U.S. patent application number 11/638495 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-13 for transportation machine with energy absorbing structure.
Invention is credited to Takeshi Kawasaki, Toshihiko Mochida, Takashi Yamaguchi, Takahisa Yamamoto.
Application Number | 20070283843 11/638495 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38212241 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070283843 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kawasaki; Takeshi ; et
al. |
December 13, 2007 |
Transportation machine with energy absorbing structure
Abstract
For a transportation machine such as a railway vehicle, a space
for a driver is secured while collision energy is absorbed at a
time of collision with a large obstacle, and entry of a flying
object into a driving cab is prevented by a rigid structure at a
time of collision with the flying object. Windows 40, 40 are
provided in a flying object barrier plate 50 provided at a tip end
portion of a driving cab 25, and energy absorbing members 100, 100
are penetrated through the windows 40, 40 to be disposed in a form
extending outward of the flying object barrier plate 50 from an
inside of the driving cab 25. The energy absorbing members 100, 100
of a large absorbing capacity can be efficiently disposed by
utilizing a space of the driving cab 25 provided in a vehicle body.
A beam member of a crushable zone 11a including the flying object
barrier plate 50 is firmly placed and can be connected to a
survival zone 10.
Inventors: |
Kawasaki; Takeshi;
(Kudamatsu-shi, JP) ; Yamaguchi; Takashi;
(Hitachinaka-shi, JP) ; Mochida; Toshihiko;
(Kudamatsu-shi, JP) ; Yamamoto; Takahisa;
(Kudamatsu-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTONELLI, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP
1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET, SUITE 1800
ARLINGTON
VA
22209-3873
US
|
Family ID: |
38212241 |
Appl. No.: |
11/638495 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
105/396 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61D 15/06 20130101;
B61D 17/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
105/396 |
International
Class: |
B61D 17/00 20060101
B61D017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 10, 2006 |
JP |
2006-131260 |
Claims
1. A transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure,
which comprises a driving cab at a front position of a vehicle
body, comprising: a flying object barrier plate in a planar shape
which is disposed at an end portion in a traveling direction, of
the driving cab, with its in-plane orientation in a direction
orthogonal to the traveling direction; and an energy absorbing
material which is disposed at the vehicle body through a window
formed in the flying object barrier plate and projects from the
flying object barrier plate.
2. The transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure
according to claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing material is
connected to the flying object barrier plate by a connecting seal
member provided at the window.
3. The transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure
according to claim 1, wherein a tip end position which the energy
absorbing material occupies at a time of maximum collapse is set at
a position outward of the flying object barrier plate.
4. The transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure
according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the energy
absorbing material, which projects from the flying object barrier
plate, is divided into two energy absorbing member portions of
upper and lower units, and that one of tip end sides of both of
them projects more than the other.
5. The transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure
according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the energy
absorbing member, which projects from the flying object barrier
plate, is divided into two energy absorbing member portions of
upper and lower units, and the energy absorbing member portions of
the two upper and lower units are disposed up and down with a
center position in the vertical direction of an underframe of the
vehicle body as a center.
6. The transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure
according to claim 1, wherein a cover for covering the
transportation machine is provided at a front side of the flying
object barrier plate.
Description
[0001] The present application is based on and claims priority of
Japanese patent application No. 2006-131260 filed on May 10, 2006,
the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a transportation machine
with an energy absorbing structure, such as a railway vehicle and a
monorail vehicle.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In a transportation machine represented by a railway
vehicle, there is the possibility of occurrence of collision with
an unexpected material object during operation. Citing the past
collision examples of railway vehicles as the example, as the
material objects which unexpectedly collide with railway vehicles,
there are various kinds of things including large things such as
road vehicles, trees, and railway vehicles, and small things such
as stones, snowballs and components of the opposing vehicles.
[0006] Here, the case where a railway vehicle collides with a large
material object is considered. When the railway vehicle collides
with a large material object, a large impact acts on the railway
vehicle due to the collision with the material object. In order to
protect passengers and crews on board the transportation machine
from the impact, there exists the concept of absorbing energy of
collision by positively deforming a part of the structure of the
transportation machine. Namely, the concept is to provide a space
which accommodates the passengers and crews, and has the purpose of
preventing the structure of the transportation machine from being
crushed at the time of collision with a material object
(hereinafter, called "a survival zone"), and a space which absorbs
the energy of collision by positively deforming a part of the
structure of the transportation machine at the time of collision
with a material object (hereinafter, called "a crushable zone"),
separately in the structure of the transportation machine.
