shape feeds the airflow 80 toward the region between the handle cover 20 and the upstream side wall 43 of the opening. As a result, the air pressure in the opening 40 increases, causing a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the opening 40, and this pressure difference causes a negative moment in the y direction (rotating the handle cover 20 counterclockwise). Moment) is generated. This negative moment pushes the handle cover 20 into the closed state. It should be noted that a large curvature r2 is preferred for the curved opening 40 to efficiently guide air into the opening 40 and generate an appropriate differential pressure.

As shown in FIG. 5, the inner surface 32 of the handle has a substantially semicircular shape. Such a shape is easy to grasp from the viewpoint of ergonomics, and is efficient in directing the air flow to the downstream side surface 41 of the opening 40. On the other hand, a shape having a sharp edge can adversely affect, for example, the air flow into the opening 40.

As shown in the horizontal sectional view of FIG. 5, the hinge end portion 27 of the handle cover 20 (that is, the portion of the handle cover 20 surrounding the hinge) is rounded to guide the air flow into the opening 41. The upstream side wall 43 corresponding to the hinge end 27 also has a rounded shape consistent with the hinge end 27. As a result, the air flow can be guided into the opening 40, and the hinge end portion 27 is tightly engaged with the upstream side wall 43, so that air leaks from between the hinge end portion 27 and the upstream side wall 43. There is no. Further, the hinge end portion 27 does not protrude from the vehicle body. With this configuration, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the opening 40 can be maintained, and the handle cover 20 can be kept in the closed state while the vehicle is running.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a region B of FIG. 3 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

A gap 29 is provided between the handle 30 and the recess 22 of the handle cover 20 (for example, to cope with a manufacturing error or the like). The air flowing through the gap 29 generates a positive moment (a moment that rotates the handle cover 20 clockwise) in the y direction (which hinders the movement of the handle cover 20), which may generate high-frequency noise. It is desirable to reduce the gap 29.

In order to reduce the amount of air flowing into the gap 29 between the handle 30 and the handle cover 20, a first inclined protrusion 28 toward the outside of the vehicle is provided at the upstream end of the recess 22 of the handle cover 20. It is provided. By making the height of the first inclined protrusion 28 in the x direction equal to the gap width L, the air flow rate between the gap 29 and the handle 30 can be appropriately reduced. If the height is higher than this, undesired airflow separation occurs, and if the height is lower than this, it may not be effective in preventing the inflow of air flow between the gap 29 and the handle 30. is there.

Similarly, in order to reduce the amount of air flowing into the gap 29 between the handle 30 and the handle cover 20, a second inclined protrusion 33 toward the outside of the vehicle is provided on the downstream side of the handle cover 20. It is provided. Similar to the first inclined protrusion 28, the height of the second inclined protrusion 33 in the x direction is made equal to the gap width L, so that the air flow rate between the gap 29 and the handle 30 is appropriately reduced. be able to. If the height is higher than this, undesired airflow separation occurs, and if the height is lower, it may not be effective in preventing the inflow of air flow between the gap 29 and the handle 30.
That is, by providing the protrusions having an appropriate height at the upstream end of the recess 22 of the handle cover 20 and the downstream side of the handle cover 20, the air flow flowing into the gap between the handle and the handle cover is restricted. It is possible to prevent the handle cover from being inadvertently opened.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the upper end of the handle and the handle cover according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

As a general rule, the aerodynamic pressure near the handle 30 is not constant, so a high pressure region may occur outside the opening. Such a high pressure region may exert a force acting to move the handle cover 20 to the open state. Therefore, in order to prevent such a high pressure region from being intermittently generated outside the opening, the opening may be provided with a leakage region 42 at the upper end or the lower end thereof. The leakage region 42 is a portion of an opening that is not covered by the handle cover 20. The leakage region 42 limits the movement of air inside and outside the opening and makes it possible to equalize the air inside and outside the opening.

Further, a torsion damper can be attached to the hinge to prevent the handle cover from flapping.

