GB2517887A

GB2517887A - Device for sealing an outer door wing of a railroad vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2517887A
Application number: GB1500445.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christophe Proust; Bruno Salins
Original assignee: Faiveley Transport SA
Current assignee: Faiveley Transport SA
Priority date: 2012-07-13
Filing date: 2013-06-27
Publication date: 2015-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2033-06-27
Also published as: GB2517887B; FR2993210A1; FR2993210B1; CN104487271B; CN104487271A; GB2517887A8; GB201500445D0; WO2014009626A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for sealing an outer door wing (2) of a railroad vehicle, including a frame (3) of the vehicle, a wing (2) extending longitudinally and movably mounted relative to the frame (3), a longitudinal body (4) for protecting an upper inner space (5) located between an upper portion of the wing (2) and the vehicle frame (3), said longitudinal protection body (4) being secured to the wing (2), the device (1) having a longitudinal space (8) for passing between an upper portion (6) of the longitudinal protection body (4) and the frame (3) of the vehicle, a first longitudinal channel (9a) for discharging water outside of the wing (2) and at least one second longitudinal channel (9b,9c) for discharging water outside of the wing (2).

Description

Device for sealing an outer door leaf of a rail vehicle The present invention is generally concerned with the field of devices for sealing a leaf of an outer door of a rail vehicle.

In the present description, a rail vehicle is a means of transport that moves on rails and may be, for example, although this is not limiting on the invention, a railroad train, a tram or a light metro-type rail vehicle such as a light automatic vehicle.

At present, in rail vehicles, protection against ingress of water via the top of the leaves of the mobile outer doors is provided by a gutter and an outer cap that covers all the upper portion of the leaf and the suspensions of each leaf, these elements channeling water to the outside of the leaf.

The gutter enables channeling of water that flows from the roof of the vehicle to prevent it flowing over the leaves and therefore entering the rail vehicle.

The outer cap enables water to be prevented from penetrating into the upper interior space between the leaf and the frame of the vehicle and guided toward the lower portions of the leaf.

This sealing device necessitates the addition of a bulky cap over all the length of the leaf, this cap having to be articulated to the leaf in order to be able to access the suspension and the upper portion of the leaf. Moreover, it entails adding a high mass to the rail vehicle.

There is also known in the prior art a document

CN 201 046 662 Y that describes a sealing device for train access doors including a seal situated on the upper portion of the leaf.

The lower portion of the seal can be embedded in the upper edge surface of the leaf.

The seal is made up of four sealing lips, connected to a tubular portion and pressed against the frame of the train door.

The sealing lips can deform and assume the shape of the train door. They form channels for the accumulation and evacuation of water.

This device is unable to produce a satisfactory seal of the leaves.

In this context, an aim of the present invention is to propose a sealing device for a rail vehicle that is free of at least one of the limitations previously referred to.

To this end, the device for sealing a leaf of an outer door of a rail vehicle includes a body of the vehicle, a leaf extending longitudinally and mounted to be mobile relative to the frame, a longitudinal body for protecting an upper interior space situated between an upper portion of the leaf and the vehicle frame and fixed to the leaf, and is noteworthy in that: -a longitudinal passage space between an upper portion of the longitudinal protection body and the frame of the vehicle, and -a first longitudinal channel for evacuation of water to the outside of the leaf and has at least one second longitudinal channel for evacuation of water, these longitudinal channels being disposed in the upper space, in stages along a vertical axis, offset along a horizontal axis so as to enable evacuation of water arriving via the longitudinal passage space via the longitudinal channels for evacuation of water to the outside of the leaf, and to effect a circulation and a flow of water by gravity in the upper space between the first longitudinal evacuation channel and the second longitudinal evacuation channel situated lower down, when water overflows from the first longitudinal evacuation channel.

The longitudinal protection body has a first portion fixed to the upper portion of the leaf and a second portion having, in cross section, a substantially U-shape, tilted at substantially 900 to the horizontal, a first branch of the U-shape defining the upper portion of the longitudinal protection body and a second branch of the U-shape, substantially parallel to the first branch, defining a lower portion of said body.

The first longitudinal evacuation channel is fixed to the frame, between the upper portion and the lower portion of the longitudinal protection body so as to receive water flowing from the longitudinal passage space, water that overflows from the first longitudinal evacuation channel being decanted onto the lower portion of the longitudinal protection body.

The lower portion of the longitudinal protection body includes the second longitudinal evacuation channel.

A third longitudinal evacuation channel is fixed to the frame, under the lower portion of the longitudinal protection body, water overflowing from the second longitudinal evacuation channel of the lower portion of the longitudinal protection body being decanted into the third longitudinal evacuation channel.

