Car body structure for a railway vehicle

Abstract

 The invention provides a car body structure capable of facilitating the laying operation of wires and pipes passing through a body bolster, preventing the increase of components and complexity of underfloor structure, and reducing the cost of manufacturing the car body without deteriorating the rigidity and strength of the body bolster. Center sills 7, 7 are passed through a body bolster 5 in an underframe 1, the intersection of center sills 7, 7 and the body bolster referred to as a penetration portion 10, wherein the inner space of the penetration portion 10 is used to arrange wires and pipes (the paths thereof shown by reference number 11). The interior of the penetration portion 10 is a rectangular hollow space capable of allowing a sufficient amount of wires and pipes to be passed therethrough. Since there is no need to provide to the body bolster 5 conventional penetration pipes dedicated for arranging wires and pipes, and thus no voids are formed in the body bolster 5, the deterioration of rigidity and strength of the body bolster 5 caused by such segmentalization of the body bolster 5 can be prevented and the manufacturing cost can be cut down without increasing components such as reinforcement members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a car body structure having a body bolster and a center sill intersecting therewith arranged under a floor of the car body, and further having wires and pipes laid under the floor.

Description of the related art

[0002] Recently, aluminum materials having superior extrusion performance, corrosion resistance and weldability for use in railway vehicles have been developed. Along therewith, the mainstream of railway cars efficiently utilize large-sized members formed of aluminum alloy, from viewpoints of reduced weight and rationalized production. Specifically, the underframe must bear a heavy car-end compressive load, so a car body structure having a floor formed of aluminum hollow extrusions (hereinafter referred to as hollow extrusions) with high strength is proposed. One example of such car body structure is disclosed for example in "Aluminum alloy and lightweight car" (1990, issued by Japan Aluminum Association) pages 308 and 320 through 368 (non-patent document 1).

[0003] The car body is composed of side structures, end structures, a roof structure and an underframe structure. On both longitudinal car body ends on the lower surface of the floor structure (hereinafter referred to as underframe) are provided center sills having couplers for connecting adjacent cars and body bolsters for supporting the weight of the car body via bogies.

[0004] Further, a car body structure is adopted in which the center sills and body bolsters provided at both longitudinal car body ends of the underframe are combined to provide sufficient strength to bear the heavy load acting on the car body via the couplers attached to the center sill, in order to bear the car-end compressive load mentioned earlier.

[0005] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-56929 (patent document 1) discloses an example of a car body structure in which a center sill is welded to a lower surface of hollow extrusions. Further, the present applicant proposes in Japanese patent No. 3624527 (patent document 2) an underframe manufacturing method which enables to manufacture an underframe composed of a plurality of shape members efficiently. Moreover, another structural example in which a body bolster is welded to a lower surface of hollow extrusions is disclosed in page 308 of the above-mentioned non-patent document 1.

[0006] Conventionally, various equipments such as power systems, control systems and high-pressure air systems are disposed in a crowded state under the floor of railway vehicles. In such state, wires and pipes connecting these equipments are arranged under the floor of the car body, but especially in the area near the bogie, it is difficult to ensure sufficient space for arranging these wires and pipes. Penetration pipes for collectively arranging wires and pipes are efficient means for simplifying the underfloor structure. Currently, penetration pipes are disposed in body bolsters to enable wires and pipes to be laid therethrough, but such arrangement does not consider coping with the deterioration of strength of the body bolsters and increase in the number of components.

[0007] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate one example of a prior art car body structure. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a conventional car body structure, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken at D-D of the car body structure of FIG. 8. The illustrated car body structure has two center sills 47, 47 aligned side by side in the width direction of the car body. In an underframe 41, reference 2 denotes the floor, reference 3 denotes side sills, reference 4 denotes end sills, reference 6 denotes air spring supports, and reference 9 denotes antirolling device supports 9 provided on the body bolster 45. On the lower surface of the floor 2 of the underframe 41 are disposed wires and pipes extending in the longitudinal direction of the car body connecting the ends of the car body and the center of the car body, and the wires and pipes must be passed through the body bolster 45 arranged to extend in the width direction of the car body so as not to take up much space in the height direction of the car body by being arranged in a straight line. The wires and pipes are arranged through penetration pipes 50 disposed independently in the body bolster 45. Especially, body bolsters 45 having antirolling device supports 9 must have high rigidity and high strength. Thus, it is not preferable to form openings on the body bolster 45, but by forming penetration pipes 50, the rigidity and strength of the body bolster 45 is deteriorated. The rigidity of the body bolster 45 tends to be reduced as the number of penetration pipes 50 increases, and the strength of the body bolster 45 deteriorates greatly as the position of penetration pipes 50 approximates the antirolling device supports 9.
Various reinforcement members are disposed to ensure the rigidity and strength of the body bolster 45, but the prior art method of providing reinforcement members increases the number of components and welding locations, complicates the underfloor structure, takes up much underfloor height and increases the manufacturing costs of the car body.

