Patent Application
20190176854
This application is a U.S. non-provisional application claiming the benefit of French Application No. 17 62080, filed on Dec. 13, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a method of assembling a rail vehicle body, the body comprising at least one chassis module, at least one wall module and at least one roof module.
The invention applies more particularly to the bodies of railway vehicles of the tramway, metro and interregional train type.
Railway vehicle bodies comprising one or more wall modules, one or more chassis modules, and one or more roof modules are known.
During assembly of the body, these modules are connected together, for example, by welding. However, assembly by welding is likely to cause deformation of the modules and thus makes the assembly of such bodies difficult.
To avoid deformation of the body during assembly, it is also known to connect the modules by riveting.
In order to achieve this riveting, it is known to counter-drill the rivet holes during the assembly step of the modules. This technique, however, requires the use of a complex assembly station and leads to the production of chips at the assembly stage of the modules. It is then necessary to protect the modules in this step and limit the pre-equipment of the modules.
Another known possibility is to make oblong riveting holes prior to the assembly step of the modules, thus providing a tolerance for the positioning of the riveting holes. However, this method also requires a complex assembly station, as well as the presence of several operators to maintain the modules in position in order to perform the riveting correctly, while not offering optimal assembly quality.
One object of the invention is to obtain a simplified body assembly method, while ensuring an optimized and precise assembly of the modules.
For this purpose, the object of the invention is an assembly method of the aforementioned type comprising the following steps:
According to particular embodiments of the invention, the assembly method also has one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or according to any technically feasible combination:
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
In the description, the terms “on”, “under”, “above”, “below”, “upper” and “lower” are defined with respect to a direction of elevation of a rail vehicle when it is arranged on rails, i.e. a substantially vertical direction when the rail vehicle is traveling on horizontal rails. The longitudinal direction is defined by the direction of travel of the rail vehicle, while the transverse direction is the direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the direction of elevation of the rail vehicle.
The rail vehicle body 1 shown in
It should be noted that in
Alternatively, the body 1 comprises a single wall module on each side of the chassis 10 and roof 16 modules.
The chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules define an interior space of the body 1 for receiving occupants of the railway vehicle and/or equipment.
In one example, the modules 10, 12, 14, 16 comprise electronic devices (not shown). The chassis 10, end 12, wall 14 and roof 16 modules are, for example, electrically connected to each other by connectors (not shown).
Preferably, at least one of the chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules is a pre-equipped module. Advantageously, all the chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules are pre-equipped modules.
“Pre-equipped module” is understood to mean a module comprising components assembled prior to assembly of the module to the other modules of the body 1.
A pre-equipped module is, for example, designed to be individually controlled via a control station provided for this purpose, wherein, for example, the installation and/or the correct functioning of components and/or electronic devices of the pre-equipped module is controlled.
The chassis module 10 extends in a substantially horizontal plane along a longer direction A-A′.
The greatest length of the chassis module 10, taken in the direction A-A′, is between 10 m and 20 m.
The width of the chassis module 10, in a direction orthogonal to the direction A-A′ is between 2 m and 3 m.
The chassis module 10 defines a substantially flat upper face 18 and a substantially flat lower face 20 parallel to the upper face 18.
The upper face 18 is the face of the chassis module 10 which faces the top of the body 1.
The chassis module 10 further defines at least one edge 22 extending parallel to the greater direction A-A′ along one of the upper 18 and lower 20 faces.
The chassis module 10 is arranged below the roof module 16 and is substantially perpendicular to the wall 12 and end 14 modules.
The chassis module 10 comprises, for example, a metal structure that is designed to support the weight of the occupants or equipment (not shown) of the railway vehicle.
The chassis module 10 further comprises a floor located on the upper face 18 of the structure. The floor is typically a surface that is intended to receive occupants of the railway vehicle and/or equipment of the railway vehicle.
The chassis module 10 is connected to the wall 12 and the end 14 modules.
Each wall module 12 extends in a substantially vertical plane, perpendicular to the transverse direction, along a direction of greater length B-B′. The direction B-B′ is parallel to the direction A-A′.
The length of the wall module 12, taken in the direction B-B′, is between 0.5 m and 3 m.
The height of the wall module 12 in a direction orthogonal to the direction B-B′ is between 1.7 m and 2.5 m.
Each wall module 12 defines an inner face 24 and an outer face 26 that is opposite to the inner face 24.
The inner face 24 refers to the face of the wall module 12 which is turned towards the inside of the body 1.
The wall module 12 further defines at least one edge 28 extending parallel to the greater direction B-B′ along one of the inner 24 and outer 26 faces of the wall module 12.