A first gutter includes the substantially horizontal first longitudinal evacuation channel and a wall supporting the first longitudinal channel and fixed to the frame.

The first gutter has a deflector to guide the flow of water overflowing from the first longitudinal evacuation channel toward an inner wall of the second longitudinal evacuation channel.

In a variant embodiment, the first gutter has a deflector situated at the upper extremity of the support wall and that extends over the upper portion of the longitudinal protection body to cover the longitudinal passage space.

A second gutter includes the third longitudinal evacuation channel and a wall supporting the third longitudinal channel and fixed to the frame.

The longitudinal protection body has a deflector situated at one extremity of the upper portion and directed downward, toward the upper inner space, to guide the flow of water in the passage space.

The longitudinal protection body is an upper seal fixed to an upper portion of the leaf that includes as its upper portion an upper lip and as its lower portion a lower lip extending substantially horizontally from the leaf toward the frame of the vehicle.

In a variant embodiment, the longitudinal protection body is made from a rigid material, fixed to an upper portion of the leaf, and includes as its upper portion an upper lip and as its lower portion a lower lip extending substantially horizontally from the leaf toward the frame of the vehicle.

Sealing means are fixed to the leaf, under the lower portion of the longitudinal protection body.

The sealing means have a lower seal including an upper extremity in the form of a lip or tube that is pressed against a longitudinal wall of the leaf to seal it and a lower extremity in the form of a lip extending toward the bottom of the leaf.

The position of the lower seal relative to the second gutter is such that the lip at the lower extremity of the lower seal comes to bear in a sealed manner on the second longitudinal evacuation channel.

The lower seal and the second gutter are inclined longitudinally relative to the horizontal, for example at an angle of 1°, in order for the lip of the lower seal to come to bear in a sealed manner on the second longitudinal evacuation channel in the closed position of the leaf on the frame.

The present invention also concerns a rail vehicle including a sealing device as defined above.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the following description given by way of non-limiting illustration and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: -figure 1 represents a cross section of the sealing device in accordance with the invention; -figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view to a larger scale of details from figure 1; -figure 3 represents a top view of an upper extremity of the leaf; and S -figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper extremity of the leaf.

Referring to figures 1 and 2, a device 1 in accordance with the invention for sealing a leaf 2 of a mobile outer door of a rail vehicle is installed between a frame 3 of the vehicle and the leaf 2.

The leaf 2 extends along the frame 3 and is mobile relative to the frame 3. It is for example mounted to slide in longitudinal translation on suspensions fixed to the frame 3 to open or close access to the interior of the vehicle.

An intermediate support part 18 of the leaf 2 known as the coat-hanger to which the structural section of the leaf 2 is fixed by means of fixing elements such as bolts includes U-shaped guide elements iSa tilted, for example, into a horizontal position B, and sliding at the level of the suspensions.

The leaf 2 has walls parallel to a support wall 15 of the leaf 2 fixed to the frame 3. This support wall 15 may be vertical or inclined relative to the frame 3.

The sealing device 1 has a longitudinal protection body 4 fixed in an upper portion of the leaf 2 and that enables protection of an upper inner space 5 situated between the upper portion of the leaf 2 and the vehicle frame 3 and partially covering it, by means of an upper portion 6 slightly inclined to the horizontal, for example at an angle of 100, to enable water to flow over this longitudinal body 4 and then along an outer longitudinal wall 7 of the leaf 2.

The sealing device 1 has a longitudinal passage space 8 between the upper portion 6 and the frame 3 of the vehicle and three longitudinal channels 9a, 9b, 9c for evacuation of water to the outside of the leaf 2.

The longitudinal space 8 enables the leaf 2 to be mobile and limitation of friction during opening and closing of the leaf 2. This space 8 must be of minimum size but the minimum dimensions are imposed by the manufacturing tolerances of the frame 3 and the leaf 2 and by the minimum clearances that enable the door to move freely.

Throughout the remainder of the description and for reasons of simplification, a vertical axis A and a horizontal axis B of the leaf 2 are defined, the terms upper' and lower' designate the upper portion and the lower portion of the elements of the leaf 2 along the vertical axis A, the term longitudinal designates the dimension of the leaf 2 that extends along the length of the leaf 2, that is to say perpendicularly to the section plane of figures 1 and 2, defined by the axes A and B, and the term transverse' designates a dimension in the section plane defined by the axes A and B. The three longitudinal evacuation channels 9a, 9b, 9c are disposed in the upper inner space 5, in stages along the vertical axis A of the device.

Here two longitudinal evacuation channels 9a, 9c are fixed to or integral with the frame of the vehicle and a longitudinal evacuation channel 9b is fixed to or integral with the longitudinal protection body 4.

