Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Title of Invention: RAILCAR
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a railcar, and
especially relates to a railcar that ensures car strength
against a car end compression load.
Background Art
[0002]
A railcar that forms high floors only at bogie
portions at car end sides and forms a low floor at a
central portion in a car longitudinal direction has been
known. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an
underframe structure in such a partially-low-floor car.
Specifically, a technique that constitutes an underframe
from a first floor-surface underframe (a low-floor
underframe), a second floor-surface underframe (a high-
floor underframe) higher than this first floor-surface
underframe by a predetermined height, and a center sill
structure portion (a coupling member) that couples this
first floor-surface underframe to this second floor-surface
underframe is disclosed.
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Citation List
Patent Literature
[0003]
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2012-210887 (for example,
paragraphs 0021 to 0023 and FIG. 1).
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0004]
However, in the above-described conventional
technique, the center sill structure portion (the coupling
member) is disposed at a position that couples a center
sill of the first floor-surface underframe (the low-floor
underframe) to a center sill of the second floor-surface
underframe (the high-floor underframe). Thus, there has
been a problem that a car end compression load input to the
second floor-surface underframe is easily transmitted to
only the first floor-surface underframe to make it
difficult to disperse on another structure; thus, it is
difficult to ensure car strength against the car end
compression load.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the
3
above-described problem, and it is an object of the present
invention to provide a railcar that ensures car strength
against a car end compression load.
Solution to Problem
[0006]
A railcar according to a first aspect includes a
low-floor underframe disposed at a center portion in a
car longitudinal direction, high-floor underframes
arranged at one side and another side in the car
longitudinal direction across the low-floor underframe,
and upper and lower positions of the high-floor
underframes being set higher than upper and lower
positions of the low-floor underframe, and coupling
members that couple the low-floor underframe to the
high-floor underframes in postures that incline downward
from the high-floor underframes toward the low-floor
underframe, and the low-floor underframe includes side
beams to which side bodyshells are coupled, the high-floor
underframe includes a center sill disposed to extend in
the car longitudinal direction at a center in a car
width direction, and a body bolster to which the center
sill is coupled to be an installation portion of a
bogie, and the body bolster of the high-floor underframe
is coupled to the side beams of the low-floor underframe
by the coupling member.
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[0007]
The railcar according to a second aspect is the
railcar according to the first aspect, and the high-
floor underframe includes side beams, and the side
bodyshell includes a first side post coupled to the
side beam of the low-floor underframe at a lower end
to be disposed to extend in the car up and down
direction, and a first frame member that couples the
first side post to the side beam of the high-floor
underframe and is disposed to extend in the car
longitudinal direction.
[0008]
The railcar according to a third aspect, in the railcar
according to the second aspect, includes a second-floor
floor member disposed above the low-floor underframe of a
car to support a floor surface of a second-floor, and an.
upper end of the first side post of the side bodyshell is
coupled to the second-floor floor member.
[0009]
The railcar according to a fourth aspect is the
railcar according to the third aspect, and the side bodyshell
includes a second side post coupled to the side beam of the
high-floor underframe at a lower end to be disposed to extend
in the car up and down direction, and the second side post of
the side bodyshell is disposed at a position approximately
corresponding to a position where the coupling member is
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coupled to the body bolster of the high-floor underframe, in
the car longitudinal direction, and the second side post is
coupled to the second-floor floor member.
[0010]
The railcar according to a fifth aspect is the
railcar according to the fourth aspect, and an upper end of
the second side post of the side bodyshell is coupled to a
roof bodyshell.
[0011]
The railcar according to a sixth aspect is the
railcar according to the fifth aspect, and the coupling
member, the first side post, the first frame member, and the
second side post are formed of members with closed cross-
section structures.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0012]
According to the railcar according to the first
aspect, the low-floor underframe includes the side beams
to which the side bodyshells are coupled, the high-floor
underframe includes the center sill disposed to extend in
the car longitudinal direction at the center in the car
width direction and the body bolster coupled to this
center sill and to be the installation portion of the
bogie, and the body bolster of the high-floor underframe
is coupled to the side beams of the low-floor underframe
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by the coupling member. Thus, the car end compression
load input to the high-floor underframe can be directly
transmitted from the center sill and the body bolster of
this high-floor underframe to the side beams of the low-
floor underframe via the coupling member. This can
disperse the car end compression load on the side
bodyshells to ensure the car strength against the car end
compression load.
[0013]
According to the railcar according to the second
aspect, in addition to the effect that the railcar
according to the first aspect provides, the side bodyshell
includes the first side post coupled to the side beam of
the low-floor underframe at the lower end to be disposed to
extend in the car up and down direction, and the first
frame member that couples the first side post to the side
beam of the high-floor underframe and is disposed to
extend in the car longitudinal direction. Thus, the car
end compression load input to the high-floor underframe
can be transmitted from the side beam of this high-floor
underframe to the first side post via the first frame
member. That is, a route that transmits the car end
compression load to the side bodyshell is ensured. This
facilitates to disperse the car end compression load on the
side bodyshell to ensure the car strength against the car
end compression load.
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[0014]
The railcar according to the third aspect, in
addition to the effect that the railcar according to the
second aspect provides, includes the second-floor floor
member disposed above the low-floor underframe of the car to
support the floor surface of the second-floor, and the upper
end of the first side post of the side bodyshell is coupled
to the second-floor floor member. Thus, the car end
compression load input to the high-floor underframe can be
transmitted to the second-floor floor member via the first
side post. That is, the car end compression load can be
dispersed on the second-floor floor member to ensure the car
strength against the car end compression load.
