System for preventing the intrusion of a window into a rail vehicle cab in the event of an impact

• US 6,941,874 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alstom Transport SA (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom SA
• Inventors: Huss, Pierre, Sicot, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US10/437,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20030221584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 105/394, 105/392.5, 105/456, 280/734, 280/748, 280/749, 280/751, 280/753, 49/9, 494/60, 492/07
• US Class Current: 105/394
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/04 Arrangement or disposition of driving cabins, footplates or engine rooms; Ventilation thereof driving cabins and accessories B61D
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 15/06 Buffer cars; Arrangements or construction of railway vehicles for protecting them in case of collisions buffers B61G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/06 End walls

Abstract

To prevent a window intruding into a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, the vehicle including a protective structure between the window and the interior of the cab and the protective structure including an opening facing the window, the protective structure supports anti-intrusion members which can move to obstruct at least part of the opening.

Claims

1. A system for preventing a window from intruding into a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, said vehicle comprising:

a protective structure between said window and the interior of said cab, said protective structure including an opening facing said window,

wherein said protective structure supports anti-intrusion members that are stored within said protective structure prior to an impact, and extend toward each other in said opening after impact.

2. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said anti-intrusion members are moved on command before an impact.

3. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said anti-intrusion members are moved in the event of an impact, the movement of said anti-intrusion members being caused by said window being pushed in the direction of said cab.

4. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said protective structure supports programmed-deformation energy-absorbing members between said window and said protective structure.

5. The system claimed in claim 4 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein deformation of said energy-absorbing members in the event of an impact causes said anti-intrusion members to move in front of said opening.

6. The system claimed in claim 5 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said energy-absorbing members have a face adapted to come into contact with said window and said anti-intrusion members comprise flaps which are attached to said energy-absorbing members in a position that does not initially obstruct said opening, said energy-absorbing members having a shape such that, when they are deformed, said flaps are moved and oriented toward said opening in order to obstruct it partially.

7. The system claimed in claim 6 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said energy-absorbing members are trapezoidal-section deformable structures having a longer base bearing on the perimeter of said opening and a shorter base in the vicinity of an edge region of said window, said flaps being attached to said energy-absorbing members in the vicinity of said window and having a free edge bearing on the edge of said opening.

8. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said anti-intrusion members comprise at least one prestressed cylinder having a base connected to said protective structure, said cylinder having a sliding rod provided with a head retained at the edge of said opening by locking means, and said locking means reacting in the event of an impact to said window by releasing said head of said sliding rod of said cylinder and enabling it to expand in front of said opening.

9. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein said anti-intrusion members are elastic members stretched between points on said protective structure on two different sides of said opening, each elastic member being tensioned parallel to the adjacent edge of said opening by one or more retaining members.

10. The system claimed in claim 1 for preventing the intrusion of a window, wherein the surface area of said opening is substantially equal to the surface area of said window.

11. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said anti-intrusion members are mounted on opposite sides of said opening.

12. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said anti-intrusion members are mounted on each side of said opening.

13. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said anti-intrusion members obstruct a first area of the opening after the impact, and the first area is less than a second area of the opening which is unobstructed.

14. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein, after said impact, a portion of said window remains unobstructed between said anti-intrusion members.

15. A rail vehicle including a cab provided with a window, which vehicle includes a system as claimed in claim 1 for preventing intrusion of said window into said cab.

30. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein, after said impact, a portion of said window remains unobstructed between said anti-intrusion members.

16. A system for preventing a window from intruding into an interior of a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, comprising:

a protective structure, arranged between said window and said interior of said cab, comprising an opening facing said window; and

anti-intrusion members supported by said protective structure wherein said anti-intrusion members are stored within said protective structure prior to an impact, and extend toward each other in said opening after impact.

17. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said anti-intrusion members are extended on command before an impact.

18. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said anti-intrusion members are extended during the impact by said window being pushed in the direction of said cab.

19. The system claimed in claim 16, further comprising programmed-deformation energy-absorbing members between said window and said protective structure.

20. The system claimed in claim 19, wherein deformation of said programmed energy-absorbing members during an impact causes said anti-intrusion members to extend into said opening.

21. The system claimed in claim 20, wherein:

each of said programmed energy-absorbing members comprise a first face adapted to come into contact with said window;

each of said anti-intrusion members comprise flaps movably attached to said energy-absorbing members;

when said flaps are in a first position before an impact, so that they do not initially obstruct said opening; and

during an impact, said flaps are extended into said opening by said deformation of said programmed energy-absorbing members.

22. The system claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said programmed energy-absorbing members further comprise a second side adapted to contact said protective member, wherein the second side is wider than the first side so that the programmed energy-absorbing members are trapezoidal in cross section,

said flaps comprise a first edge attached to said programmed energy-absorbing members in the vicinity of said window and a second edge near said opening which is free.

23. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said anti-intrusion members comprise at least one prestressed cylinder having a base connected to said protective structure,

said cylinder comprising a sliding rod provided with a head retained at the edge of said opening by locking means, and

said locking means releases said head of said sliding rod of said cylinder during an impact, enabling it to expand in front of said opening.

24. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said anti-intrusion members are elastic members stretched between points on said protective structure on two different sides of said opening,

each elastic member being tensioned parallel to the adjacent edge of said opening by one or more retaining members.

25. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein the surface area of said opening is substantially equal to the surface area of said window.

26. A rail vehicle including a cab provided with a window, the vehicle comprises a system as claimed in claim 16, for preventing intrusion of said window into said cab.

27. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said anti-intrusion members are mounted on opposite sides of said opening.

28. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said anti-intrusion members are mounted on each side of said opening.

29. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said anti-intrusion members obstruct a first area of the opening after extending therein after the impact, and the first area is less than a second area of the opening which is unobstructed.

31. A system for preventing a window from intruding into a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, said vehicle comprising:

a protective structure between said window and the interior of said cab, said protective structure including an opening facing said window,

wherein said protective structure supports anti-intrusion members adapted to move to obstruct at least part of said opening,

wherein said anti-intrusion members are moved in the event of an impact, the movement of said anti-intrusion members being caused by said window being pushed in the direction of said cab.

32. A system for preventing a window from intruding into a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, said vehicle comprising:

a protective structure between said window and the interior of said cab, said protective structure including an opening facing said window,

wherein said protective structure supports anti-intrusion members adapted to move to obstruct at least part of said opening,

wherein said anti-intrusion members comprise at least one prestressed cylinder having a base connected to said protective structure, said cylinder having a sliding rod provided with a head retained at the edge of said opening by locking means, and said locking means reacting in the event of an impact to said window by releasing said head of said sliding rod of said cylinder and enabling it to expand in front of said opening.

33. A system for preventing a window from intruding into an interior of a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, comprising:

a protective structure, arranged between said window and said interior of said cab comprising an opening facing said window; and

anti-intrusion members supported by said protective structure so as to partially extend into said opening during the impact,

wherein said anti-intrusion members are extended during the impact by said window being pushed in the direction of said cab.

34. A system for preventing a window from intruding into an interior of a cab of a rail vehicle in the event of an impact, comprising:

a protective structure, arranged between said window and said interior of said cab comprising an opening facing said window; and

anti-intrusion members supported by said protective structure so as to partially extend into said opening during the impact, wherein;

said anti-intrusion members comprise at least one prestressed cylinder having a base connected to said protective structure,

said cylinder comprising a sliding rod provided with a head retained at the edge of said opening by locking means, and

said locking means releases said head of said sliding rod of said cylinder during an impact, enabling it to expand in front of said opening.