[0008] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate another example of a prior art car body structure. FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a car body structure of this example, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken at G-G of the car body structure of FIG. 10. The same components as those illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 are provided with the same reference numbers. This prior art car body structure has an underframe 51 in which a single center sill 57 is disposed in the center of width of the car body intersecting with the body bolster 55. The body bolster 55 has penetration pipes 60 passing therethrough arranged on both sides of the center sill 57 for allowing wires and pipes to be passed through. However, when penetration pipes 60 are formed, the rigidity and strength is deteriorated in a similar manner as the car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, and the coping method using reinforcement members increases the number of components, complicates the underfloor structure, and increases the manufacturing costs of the car body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a car body structure having various equipments and wires or pipes for connecting the same arranged under the floor of a car body, capable of solving the problem of the car body structure including the increase of the number of components, complication of the underfloor structure and increase of the manufacturing costs of the car body, and capable of facilitating the laying process of wires and pipes through a body bolster without deteriorating the rigidity of the body bolster.

[0010] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a car body structure comprising a body bolster disposed on a lower surface of an underfloor in a width direction of the car body, and a center sill intersecting with the body bolster and extended in a longitudinal direction of the car body toward an end portion of the car body; characterized in that the center sill is passed through the body bolster from the side facing the end portion of the car body to the side facing a center portion of the car body; and the center sill has a space communicating the side facing the end portion of the car body and the side facing the center portion of the car body of the body bolster. Further, the present invention provides the above car body structure characterized in that a portion of the center sill intersecting with the body bolster is a penetration portion in which wires and pipes are passed through.

[0011] According to the car body structure of the present invention, the center sill is penetrated through the body bolster, the intersecting portion of the center sill forming a penetration portion, and the interior of the penetration portion is used to pass wires and pipes therethrough, so that the conventional penetration pipes dedicated for passing wires and pipes are no longer necessary, and the prior art problem of deterioration of rigidity and strength of the body bolster caused by the formation of voids for passing the dedicated penetration pipes in the body bolster can be solved.

[0012] According to the car body structure of the present invention, a penetration portion effective for simplifying the underfloor structure related to the arrangement of wires and pipes is provided using a strength member (center sill) constituting the major structure of the underframe, so that it is no longer necessary to provide through pipes dedicated for passing wires and pipes through the body bolster. Therefore, the present invention enables to maintain the rigidity and strength of the underfloor structure, especially the body bolster, of the car body, facilitate the laying operation of wires and pipes through the body bolster, prevent increase of components of the underfloor structure and complication of the underfloor structure, and reduce the manufacturing costs of the car body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] 

FIG. 1 is a bottom view showing one preferred embodiment of a car body structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at A-A of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at B-B of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at C-C of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing another embodiment of the car body structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at E-E of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at F-F of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an underframe according to a prior art car body structure;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken at D-D of the underframe illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an underframe according to another prior-art car body structure; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken at G-G of the underframe illustrated in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The preferred embodiments of a car body structure according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a bottom view (view showing the lower side of a car body from the side having the underframe) illustrating one preferred embodiment of a car body structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is anA-A cross-section of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a B-B cross-section of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a C-C cross-section of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 1. The car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 is based on an embodiment having two center sills, similar to the car body structure shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate the car body structure as a partial diagram showing one longitudinal end of the car.