[0015]
According to the railcar according to the fourth
aspect, in addition to the effect that the railcar
according to the third aspect provides, the side bodyshell
includes the second side post coupled to the side beam of
the high-floor underframe at the lower end to be disposed
to extend in the car up and down direction, and this second
side post is coupled to the second-floor floor member.
Thus, the car end compression load input to the high-floor
underframe can be transmitted from the side beam of this
high-floor underframe to the side bodyshell and the second-
floor floor member via the second side post. This can
disperse the car end compression load on the side bodyshell
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and the second-floor floor member to ensure the car
strength against the car end compression load.
[0016]
The second side post is disposed at the position
approximately corresponding to the position where the
coupling member is coupled to the body bolster of the
high-floor underframe, in the car longitudinal
direction. Thus, the car end compression load input
to the high-floor underframe to be transmitted from
the center sill and the body bolster of this high-
floor underframe can be efficiently transmitted to
the second side post via the body bolster and the
side beam. This facilitates to disperse the car end
compression load on the side bodyshell to ensure the
car strength against the car end compression load.
[0017]
According to the railcar according to the fifth aspect,
in addition to the effect that the railcar according to the
fourth aspect provides, the upper end of the second side
post of the side bodyshell is coupled to the roof bodyshell.
Thus, the car end compression load input to the high-floor
underframe can be transmitted to the roof bodyshell via
the second side post. That is, the car end compression
load can be dispersed on the roof bodyshell to ensure the
car strength against the car end compression load.
[0018]
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According to the railcar according to the sixth
aspect, in addition to the effect that the railcar
according to the fifth aspect provides, the coupling
member, the first side post, the first frame member, and
the second side post are formed of the members with the
closed cross-section structures. Thus, the buckling can
be restrained when these respective members receive the
car end compression load. Consequently, the car strength
against the car end compression load is ensured.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0019]
[FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a railcar according to
one embodiment of the present invention.
[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the railcar
along the line II-II in FIG. 1.
[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the railcar
along the line in FIG. 1.
[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of a carbody.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged top view of an
under frame.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the underframe along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5.
[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged top view of the
under frame.
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[FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the underframe along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7.
[FIG. 9] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the underframe along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7.
5 [FIG. 10] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-
sectional view of the underframe along the line X-X in FIG.
8.
[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the underframe along the line XI-XI in FIG. 5.
10 [FIG. 12] FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the underframe along the line XII-XII in FIG. 5.
[FIG. 13] FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional
view of the carbody.
Description of Embodiments
[0020]
Hereinafter, a description will be given of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings. First, an overall
configuration of a railcar 1 will be described with
reference to FIG. I to FIG. 4.
[0021]
FIG. 1 is a side view of the railcar 1 according to
one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a
cross-sectional view of the railcar 1 along the line II-II
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in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the railcar
1 along the line in FIG. 1.
[0022]
As illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the railcar 1
mainly includes a carbody 2 internally including a
passenger room and an equipment room, bogies 3 that
supports this carbody 2 via air suspensions (not
illustrated), and wheels 4 lournaled to these bogies 3.
The railcar 1 is a double-decker having upper and lower
two-layer passenger room structures to be formed as a
partially-low-floor car where parts of the bogies 3 in a
front and a rear are high-floored and a part between the
bogies 3 (a central portion in the car longitudinal
direction) is low-floored.
16 [0023]
The carbody 2 includes an underframe 10 that supports
a floor surface of a first floor, side bodyshells 60 whose
lower ends are coupled to side portions in a car width
direction (a right-left direction in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) of
this underframe 10, end bodyshells 10 whose lower ends are
coupled to end portions in a car longitudinal direction (a
right-left direction in FIG. 1) of the underframe 10, a
roof bodyshell 80 coupled to upper ends of the side
bodyshells 60 and the end bodyshells 70, and a second-floor
floor member 90 positioned between the underframe 10 and
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the roof bodyshell 80 to support a floor surface of a
second floor.
[0024]
Connectors 5 are arranged at the end portions in the
car longitudinal direction of the underframe 10. The
connector 5 projects outside the end bodyshell 70 in the
car longitudinal direction. A plurality of seats 6 are
disposed side by side at floor surfaces supported by the
underframe 10 and the second-floor floor member 90.
Baggage racks 7 are disposed to protrude from inner
surfaces of the side bodyshells 60 above these plurality of
seats 6. A plurality of window openings 61 are each
openingly formed at the first floor and the second floor,
and a plurality of door openings 62 are each openingly
formed at the low-floor parts at the first floor, at the
side bodyshells 60.
[0025]
FIG. 4 is a front view of the carbody 2 and
illustrates a state that an outer panel is removed to be a
frame. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the end bodyshell 70
includes a pair of corner posts 71 disposed to extend in a
vertical direction (an up and down direction in FIG. 4) at
both end portions in the car width direction, a pair of end
posts 72 that have predetermined distances in the car width
direction between these pair of corner posts 71 to be
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disposed to extend in the vertical direction, and
reinforced beams 73 that couple the corner post 71 to the
end post 72 or the end posts 72 together in the car width
direction (a right-left direction in FIG. 4). Lower ends
of the corner posts 71 and the end posts 72 are coupled to
a first end beam 22 (the underframe 10, see FIG. 5), and
upper ends of the corner posts 71 and the end posts 72 are
coupled to the roof bodyshell 80, respectively.
[0026]
Next, a detailed configuration of the underframe 10
will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. FIG.
5 is a partially enlarged top view of the underframe 10.