[0007] Subsequently, the case where a railway vehicle collides with
a small material object is considered. Namely, the case where a
stone or a snowball which are raised by a traveling wind of the
opposing train, a component of the opposing vehicle or the like
collides with the front surface of a head part is considered. When
the railway vehicle collides with such a small flying object, the
vehicle has an overwhelmingly large mass with respect to the flying
object, and therefore, a large impact does not act on the vehicle
body. However, the possibility that the flying object penetrates
through the vehicle body structure and damages a driver and
passengers on board is conceivable. Thus, concerning the collision
with a small flying object, the structure in which a strong
structure is placed at the vehicle end portion side of the space
where the driver is on board to prevent entry of the flying object
is used instead of absorbing energy as described above. A barrier
plate which is disposed so that a flying object does not enter the
driver's cab for the purpose of protecting the life of the driver
on board is called a flying object barrier plate.
[0008] As above, it is necessary to dispose the flying object
barrier plate so that a flying object does not enter the driver's
cab while providing a crushable zone, at an end portion of a
vehicle where the driver is on board in a railway vehicle.
[0009] Amar Ainoussa, A crashworthy high speed aluminium train: the
west coast main line class 390 tilting train, Proc. ImechE Conf.
"What can we realistically expect from crash worthiness?", (2001),
describes an example of a structure in which a flying object
barrier plate is disposed at the foremost end with respect to a
vehicle body longitudinal direction which is a rail direction, and
a member which absorbs energy is disposed adjacently to it.
[0010] John Benedict Doyle, Crash design of steel bodyshells for
virgin, Proc. ImechE Conf. "What can we realistically expect from
crashworthiness?", (2001), describes an example of the structure in
which a member which absorbs energy is disposed at the foremost end
with respect to the vehicle body longitudinal direction which is a
rail direction, and the flying object barrier plate is disposed
adjacently to it.
[0011] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-168218 shows
that an energy absorbing structure using hollow extruded shapes of
an aluminum alloy at four sides efficiently absorbs energy.
[0012] First, among the prior arts described according to the
Non-patent Documents in the above description, the case where the
member that absorbs energy is disposed at the foremost end with
respect to the vehicle body longitudinal direction which is the
rail direction, and the flying object barrier plate is disposed
adjacently to it is considered. When the length of the absorbing
member is made large to increase the absorbed energy amount in such
a structure, the energy absorbing member is likely to be buckled
into the shape folded in two as a whole (hereinafter, called an
entire buckling) when the energy absorbing member is crushed. The
energy absorbing member vibrates due to vibration during operation,
and therefore, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of strength
and riding comfort.
[0013] Next, the case where the flying object barrier plate is
disposed at the foremost end with respect to the vehicle body
longitudinal direction that is the rail direction, and the member
which absorbs the energy is disposed adjacently to it is
considered. In such a structure, the energy absorbing member which
is disposed on the floor of the driver's cab deforms when the
railway vehicle collides with a large obstacle, and therefore, the
space of the driving cab is affected, thus making it difficult to
secure safety of the crew sufficiently.
[0014] Thus, there is the problem to be solved in the respect of
utilizing the space of a driving cab provided in a vehicle body and
causing the energy material having a large energy absorbing amount
to function effectively while securing safety of the crews.
[0015] An object of the present invention is to provide a
transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure in which
an energy absorbing member does not entirely buckle even when
colliding with a large obstacle, vibration during operation is
reduced and a survival space for crews is secured in a driving cab,
and a flying object is not allowed to enter the driving cab when a
small flying object collides with the transportation machine, in a
transportation machine such as a railway vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In order to attain the above described object, a
transportation machine with an energy absorbing structure according
to the invention, including a driving cab at a front position of a
vehicle body, includes a flying object barrier plate in a planar
shape which is disposed at an end portion in a traveling direction,
of the driving cab, with its in-plane orientation in a direction
orthogonal to the traveling direction, and an energy absorbing
member which is disposed at the vehicle body through a window
formed in the flying object barrier plate and projects from the
flying object barrier plate.
[0017] According to this invention, by disposing the energy
absorbing member in a form projecting from the driving cab through
the window formed on the flying object barrier plate to a position
outward of the flying object barrier plate, the energy absorbing
member of a large absorbing capacity can be efficiently disposed by
utilizing a space of the driving cab provided in the vehicle body.
