Low profile gap mitigation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142226-B2
Application number	US-201816235321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 29, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A powered gap mitigation device for transit vehicles allows a gap mitigation plate to move outboard from its stowed position, be locked in the deployed position, move inboard from a deployed position to a stowed position, be locked in the stowed position, and be manually stowed and cut-out in case of malfunction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A low profile powered gap mitigation device for transit vehicles allowing a gap mitigation plate through a clutch linkage driven by a motor to move back and forth between a stowed position and a deployed position and to be locked in either position, wherein the device comprises:
a cutout mechanism operated entirely manually which:
a) in a normal position engages the clutch with the motor to move the plate;
b) in a neutral position disengages the clutch from the motor; and
c) in a cutout position disengages the clutch from the motor and locks the plate in the stowed position.

2. The gap mitigation device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutout mechanism is comprised of a single lever attached to a push-pull cable linked to a cutout lever arm to provide the three operational positions.

3. The gap mitigation device according to claim 2 , wherein the cutout lever arm is rotatably mounted on a block fastened to a planar mounting plate, wherein a driven side of the cutout lever arm comprises a linkage to the push-pull cable to rotate the arm and wherein an opposite driving side of the cutout lever comprises a portion that engages and disengages the clutch and also a portion that engages the cutout lever lock of a first locking mechanism to lock the plate in the stowed position, whereby pulling on the cable will cause the cutout lever arm to rotate around its mounting point on the block.

4. The gap mitigation device according to claim 3 , wherein in the cutout position, the cutout lock lever engages a first shaft blocker mounted on a cutout lock shaft onto which a first lock catch is also mounted to prevent movement of the plate.

5. The gap mitigation device according to claim 4 , wherein the first shaft blocker has a first notch and a circular surface surrounding the first notch such that the cutout lever contacts the circular surface when the plate is moving and only engages the first notch to prevent movement of the plate when the plate is in the stowed position.

6. The gap mitigation device according to claim 4 , wherein the cutout lock lever is biased by a spring in the unlocked position.

7. The gap mitigation device of claim 6 , wherein the first lock catch is engaged by a first angle member fastened to the gap mitigation plate, wherein the first angle member has a component in the vertical plane at right angle to the gap mitigation plate inboard-outboard movement and wherein the engagement in the first lock catch occurs when the gap mitigation plate reaches the stowed position.

8. The gap mitigation device of claim 3 , further including a second locking mechanism comprised of a solenoid-release lock, the solenoid release lock being implemented by a second angle member fastened to the gap mitigation plate, wherein the second angle member has a component in the vertical plane at right angle to the gap mitigation plate inboard-outboard movement and engaging in a second lock catch when the gap mitigation plate reaches the stowed position.

9. The gap mitigation device of claim 8 , wherein the second locking mechanism further comprises a solenoid linked to the second lock catch via a solenoid lever, a second shaft blocker and a solenoid lock shaft and which when electrically actuated causes a rotation of the solenoid lever which releases the shaft blocker and allows rotation of the lock catch about the axis of the solenoid lock shaft so that the second angle member is free to move outboard when the gap mitigation plate is deployed.

10. The gap mitigation device according to claim 9 , wherein the second shaft blocker has a second notch and a circular flat surface surrounding the second notch such that the solenoid lever contacts the circular flat surface when the plate is moving and only engages the second notch to prevent movement of the plate when the solenoid is actuated and the plate is in the stowed position.

11. The gap mitigation device according to claim 9 , wherein the solenoid lever is biased in the locked position and compresses a bias spring by action of the solenoid when the solenoid is energized.

12. The gap mitigation device of claim 1 , wherein the motor is part of a motor assembly comprising a gearbox with a high gear ratio and the motor which is electric and has its winding electrically shorted once the gap mitigation plate is deployed.

13. The gap mitigation device of claim 1 , wherein each component is mounted upon a common single planar plate to provide a relatively compact profile.

14. The gap mitigation device according to claim 1 , wherein in the neutral position, the second locking mechanism is activated to lock the plate in the stowed position when the clutch is disengaged.

15. The gap mitigation device according to claim 1 , wherein in the neutral position prior to activation of the second locking mechanism, the plate is free to move between the stowed and deployed positions.

16. The gap mitigation device according to claim 2 , wherein the cutout lever arm is biased in the normal position.

17. The gap mitigation device according to claim 8 , wherein each of the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism has sensors to determine their unlocked/locked positions with respect to the plate.

18. In a low profile powered gap mitigation device for transit vehicles allowing a gap mitigation plate through a clutch linkage driven by a motor to move back and forth between a stowed position and a deployed position and to be locked in either position, a method for introducing three positions of the plate using a single cutout mechanism comprising the steps of:
a) manually moving a lever to a normal position to engage the clutch with the motor to move the plate;
b) manually moving the same lever to a neutral position to disengage the clutch from the motor; and
c) manually moving the same lever to a cutout position to disengage the clutch from the motor and at the same time activate a first locking mechanism to lock the plate in the stowed position.

19. The method of claim 18 , further including the step at the same time or after the step manually moving the lever to the neutral position of activating a second locking mechanism to lock the plate in the stowed position.

Assignees

• Westinghouse Air Brake Tech Corp

Inventors

• Dagenais Laurent
• Vachon Luc
• Nicole Martin
• Le Vérone Pierre
• Filion Daniel

Classifications

• B61D23/025 Primary

  electrically or fluid actuated · CPC title

• B61B1/02

  General arrangement of stations and platforms including protection devices for the passengers {(B61B1/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B61K13/04

  Passenger-warning devices attached to vehicles; Safety devices for preventing accidents to passengers when entering or leaving vehicles · CPC title