[0015] According to the car body structure shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, an underframe 1 is composed of a floor 2 formed by arranging a plurality of panel members side by side in a plane and joining the same together, side sills 3 disposed on both side ends of the floor 2 in the width direction of the car body, end sills 4 disposed on both longitudinal ends of the floor 2, and a body bolster 5 and center sills 7 disposed on the lower surface of the floor 2. Although not shown in detail, the floor 2 is formed by arranging panel members formed of a plurality of hollow extrusions in a plane so that their longitudinal direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the car body, and joining the side ends of adjacent plate members together. Normally, the floor 2 is joined by welding the upper and lower surfaces, or both sides, of adjacent panel members. The side sills 3, 3 are disposed on both side ends in the width direction of the car body along the longitudinal direction of the car body. The side sills 3 are hollow extrusions, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it has a longer perpendicular length (length t1) than the floor 2. The end sills 4 are arranged to extend longitudinally along the longitudinal ends of the floor 2. The end sills 4 are formed of hollow extrusions.

[0016] The body bolster 5 is attached to the lower surface of the floor 2 near the longitudinal center area of the car body at a given distance from the end sill 4. The body bolster 5 is disposed at a position where the car body is supported by the bogie, and is arranged to extend across the whole length of the width direction of the car body between the both side sills 3, 3. The body bolster 5 has a given width in the longitudinal direction of the car body, and on both ends thereof are arranged air spring supports 6, 6. The weight of the car body is supported by a bogie via air springs (not shown) of the bogie at positions corresponding to the air spring supports 6, 6 provided on the body bolster 5 on the lower surface of the floor 2.

[0017] Two center sills 7, 7 are disposed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the car body symmetrically with respect to the center line of width of the car body between the end sills 4 and body bolsters 3. Each center sill 7 is formed of a hollow extrusion having a rectangular cross-section and a hollow interior. On the end of the center sills 7, 7 corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the car body is disposed a coupler support 8 for attaching a coupler (not shown) for connecting the car with an adjacent car. The other end of the center sills 7, 7 disposed near the center in the longitudinal direction of the car body intersects with and is attached to the body bolster 5. The body bolster 5 has antirolling device supports 9, 9 for fixing an antirolling device (not shown) for suppressing rolling of the car body disposed in the space near the air spring supports 6, 6, that is, in this example, in the space between the air spring supports 6, 6 and the center sills 7, 7. The longitudinal load applied via the coupler is transmitted via the center sills 7, 7 supporting the coupler to the floor 2 and the body bolster 5 connected to the center sills 7, 7.

[0018] According to the present embodiment, the center sill 7 passes and extends through the body bolster 5, forming a penetration portion 10 at the intersecting portion with the body bolster 5. In other words, a space communicating the side facing the car end and the side facing the center of the car body of the body bolster 5 is formed via the penetrating portion 10 at the intersecting portion of the center sill 7 and the body bolster 5. The center sill 7 is connected via welding to the body bolster 5 at the penetrating portion 10. The lines and pipes extending in the longitudinal direction of the car body are arranged in the hollow interior space of the center sill 7 including the penetrating portion 10. The upper surface of the body bolster 5 and the center sill 7 is attached to the lower surface of the floor 2. In order to provide a center pin support (not shown) disposed across both the lower surface of the body bolster 5 and the lower surface of the center sill 7, the thickness (length corresponding to the height direction of the car body) of the body bolster 5 and the thickness (length corresponding to the height direction of the car body) of the center sill 7 are set equal to constitute a flat plane. The above-illustrated arrangement in which the center sill 7 is passed through the body bolster 5 includes a state where the body bolster 5 is formed to extend across the whole width direction length of the car body by connecting a center sill and a body bolster having substantially the same thickness (length corresponding to the height direction of the car body) (as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7). Further, the cross-sectional shape of the center sill 7 can be hollow, U-shaped or I-shaped, for example. In that case, a space should be formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the panels of the center sill 7 having a U-shaped or I-shaped cross-section so as to form the penetrating portion 10 to the intersection between the center sill and the body bolster for arranging wires and pipes. Further, even if the thickness (length corresponding to the height direction of the car body) of the center sill is smaller than the thickness of the body bolster, the intersection of the center sill and the body bolster can be arranged as described above so as to form a penetrating portion through which wires and pipes are arranged.

