Patent Publication Number: US-9403540-B2

Title: Railroad vehicle and plug door for railroad vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a railroad vehicle and a plug door for a railroad vehicle, and more particularly, to a railroad vehicle that efficiently moves a door to an airtight position and makes it possible to ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of a cylinder device even when the door must be moved across a distance to arrive at the airtight position, and a plug door for a railroad vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventional railroad vehicles, particularly high-speed railroad vehicles include ones equipped with a plug door. The plug door has a door form such that the outer surface thereof is flush with the outer surface of a vehicle body when the doorway is closed. This plug door allows reductions in air resistance and noise such as wind noise. 
     Furthermore, as for an airtight maintaining device included in the plug door, Patent Literature 1 listed below discloses a configuration in which a piston rod of a cylinder device  4  is extended, thereby causing a link member  5  to turn and press a door  1  in a closed position toward airtight packing  3  so as to maintain the air tightness of the door  1 . 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: JP-A No. H09(1997)-11895 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, the airtight maintaining device disclosed in the above-described Patent Literature 1, the following problem has arisen when the door  1  in the closed position must be moved across a distance to arrive at an airtight position. That is, in that case, it is necessary to increase the size of the link member  5  and, accordingly, to increase the size of the cylinder device  4 . 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in order to address the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a railroad vehicle that efficiently moves a door to an airtight position and makes it possible to ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of a cylinder device even when the door must be moved across a distance to arrive at the airtight position, and a plug door for a railroad vehicle. 
     Solution to Problem and Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     The railroad vehicle according to the present invention offers the following advantages. That is, when a door is closed, the door is pressed by a second pressing device prior to being pressed by a first pressing device. The second pressing device is disposed to face an inner surface of the door and adapted to press the door toward a door frame. When a second piston is extended in a width direction of a vehicle body, the pressing member coupled to a leading end of the second piston abuts on the inner surface of the door and presses the door toward the door frame. Thus, the door is moved toward the door frame. In this manner, the second pressing device extends the second piston perpendicularly with respect to the inner surface of the door, and therefore it is possible to efficiently move the door toward the door frame without increasing the size of a cylinder device. 
     Thereafter, the door is pressed by the first pressing device. The first pressing device is disposed adjacent to the door in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and adapted to press the door toward the door frame. When a first piston is extended in the vehicle body longitudinal direction, a link mechanism operates and abuts on the inner surface of the door to press the door toward the door frame. In this manner, the first pressing device presses the door through the link mechanism, and therefore, even if an external force is applied from an outer surface of the door, not all external forces act on the piston. It is therefore possible to resist the external force and ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of the piston. Consequently, there are the advantages of efficiently moving the door to an airtight position and making it possible to ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of the cylinder device even when the door must be moved across a distance to arrive at the airtight position. 
     The railroad vehicle according another aspect of the present invention offers the following additional advantage. The first pressing device is disposed on the same level on both sides of the door so as to sandwich the door therebetween in the vehicle body longitudinal direction. The second pressing device is disposed on the same level on both sides of the door so as to sandwich the door therebetween in the vehicle body longitudinal direction. The first pressing device and the second pressing device are vertically alternately arranged. Thus, the door can be equally pressed. Therefore, there is the advantage of being able to ensure the air tightness of the door. 
     The railroad vehicle according another aspect of the present invention offers the following additional advantage. A blocking wall is provided in a manner protruding inward the vehicle on a door end side of the door. The blocking wall is disposed at a portion of the door on which the first pressing device or the second pressing device abuts, so as to surround that portion. Thus, it is possible to prevent, for example, a finger from being pinched between the inner surface of the door and the first pressing device or between the inner surface of the door and the second pressing device. 
     Furthermore, a door pocket opening the doorway and storing the door is provided with a shutter that opens and closes an entrance of the door pocket. A covering member is also provided at a leading end of the shutter for cover a portion through which the blocking wall passes while allowing passage of the blocking wall. Thus, even if the blocking wall is provided in a protruding manner on the door, the entrance of the door pocket can be covered. Therefore, there is the advantage of being able to prevent a finger from being pinched between the inner surface of the door and the first pressing device or between the inner surface of the door and the second pressing device due to, for example, the inadvertent entry of the finger from the portion through which the blocking wall passes. 
