Spring device for a rail vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440663-B2
Application number	US-201314402851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2013
Priority date	May 30, 2012
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spring device including a spring body substantially made of a polymeric material and defining an axial direction and a radial direction. The spring body, in the axial direction, has a central section located between a first end section terminating in a first outer end surface and a second end section terminating in a second outer end surface, the central section having at least one radially waisted section. The first end section has a recess extending, in the axial direction, from the first outer end surface towards the central section such that an axial spring body cavity is formed, the axial spring body cavity being confined by a compliant inner surface. An insert is inserted into the axial spring body cavity, the insert contacting the inner surface of the spring body to modify a rigidity of the spring device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spring device for a secondary suspension device of a rail vehicle, comprising:
a spring body substantially made of a polymeric material and defining an axial direction and a radial direction;
said spring body, in said axial direction, having a central section located between a first end section terminating in a first outer end surface and a second end section terminating in a second outer end surface;
said central section having at least one radially waisted section;
said first end section having a recess extending, in said axial direction, from said first outer end surface towards said central section wherein an axial spring body cavity is formed, said axial spring body cavity being confined by a compliant inner surface;
wherein
a ring-shaped insert is inserted into said axial spring body cavity;
wherein said insert is located at an end of said first end section terminating in said first outer end surface; and
wherein said insert contacts said compliant inner surface of said spring body to modify a rigidity of said spring device.

2. The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein
said insert is configured to modify at least one of an axial rigidity and a transverse rigidity of said spring device;
wherein said axial rigidity is a rigidity of said spring device in said axial direction;
wherein said transverse rigidity is a rigidity of said spring device in a transverse direction running transverse to said axial direction.

3. The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein said insert is at least one of a substantially dome shaped component and a toroid component.

4. The spring device according to claim 3 , wherein
said insert defines, in said radial direction, a maximum outer insert diameter and a minimum outer insert diameter, and. in said axial direction, a maximum axial insert dimension;
wherein said minimum outer insert diameter is 40% to 90%, of said maximum outer insert diameter; and
wherein said maximum axial insert dimension is 40% to 80%, of a maximum axial spring body cavity dimension in said axial direction.

5. The spring device according to claim 4 , wherein
said insert cavity defines, in said radial direction, a maximum insert cavity diameter and a minimum insert cavity diameter, and, in said axial direction, a maximum axial insert cavity dimension;
wherein said maximum insert cavity diameter is 50% to 90% of said maximum outer insert diameter;
wherein said minimum insert cavity diameter is 20% to 60% of said maximum insert cavity diameter; and
wherein said maximum axial insert cavity dimension is 50% to 90% of a maximum axial insert dimension in said axial direction.

6. The spring device according to claim 3 , wherein said insert is of a substantially toroid outer shape;
wherein said insert, is confined by an insert outer wall surface, said insert outer wall surface, in a sectional plane comprising a central axis of said insert, having a section-wise curved sectional contour or a section-wise straight sectional contour or a section-wise polygonal sectional contour;
wherein said insert, has an insert cavity located at an end side of said insert facing away from said central section of said spring body;
wherein said insert cavity is of a substantially toroid outer shape; and
wherein said insert cavity, is confined by an insert cavity wall surface, said insert cavity wall surface, in a sectional plane comprising a central axis of said insert cavity, having a section-wise curved sectional contour or a section-wise straight sectional contour or a section-wise polygonal sectional contour.

7. The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein said spring body is made from a first material and said insert is made from a second material different from said first material.

8. The spring device according to claim 7 , wherein
said central section comprises an inner reinforcement unit;
wherein said inner reinforcement unit comprises a hollow cylindrical bush;
wherein said hollow cylindrical bush, in said radial direction, defines a maximum outer bush diameter and, in said axial direction, a maximum axial bush dimension;
wherein said hollow cylindrical bush, in said axial direction, reaches up to said axial spring body cavity;
wherein said hollow cylindrical bush, in said axial direction, forms a, radially or axially substantially centrally located, axial passage through said central section:
wherein said hollow cylindrical bush, at its outer circumference, is firmly connected to said spring body:
wherein said maximum outer bush diameter, in particular, is 85% to 115%, of a maximum spring body cavity diameter in said radial direction; and
wherein said maximum axial bush dimension, in particular, is 35% to 65%, of a maximum axial spring body dimension in said axial direction.

9. The spring device according to claim 8 , wherein
said central section comprises an inner reinforcement unit;
wherein said inner reinforcement unit comprises a reinforcement plate element;
wherein said reinforcement plate element, in said radial direction, defines a maximum outer reinforcement plate diameter;
wherein said reinforcement plate element, in said radial direction is connected to said bush;
wherein said reinforcement plate element, is located in an area of an, radially or axially substantially centrally located, local radial protrusion of said spring body:
wherein said reinforcement plate element, in particular, is substantially fully embedded in said spring body;
wherein said maximum outer reinforcement plate diameter, is 75% to 105%, of a maximum spring body diameter in said radial direction.

10. The spring device according to claim 8 , wherein
said reinforcement unit is made from a third material;
said third material being a metal.

11. The spring device according to claim 10 , wherein said third material is an aluminum (Al) material.

12. The spring device according to claim 7 ,
wherein said first material is less rigid than said second material;
wherein said insert is made from a first polymeric material;
wherein said spring body is made from a second polymeric material;
wherein at least one of said insert and said spring body is a monolithic component; and
wherein at least one of said insert and said spring body is a substantially rotationally symmetric component.

13. The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein said spring body is of a substantially toroid outer shape; and wherein said spring body is confined by an spring body outer wall surface, said spring body outer wall surface, in a sectional plane comprising a central axis of said spring body, having a section-wise curved sectional contour or a section-wise straight sectional contour or a section-wise polygonal sectional contour.

14. The spring device according to claim 13 , wherein said spring body cavity is of a substantially toroid outer shape; and
wherein said axial spring body cavity, is confined by an spring body cavity wall surface forming said compliant inner surface, said spring body cavity wall surface, in a sectional plane comprising a central axis of said axial spring body cavity, having a section-wise curved sectional contour or a section-wise straight sectional contour or a section-wise polygonal sectional contour.

15. The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein
said spring body defines, in said first end section and in said radial direction, a maximum outer spring body diameter;
wherein said at least one waisted section, in said radial direction, defines a minimum waist diameter of said spring body located, in said axial direction, at a maximum axi

Assignees

• Bombardier Transp Gmbh

Inventors

• Wolf Andreas
• Wusching Michael

Classifications

• B61F5/08 Primary

  incorporating rubber springs · CPC title

• F16F1/3876

  by means of inserts of more rigid material · CPC title

• F16F1/3732

  having an annular or the like shape, e.g. grommet-type resilient mountings · CPC title

• F16F1/3713

  with external elements passively influencing spring stiffness, e.g. rings or hoops · CPC title