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the
underframe 10 along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 and
FIG. 6 schematically illustrate the connector 5 and an
energy absorbing member 27 using two-dot chain lines.
[0027]
As illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the underframe
10 includes a low-floor underframe 30 disposed at a center
portion in the car longitudinal direction (a right-left
direction in FIG. 5), high-floor underframes 20 arranged at
one side and another side in the car longitudinal direction
across this low-floor underframe 30 and upper and lower
positions are set higher than that of the low-floor
underframe 30, and a coupling member 40 that couples this
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high-floor underframe 20 to this low-floor underframe 30 in
a posture that inclines downward from the high-floor
underframe 20 toward the low-floor underframe 30 (see FIG.
11), to be symmetrically formed in the car width direction.
[0028]
The high-floor underframe 20 includes a pair of side
beams 21 positioned at both sides in the car width
direction (an up and down direction in FIG. 5) to be
disposed to extend in the car longitudinal direction, a
first end beam 22 positioned at the end portion in the car
longitudinal direction to be disposed to extend in the car
width direction, a second end beam 23 disposed separated
from this first end beam 22 to an inner side (a right side
in FIG. 5) in the car longitudinal direction and disposed
to extend along the car width direction, a center sill 24
coupled to a center in the car width direction of this
second end beam 23, at one end to disposed to extend in the
car longitudinal direction, a body bolster 25 coupled to
another end of this center sill 2/ and installed across the
pair of side beams 21 to be supported to the bogie 3 (see
FIG. 1), a plurality of floor-receiving beams 26 disposed
to extend in the car width direction, the energy absorbing
member 27 arranged between the first end beam 22 and the
second end beam 23, protruding members 28, and fuse members
F.
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[0029]
The first end beam 22 is disposed separating outward
in the car longitudinal direction from end portions in the
longitudinal direction of the pair of side beams 21. As
described above, the lower ends of the pair of corner posts
71 are coupled to both ends in the longitudinal direction
of the first end beam 22, and the lower ends of the pair of
end posts 72 are coupled between these pair of corner posts
71. The second end beam 23 couples both end portions in
10 the longitudinal direction of the pair of side beams 21 in
the car width direction, and is positioned outward the
wheels 4 (see FIG. 1) in the car longitudinal direction.
[0030]
The lower end of the end post 72 is internally
15 inserted from an opening formed at a top surface of the
first end beam 22 to be coupled to inner surfaces (two
opposing surfaces in the car longitudinal direction and a
surface opposed to the opening) of the first end beam 22.
A plate-shaped reinforcing plate 29 is arranged inside the
second end beam 23 in a state where an outer edge of the
reinforcing plate 29 is coupled to inner surfaces (two
opposing surfaces in the car longitudinal direction and an
lower surface (a lower side in FIG. 6)) of the second end
beam 23.
[0031]
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The center sill 24 is formed with curving downward
such that the end portion at a side of the second end beam
23 (a left side in FIG. 6) expands a dimension in an up and
down direction toward the outside in the car longitudinal
direction. An outward end surface in the car longitudinal
direction of this end portion is an installation surface
24a on which the connector 5 is installed. In this
embodiment, the installation surface 24a of the center sill
24 is formed approximately flush with a surface at an outer
side in the car longitudinal direction of the second end
beam 23.
[0032]
The body bolster 25 includes a body bolster center
portion 25a to which the other end at an inner side in the
car longitudinal direction of the center sill 24 is coupled
and disposed to extend in the car width direction, and body
bolster extended portions 25b coupled to the pair of side
beams 21 and disposed to extend in the car longitudinal
direction to be positioned at both sides in the car width
direction of the body bolster center portion 25a. The body
bolster 25 is formed to be approximately H-shaped from a
top view by these body bolster center portion 25a and body
bolster extended portions 25b.
[0033]
The energy absorbing member 27 is a member for
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absorbing an energy transmitted from the first end beam 22
to the second end beam 23 such that, when the first end
beam 22 moves toward the second end beam 23 in consequence
of the collision, the energy absorbing member 27 is
compressed to be deformed between these first end beam 22
and second end beam 23. A base end of the energy absorbing
member 27 is coupled to the center in the car width
direction of the second end beam 23 in a state having a
predetermined distance from the first end beam 22. As the
energy absorbing member 27, a known configuration is
employable, thus omitting its detailed description.
[0034]
Here, the center sill 24 is coupled to a surface at
the inner side (the right side in FIG. 5) in the car
longitudinal direction at approximately a center in the car
width direction of the second end beam 23. The energy
absorbing member 27 is coupled to a surface at an opposite
side of this surface (the surface at the outer side in the
car longitudinal direction at the center in the car width
direction of the second end beam 23). Accordingly, the
first end beam 22 is moved toward the second end beam 23 in
collision. When the energy absorbing member 27 is
compressed, the center sill 24 supports the second end beam
23 from behind to ensure surely deforming (compressing) the
energy absorbing member 27, and the second end beam 23
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deforms inward in the car longitudinal direction to ensure
reducing influence to the passenger room.
[0035]
The energy absorbing member 27 has the predetermined
distance from the first end beam 22. Thus, by this
distance, at an early stage in the collision, this
facilitates to transmit the load input to the first end
beam 22 only to the fuse members F. Accordingly, this can
restrain the energy absorbing member 27 from being a
resistance against buckling of the fuse member F. That is,
when inputting the intended load, the fuse member F can be
surely buckled.
[0036]
The protruding member 28 is a member for guiding a
moving direction of the first end beam 22 to be disposed to
protrude from a surface at an inner side in the car
longitudinal direction of the first end beam 22 toward the
second end beam 23 along the car longitudinal direction.