A first portion of the wall modules 12 together form a first side wall of the body 1, while a second portion of the wall modules 12 together form a second side wall of the body 1, wherein the first and second side walls delimit the internal space 18 transversely.
Each wall module 12 comprises a load-bearing structure comprising uprights 30 each of which connects the chassis module 10 to the roof module 16. These uprights 30 comprise, for example, door pillars each of which delimits an edge of a door formed in one of the side walls of the body 1.
Each wall module 12 further comprises at least one metal sheet 32 fixed between two uprights 30, and at least one window 34 mounted between two uprights 30, above a metal sheet 32.
Each wall module 12 comprises an upper edge 36, a lower edge 38, and longitudinal edges 40.
The upper edge 36 is connected to the roof module 16. The lower edge 38 is connected to the chassis module 10. The connections between the modules 10, 12, 16 are described in more detail below.
The longitudinal edges 40 are formed by the uprights 30. At least one of the upper 36 and lower 38 edges is defined by an edge 28.
Each end module 14 extends in a substantially vertical plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction, along a direction of greater length C-C′. The direction C-C′ is orthogonal to the direction A-A′.
The greatest length of the end module 14, taken along the direction C-C′, is between 2 m and 3 m.
The height of the end module 14 in a direction orthogonal to the direction C-C′ is between 2 m and 2.9 m.
Each end module 14 defines an inner face 42 and an outer face 44 that is opposite the inner face 42.
The inner face 42 is referred to as the face of the end module 14 which is turned towards the inside of the body 1.
The end module 14 further defines at least one edge 46 extending along the longer direction C-C′ on either the inner face 42 or the outer face 46 of the end module 14.
Each end module 14 comprises vertical beams 48 and horizontal beams 50, 52, including a lower beam 50 and an upper beam 52.
Each of the vertical beams 48 is connected to a respective wall module 12, while the horizontal beam 50 is connected to the chassis module 10, and the horizontal beam 52 is connected to the roof module 16.
The roof module 16 extends in a substantially horizontal plane along a direction of greater length D-D′. The direction D-D′ is parallel to the direction A-A′.
The greatest length of the roof module 16, taken in the direction D-D′, is between 10 m and 20 m.
The width of the roof module 16, in a direction orthogonal to the direction D-D′ is between 2 m and 3 m.
The roof module 16 defines an upper face 52 and a lower face 54 that is opposite to the upper face 52.
The lower face 54 is the face of the chassis module 10 which faces the bottom of the body 1.
The roof module 16 further defines at least one edge 56 extending parallel to the longer length direction D-D′ along one of the upper and lower faces 52 of the roof module 16.
The roof module 16 comprises, for example, a vaulted structure and a sheet fixed to the vaulted structure (not shown).
The roof module 16 is connected to the upper edge 36 of each wall module 12 and to the upper beam 52 of each end module 14.
The body 1 also comprises fixing means 58 (
In particular, in the case of each pair of adjacent modules 10, 12, 14, 16, the modules 10, 12, 14, 16 are assembled to each other by at least one fixing means 58 respectively inserted into fixing holes 60 of the modules 10, 12, 14, 16, as shown in
A method of assembling the body 1, as shown in
The method of assembling the body 1 comprises a first step 110 of creating a numerical model of at least one specific module 76 among the chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules.
The numerical model is created, for example, by means of computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Advantageously, each of the chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules constitutes such a specific module 76.
The position of the fixing holes 60 in the specific module 76 is dimensioned in the numerical model during a step 120.
The dimensioning of each fixing hole 60 is defined at least with respect to an edge 22, 28, 46, 56 of the specific module 76 extending in the direction of greater length A-A′, B-B′, C-C′, D-D′ of the specific module 76 and with respect to a transverse axis X-X′ in the direction of the greater length of the specific module 76. The transverse axis X-X′ is distinct from the edges of the specific module 76.
Advantageously, the transverse axis X-X′ is a median axis of the specific module 76.
In the example shown in
In an advantageous embodiment, the assembly method comprises a step 130 for calculating the shear resistance of the fixing means 58.
This step 130 comprises the simulation of external forces that may apply to the body 1, and the calculation of the resulting shear applied to the fixing means 58.
Then, in a step 140, the specific module 76 is provided.
Advantageously, the assembly method comprises a step 150 of pre-equipment of the specific module, in the course of which the components of the specific module 76 are assembled.
Each specific pre-equipped module 76 is then preferably controlled by a control station. For example, the installation or correct operation of the components of the pre-equipped module is controlled.
The assembly method then advantageously comprises a step 160 of aligning the specific module 76 in order to flatten the specific module 76, in particular in the areas intended to receive the fixing holes, in particular to allow optimized assembly of the specific modules 76.
