RAIL VEHICLE

The invention relates to a rail vehicle comprising electric equipment which has electrical components and at least one container unit which is provided to accommodate the electrical components.

The electric equipment of a rail vehicle usually has a plurality of functional units which are housed in what are known as device containers or also electrical cabinets.

The object of the invention is to provide a rail vehicle comprising a container unit, by means of which a low outlay with respect to the assembly of the electric equipment and also simple and safe maintenance of the accommodated components can be achieved.

For this purpose it is proposed that the container unit has a plurality of voltage regions which are adjacent to each other and which are spatially separated from each other, a different voltage being associated with each region. A plurality of voltage units of the electric equipment which are operated at different voltages can thus be accommodated in an advantageously cohesive container unit. Due to a concentration of different voltage units in a common container unit, simple assembly and simple maintenance of the electrical components can be achieved, wherein, due to the delimitation of the voltage regions from one another, a high level of safety in the event of maintenance of the accommodated components nevertheless can be attained. In this context a “voltage unit” is to be understood to mean an amalgamation of electrical components that are operated at a common operating voltage. The voltage regions are expediently provided for voltage units that are each operated at a different operating voltage. Here, a different voltage is advantageously associated with each of the voltage regions and corresponds to the operating voltage of the respective accommodated voltage unit. The container unit may particularly advantageously have a first voltage region associated with a high voltage (for example 1.5 kV, 3 kV, 15 kV, 25 kV), and at least one further voltage region associated with a low voltage (for example 110 V, 380 V). The container unit may thus accommodate both electrical components of high-voltage equipment of the rail vehicle and electrical components of low-voltage equipment, such as functional units for the auxiliaries.

Due to the concentration of different voltage units in the common container unit, the provision of electric equipment that meets fire protection requirements can be simplified in that the requirements are shifted to the properties of the container unit. Thus, if the container unit meets certain requirements, this meeting of requirements can then also apply for the components accommodated in the container unit, and therefore the required approval documentation for the individual components can be omitted for the approval of the rail vehicle.

With regard to rail vehicles that are formed as a convoy of a plurality of units or carriages, in particular as multiple unit trains, the design of the electric equipment in the various vehicle units or carriages can be standardized advantageously to the largest possible extent due to the housing of different components in a common container unit. The container unit is expediently formed as an elongate structural unit, wherein the voltage regions are arranged in succession as considered in the longitudinal direction of the container unit. With regard to a dimensioning of the container unit, the voltage regions occupy construction volumes of the container unit that are substantially identical. An advantageous uniformity in the production and in the use of the container unit can thus be achieved. In particular, the voltage regions of a container unit having n voltage regions and an overall construction volume V may each occupy a structural volume of approximately V/n.

Due to the “spatial delimitation” of the voltage regions from one another, a clear association of the voltage regions with, in each case, a separate portion of the container unit can be achieved, and therefore overlap portions in which components of different voltage units are arranged can be avoided to the largest possible extent. In this context the voltage regions can also be understood to be “compartments”. In order to spatially delimit the voltage regions from one another, two adjacent voltage regions are separated by an air gap, but preferably by a physical separation device, for example by a partition wall. In particular, a high contact protection can be achieved by a physical separation device, since it prevents access to an adjacent voltage unit and therefore contact of the components thereof when carrying out work on a voltage unit. Due to the spatial delimitation, en electrical isolation of the voltage regions from one another can be achieved in particular.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the container unit is arranged below a carriage body of the rail vehicle. The necessary cooling of the electrical components can thus be achieved advantageously by the headwind. The container unit is arranged in particular completely below the floor region or the floor plate of the carriage body, whereby structural measures in the passenger compartment, in particular a limitation of the number of seats, can be eliminated.

In addition it is proposed that the container unit has a cohesive supporting arrangement, which supports the voltage regions jointly, whereby a structurally simple fastening of the structural elements of the container unit forming the voltage regions can be achieved.

In accordance with an advantageous development of the invention the container unit is formed as an elongate structural unit, of which the longitudinal direction is oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the rail vehicle. The spatial requirement of the container unit can thus be optimized. In this embodiment of the container unit, said container unit may extend advantageously from a longitudinal side region of the rail vehicle into the opposite longitudinal side region.