The second end beam 23 includes a slide holding portion 23a
that is an opening penetrated along the car longitudinal
direction. This slide holding portion 23a receives a
protruding distal end of the protruding member 28 (a distal
end of the protruding member 28 is inserted into the slide
holding portion 23a). Thus, the protruding member 28 is
held to the slide holding portion 23a slidably along the
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car longitudinal direction. That is, this can regulate the
moving direction toward the second end beam 23, of the
first end beam 22, to the car longitudinal direction, in
the collision.
[0037]
Here, the protruding member 28 is formed of a steel
pipe with a rectangular cross-section (steel material with
a closed cross-sectional structure). The slide holding
portion 23a is formed as the opening having an inner shape
identical to or slightly larger than an outer shape of the
protruding member 28. Forming the protruding member 28
with the steel pipe can endure bend and torsion, compared
with a case formed of an open cross-sectional or solid
member having an identical weight. Accordingly, this
ensures coupling strength between the first end beam 22 and
the second end beam 23 to ensure improvement of rigidity at
a car end portion (an end portion in the car longitudinal
direction).
[0038]
As described above, the slide holding portion 23a is
formed as the opening penetrated along the car longitudinal
direction at the second end beam 23. Thus, when the first
end beam 22 is moved toward the second end beam 23, the
slide holding portion 23a can receive the protruding member
28 using a space at a back side (the inner side in the car
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longitudinal direction) of the second end beam 23. That is,
effect that guides the first end beam 22 along the car
longitudinal direction (slide displacement of the
protruding member 28 with respect to the slide holding
5 portion 23a) can be maintained until just before the first
end beam 22 abuts on the second end beam 23.
[0039]
Forming the slide holding portion 23a as the opening
of the second end beam 23 improves space efficiency to not
10 only ensure a passenger room space, but also ensure
rigidity of the slide holding portion 23a, compared with a
case where a different member arranged at a top surface or
a lower surface of the second end beam 23 slidably holds
the protruding member 28. Accordingly, the slide holding
15 portion 23a can strongly hold the protruding member 28, and
to that extent, the coupling strength between the first end
beam 22 and the second end beam 23 is ensured to ensure the
improvement of the rigidity of the car end portion (the end
portion in the car longitudinal direction).
20 [0040]
The fuse member F functions as a strength member that
ensures the rigidity of the car end portion (the coupling
part between the first end beam 22 and the second end beam
23) in normal operation. On the other hand, the fuse
member F is a member for allowing the first end beam 22 to
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move toward the second end beam 23, by buckling when the
load received in the collision exceeds a predetermined
value. The fuse member F couples the first end beam 22 to
the second end beam 23 along the car longitudinal direction.
[0041]
When the first end beam 22 collides with an oncoming
car, the underframe 10 compresses the fuse members F in the
longitudinal direction between the first end beam 22 and
the second end beam 23. When the load exceeds the
predetermined value, the underframe 10 buckles this fuse
member F to allow the first end beam 22 to move toward the
second end beam 23.
[0042]
That is, in a structure of a conventional product
that breaks a plurality of coupling members such as rivets
and bolts to allow the first end beam 22 to move toward the
second end beam 23, influence of a dimensional tolerance
and a position tolerance of each of holes and the coupling
members gathers to facilitate to generate variation at
breaking strength. Thus, when the intended load is input,
it has been difficult to allow the first end beam 22 to
move toward the second end beam 23. However, as this
embodiment, the structure that uses the buckling of the
fuse member F ensures reducing variation of the load that
allows the first end beam 22 to move toward the second end
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beam 23. Consequently, when the intended load is input,
the first end beam 22 is allowed to move toward the second
end beam 23.
[0043]
A pair of sets (slide mechanisms) including the
protruding members 28 and the slide holding portions 23a
are arranged. These pair of slide mechanisms are
symmetrically disposed in the car width direction (in the
up and down direction in FIG. 5) across the energy
absorbing member 27. This can straightly guide (move along
the car longitudinal direction) the first end beam 22
toward the second end beam 23, for example, even when the
oncoming car collides being biased in the car width
direction to input an unbalanced load to the first end beam
22. Consequently, the fuse member F can be buckled by the
intended load, and the energy absorbing member 27 can be
stably compressed along the car longitudinal direction.
[0044]
Similarly, a pair of fuse members F are arranged.
These pair of fuse members F are symmetrically disposed in
the car width direction (the up and down direction in FIG.
5) across the energy absorbing member 27. This can uniform
the load required for the deformation in the buckling and
after the buckling of the fuse member F, in the car width
direction. That is, a posture with respect to the second
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end beam 23, of the first end beam 22 inclines to ensure
restraining the protruding member 28 from getting
complicated inside the slide holding portion 23a.
Consequently, the slide displacement of the protruding
member 28 with respect to the slide holding portion 23a can
be smoothly performed.
[0045]
In this case, in this embodiment, the slide mechanism
(the set of the protruding member 28 and the slide holding
portion 23a) is disposed outside the fuse member F in the
car width direction (the upper side or the lower side in
FIG. 5). This facilitates to straightly guide (move along
the car longitudinal direction) the first end beam 22
toward the second end beam 23, for example, even when the
oncoming car collides being biased in the car width
direction to input the unbalanced load to the first end
beam 22. Consequently, this facilitates to buckle the fuse
member F by the intended load, and facilitates to stably
compress the energy absorbing member 27 along the car
longitudinal direction.