The beam member of the crushable zone including the flying object
barrier plate can be firmly placed and connected to the survival
zone.
[0018] According to the present invention, the length in the
longitudinal direction of the head portion of the transportation
machine can be made as short as possible, and the satisfactory
transportation machine with the energy absorbing structure in terms
of absorption of energy, protection at the time of collision with a
flying object and support of the load at the time of a normal
operation can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a railway vehicle;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a front view of the railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied by comparing it with railway vehicles
to which the conventional embodiments are applied;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a side view showing an outline of deformation when
a railway vehicle to which the present invention is applied
collides;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a side view of a railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a side view of a railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied; and
[0026] FIG. 8 is a side view of a railway vehicle to which the
present invention is applied.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] A first embodiment in the case where the present invention
is applied to a railway vehicle body structure when a
transportation machine is a railway vehicle will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0028] First, a structure of the railway vehicle body structure
will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A railway vehicle body
structure 1 is constructed by a roof body structure 2 which forms a
roof, end body structures 3 which form surfaces for closing both
ends with respect to a vehicle body longitudinal direction, side
body structures 4 which form left and right surfaces with respect
to the vehicle body longitudinal direction, and an underframe 5
which forms a floor surface. The underframe 5 has high rigidity
against a compression load in the longitudinal direction. Windows
and openings for entrance/exit are formed in the side body
structure 4. The railway vehicle body structure 1 having such a
basic structure has a survival zone 10 which protects the lives of
passengers and crews at the time of collision and a crushable zone
11 which absorbs energy occurring at the time of collision. An
opening 20 which is enclosed by each end portion of the roof body
structure 2, the side body structures 4 and the underframe 5 is
formed at an end portion near the crushable zone 11, of the
survival zone 10. A driving cab 25 where a crew such as a driver or
the like is on board to drive the train is disposed in the
crushable zone 11.
[0029] The crushable zones 11 are placed at both end portions in
the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and are disposed so as
to sandwich the survival zone 10 in the longitudinal direction of
the vehicle. In the drawing, the structure is explained by using
the vehicle having the driving cab 25, but in the vehicle without
having the driving cab 25, the relative disposition of the
crushable zone 11 and the survival zone 10 does not change.
[0030] In a crushable zone 11a, a flying object barrier plate 50 in
a planar shape with its in-plane orientation being in the direction
orthogonal to the traveling direction is disposed at the end
portion in the traveling direction, of the driving cab 25. In the
crushable zone 11a, two energy absorbing members 100 and 100 are
disposed to penetrate through the flying object barrier plate 50
and to be spaced in a vehicle width direction.
[0031] In FIG. 2, the main members which construct the crushable
zone 11 are the flying object barrier plate 50, a beam member 60
and the energy absorbing members 100 and 100. Each of the energy
absorbing members 100 is firmly connected to the survival zone 10,
and is disposed to extend outward of the vehicle body along a rail
direction (vehicle body longitudinal direction). The energy
absorbing members 100 and 100 are at both end sides in the vehicle
body width direction. The flying object barrier plate 50 is firmly
connected to a vertical pillar 20 at an end portion of the survival
zone 10 by the beam member 60. The beam member 60 includes a
horizontal beam part 60a at a floor side and a horizontal beam part
60b parallel with the horizontal beam part 60a and disposed at an
intermediate height, root sides of the horizontal beam parts 60a
and 60b are firmly connected at the opening 25 of the survival zone
10, and tip end portions are connected to the flying object barrier
plate 50. Connecting portions of the horizontal beam part 60b and
the flying object barrier plate 50 and an upper end of the opening
25 of the survival zone 10 are connected by an inclined beam part
60c of the beam member 60.
[0032] With an end portion of the survival zone 10, which is the
nearest to the crushable structure, as the reference, a distance to
the tip end of the flying object barrier plate 50 is L1, and a
distance to the tip end of the energy absorbing member 100 from the
survival zone 10 is L2. In this case, L1<L2. Therefore, the
energy absorbing member 100 is disposed to pass through a window
40, which is formed in the flying object barrier plate 50, from the
body structure. Connection of the energy absorbing member 100 and
the flying object barrier plate 50 is carried out to such an extent
that does not restrain the behavior (collapse) when the energy
absorbing member 100 deforms and absorbs energy. The above
described collapse means to break gradually in the axial direction
of the energy absorbing member 100 to be small in the bellow shape
without entirely buckling. The above described "carried out"
includes being not connected.