A low-rigidity coil spring may be provided on the hinge as a torsion damper to keep the handle cover 20 closed while the vehicle travels at low speed and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the opening is small. it can. As a result, the handle cover 20 can be maintained in the closed state even when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed. Further, the spring may have such a low rigidity that the handle cover can be easily opened when the train is in a dormant state.

In the above description, the handle cover provided on the handle attached to one side of the vehicle door has been described, but the handle cover provided on the handle attached to the other side of the vehicle is substantially the same. is there. The handle covers 20 on both sides of the door may have hinges attached to the upstream edge of the opening of each handle and may be arranged in the same direction.

The handle covers of the rearmost vehicle can be subject to aerodynamic moments that tend to rotate them open, but this effect is aerodynamic because the air velocity of the rearmost vehicle is less than that of the leading vehicle. It should be noted that it does not contribute much to the generation of noise or drag.

Since the handle cover described above is flush with the vehicle body in the closed state, aerodynamic noise (both internal and external) can be reduced while the train is running.

According to the configuration of the handle cover of the present invention, air flows into the opening below the handle while the train is running, generating a pressure greater than the pressure outside the opening. This pressure difference causes the handle cover to swivel and close. In addition, this pressure difference between the inner and outer regions of the opening serves to keep the handle cover closed while the train is running.

In addition, since no additional component other than the handle cover is required, mechanical complexity and maintenance of the component can be reduced.

Further, since the handle cover is automatically closed while the train is running, manual operation by a user (for example, a train driver) becomes unnecessary. Also, the handle cover can be easily opened when the train is not in operation (eg, not moving).

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

10 Body 11 Body outer surface 12 Contact line 20 Handle cover 21 Hinge 22 Recessed 23 Handle cover outer surface 24 Gap 25 Downstream outer surface of handle cover 26 Downstream inner surface of handle cover 27 Hinge end 28 First inclined protrusion 30 Handle 31 Outer surface of handle 32 Inner surface of handle 33 Second inclined protrusion 40 Opening 41 Downstream side wall 42 Leakage area 43 Upstream side wall 44 Bottom 50 Door 60 Vortex 70 Leading vehicle 80 Air flow L Gap length r1 Handle radius r2 Opening radius

Claims (6)

A vehicle equipped with a handle and a handle cover.
The vehicle has an opening for accommodating the handle and the handle cover.
The handle cover
At the upstream end of the opening, it is fixed to the vehicle by a hinge so as to be rotatable from an open state to a closed state.
In the closed state, the outer wall surface of the handle cover has a recess that engages with the handle so that it is substantially flush with the outer wall surface of the vehicle.
There is a gap between the tip of the handle cover and the downstream side wall of the opening.
When the speed of the air flowing through the vehicle body is equal to or higher than a certain level, the air flows into the opening through the gap to keep the handle cover in the closed state.
A vehicle equipped with a handle and a handle cover. The horizontal cross section of the tip of the handle cover on the outer wall surface side has a round shape.
The angle between the downstream side wall of the opening and the outer wall of the vehicle is greater than 90 degrees.
The vehicle provided with the handle and the handle cover according to claim 1, further characterized by the above. The horizontal cross section of the tip of the handle cover on the inner wall surface side has a round shape.
The vehicle provided with the handle and the handle cover according to claim 1, further characterized by the above. The opening is formed by a curved line between the downstream side surface and the bottom portion in a horizontal cross section.
The shape of the handle is almost a semicircular shape,
The vehicle provided with the handle and the handle cover according to claim 1, further characterized by the above. The outer wall surface of the handle cover has an inclined protrusion whose horizontal cross section faces the outer side of the vehicle at the upstream end of the recess.
The outer wall surface of the handle has a protruding portion whose horizontal cross section is inclined toward the outside of the vehicle at the downstream tip.
The vehicle provided with the handle and the handle cover according to claim 1, further characterized by the above. In the horizontal cross section, the hinge side end of the handle cover is approximately circular.
The upstream side wall of the opening corresponding to the hinge side end is also substantially circular in line with the hinge side end.
The vehicle provided with the handle and the handle cover according to claim 1, further characterized by the above.

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