[0046]
Next, a detailed configuration of the fuse member F
will be described with reference to FIG. 7 to FIG. 10. FIG.
7 is a partially enlarged top view of the underframe 10.
FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the
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underframe 10 along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 9
is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the
underframe 10 along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is a
partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the underframe
10 along the line X-X in FIG. 8.
[0047]
As illustrated in FIG. 7 to FIG. 10, the fuse member
F includes a channel material 50 that couples the first end
beam 22 to the second end beam 23, three plate-shaped
bodies (a first plate member 51, a second plate member 52,
and a third plate member 53) fixedly secured to this
channel material 50 at regular intervals along the
longitudinal direction, a first gusset plate 54 installed
across the first end beam 22 and the channel material 50,
and a second gusset plate 55 installed across the second
end beam 23 and the channel material 50.
[0048]
The channel material 50, which is a member forming a
frame of the fuse member F, is formed into an approximately
U-shaped cross-section, including a web 50a disposed to
extend along the car longitudinal direction (a right-left
direction in FIG. 7) and a pair of flanges 50b disposed
'upright from both end portions (edge portions) of this web
50a. End surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the web
50a and end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the
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flange 50b are coupled to each of the first end beam 22 and
the second end beam 23, in a posture that the web 50a is
parallel to the vertical direction (the flange 50b is
parallel to a horizontal direction).
5 [0049]
In this way, the fuse member F is formed of the
channel material 50 with the approximately U-shaped cross-
section. Thus, the fuse member F ensures the coupling
strength between the first end beam 22 and the second end
10 beam 23 to ensure the improvement of the rigidity of the
car end portion in normal operation. On the other hand,
when receiving the load that exceeds the predetermined
value in consequence of the collision, the fuse member F
promptly buckles to allow the first end beam 22 to move
15 toward the second end beam 23.
[0050]
In this embodiment, the fuse member F is arranged in
a posture that an opening side (a side at which the flange
50b is disposed upright) of the channel material 50 is
20 opposed to an outside in the car width direction (a side of
the protruding member 28) (see FIG. 5). As described later,
the fuse member F can buckle in a mode that a back side (a
lower side in FIG. V) of the web 50a is folded outside (an
uprightly-disposed side (an upper side in FIG. 7) of the
25 flange 50b is an inside), with a reference position Ps as a
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base point. That is, the channel material 50 can be folded
to be doglegged to a direction separated from the
protruding member 28.
[0051]
Accordingly, as described above, turning the opening
side to the protruding member 28 can reduce interference of
the folded channel material 50 to the protruding member 28
to ensure disposing the fuse member F close to the
protruding member 28. This facilitates to obtain a guide
effect in a sliding direction by the slide mechanism (the
protruding member 28 and the slide holding portion 23a) to
ensure stably forming the buckling of the fuse member F.
[0052]
A thickness dimension of the channel material 50 (a
dimension between outer surfaces of the pair of flanges 50b,
and dimensions in up and down directions in FIG. 8 and FIG.
9) is configured approximately identical to thickness
dimensions of the first end beam 22 and the second end beam
23.
[0053]
The first gusset plate 54 and the second gusset plate
55 are each including upper and lower two plates. The top
surface and a lower surface of the first end beam 22 are
bonded on the outer surfaces of the respective flanges 50b
of the channel material 50 by the first gusset plate 54,
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and the top surface and the lower surface of the second end
beam 23 are bonded on the outer surfaces of the respective
flanges 50b of the channel material 50 by the second gusset
plate 55, respectively.
[0054]
This can restrain a base end side (a coupling part to
the first end beam 22 or the second end beam 23) of the
channel material 50 from buckling on ahead, when the load
in consequence of the collision acts. That is, the
buckling in a mode that the channel material 50 is folded
at an approximately central part in the longitudinal
direction (a region between the first gusset plate 54 and
the second gusset plate 55) can be surely formed.
Consequently, the fuse member F (the channel material 50)
is facilitated to buckle into an intended shape.
[0055]
Here, at the fuse member F, a low-rigidity portion
whose rigidity is partially low is formed at the reference
position Ps between the first gusset plate 54 and the
second gusset plate 55. With this reference position Ps
(the low-rigidity portion) as the base point, the fuse
member F is configured to buckle in the intended shape.
The low-rigidity portion is formed by lowering an
uprightly-disposed height of the flange 50b and thinning a
plate thickness of the web 50a. This low-rigidity portion
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will be described in the following.
[0056]
At the fuse member F, the low-rigidity portion is
formed at the reference position Ps such that the height
disposed upright from the web 50a (a dimension in an up and
down direction in FIG. 7) of the flange 50h is partially
lowered. This can generate the buckling in the mode that
the web 50a can be folded, with the reference position Ps
(the low-rigidity portion) as the base point, when the load
in consequence of the collision acts, to facilitate to
buckle the fuse member F into the intended shape.
[0057]
In particular, in this embodiment, at the channel
material 50, the height disposed upright from the web 50a
of the flange 50b is continuously lowered toward the
reference position Ps, in the region between the first
gusset plate 54 and the second gusset plate 55 (see FIG. 7).
That is, an outer edge of the flange 50h is formed to he
approximately V-shaped. This can cause the load acted in
consequence of the collision to stably focus on the
reference position Ps to ensure surely generating the
buckling in the mode that the back side (the lower side in
FIG. 7) of the web 50a is folded outside (the uprightly-
disposed side (the upper side in FIG. V) of the flange 50b
is the inside) at the reference position Ps (the low-
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rigidity portion).
