Patent Publication Number: US-2023150554-A1

Title: Bogie and vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a bogie and a vehicle including a bogie. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As new transportation means, a railway transportation system that runs on a railway by using a running wheel such as a rubber tire is known. A vehicle used for the railway transportation systems is guided by a guide rail in which guide wheels provided on both sides in a width direction are disposed along the railway. 
     The vehicle used for the railway transportation system includes a vehicle body and a bogie. The bogie is configured so that a bogie body is equipped with an electric motor, a power transmission mechanism, a differential gear, a constant velocity ball joint for steering, a braking device, and a running wheel. Therefore, when the electric motor is driven, a driving rotational force is decelerated by the power transmission mechanism, is distributed to axles on both sides by the differential gear, and is transmitted to a pair of right and left running wheels via the constant velocity ball joint so that the pair of running wheels is rotationally driven. For example, the bogie configured in this way is disclosed in PTL 1 below. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     [PTL 1] Japanese Patent No. 4461189 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In the railway vehicle in the related art described above, the driving rotational force of the electric motor disposed in a central portion of the bogie body is distributed and transmitted to the pair of running wheels by the differential gear. Therefore, a space in the central portion of the bogie body is occupied by the electric motor, thereby causing a problem in that the bogie body is less likely to be equipped with other devices. 
     The present disclosure is to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a bogie and a vehicle which can achieve a compact device and can effectively use a space. 
     Solution to Problem 
     According to the present disclosure, in order to achieve the above-described object, there is provided a bogie including a bogie body, a pair of running wheels disposed on both sides of the bogie body in a direction intersecting with a running direction of the bogie body and rollable on a running road surface of a railway, a guide device guided along a guide rail and supported to be pivotable around an axial center along a vertical direction by the bogie body, and a pair of motors disposed between the pair of running wheels in the bogie body and transmitting a drive force to the pair of running wheels. 
     In addition, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle including the bogie and a vehicle body supported from below by the bogie. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the bogie of the present disclosure, a compact device can be achieved, and a space can be effectively used. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic plan view illustrating a vehicle including a bogie of the present embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a front view of the vehicle. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of the vehicle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiment. In a case where there are a plurality of the embodiments, the present disclosure also includes a configuration adopted by combining the respective embodiments with each other. In addition, configuration elements in the embodiment include those which can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those which are substantially the same, and those which have a so-called equivalent scope. 
     [Configuration of Vehicle] 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic plan view illustrating a vehicle including a bogie of the present embodiment,  FIG.  2    is a front view of the vehicle, and  FIG.  3    is a side view of the vehicle. In the following description, a running (forward-rearward) direction of the vehicle will be defined as an X-direction, a rightward-leftward (width) direction intersecting with the running direction (X-direction) of the vehicle will be defined as a Y-direction, and a vertical (height) direction intersecting with the running direction (X-direction) and the rightward-leftward direction (Y-direction) of the vehicle will be defined as a Z-direction. In addition, a center along the X-direction of the vehicle will be defined as an axial center O 1 , a center along the Y-direction of the vehicle will be defined as an axial center O 2 , and a center along the Z-direction of the vehicle will be defined as an axial center O 3 . The axial center O 2  is a rotation center of the running wheel, the axial center O 1  is orthogonal to the axial center O 2  in a horizontal direction at an intermediate position in the width direction of the vehicle, and the axial center O 3  is orthogonal to the axial center O 1  and the axial center O 2  in the vertical direction at the intermediate position in the width direction of the vehicle. 
     In the present embodiment, as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , a vehicle  10  is a vehicle of a new transportation system which runs on a running road surface  101  of a railway  100  and is guided by a guide surface  111  of guide rails  110  provided on both sides of the railway  100 . The vehicle  10  is applied to a new side guide rail type (side guide type) transportation system in which the railway  100  is disposed below and the guide rail  110  is disposed outside the railway  100  in the Y-direction. 