[0033] The energy absorbing member 100 is constructed by disposing
two body structures 100a and 100b differing in outer shape by
connecting them in the vehicle body longitudinal direction. Namely,
the outer shape of the energy absorbing member 100a disposed at the
foremost end portion is small as compared with the energy absorbing
member 100b which is placed adjacently to it at the body structure
side. The energy absorbing member 100b is connected to the survival
zone 10 via a connecting member 80.
[0034] FIG. 3 shows the view of the crushable zone 11a in which the
driving cab is disposed seen from the end portion in the vehicle
longitudinal direction. The energy absorbing members 100 and 100
penetrate through the flying object barrier plate 50 to project,
seal members 30 are coated therebetween to inhibit entry of water
from gaps. The seal member 30 has such strength as not to restrain
the action when the energy absorbing member 100 deforms and absorbs
energy at the time of collision.
[0035] FIG. 4 shows the above first embodiment by comparing it with
the conventional embodiment. In a conventional embodiment 1 shown
in (a), an energy absorbing member 91 is fitted to an outer side of
the flying object barrier plate 50. In a conventional embodiment 2
shown in (b), an energy absorbing member 92 is placed between the
flying object barrier plate 50 and the survival zone. Meanwhile, in
the first embodiment of the present invention shown in (c), an
energy absorbing member 100 is fitted at the survival zone to
penetrate through the flying object barrier plate 50 and to project
along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
[0036] In such a construction, the relative relationship of the
energy absorbing member and the flying object barrier plate when
the crushable zone to which the present invention is applied is
collided will be shown in FIG. 5. A state 1 in (a) shows the state
before collision. A state 2 in (b) shows the state immediately
after the collision begins. It is the energy absorbing member 100a
existing at the head that starts contact at first as the vehicle
body structure. The seal member 30 exists between the energy
absorbing member 100a at the tip end side and the flying object
barrier plate 50. At this time, the sectional area of the energy
absorbing member 100a at the tip end side is small as compared with
the sectional area of the energy absorbing member 100b at the root
side, and therefore, the energy absorbing member 100a at the tip
end side starts local deformation. A state 3 in (c) shows the state
in which the collision further proceeds from the state 2. When the
collision further proceeds from the state 2, and the energy
absorbing member 100a proceeds with deformation, the seal member 30
which connects the flying object barrier plate 50 and the energy
absorbing member 100a breaks. Thereby, the direct load caused by
collision does not act on the flying object barrier plate 50 at
all, and the load caused by the collision acts on only the energy
absorbing member 100. Therefore, deformation of the energy
absorbing member 100a proceeds, and the energy absorbing member
100a deforms until there is no room for deformation. Thereafter,
the energy absorbing member 100b starts deformation. A state 4 in
(d) shows the state in which deformation advances until there is no
room for deformation any more. At this time, a crashed remnant
amount L3 of the energy absorbing member 100 is long as compared
with L2, and therefore, even after deformation of the energy
absorbing member 100 is finished, the tip end of the energy
absorbing member 100 projects from the flying object barrier plate
50, and the flying object barrier plate 50 can avoid being deformed
by the obstacle which collides with the energy absorbing member
100.
[0037] Deformation occurs to only the energy absorbing member 100
so that both of the energy absorbing member 10a projecting from the
flying object barrier plate 50 and the energy absorbing member 100b
disposed in the space of the driving cab 25 deform as above, and
therefore, the space of the driving cab 25 where a crew is on board
is left uncrushed. Since the energy absorbing member 100 and the
flying object barrier plate 50 are connected by the seal member 30,
vibration during vehicle operation is reduced and at the same time,
entire buckling can be prevented, in terms of the energy absorbing
member 100. Therefore, the energy absorbing member 100 buckles to
be small in the bellow shape, and can absorb a large load.
[0038] There exists a cover, which covers the end body structure 3,
and the energy absorbing member 100, at the front side of the end
body structure 3. This cover is an apparent cover. The cover which
is constructed by the flying object barrier plate 50, the members
60a, 60b and 60c can be the to be a reinforcement cover.
[0039] A second embodiment in the case where the present invention
is applied to a railway vehicle body structure will be described
with reference to FIG. 6. The structures of the flying object
barrier plate 50 and the beam member 60 are the same as the case of
the first embodiment. In this case, an energy absorbing member 200
which differs from that in the first embodiment will be described.