[0058]
At the fuse member F, the low-rigidity portion is
also formed at the reference position Ps by thinning the
plate thickness of the web 50a. This can cause the load
acted in consequence of the collision to further focus on
the reference position Ps to ensure more surely generating
the buckling in the mode that the back side (the lower side
in FIG. 7) of the web 50a is folded outside (the uprightly-
disposed side (the upper side in FIG. 7) of the flange 50b
is the inside) at the reference position Ps (the low-
rigidity portion).
[0059]
In this case, in this embodiment, fixedly securing
the plate-shaped bodies (the first plate member 51, the
second plate member 52, and the third plate member 53) to
the back surface (a surface at a side opposed to an
uprightly-disposed direction of the flange 50b) of the web
50a varies the plate thickness of the web 50a.
Specifically, fixedly securing the first plate member 51
and the second plate member 52 having a predetermined
distance partially thins the plate thickness such that the
plate-shaped body is not secured at the reference position
Ps. This can reduce man-hours to ensure reduction of a
product cost to that extent, for example, compared with a
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case of performing a cutting work to partially thin the
plate thickness of the web 50a.
[0060]
The first plate member 51, the second plate member 52,
5 and the third plate member 53 are formed into horizontally
long rectangular shapes in front view. Accordingly,
fixedly securing these respective plate members 51 to 53 in
postures that these longitudinal directions are set along
the longitudinal direction of the channel material 50 (the
10 web 50a) can easily form thin parts (parts at which the
plate thickness is thinned) disposed to extend with an
equal width in a direction (the up and down direction in
FIG. 8) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the
web 50a.
15 [0061]
Here, it is also considered that an opening is
disposed at the web 50a to form the low-rigidity portion at
the reference position Ps. However, when the opening forms
the low-rigidity portion at the reference position Ps, it
20 cannot be regulated that the web 50a is folded to which
direction at the reference position Ps (the low-rigidity
portion) to make this folded direction instable. In
contrast, the structure that fixedly secures the plate-
shaped bodies to the back surface of the web 50a to form
25 the low-rigidity portion at the reference position Ps can
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stably regulate the direction that the web 50a is folded.
That is, this ensures surely generating the buckling in the
mode that the back side (the lower side in FIG. 7) of the
web 50a is folded outside (the uprightly-disposed side (the
upper side in FIG. 7) of the flange 50b is the inside) at
the reference position Ps (the low-rigidity portion).
[0062]
The first plate member 51, the second plate member 52,
and the third plate member 53, as described above, are
disposed at regular intervals one another along the
longitudinal direction of the web 50a (a distance between
the first plate member 51 and the second plate member 52,
and a distance between the second plate member 52 and the
third plate member 53 are set to be identical).
[0063]
In contrast, a group including the respective plate
members 51 to 53 is disposed being biased to a side of the
second end beam 23 (a right side in FIG. 8), in the
longitudinal direction of the web 50a. Therefore, a
distance larger than the distances between the plate
members 51 to 53 is formed between the first end beam 22
and the first plate member 51. On the other hand, a
clearance is not formed between the third plate member 53
and the second end beam 23 (that is, an edge portion of the
third plate member 53 is fixedly secured (coupled) to the
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second end beam 23).
[0064]
This enhances coupling strength at a coupling part
between the fuse member F and the second end beam 23 to
ensure restraining this coupling part from being folded.
Accordingly, this facilitates to buckle the fuse member F
into the intended shape.
[0065]
That is, the connector 5 is arranged at a bottom
surface side of the second end beam 23, and this connector
5 is projected outside the first end beam 22 in the car
longitudinal direction (see FIG. 6). Therefore, the
oncoming car may collide with the connector 5 on ahead, and
in this case, the carbody 2 is deformed in a form that
turns the end bodyshell 70 (the first end beam 22) downward
(lowers a head) by the load input from the connector 5.
Thus, large bending moment acts on the coupling part to the
second end beam 23, at the fuse member F.
[0066]
Accordingly, the edge portion of the third plate
member 53 is fixedly secured to the surface at the outer
side (a left side in FIG. 8) in the car longitudinal
direction of the second end beam 23 to enhance the coupling
strength at the coupling part between the fuse member F and
the second end beam 23, thus ensuring resistance against
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the above-described bending moment to ensure restraining
the fuse member F from being folded at the coupling part to
the second end beam 23.
[0067]
The group including the respective plate members 51
to 53 is disposed being biased to the second end beam 23
side (the right side in FIG. 8) in the longitudinal
direction of the web 50a to ensure forming change of the
plate thickness of the web 50a at a first position P1 and a
second position P2, which are described later, and
increasing a size of the second gusset plate 55. That is,
this increasing of the size of the second gusset plate 55
will be also effective for resisting against the above-
described bending moment to restrain the fuse member F from
being folded at the coupling part to the second end beam 23.
[0068]
At the web 50a of the channel material 50, fixedly
securing the first plate member 51, the second plate member
52, and the third plate member 53 to the back surface thins
the plate thicknesses at three positions: the reference
position Ps, the first position P1 at a first end beam 22
side of this reference position Ps, and the second position
P2 at the second end beam 23 side of the reference position
Ps.
.. [0069]
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Accordingly, when the load in the collision acts,
while folding the fuse member F in the form that the back
side (the lower side in FIG. 7) of the web 50a is outside
(the uprightly-disposed side (the upper side in FIG. 7) of
the flange 50b is the inside), as described above, at the
reference position Ps, in contrast, the buckling in the
mode that the back side of the web 50a is folded inside
(the uprightly-disposed side of the flange 50b is the
outside) can be generated at the first position P1 and the
second position P2. This ensures reduction of the load
required for the deformation of the fuse member F after
this fuse member F buckles.