The specific module 76 is then positioned on a drilling device during the step 170.
The drilling device is advantageously a numerically controlled machine tool.
“Numerical control” is understood to mean all the hardware and software whose function is to give movement instructions to the machine tool parts, in particular to the milling head.
In particular, the numerically controlled machine tool is controlled by means of the numerical model of the specific module 76 and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software that defines the path to be traveled by the milling head of the machine tool.
The method then comprises the step 180 of locating the ends of the specific module 76 in the direction of greater length of the latter relative to a reference system of the numerically controlled machine tool. The numerically controlled machine tool thus knows the exact position of the specific module 76 relative to the machine.
Advantageously, the location of the ends is performed by sensors.
Then, during the step 190, the fixing holes 60 are drilled in the specific module 76 by the numerically controlled machine tool at the positions listed in the numerical model.
The milling head of the numerically controlled machine tool is first positioned at a reference axis at the edge 22, 28, 46, 56 and the transverse axis X-X′ of the specific module 76. Then the milling head moves orthogonally to the reference axis and drills the fixing holes 60 at the locations defined by the dimensioning.
The positioning error of the machine tool increases with the distance traveled by the machine tool from the reference axis. However, as the fixing holes 60 are dimensioned with respect to a median axis of the specific module 76 and not from one of the lateral edges, the positioning error is accordingly reduced. In particular for the chassis 10 and roof 16 modules that extend up to more than 15 m, the dimensioning with respect to the median transverse axis X-X′ allows a significant gain in manufacturing tolerance.
Advantageously, each fixing hole 60 is thus drilled at a distance from the dimensioned position in the numerical model with a diameter localization tolerance of 0.25 mm.
Alternatively, the pre-equipment step 150 may be carried out after the drilling step 190.
The step 190 is followed by a step 200, in the course of which the body 1 is assembled by fixing the chassis 10, wall 12, end 14 and roof 16 modules to each other.
This assembly comprises the fixing of the specific module 76 to its adjacent modules by means of the fixing means 58, which are inserted into the fixing holes 70 drilled in the specific module 76.
Advantageously, the fixing means 58 used for this purpose are dimensioned to withstand the shear stresses calculated during step 130, throughout the planned life of the body 1.
Moreover, these fixing means 58 are preferably in the form of rivets 62.
When these rivets 62 are provided for insertion into the fixing holes 60, they are still in a disassembled configuration as shown in
Then, the cylindrical portion 64 of each rivet 62 is inserted into the fixing holes 60 of at least two separate modules 10, 12, 14, 16, and is deformed in order to form at the second end of the cylindrical portion 64 a second head 68 with a radial extension that is larger than the diameter of the fixing holes 60, and wherein the two heads 66, 68 are located outside the fixing holes 60, thus making it possible to secure the two modules 10, 12, 14, 16 together. The rivet 62 is then in an assembled configuration, as shown in
Advantageously, each rivet 62 is a one-piece blind rivet.
In the disassembled position, as illustrated in
This rod 70 comprises a head 72 that is arranged at the second end of the rod 70. The head 72 has a radial extension greater than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 64. The rod 70 further comprises an area of weakness 74.
When the rivet 62 has been inserted into a hole 60, the rod 70 is pulled out of the cylindrical portion 64 through the first head 66, for example by means of a hydraulic rivet pliers. This has the effect that the head 72 of the rod 70 deforms the second end of the cylindrical portion 64 to allow the formation of the second head 68 as shown in
The assembly of the rivet 62 is thus carried out by manipulating the rivet 62 only on one side of the modules 10, 12, 14, 16 thus making assembly with the one-piece blind rivet 62 fast and simple.
The method comprises a final step 210 of electrical connection of the modules 10, 12, 14, 16 to each other. This connection is typically made by direct connection of connectors integrated in the modules 10, 12, 14, 16.
The assembly method described above allows a simple assembly of the modules, and therefore a simplified assembly station.
In fact, the drilling of the fixing holes 60 is performed on each module separately before the assembly step to facilitate both drilling and assembly.
Moreover, thanks to the numerical model and to the particular dimensioning of the fixing holes, the coaxiality of the fixing holes 60 is guaranteed with very great precision, which also allows optimization of the number of rivets 62 required for the assembly of the body 1.
In addition, this assembly method does not produce chips during assembly, thus making it possible to further equip the modules 10, 12, 14, 16.
The assembly method also does not require the use of a sealing mastic between the modules 10, 12, 14, 16 because of the accuracy of the positioning of the fixing holes 60 and thus good interaction between the adjacent modules.
The assembly method described thus allows a simple and precise assembly of the modules 10, 12, 14, 16.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 62080 | Dec 2017 | FR | national |