In this context a particularly simple access to the container unit from either side can be achieved when the container unit has at least two maintenance access points, which, as considered in the longitudinal direction of the container unit, are each arranged at a different end side of the container unit. The two end sides are expediently oriented vertically and perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the container unit and are preferably each located in a longitudinal side region of the rail vehicle.

A selective access to the voltage regions can additionally be achieved when the container unit for each voltage region has at least one separate and independent maintenance access point. An “independent access point” for a voltage region is to be understood to mean an access point that is independent of the actuation of the access points of the other voltage regions. The voltage regions here are advantageously accessible directly and independently of one another. The accessibility of the voltage regions can thus be standardized advantageously. The voltage regions, on account of their design, in principle have the same accessibility, wherein a differentiation in the accessibility can be provided by special, additional devices. In particular for a voltage region with high safety requirements, such as a high-voltage region, special access means or release means can be used. In a structurally simple embodiment it is proposed for the container unit to have a base side and for each voltage region to have at least one separate access point, which is arranged on the base side.

The electrical connection of the components accommodated in the container unit can also be simplified in that the rail vehicle has cable interfaces that are arranged on the container unit and are each associated with a different voltage region. Due to the use of different, separate cable interfaces for different voltage regions, simple and clear cabling can be achieved.

The cable interfaces can be produced integrally with the container unit or can be fastened to the container unit inseparably therefrom. However, a high versatility in the use of the container unit can be achieved when the cable interfaces are mounted on the container unit so as to be detachable therefrom. In the case of a rail vehicle that is designed as a multiple unit convoy, the cable interfaces can be adapted to the wiring of the respective convoy unit or of the respective carriage. The housing of electrical components and/or arrangement thereof in the various convoy units can be standardized advantageously to the greatest possible extent, since the container unit can be adapted to the respective wiring in a versatile manner in terms of the cabling of the components. The container unit can be manufactured expediently in such a way that it has, for each voltage region, at least one space holder for a cable interface corresponding to the respective voltage unit and to be attached at the space holder when the rail vehicle is assembled.

An optimal and clear cable routing can also be achieved when the rail vehicle has a cable routing unit having a plurality of cable routing paths each associated with a different cable interface. In particular, in the case of a rail vehicle that is formed as a multiple unit convoy, the line paths can be standardized advantageously to the greatest possible extent.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained on the basis of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: shows a schematic side view of an electrical multiple unit train with container units for accommodating electrical components,

FIG. 2: shows a perspective view of one of the container units from below, and

FIG. 3: shows a detailed view of a voltage region of the container unit from FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a rail vehicle 10 formed as a multiple unit train. The rail vehicle 10 draws electrical energy from a rail network supply 12 which is designed as an overhead line and provides a high voltage. This high voltage for example may correspond to the voltage 1.5 kV DC, 3 kV DC, 15 kV AC or 25 kV AC. The rail vehicle 10 is a vehicle convoy comprising three carriages 14.1, 14.2 and 14.3 coupled to one another, wherein different numbers of carriages are conceivable for the vehicle convoy.

Electric equipment of the rail vehicle 10 can be supplied with electrical energy by the rail network supply 12. Electrical components, in particular functional units of this electric equipment, which are operated at the high voltage form the high-voltage equipment of the rail vehicle 10. This high voltage, as is known, is stepped down into further voltages at which further functional units of the electric equipment are operated. By way of example, auxiliary converters are functional units comprising electrical components which, proceeding from a low voltage, for example 110 V DC, generate an electrical power for final consumers of the rail vehicle 10, such as lighting installations, plug sockets in the passenger compartment, etc. These auxiliary converters constitute exemplary functional units of the electric equipment which are operated at a voltage that is different from and lower than the high voltage.

Electrical components of the electric equipment can be combined, depending on the operating voltage thereof, into voltage units each associated with a different voltage.

In the case of the considered rail vehicle 10, electrical components of the electric equipment are arranged in container units 16, wherein at least one container unit 16.1, 16.2 and 16.3 is provided for each carriage 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 respectively.