[0070]
In particular, in this embodiment, an edge portion of
the first gusset plate 54 is positioned at the first
position P1, and an edge portion of the second gusset plate
55 is positioned at the second position P2. Thus, at one
or both of the first position P1 and the second position P2,
when the web 50a is folded in the above-described form, the
flange 50b constrained by the first gusset plate 54 or the
second gusset plate 55 can be cut along the edge portion of
the first gusset plate 54 or the second gusset plate 55.
Accordingly, after the fuse member F buckles, the load
required for the deformation of this fuse member F can be
further reduced.
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[0071]
As described above, the lower end of the end post 72
is coupled to the inner surface of the first end beam 22,
and the plate-shaped reinforcing plate 29 is arranged
5 inside the second end beam 23, in a state where the outer
edge of the reinforcing plate 29 is coupled to the inner
surface of the second end beam 23.
[0072]
In this case, the end post 72 and the reinforcing
10 plate 29 are disposed in a straight line along the car
longitudinal direction (see FIG. 10). These end post 72
and reinforcing plate 29, and the fuse member F are
disposed at positions that positions in the car width
direction (an up and down direction in FIG. 10) at least
15 partially overlap. That is, as viewed in the car
longitudinal direction (viewed in a right-left direction in
FIG. 10), the end post 72 and the reinforcing plate 29, and
the fuse member F at least partially overlap. In this
embodiment, the end post 72 and the reinforcing plate 29,
20 and the web 50a of the channel material 50 are disposed in
a straight line along the car longitudinal direction.
[0073]
When the oncoming car collides with the end bodyshell
70 (see FIG. 4), that is, even when the oncoming car
25 collides with a focus on a position higher than the first
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end beam 22, this facilitates to transmit the load in the
collision to the fuse member F (the web 50a of the channel
material 50) via the end posts 72. Consequently, the fuse
member F is buckled to ensure absorption of the energy by
the energy absorbing member 27.
[0074]
Regardless of whether the oncoming car collides at
the position higher than the first end beam 22 or directly
collides with the first end beam 22, the reinforcing plate
29 can support the fuse member F (the web 50a of the
channel material 50) that has received the load from a
rearward to ensure surely buckling the fuse member F (the
channel material 50).
[0075]
The description will be given returning to FIG. 5 and
FIG. 6. The low-floor underframe 30 includes a pair of
side beams 31 positioned at both sides in the car width
direction (the up and down direction in FIG. 5) to be
disposed to extend in the car longitudinal direction, and a
plurality of floor-receiving beams 36 disposed to extend in
the car width direction. As described above, the railcar 1
is formed as the partially-low-floor car, and the
underframe 10 is formed as an underframe structure where
the low-floor underframe 30 is coupled to the high-floor
underframe 20 whose upper and lower positions are set
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higher than that of this low-floor underframe 30 by the
coupling member 40. This underframe structure will be
described with reference to FIG. 11 to FIG. 13.
[0076]
FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view
of the underframe 10 along the line XI-XI in FIG. 5. FIG.
12 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the
underframe 10 along the line XII-XII in FIG. 5. FIG. 13 is
a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the carbody 2,
and corresponds to a cross-section along the line XI-XI in
FIG. 5. FIG. 13 illustrates only a main configuration by
simplifying the drawing for easily understanding.
[0077]
As illustrated in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13, the coupling
member 40 includes a main body member 41 formed of a steel
pipe with the rectangular cross-section (steel material
with the closed cross-sectional structure), and upper and
lower pair of flange members 42 formed by projecting out
from outer surfaces at both end portions in the
longitudinal direction of this main body member 41, to
couple a lower surface of the body bolster extended portion
2510 at the body bolster 25 of the high-floor underframe 20
to a top surface of the side beam 31 of the low-floor
underframe 30.
[0078]
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The upper and lower pair of flange members 42 are
formed as plate-shaped bodies with rectangular shapes in
front view that are parallel one another. The upper side
flange member 42 is formed having a size (a width
dimensions, and a right-left directional dimension in FIG.
12) coupled to the lower surface of the body bolster 25
(the body bolster extended portion 25b) and a lower surface
of the side beam 21, at the high-floor underframe 20.
[0079]
As described above, the high-floor underframe 20
includes the center sill 24 coupled to the center in the
car width direction of the second end beam 23 at the one
end to disposed to extend in the car longitudinal direction,
and the body bolster 25 coupled to the other end of this
center sill 24 (see FIG. 5), and the side bodyshell 60 is
coupled to the side beam 31 of the low-floor underframe 30.
Accordingly, when a car end compression load is input to
the high-floor underframe 20, this car end compression load
can be directly transmitted from the center sill 24 and the
body bolster 25 of the high-floor underframe 20 to the side
beam 31 of the low-floor underframe 30 via the coupling
member 40. This can disperse the car end compression load
on the side bodyshell 60 to ensure car strength against the
car end compression load.
[0080]
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A first side post 63 coupled to the side beam 31 of
the low-floor underframe 30 at a lower end and disposed to
extend in the up and down direction (an up and down
direction in FIG. 13), and a first frame member 65 that
couples this first side post 63 to the side beam 21 of the
high-floor underframe 20 and is disposed to extend in the
car longitudinal direction (a right-left direction in FIG.
13) are arranged at the side bodyshell 60.