[0019] According to this arrangement, there is no need to provide penetrating pipes dedicated for arranging wires and pipes in the body bolster 5, so that the body bolster 5 can maintain high rigidity and strength, and antirolling device supports 9, 9 receiving large force opposing to the rolling of the car body can be disposed on the body bolster 5 having such high rigidity and high strength. In FIGS. 1 and 4, the paths of wires and pipes are shown by arrow 11, 11.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, each center sill 7 has an opening 12 formed on the side surface thereof in the area near the end facing the longitudinal car end of the body bolster 5. The opening 12 is connected to the penetrating portion 10. The wires and pipes arranged along the center sill 7 enters the center sill 7 and then drawn into the penetrating portion 10 via the opening 12, and through the penetrating portion 10, extends from the opening end 13 of the penetrating portion 10 near the center of the car body toward the center of the car body of the underframe 1. In other words, the wires and pipes are passed through the inner side of the penetrating portion 10 to extend toward the side facing the center of the car body of the body bolster 5.

[0021] FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate another embodiment of a car body structure according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing one embodiment of a car body structure according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at E-E of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at F-F of the car body structure illustrated in FIG. 5. In FIGS. 5 and 7, the car body structure is shown in partial diagram including one longitudinal end of the car body.

[0022] The car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 7 relates to an embodiment having one center sill disposed in the center of width of the car body, similar to the car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 7 is the same as the car body structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 except for the structure of the center sill and the bodybolster related thereto, so the same components and portions of the car body structure of FIGS. 5 through 7 are denoted with the same reference numbers as those of FIGS. 1 through 4 and the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0023] In the underframe 21 shown in FIGS. 5 through 7, a single center sill 27 intersects with a body bolster 25 at the center of width of the car body. The center sill 27 is extended to pass through the body bolster 25, and a penetration portion 30 is formed at the intersection with the body bolster 25. The center sill 27 is connected via welding to the body bolster 25 at the position of the penetration portion 30. The wires and pipes are disposed using the inner space of the hollow center sill 27 including the penetration portion 30. In other words, the wires and pipes are placed to extend through the interior of the penetration portion 30 to reach the side facing the center of the car body of the body bolster 25. The upper surfaces of the body bolster 25 and the center sill 27 are attached to the lower surface of the floor panel (floor 2). In FIGS. 5 and 7, the paths of wires and pipes are shown by arrow 31.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 7, the center sill 27 has openings 32, 32 formed on both sides thereof near the end facing the longitudinal end of the car body of the body bolster 25. The openings 32, 32 are communicated with the penetration portion 30. The wires and pipes arranged on the outer side of the center sill 27 are drawn into the penetration portion 30 via the openings 32, 32, and extended toward the center side of the underframe 21 in the longitudinal direction of the car body from an opening end 33 of the penetration portion 30 opened toward the center side of the car body.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, if the platform height H1 is lower compared to the platform height H2 illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11, the height of the floor of the car should also be low. In a car having a low floor height, the thickness of the body bolster (length t1 in the height direction of the car body) tends to be small. According to the prior art structure in which penetration pipes extending in the longitudinal direction of the car body are formed only in the body bolster, it was not possible to arrange a sufficient number of wires and pipes. However, the present invention enables to arrange wires and pipes through a center sill having sufficiently large cross-sectional area.

Claims

1. A car body structure comprising a body bolster disposed on a lower surface of an underfloor in a width direction of the car body, and a center sill intersecting with the body bolster and extended in a longitudinal direction of the car body toward an end portion of the car body; characterized in that

the center sill is passed through the body bolster from a side facing the end portion of the car body to a side facing a center portion of the car body; and

the center sill has a space communicating the side facing the end portion of the car body and the side facing the center portion of the car body of the body bolster.

2. The car body structure according to claim 1, wherein
a portion of the center sill intersecting with the body bolster is a penetration portion through which wires and pipes are arranged.

3. The car body structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein
the center sill is composed of two sills arranged side by side in a width direction of the car body.

4. The car body structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein
the center sill is composed of a single sill arranged at the center of width of the car body.

5. The car body structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein
the center sill is composed of a square pipe member, having an opening formed on a side surface of the square pipe member for drawing in wires and pipes.

6. The car body structure according to claim 1, wherein
the body bolster has an air spring support and an antirolling device support disposed on both sides thereof in the width direction of the car body.

7. A car body structure comprising a body bolster disposed on a lower surface of an underfloor in a width direction of the car body, and a center sill intersecting with the body bolster and extended in a longitudinal direction of the car body toward an end portion of the car body; characterized in that
the center sill extends from an end portion of the car body to a side facing a center portion of the car body of the body bolster; and
the body bolster is arranged to extend across a whole length in the width direction of the car body by connecting the body bolster and the center sill.

Drawing