FIG. 2 shows the container unit 16.1 in a perspective view from below. In the figure a carriage body 18 of the carriage 14.1 is illustrated in part. In particular, the base side of the carriage body 18 can be seen, which forms the floor region 20 of a passenger compartment (not shown) of the carriage 14.1. The passenger compartment is arranged above the floor region 20 with respect to the vertical direction 22, wherein the container unit 16.1 is located below the carriage body 18 or the floor region 20. The container unit 16.1 is therefore arranged below the passenger compartment and, in technical language, is mounted in what is known as an “underfloor arrangement”. The longitudinal direction 24 of the carriage body 18, which in particular corresponds to the direction of travel of the rail vehicle 10, is oriented perpendicularly to the vertical direction 22 (see also FIG. 1).

The carriage body 18 has an upper side (not shown in the figure), which extends parallel to the base side and forms the roof region of the rail vehicle 10. The base side and the upper side are interconnected by substantially vertically oriented longitudinal sides, which are opposite with respect to the longitudinal direction 24 and extend parallel thereto and form the longitudinal side regions 28.a, 28.b of the rail vehicle 10.

The container unit 16.1 is formed as an elongate structural unit, of which the longitudinal direction 26 is oriented perpendicularly to the vertical direction 22 and the longitudinal direction 24 of the carriage body 18. The container unit 16.1 extends from the longitudinal side region 28.a of the rail vehicle 10 to the longitudinal side region 28.b, which is opposite the longitudinal side region 28.a with respect to the longitudinal direction 24. The container unit 16.1 hereby spans the entire floor region 20 between the longitudinal side regions 28.a and 28.b along the direction 26.

With regard to the above-explained division of the electric equipment of the rail vehicle 10 into different voltage units, which each constitute an amalgamation of electrical components which are operated at an identical and specific electrical voltage, the container unit 16.1 has a plurality of voltage regions 30, 32, 34 spatially delimited from one another, in each of which a different voltage unit 31, 33, 35 is accommodated. The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 are used hereby as installation space in each case for a voltage unit 31, 33 or 35. The voltage units 31, 33, 35 are illustrated highly schematically in the figure in a dashed manner. The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 border one another in pairs. They are arranged in succession as considered in the longitudinal direction 26 of the container unit 16.1. The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 additionally each occupy a third of the total overall volume of the container unit 16.1.

The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 hereby each accommodate an amalgamation of electrical components, wherein the amalgamations are each operated at a different electrical voltage. In the considered exemplary embodiment, the low voltage 308 V DC is associated with the voltage region 30, the high voltage 3 kV DC is associated with the voltage region 32, and the low voltage 110 V DC is associated with the voltage region 34.

The voltage region 32, which is provided in particular for the voltage unit having the highest voltage (in particular for the voltage unit 33, which is operated at the high voltage of the rail vehicle 10), is arranged centrally in the container unit 16.1. Here, this voltage region 32 (perpendicularly to the vertical direction 22 and the longitudinal direction 24, i.e. considered in the longitudinal direction 26 of the container unit 16.1) is arranged between voltage regions each associated with a lower voltage.

The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 are carried by a common, cohesive supporting arrangement 36. This has two parallel elongate supporting rails 40, 42, which extend in the longitudinal direction 26 of the container unit 16.1 from the longitudinal side region 28.a into the longitudinal side region 28.b.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the voltage region 30, in which the voltage unit 31 is arranged with its electrical components. In order to enable access to these electrical components, the container unit 16.1 has a first maintenance access point 46, which is arranged on an end side of the container unit 16.1 in the longitudinal side region 28.a, which end side is oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 26. The maintenance access point 46 is hereby arranged in the longitudinal side region 28.a of the rail vehicle 10 and thus allows lateral access, i.e. access perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 24 of the rail vehicle 10 and to the vertical direction 22, to the electrical components of the voltage unit 31. The maintenance access point 46 can be freed in particular by an opening of a maintenance flap 47 illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to enable access to the electrical components of the voltage unit 31 from below, the container unit 16.1 additionally has a maintenance access point 48, which is arranged on the base side of the container unit 16.1 in the voltage region 30 thereof. This can be accessed upwardly in the vertical direction 22 through the maintenance access point 48. The maintenance access point 48 can be kept free by means of an assembly cover 50 illustrated in FIG. 2.