[0081]
Accordingly, when the car end compression load is
input to the high-floor underframe 20, this car end
compression load can be transmitted from the side beam 21
of the high-floor underframe 20 to the first side post 63
via the first frame member 65. That is, a route that
transmits the car end compression load to the side
bodyshell 60 can be further ensured separately from the
route by the coupling member 40. This facilitates to
disperse the car end compression load on the side bodyshell
60 to ensure the car strength against the car end
compression load.
[0082]
In this case, the first side post 63 of the side
bodyshell 60 is coupled to the second-floor floor member 90,
at an upper end. Accordingly, when the car end compression
load is input to the high-floor underframe 20, this car end
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compression load also can be transmitted to the second-
floor floor member 90 via the first side post 63. This can
disperse the car end compression load on the second-floor
floor member 90, in addition to the side bodyshell 60, to
5 ensure the car strength against the car end compression
load.
[0083]
A second side post 64 coupled to the side beam 21 of
the high-floor underframe 20 at a lower end and disposed to
10 extend in the up and down direction (the up and down
direction in FIG. 13) is arranged at the side bodyshell 60.
This second side post 64 is coupled to the second-floor
floor member 90, in the middle of the longitudinal
direction. Accordingly, when the car end compression load
15 is input to the high-floor underframe 20, this car end
compression load can be transmitted from the side beam 21
of this high-floor underframe 20 to the side bodyshell 60
and the second-floor floor member 90 via the second side
post 64. This can disperse the car end compression load on
20 the side bodyshell 60 and the second-floor floor member 90
to ensure the car strength against the car end compression
load.
[0084]
In this case, the lower end of the second side post
25 64 of the side bodyshell 60 is coupled to the side beam 21
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of the high-floor underframe 20 at a position approximately
corresponding to a position at which the coupling member 40
(the main body member 41 and the flange member 42) is
coupled to the body bolster 25 of the high-floor underframe
20 in the car longitudinal direction (the right-left
direction in FIG. 13). Thus, the car end compression load
input to the high-floor underframe 20 to be transmitted
from the center sill 24 and the body bolster 25 of this
high-floor underframe 20 can be efficiently transmitted to
the second side post 64 via the body bolster 25 and the
side beam 21. This facilitates to disperse the car end
compression load on the side bodyshell 60 to ensure the car
strength against the car end compression load.
[0085]
Further, the second side post 64 is coupled to the
root bodyshell 80 at an upper end. Accordingly, when the
car end compression load is input to the high-floor
underframe 20, this car end compression load also can be
transmitted from the side beam 21 of this high-floor
underframe 20 to the roof bodyshell 80 via the second side
post 64. This also can disperse the car end compression
load on the roof bodyshell 80, in addition to the side
bodyshell 60 and the second-floor floor member 90, to
ensure the car strength against the car end compression
load.
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[0086]
Here, similar to the main body member 41 of the
coupling member 40, the first side post 63, the second side
post 64, and the first frame member 65 are formed of steel
pipes with the rectangular cross-sections (steel material
with the closed cross-sectional structure). Accordingly,
when receiving the car end compression load, buckling of
these respective members (the main body member 41, the
first side post 63, the second side post 64, and the first
frame member 65) can be restrained. Consequently, the car
strength against the car end compression load is ensured.
[0087]
Between the first side post 63 and the second side
post 64, an intermediate post and a plurality of
reinforcing beams are arranged (any of them is not
illustrated). The intermediate post is disposed to extend
in the up and down direction (the up and down direction in
FIG. 13) to couple the second-floor floor member 90 to the
first frame member 65. The reinforcing beams are disposed
to extend in the car longitudinal direction (the right-left
direction in FIG. 13) to couple the first side post 63 to
the intermediate post and the intermediate post to the
second side post 64.
[0088]
On a surface at a car room side of the first side
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post 63, the second side post 64, and the intermediate post
(a side opposed to the outer panel, and a near side in a
paper of FIG. 13), a shear plate is stretched (fixedly
secured). The shear plate, which is a plate-shaped body
with an approximately rectangular shape in front view, in
this embodiment, is arranged in a form installed across the
first side post 63 and the intermediate post, and across
the intermediate post and the second side post 64. This
ensures the car strength against the car end compression
load.
[0089]
As described above, the present invention has been
described based on the above-mentioned embodiment. It will
be appreciated that the present invention will not be
limited to the embodiment described above, but various
modifications are possible without departing from the
technical scope of the present invention.
[0090]
While in the above-described embodiment, a case where
the outer shape of the protruding member 28 is formed into
the rectangular cross-section has been described, this
should not necessarily be construed in a limiting sense.
The outer shape may be formed into a circular-shaped cross-
section. While a case where the protruding member 28 is
hollow has been described, this should not necessarily be
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construed in a limiting sense. The protruding member 28
may be solid.
[0091]
While in the above-described embodiment, as a method
that varies the plate thickness of the web 50a (partially
forms portions whose plate thicknesses are thin), a case
where the plurality of plate-shaped bodies (the first plate
member 51, the second plate member 52, and the third plate
member 53) are fixedly secured to the web 50a has been
described, this should not necessarily be construed in a
limiting sense. For example, performing a cutting work to
the web 50a may partially thin the plate thickness of the
web 50a. The method that fixedly secures the plate-shaped
bodies and the method that performs the cutting work may be
combined.
Reference Signs List
[0092]
1 railcar
3 bogie
20 high-floor underframe
21 side beam
24 center sill
body bolster
25 30 low-floor underframe
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31 side beam
40 coupling member
60 side bodyshell
63 first side post
5 64 second side post
65 first frame member
80 roof bodyshell
90 second-floor floor member