     The vehicle  10  includes a vehicle body  11  and a bogie  12 . For example, the vehicle body  11  carries an occupant or a passenger. The bogie  12  causes the vehicle body  11  to run along the railway  100  and the guide rail  110 . The bogie  12  is provided in each of a front lower portion and a rear lower portion of the vehicle body  11 . In addition,  FIGS.  1  to  3    illustrate only one bogie  12 . 
     The bogie  12  includes a bogie body  21 , a pair of running wheels  22 , a guide device  23 , a steering device  24 , and a pair of motors  25 . 
     The bogie body  21  is disposed at an intermediate position in the Y-direction of the vehicle body  11 . The bogie body  21  has a frame shape, and a pair of right and left bolster springs  31  is disposed in an upper portion, and a lower portion of the vehicle body  11  is supported by the bolster spring  31 . 
     The pair of running wheels  22  is disposed on both right and left sides of the bogie body  21  in the Y-direction. The running wheel  22  is rollable on the running road surface  101  of the railway  100 . The bogie body  21  is internally equipped with the pair of motors  25 . The pair of motors  25  is disposed between the pair of running wheels  22  in the bogie body  21 . The pair of motors  25  can transmit a drive force to the pair of running wheels  22 . The pair of running wheels  22  is rotatable around an axial center O 2  along the Y-direction. 
     In the bogie body  21 , a spline joint  32 , a pair of constant velocity ball joints  33 , and a pair of speed reducers  34  are disposed between the pair of running wheels  22  and the pair of motors  25 . In the motor  25 , an output shaft  35  is connected to the constant velocity ball joint  33  via the spline joint  32 . However, the output shaft  35  of the motor  25  may be directly connected to the constant velocity ball joint  33 . The constant velocity ball joint  33 , a kingpin  36 , and an attachment shaft  37  are provided between the output shaft  35  and the speed reducer  34 . The running wheel  22  is a rubber tire supported on the bogie body  21  side via the attachment shaft  37 , and a metal wheel and a brake disc forming a braking device are mounted inside the running wheel  22 . The running wheel  22  is integrated with the attachment shaft  37 , and is pivotable around the kingpin  36  serving as a fulcrum in the X-direction. In other words, the running wheel  22  is pivotable around a Z-axis direction. 
     For example, the speed reducer  34  is a planetary gear mechanism. The speed reducer  34  is a hub reduction disposed inside a wheel forming the running wheel  22 . However, the speed reducer  34  may be disposed between the output shaft  35  of the motor  25  and the constant velocity ball joint  33 . The pair of motors  25  includes an electric motor, and is disposed on an upper side of the guide device  23  in the Z-direction. A rotation axial center of the pair of motors  25  and a rotation axial center of the pair of running wheels  22  are disposed on a straight line (axial center O 2 ) along the rightward-leftward direction (Y-direction) intersecting with the running direction (X-direction) of the bogie body  21 . The output shaft  35  of the motor  25 , the spline joint  32 , the constant velocity ball joint  33 , the speed reducer  34 , and the running wheel  22  are disposed on a straight line (axial center O 2 ) along the Y-direction. In this case, the motor  25 , the spline joint  32 , the constant velocity ball joint  33 , the speed reducer  34 , and the running wheel  22  are disposed to be line-symmetrical in the Y-direction with respect to the axial center O 1 . 
     The pair of running wheels  22  are supported to be rotatable in the bogie body  21 . The bogie body  21  is fixed to a lower portion of the vehicle body  11 , and is connected to a suspension frame  38  extending downward via a pair of upper and lower traction rods  39 . 
     The guide device  23  has a guide frame  41 , a plurality of guide wheels  42 , and a turning bearing  43 . The guide frame  41  has two horizontal beams  44  and two vertical beams  45 . The two horizontal beams  44  are disposed along the Y-direction, and are disposed at a predetermined interval in the X-direction. The two vertical beams  45  are disposed along the X-direction, and are disposed at a predetermined interval in the Y-direction. Each end portion is connected to the two horizontal beams  44 . The two horizontal beams  44  are mounted at each end portion in the Y-direction so that the guide wheel  42  is rotatable around the rotation axial center along the Z-direction. Each of the guide wheels  42  can come into contact with the guide surface  111  of the guide rail  110 . In addition, the guide frame  41  is supported to be pivotable around the axial center O 3  along the vertical direction by the turning bearing  43  in the bogie body  21 . 