In an alternative embodiment, there could be one or more longitudinal evacuation channels fixed to or integral with the vehicle frame and one or more longitudinal evacuation channels fixed to or integral with the longitudinal protection body 4 and arranged to feature circulation of water with the longitudinal evacuation channel or channels fixed to or integral with the frame after water overflows therefrom.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 4, the longitudinal channels are offset along the horizontal axis B, the second longitudinal channel 9b being offset toward the left relative to the first longitudinal channel 9a and the third longitudinal channel 9c being offset toward the right relative to the second longitudinal channel 9b, as shown in figure 2.

Water arriving via the longitudinal passage space 8 is evacuated via the extremities of the longitudinal channels 9a, 9b, 9c.

When water overflows from the longitudinal evacuation channels 9a and Ob a flow and a circulation of water are caused by gravity in the upper inner space 5 by virtue of the chicane' position of the longitudinal evacuation channels 9a, 9b, 9c.

The circulation and the flow of water therefore occur between a first longitudinal evacuation channel 9a and a second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b when water overflows from the first longitudinal evacuation channel 9a and between the second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b and the third longitudinal evacuation channel 9c when water overflows from the second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b, as shown by the arrows in figures 1 and 2.

Other variant embodiments of the sealing device 1 are possible, for example a variant embodiment with only two longitudinal evacuation channels 9a and 9b.

The two or three longitudinal channels 9a, 9b, 9c may S be disposed in the upper inner space 5, in stages along the vertical axis A of the device hut not offset along the horizontal axis B, the sealing device 1, in particular the longitudinal protection body 4, being adapted to guide water from the longitudinal channel 9a toward the second longitudinal channel 9b and where applicable a third evacuation channel 9c.

In the preferred embodinent of the invention, the longitudinal protection body 4 is an upper seal that has a first portion 11 slightly inclined relative to the vertical axis A and embedded in the upper extremity of the structural section of the leaf 2.

The upper seal 4 has a substantially horizontal second portion 12 having, in cross section, a substantially U-shape, tilted at substantially 900 to the horizontal, in the clockwise direction.

The first branch of the U-shape defines the upper portion 6 of the longitudinal protection body 4 and a second branch of the U-shape, substantially parallel to the first branch 6, defines a substantially horizontal lower portion 13 of said body 4.

In other words, the upper seal 4 includes as its upper portion an upper lip 6 and as its lower portion a lower lip 13, these lips 6 and 13 extending from the leaf 2 toward the support wall 15 of the frame 3 of the vehicle.

The lower lip 13 of the upper seal 4 includes the second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b between its -10 -inner portion 13a and a retaining edge 13b over which water can be decanted into the third icngitudinal evacuation channel 9c.

In another variant embodiment, the longitudinal protection body 4 is a part made from a rigid and preferably lightweight material.

It may be made from metal, plastic material or composite material, for example.

A first gutter 14 includes the first longitudinal evacuation channel 9a oriented subsuantially horizontally along the horizontal axis B and an inclined wall 14a constituting a longitudinal retaining edge of the channel.

This inclined wall 14a supports the longitudinal channel 9a and is fixed so as to bear on the support wall 15, which is inclined in the figures, and fixed to the vertical wall 16 of the frame 3.

The first longitudinal evacuation channel 9a is fixed to the frame 3 between the upper lip 6 and the lower lip 13 of the upper seal 4 so as to receive the flow of water coming from the passage space 8 and evacuate it longitudinally via its extremity to the outside of the leaf 2 or transversely into the longitudinal evacuation channel 9b.

The inclined wall 14a is at an angle of 10° relative to the vertical axis A, for example.

The inclined wall 14a is parallel to and facing a wall 6a at the edge of the upper portion 6 of the upper seal 4.

-11 -By way of example only, in a manner that is not limiting on the invention, the horizontal distance along the horizontal axis B left between this edge wall 6a and the inclined wall l4a of the gutter may be of the order of 10 to 50 mm.

This wail l4a may be vertical.

The edge wall 6a has a lower portion in the shape of a "beak" and directed downward in the upper inner space 5 that serves as a deflector for guiding the flow of water in the passage space 8.

The edge wall 6a has an upper portion projecting upwardly relative to the upper lip 6 to prevent water arriving on the upper lip 6 flowing into the passage space 8.

A horizontal wall 14b connected to the inclined wall 14a is fixed so as to bear on a subsuantially horizontal upper longitudinal wall of the frame 3.

The wall Na prevents water arriving from the side via the horizontal wall 14b passing through the passage space 8.

The first gutter 14 also has, at the lower extremity of its other water retaining longitudinal edge 14c, over which passes water overflowing into the longitudinal channel Oa, a longitudinal wall 14d having a deflector function, projecting and oriented downward, toward the second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b, to guide the flow of water overflowing from the first longitudinal evacuation channel 9a toward an inner portion 13a of the second longitudinal evacuation channel 9b.

