Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Floor for a rail vehicle
Area of technology
The invention relates to a floor for rail vehicles.
Prior art
The floor of passenger rail vehicles is exposed to high levels
of stress. The abrasive wear caused by the passengers and
stress resulting from moisture and chemically aggressive
cleaning agents require a robust wear layer for the floor
structure. In addition, a rail vehicle floor must
advantageously have heat insulating and sound absorbing
properties, whilst being lightweight and reasonably priced.
Furthermore, according to the type approval specifications for
rail vehicles certain fire retardant properties of the floor
must be demonstrated. The construction of rail vehicles takes
place today practically exclusively using aluminum or steel
(or stainless steel). In this situation, the shell structures
of steel rail vehicles typically have a passenger space floor
consisting of trapezoidal sheet and require corresponding
floor structures which take account of and compensate for this
mode of construction. Shell structures consisting of aluminum
on the other hand have an essentially smooth, flat interior
floor. According to the prior art, floors for rail vehicles
are constructed from panels (typically plywood or composite
panels) which are connected (typically screwed) by way of
local supports (wooden spacers or profiles) to the vehicle
floor. These plywood panels are provided with a wear layer
which has the requisite properties, in particular resistance
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to wear. The cavities produced by this type of construction
between the local supports beneath the plywood panels are
normally filled with insulating material (for example mineral
wool) in order to improve the heat insulation. Such a floor
construction has several disadvantages: The necessary
installation height is considerable; the installation height
of floors currently produced is typically approx. 50 mm. In
addition, the design effort is also considerable because
detail drawings of the floor need to be produced and order
items created for each individual plywood panel.
The moisture resistance of such floors is similarly less than
satisfactory because liquids entering or penetrating laterally
past the board edges as a result of damage in the wear layer
accumulate in the cavities and are no longer dissipated and
damage the plywood panels and supports, and the use of the
vehicle can be adversely affected as a result of the mold
occurring or putrefaction processes. The weight of floors in
accordance with the prior art is considerable, a floor of a
passenger vehicle having an area of 50 m2 typically weighing
approx. 700 kg.
A further major disadvantage of conventional floors is their
complicated installation because in order to achieve a flat
interior area a very complex leveling process is required for
the supports.
Statement of the invention
The object of the invention is therefore to specify a floor
for rail vehicles which is lightweight, thin, highly heat
insulating, simple to design and to install, environmentally
friendly to recycle, moisture resistant and sound absorbing,
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as well as reasonably priced.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a floor for a rail vehicle, comprising: a four-layer
structure comprising a first metal layer, a filling layer, a
second metal layer and a wear layer, which are bonded
undetachably to one another, wherein the floor is produced in a
single piece and covers the entire floor of the passenger space
of a rail vehicle and the filling layer is produced from a
composite material with a cork content, wherein an edge profile
is provided which encompasses the floor on all sides and is
bonded undetachably to the floor, and wherein the edge profile
has a flange oriented in the direction of the passenger space.
According to the fundamental idea of the invention, a floor for
rail vehicles is constructed consisting of a four-layer
structure comprising a first metal layer, a filling layer, a
second metal layer and a wear layer, which is produced in a
single piece and covers the entire floor of the passenger space
of a rail vehicle.
A corrosion-resistant light metal (aluminum alloy) is
advantageously used as the first and second metal layers since
this makes it possible to achieve both a sufficient strength
and also a low weight.
Cork or a composite material containing cork is recommended for
use as the filling layer because the advantageous properties of
cork (low weight, elastic, shock-absorbing, good heat
insulation properties, moisture resistance, fungus resistance,
fire retardant properties) can thus be optimally utilized.
,
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The wear layer is advantageously implemented from the usual
flooring materials conventionally used in rail vehicle
construction. Plastic (for example PVC) and rubber materials in
particular are suited for this type of use especially as they
exhibit a high wear resistance. However, carpet materials can
also be used.
The bonding of the metal layers to the filling layer or to the
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wear layer can be effected by means of any adhesive suitable
for the purpose, for example by using solvent-free dispersion
adhesives or those containing solvents, or by using natural
resin adhesives.