     Therefore, when the bogie  12  runs on a curved portion of the railway  100 , each of the guide wheels  42  comes into contact with the guide rail  110 . In this manner, the guide frame  41  is pivotable along the curved portion by the turning bearing  43 . That is, in the vehicle  10 , each of the guide wheels  42  receives a reaction force from the outer guide rail  110  of the curved portion, the guide frame  41  pivots so that the outer guide wheel  42  is pushed forward compared to the inner guide wheel  42 . 
     In addition, when the bogie  12  runs on the curved portion of the railway  100 , rolling distances of the pair of running wheels  22  are different. Therefore, a torque of each of the motors disposed on both sides is controlled to rotate the motor in accordance with a tire rolling distance. In addition, a rotation speed of the pair of motors  25  is adjusted and controlled in accordance with an operation state of the guide device  23 . In this manner, curved running can be smoothly performed. Although not illustrated, the bogie body  21  is provided with a control device that controls the pair of motors  25 . The control device adjusts the rotation speed of the pair of motors  25 , based on a pivoting angle from a reference position of the guide frame  41  and a pressing force (load) applied to the guide rail  110  by the guide wheel  42 . 
     The steering device  24  is provided on a front side of the running wheel  22  in the running direction of the vehicle  10 . The steering device  24  has a pair of right and left steering arms  51  and a pair of right and left steering rods  52 . One end portion of the steering arm  51  and the steering rod  52  in a longitudinal direction is connected to be pivotable by a connection pin  53 . Then, the other end portion of the steering arm  51  in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the attachment shaft  37 , and the other end portion of the steering rod  52  in the longitudinal direction is connected to the guide frame  41  to be pivotable by a connection pin  54 . 
     Therefore, the steering arm  51  horizontally oscillates around the kingpin  36  serving as a fulcrum together with the running wheel  22 , and the steering rod  52  oscillates in response to oscillation of the steering arm  51 . When the guide frame  41  pivots around the axial center O 3 , a pivoting operation of the guide frame  41  is transmitted to the steering arm  51  via the steering rod  52 , and the attachment shaft  37  pivots around the kingpin  36  serving as the fulcrum so that the running wheel  22  is steered. 
     [Operation of Vehicle] 
     When the pair of motors  25  is driven, the driving rotational force is transmitted to the speed reducer  34  via the spline joint  32  and the constant velocity ball joint  33 . The speed reducer  34  decelerates the transmitted driving rotational force, and transmits the driving rotational force to the running wheels  22  so that the running wheels  22  are rotationally driven. In the vehicle  10 , since the running wheel  22  is rotationally driven, the running wheel  22  rolls on the running road surface  101  of the railway  100 . In this case, each of the guide wheels  42  of the guide device  23  is guided to the guide surface  111  of the guide rail  110  so that the vehicle  10  can run along the railway  100 . 
     When the vehicle  10  reaches the curved portion of the railway  100 , each of the guide wheels  42  receives the reaction force from the outer guide rail  110  of the curved portion, and the guide frame  41  pivots so that the outer guide wheel  42  is pushed forward in the running direction, compared to the inner guide wheel  42 . In this case, the steering rod  52  and the steering arm  51  oscillate in response to pivoting of the guide frame  41 , and the attachment shaft  37  pivots around the kingpin  36  serving as the fulcrum so that the running wheel  22  is steered. Therefore, the vehicle  10  can run along the railway  100  even when the vehicle  10  reaches the curved portion of the railway  100 . 