The energy absorbing member 200 projecting from the flying object
barrier plate 50 is constructed as two upper and lower units. In
the portions constructed into the two upper and lower units, energy
absorbing member portions 200c and 200d are disposed on an upper
unit side, and energy absorbing member portions 200e and 200f are
disposed at the lower unit side. The energy absorbing member
portions 200c and 200d are connected side by side in the vehicle
body longitudinal direction. The energy absorbing member portions
200e and 200f are also connected side by side in the vehicle body
longitudinal direction. The energy absorbing member portions 200d
and 200f are both connected to an energy absorbing member 200g. The
energy absorbing member 200g is connected to an energy absorbing
member 200h, and the energy absorbing member 200h is firmly
connected to the survival zone 10 via a connecting member 80. Here,
with an end portion of the survival zone 10, which is the nearest
to the crushable structure, as the reference, a distance to the tip
end of the flying object barrier plate 50 is L10, a distance to the
tip end of the energy absorbing member portion 200e from the
survival zone 10 is L11, and a distance to the tip end of the
energy absorbing member portion 200c is L12. Here,
L10<L11<L12 is satisfied.
[0040] Further, the distance from the endportion of the survival
zone 10, which is the nearest to the crushable structure, when the
energy absorbing member finishes deformation is L120 for the energy
absorbing member portion 200c, and is L110 for the energy absorbing
member 200d (L110, L120 not shown). In this case,
L10<L110<L120 is satisfied.
[0041] In such a construction, when colliding with an obstacle, the
energy absorbing member portion 200c on the upper unit side, which
is at the longest distance from the end portion of the survival
zone 10 which is the nearest to the crushable structure, starts
deformation first. When the deformation further proceeds, the
energy absorbing member portion 200e on the lower unit side starts
deformation. Since such a deformation mode is established, the same
effect as described in the first embodiment can be obtained and at
the same time, the peak load occurring when collapse starts can be
reduced. Namely, since the timings in which the energy absorbing
member portion 200c on the upper unit side and the energy absorbing
member portion 200e on the lower unit side start deformation
differ, and thereby, the timings in which the peak loads occur
differ, the peak load as a total is reduced.
[0042] A third embodiment in the case where the present invention
is applied to a railway vehicle body structure will be described in
accordance with FIG. 7. The structures of the flying object barrier
plate 50 and the beam member 60 are the same as those in the second
embodiment. In this case, in order to distinguish this embodiment
from each of the previous embodiments, reference numbers and
characters of the 300-level are used with respect to the energy
absorbing member, but as compared with the second embodiment, no
difference exists except for the difference in the disposition
height of the energy absorbing members, and therefore, the
explanation of the other respects will be omitted. About the
disposition height of the energy absorbing member 300, the energy
absorbing member portions 300c and 300d disposed on the upper unit
side are disposed at the position higher than the floor surface
height, and the energy absorbing member portions 300e and 300f
disposed on the lower unit side are disposed at the position lower
than the floor surface.
[0043] In such a construction, when colliding with an obstacle, the
loads of the energy absorbing members 300c and 300e are transmitted
to the underframe 5. Since the average height of the energy
absorbing members 300c and 300e are coincide with the center in the
vertical direction of the underframe 5, they do not bend the
underframe 5.
[0044] A fourth embodiment in the case where the present invention
is applied to the railway vehicle body structure will be described
with reference to FIG. 8. The structures of the flying object
barrier plate 50 and the beam member 60 are the same as those in
the first embodiment. In this case, a beam member 460 which differs
from that in the first embodiment will be described. In the beam
member 460 which connects the flying object barrier plate 50 and
the survival zone, beam members 460a, 460b and 460c exist. The
connecting position in the height direction of these beam members
460 and the survival zone 10 does not exist at the intermediate
height at which an entrance/exit that is an opening 400 provided at
an area of the survival zone 10, which is the nearest to the
crushable zone 11a.
[0045] In such a construction, even if the load acts on the flying
object barrier plate 50, the load is not transmitted to the
intermediate height of the opening 25 that is provided at the area
of the survival zone 10, which is the nearest to the crushable
zone. It is transmitted to the underframe 5. Therefore, even when a
high load acts, the opening 25 does not deform, and easy escape is
made possible.
* * * * *