The essential characteristic of the invention is the single-
piece production of a floor panel from the aforementioned
sandwich structure. This floor panel extends over the entire
floor of the passenger space, which means that only one panel
needs to be designed for each rail vehicle type, making for
considerable savings in development costs. Using the
aforementioned layer structure it is possible to produce a
floor which exhibits the necessary inherent strength in order
to be transported and assembled in a single piece.
In order to further improve the strength of a floor according
to the invention it is advisable to employ reinforcing
profiles which are provided in certain regions between the
first and the second metal layer in place of the filling
layer. On the one hand these reinforcing profiles increase the
inherent strength of the floor panel, on the other hand they
can be used as anchor points for fastening internal equipment
(for example handrails). For the latter purpose the
reinforcing profiles are to be equipped with suitable mounting
facilities, for example threads. Hollow chamber profiles made
of light metal (aluminum alloys) are particularly suitable for
use as reinforcing profiles.
It is a major advantage of the invention that the floor can
already be installed during an early construction phase of the
rail vehicle; it is for example possible to attach the floor
panel onto the undercarriage and then to assemble the side
walls, whilst taking care to adequately protect the floor
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panel during the welding operations required in this
situation. A further assembly option is to leave one end wall
of the rail vehicle open and to close this end wall only after
the floor panel has been inserted. With both assembly options
it is possible to achieve the advantage of being able to
significantly reduce the manufacturing costs because less
manual work is required than in the case of conventional floor
designs (having a plurality of floor panels with a
substructure and requiring alignment work).
A further major advantage results from the single-piece
construction in that no thermal bridges can be created and
that no leveling work is required.
The floor panel according to the invention is installed on the
vehicle structural floor in floating fashion; no further
fastening means are required, in particular no screw
connections. The floor panel rests, separated by several
bearing strips (elastic plastic material), directly on the
vehicle structural floor. It is however recommended, in
particular in order to prevent the floor panel lifting in the
event of the rail vehicle being involved in a collision, to
provide floor retainers. These floor retainers are fastened on
the rail vehicle structure (for example on the solebar). A
form-locked connection of the floor panel with the vehicle
body is achieved by means of these floor retainers.
An essential characteristic is the moisture resistance of a
floor panel according to the invention. On the one hand, cork
is very moisture resistant, on the other hand the cork layer
is additionally protected against moisture by the protection
on both sides afforded by the first and second metal layers.
The vehicle body itself is protected by the single-piece
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construction of the floor panel because in such a manner no
joints and gaps occur through which moisture can penetrate. At
most, a moisture guard is required at the edges of the floor
panel.
In a further development of the invention, it is advisable to
provide an edge profile which encompasses the perimeter of the
floor panel and has a flange which prevents the penetration of
moisture into the gap between vehicle body and floor panel and
further beneath the floor panel. This means that even a high
moisture level, for example occurring during cleaning, cannot
result in an ingress of moisture beneath the floor panel. Such
an ingress of moisture beneath the floor panel is particularly
disadvantageous because the moisture is no longer able to
escape from this location and may cause corrosion there. This
flange on the edge profile can be joined to a (preferably
watertight) cover strip provided on the interior wall such
that an especially moisture resistant interior space is
achieved.
The edge profile can be implemented differently on different
edge lines of the floor panel, for example the flange can be
implemented differently in the entry areas in order to avoid a
tripping hazard for the passengers.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wear layer
is bonded to the second metal layer by means of a pressure-
sensitive adhesive. This means it is possible to achieve the
advantage that the wear layer can be removed again without
damaging the underlying structure and said wear layer can thus
be replaced, such as in the event damage thereto. The
remaining layers of the floor panel can remain in the vehicle.
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Brief description of the drawings
In the drawings, by way of example:
Fig.1 shows the layer construction of a floor according to the
invention for rail vehicles.
Fig.2 shows a floor according to the invention for rail
vehicles, having a reinforcing profile.
Fig.3 shows a sectional view of a floor for rail vehicles,
having a reinforcing profile.
Fig.4 shows the layer construction of a floor according to the
invention for rail vehicles, having an edge profile.