The voltage regions 30, 32, 34 are separated from one another by means of a separation device 52, which is formed in particular as a partition wall, such that, when work is being carried out on the components in a voltage region, the maintenance worker is protected against contact of the electrical components of an adjacent voltage unit. FIG. 3 illustrates the separation device 52 separating the voltage region 30 from the voltage region 32.

The description of the voltage region 30 also applies to the voltage regions 32 and 34. In particular, a separate maintenance access point is provided from below for each further voltage region 32, 34 and is formed in accordance with the maintenance access point 48 for the voltage region 30. Furthermore, the voltage regions 32 and 34 are also separated from one another by means of a separation device 52.

In order to enable lateral access to the electrical components of the voltage unit 35, the container unit 16.1 has a maintenance access point 54, which is arranged on an end side of the container unit 16.1 in the longitudinal side region 28.b, said end side being oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 26 (see FIG. 2). The maintenance access point 54, which is arranged opposite the maintenance access point 46, is arranged here in the longitudinal side region 28.b of the rail vehicle 10 and thus allows lateral access, i.e. access perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 24 of the rail vehicle 10 and to the vertical direction 22, to the electrical components of the voltage unit 35. The maintenance access point 54 can be freed by means of a maintenance flap (not visible in the figures), which in particular is formed identically to the maintenance flap 47.

The container unit 16.1 is accessible from either side through the maintenance access points 46 and 54, i.e. in the two opposite longitudinal side regions 28.a, 28.b of the rail vehicle 10.

The electrical connection of the electrical components of the voltage units 31, 33, 35 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. This is implemented by means of cable interfaces 56, 58, 60, which are each associated with a different voltage region 30, 32 or 34. The electrical connection for the voltage regions 30, 32, 34 is therefore provided in each case by means of a separate cable interface 56, 58 and 16 respectively, which is mounted laterally on the container unit 16.1. The cable interfaces 56, 58, 60 have cable plugs, which are secured laterally to the container unit 16.1 and/or have a cable feedthrough plate, through which cables are fed and which is mounted laterally on the container unit 16.1.

The cable interfaces 56, 58, 60 are secured detachably on the container unit 16.1. In particular, they are mounted on the container unit 16.1 during assembly of the rail vehicle 10, in accordance with the fitting of the different voltage regions 30, 32, 34. For this purpose, the container unit 16.1 is manufactured with space holders, which are each intended for the mounting of at least one cable interface. A space holder unit 61 having a plurality of space holders can be seen in FIG. 3, in which the container unit 16.1 is illustrated in an assembled state, in which the cabling of the voltage units 31, 33, 35 is not provided. The space holder unit 61 in particular has a plug-in possibility for a cable plug and recesses for accommodating the cable plug, which are illustrated in FIG. 2. A cable feedthrough plate is arranged beside these recesses and is provided with bores for feeding through cables.

The cable guide of the rail vehicle 10 is adapted in the region of the container unit 16.1 to the structure of this with the different voltage regions 30, 32, 34. A cable guide unit 62 thus has a plurality of cable guide paths 64, 66, 68, which are each associated with a different cable interface 56, 58 or 60, or guide the cables to the associated cable interface 56, 58 or 60.

The container unit 16.1 is produced in particular from metal and meets the fire protection requirements specified for vehicle approval. The housing parts forming the container unit 16.1 are embodied in particular at protection level IP55 and have a fire protection resistance corresponding to E30. In particular, the fire protection requirements according to DIN5510 are thus met also for the electric equipment accommodated in the container unit 16.1.

The further container units 16.2 and 16.3 are formed in their basic structure at least substantially, in particular largely identically to the container unit 16.1. With regard to their fitting, they may differ from one another by different voltage units, wherein the cabling can be adapted to the respective fitting of the container units 16.2, 16.3 by use of the different cable interfaces. A container unit that is uniform with regard to the basic structure can thus be used for the electrical equipping in each carriage 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 and can be adapted advantageously in a versatile manner to the respective fittings in respect of the cabling or the cable routing.