In an embodiment that is not shown, that may be -12 -suitable for regions with heavy rainfall, the first gutter 14 has at the upper extremity of its inclined wall 14a another projecting longitudinal wall having a deflector function which extends over, for example horizontally, the upper portion 6 of the upper seal 4 to cover the passage space 8 and to limit the arrival of water via this passage 8.

A second gutter 17 includes the third longitudinal evacuation channel 9c that is horizontal or slightly inclined relative to the horizontal axis B, for example at an angie of 100, and a wall 17a that is inclined relative to the vertical axis A, for example at an angle of 10°, and fixed to the inclined wall 15 of the frame 3.

The wall l7a and the wall 15 may be vertical in other embodiments that are not shown.

By way of nonlimiting illustration, the first and second gutters 14 and 17 nay consist of an aluminum U-section extruded in one piece with the support wall 15 or in several pieces.

The third longitudinal evacuation channel Sc is fixed to the frame 3, under the lower lip 13 of the upper seal 4, water overflowing from the second longitudinal evacuation channel Sb being decanted into the third longitudinal evacuation channel Sc.

Sealing means 19 are fixed to the leaf 2 under the lower lip 13 of the upper seal 4.

These sealing means comprise a lower seal 19 having a longitudinal body that is fixed to the intermediate support part 18 of the leaf 2.

-13 -By way of nonlimiting illustration only, the lower seal 19 may be fixed by gluing or by means of a lug.

The lower seal 19 has an upper extremity in the form of a tube l9b pressed against a longitudinal wall of the leaf 2 in order to seal it and a lower extremity in the form of a lip 19c extending downward from the leaf 2, toward the inclined wall 15 of the frame 3 of the vehicle.

In a variant embodiment that is not shown, the upper extremity l9b of the lower seal 19 is a lip.

The position of the lower seal 19 relative to the second gutter 17 is such that the lip 19c at the lower extremity of the lower seal 19 comes to bear in a sealed manner on the third longitudinal evacuation channel 9c when the leaf 2 is in the closed position.

The position of the lip 19c of the lower seal 19 and the second gutter 17 are longitudinally at an angle relative to the horizontal, for example of 1°, in order for the lip 19c of the lower seal 19 to come to bear in a sealed manner on the third longitudinal evacuation channel 9c when the leaf 2 is in the closed position, whilst preventing the lip 19o from rubbing on the third longitudinal channel 9c during opening and closing movements of the leaf 2.

It is equally possible to provide flocking on the lower lip 19c of the lower seal 19 and/or to cover the area of the gutter 17 on which the lower lip 19c of the lower seal 19 comes to bear with PTFE (or another material with a low coefficient of friction or another self-lubricating material) As shown in figures 3 and 4, a rear lateral edge seal -14 -disposed on the outer lateral edge of the leaf 2, inside and projecting from the U-shape tilted with respect to the horizontal of the upper seal 4, serves to break water jets and to ensure the continuity of the sealing of the device 1.

The continuity between the lower lip 19 of the lower seal 19 and a lip 20a of the lateral seal 20 also enables implementation of a function of acoustic and thermal attenuation between the outside and the inside of the vehicle by eliminating the residual free spaces between the leaf 2 and the frame 3 in the upper portion of the leaf 2.

A lip 20b ensures continuity of the seal the lip 13 of the upper seal 4 and serves as a jet breaker.

The first gutter 14 is longer than the leaf 2 and projects relative to the lateral rear seal 20 to convey water to the outside of the leaf 2.

The length of the second gutter 17 is equal to that of the leaf 2.

Thus the sealing device in accordance with the invention enables the external cap of the prior art to be eliminated, which makes it less bulky and lighter.

For example, a weight saving of the order of 90 kg per metro-type light rail car of the Lightweight Automatic Vehicle type may be estimated.

As well as eliminating the exterior cap, it enables provision of the function of sealing against infiltration of water because the continuity of the jet-breaking and sealing functions is achieved by virtue of the arrangement of the upper seal, the lateral rear seal and the lower seal.

-15 -It also makes It possible to facilitate the adjustment of the sealing and acoustic attenuation functions, which adjustment can be done without the leaf, and to optimize the use of a suspension that dces not project beyond the width of the door leaves and is therefore fixed to the inside of the hole in the frame.

It also enables the aesthetics of the vehicle to be improved.

The present invention also protects variants of the sealing device that are not shown that evacuate water arriving via the passage space via longitudinal channels for evacuation of water to the outside of the leaf, the flow of water being effected in the upper inner space between the upper portion of the leaf and the frame of the vehicle in the various longitudinal evacuation channels.