Fig.5 shows the installation of a floor according to the
invention in a rail vehicle.
Embodiment of the invention
Fig.1 shows by way of example and schematically the layer
construction of a floor according to the invention for rail
vehicles. A floor F for rail vehicles comprises a first metal
layer 1 which in the installed state faces the vehicle
structural floor, a filling layer 2 arranged on this first
metal layer 1, a second metal layer 3 arranged on this filling
layer 2, and a wear layer 4 arranged on this second metal
layer 3. This wear layer 4 is produced from the materials
(plastic) generally used in rail vehicle construction. The
elements of this floor F are bonded solidly and undetachably
to one another, for example by means of an adhesive bond, such
that they form one panel. The filling layer 2 is produced from
cork, or a cork mixture, the thickness of this filling layer 2
in particular determining the heat insulating and sound
absorbing properties of the floor F.
Fig.2 shows by way of example and schematically a floor
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according to the invention for rail vehicles, having a
reinforcing profile. The floor F from Fig.1 is illustrated,
the floor F being constructed according to the invention as a
one-piece panel which essentially covers the entire interior
floor of the rail vehicle. Furthermore, the floor F shown in
Fig.2 has by way of example a reinforcing profile 5 which is
provided centrally in the longitudinal direction of the floor
and is arranged between the first metal layer 1 and the second
metal layer 3 in a recess in the filling layer 2. In Fig. 2,
the reinforcing profile 5 is not illustrated visibly because
it is hidden by the wear layer 4 and the second metal layer 3.
Fig.3 shows by way of example and schematically a sectional
view of a floor according to the invention for rail vehicles,
having a reinforcing profile. The floor F from Fig.2 is
illustrated in a sectional view. The floor F has the same
layer construction as in Fig.1, consisting of a first metal
layer 1, a filling layer 2, a second metal layer 3, and a wear
layer 4. A reinforcing profile 5 is arranged in a recess in
the filling layer 3 between the first metal layer 1 and the
second metal layer 3. A hollow profile constructed from three
chambers is illustrated by way of example. This reinforcing
profile 5 can moreover comprise anchoring means which for
example enable the fitting of internal equipment (for example
handrails) for the rail vehicle. To this end, parts of the
reinforcing profile 5 would be implemented with reinforcement,
with greater wall thicknesses, such that corresponding
fastening means (threads) can be provided at this location.
Fig.4 shows by way of example and schematically the layer
construction of a floor according to the invention for rail
vehicles, having an edge profile. Illustrated is a section
through a floor F having the layer construction as is shown in
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Fig.l. At the edge of the floor F is arranged an edge profile
6 which encloses the layer construction first metal layer 1 -
filling layer 2 - second metal layer 3. The wear layer 4 is
retracted in the region of the edge profile 6 and does not
extend right to the edge of the floor F. The edge profile 6
has a flange 7 which is arranged on the side of the wear layer
4 and extends in the direction of the passenger space. This
flange 7 serves to prevent the ingress of moisture into the
structural space beneath the floor F. This edge profile 6 can
be designed to encompass the perimeter of the entire floor F,
it being possible to use differently shaped edge profiles 6 at
different contour lines of the floor F, for example profiles
having a differently shaped flange 7. The edge profile 6 is
bonded to the layer construction of the floor F in a suitable
manner, generally by means of an adhesive bond.
Fig.5 shows by way of example and schematically the
installation of a floor according to the invention in a rail
vehicle. A rail vehicle - illustrated is a section across the
longitudinal axis - comprises a wheelset, an undercarriage
having two longitudinal support members lying outside and two
side walls, and is equipped with a floor F. The floor F is
mounted on the structural floor of the rail vehicle by means
of a plurality of bearing strips 8, a further fastening
facility such as for example screw connections is not
necessary because the floor F is optimally matched to the
available structural space on account of the exactly
implemented outline and thus cannot be displaced.
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List of reference characters
F Floor
1 First metal layer
2 Filling layer
3 Second metal layer
4 Wear layer
5 Reinforcing profile
6 Edge profile
7 Flange
8 Bearing strip