     Operational Effect of Present Embodiment 
     The bogie according to a first aspect includes the bogie body  21 , the pair of running wheels  22  disposed on both sides of the bogie body  21  in the rightward-leftward direction intersecting with the running direction of the bogie body  21  and rollable on the running road surface  101  of the railway  100 , the guide device  23  guided along the guide rail  110  and supported to be pivotable around the axial center along the vertical direction by the bogie body  21 , and the pair of motors  25  disposed between the pair of running wheels  22  in the bogie body  21  and transmitting the drive force to the pair of running wheels  22 . 
     In the bogie according to the first aspect, the pair of motors  25  that transmit the drive force to the pair of running wheels  22  is disposed between the pair of running wheels  22  in the bogie body  21 . Therefore, the pair of motors  25  can be efficiently disposed in the bogie body  21 . Accordingly, a compact device can be achieved, and a space in the bogie body  21  can be effectively used. 
     In the bogie according to a second aspect, the pair of speed reducers  34  is provided between the output shaft  35  of the pair of motors  25  and the rotary shaft of the pair of running wheels  22 . In this manner, the speed reducer  34  can be efficiently disposed so that a compact device can be achieved. The rotational drive force of the motor  25  is decelerated by the speed reducer  34 , and is transmitted to the running wheels  22 . Therefore, a large output torque can be secured. 
     In the bogie according to a third aspect, the pair of speed reducers  34  is disposed inside the pair of running wheels  22 . In this manner, a compact device can be achieved. 
     In the bogie according to a fourth aspect, the pair of constant velocity ball joints  33  is provided between the output shaft  35  of the pair of motors  25  and the rotary shaft of the pair of running wheels  22 . In this manner, the constant velocity ball joint  33  can be efficiently disposed so that a compact device can be achieved, and steerability of the running wheel  22  can be secured. 
     In the bogie according to a fifth aspect, the pair of spline joints  32  is provided between the output shaft  35  of the pair of motors  25  and the rotary shaft of the pair of running wheels  22 . In this manner, the rotational drive force of the motor  25  can be properly transmitted to the running wheel  22  by the spline joint  32 . 
     In the bogie according to a sixth aspect, the rotation axial center of the pair of motors  25  and the rotation axial center of the pair of running wheels  22  are disposed on the straight line along the rightward-leftward direction intersecting with the running direction of the bogie body  21 . In this manner, a compact device can be achieved. 
     In the bogie according to a seventh aspect, the pair of motors  25  is disposed above the guide device  23  in the vertical direction. In this manner, a compact device can be achieved. 
     In the bogie according to an eighth aspect, the control device that controls the rotation speed of the pair of motors  25  in accordance with the operation state of the guide device  23  is provided. In this manner, running stability of the bogie can be improved in the curved portion of the railway  100 . 
     The vehicle according to a ninth aspect includes the bogie  12  and the vehicle body  11  supported from below by the bogie  12 . In this manner, the pair of motors  25  can be efficiently disposed in the bogie  12  so that a compact device can be achieved, and a space in the bogie body  21  can be effectively used. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the rotation axial center of the pair of motors  25  and the rotation axial center of the pair of running wheels  22  are disposed on the straight line along the Y-direction. However, when necessary, the motor  25  and the running wheel  22  may be disposed to be shifted in the X-direction or the Z-direction. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               10 : Vehicle 
               11 : Vehicle body 
               12 : Bogie 
               21 : Bogie body 
               22 : Running wheel 
               23 : Guide device 
               24 : Steering device 
               25 : Motor 
               31 : Bolster spring 
               32 : Spline joint 
               33 : Constant velocity ball joint 
               34 : Speed reducer 
               35 : Output shaft 
               36 : Kingpin 
               37 : Attachment shaft 
               38 : Suspension frame 
               39 : Traction rod 
               41 : Guide frame 
               42 : Guide wheel 
               43 : Turning bearing 
               44 : Horizontal beam 
               45 : Vertical beam 
               51 : Steering arm 
               52 : Steering rod 
               53 ,  54 : Connection pin 
               100 : Railway 
               101 : Running road surface 
               110 : Guide rail 
               111 : Guide surface 
             O 1 , O 2 , O 3 : Axial center