     The railroad vehicle according another aspect of the present invention offers the following additional advantage That is, a plug rail for guiding the door in movement in the vehicle body width direction extends between a first rail and a second rail. The first rail is suspended from a ceiling of the vehicle body and extends in the vehicle body longitudinal direction for guiding the door in reciprocal movement in the vehicle body longitudinal direction with respect to the doorway. The second rail is suspended from the ceiling of the vehicle body between the first rail and a side wall of the vehicle body and extends in the vehicle body longitudinal direction for guiding the door in reciprocal movement in the vehicle body longitudinal direction with respect to the doorway. In this manner, the plug rail is held at both ends by the first rail and the second rail. Thus, dangling of the leading end of the plug rail can be prevented. Therefore, there is the advantage of being able to reliably block the doorway and ensure the air tightness of the door. 
     The railroad vehicle according another aspect of the present invention offers the following additional advantage When the first piston is extended, the link member causes the arm to rotate about the rotary shaft, and the rotating roller turnably journaled to the leading end of the arm abuts the inner surface of the door and presses the door toward the door frame. In this case, even if an external force is applied from the outer surface of the door, the external force is distributed without acting directly upon the piston. Therefore, there is the advantage of being able to resist the external force and ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of the piston. 
     A plug door for a railroad vehicle according to claim  6  offers the advantage of efficiently moving the door to an airtight position and making it possible to ensure the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of the cylinder device even when the door must be moved across a distance to arrive at the airtight position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional side view of a railroad vehicle. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the railroad vehicle. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the railroad vehicle. 
         FIG. 4( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an auxiliary pressing device is unoperated, and  FIG. 4( b )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the auxiliary pressing device is in operation. 
         FIG. 5( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a main pressing device is unoperated, and  FIG. 5( b )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the main pressing device is in operation. 
         FIG. 6( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a door is pressed by the auxiliary pressing devices,  FIG. 6( b )  is a schematic diagram showing a state at the time of storing the door in a door pocket, and  FIG. 6( c )  is a schematic diagram showing a state at the time of removing the door from the door pocket. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 1  is a sectional side view of a railroad vehicle  1 ;  FIG. 2  is a plan view of the railroad vehicle  1 ; and  FIG. 3  is a front view of the railroad vehicle  1 . 
     The railroad vehicle  1  is provided with a first rail  2  extending in a vehicle body longitudinal direction (i.e., from the near side to the far side of the drawing sheet in  FIG. 1 ). The first rail  2  is fixed through a U-shaped hanging fitting  3  that is fixed to a frame (not shown) in a ceiling. A bearing fitting  4  abuts on one surface (the left side surface in  FIG. 1 ) of the first rail  2 . The bearing fitting  4  moves in the vehicle body longitudinal direction along the one surface of the first rail  2 . An L-shaped plug rail  5  is coupled to the bearing fitting  4 . 
     The plug rail  5  extends downwardly from the bearing fitting  4  and then is bent to extend toward a door  8 . A rail  5   a  (see Portion A in  FIG. 1 ) is formed on an extended end of the plug rail  5 , and a moving member  6  is provided at the rail  5   a  so as to be movable in a vehicle body width direction (i.e., in the horizontal direction in  FIG. 1 ). 
     An L-shaped door-hanging fitting  7  is coupled to a lower surface of the moving member  6  so as to couple the moving member  6  and the door  8 . The door  8  is provided integral with the moving member  6  through the door hanging fitting  7  so as to be movable in the vehicle body width direction (i.e., in the horizontal direction in  FIG. 1 ). The door  8  is adapted to open and close a doorway of the railroad vehicle  1 . 
     A second rail  9  is provided parallel to the first rail  2  in the vehicle longitudinal direction above the leading end side (door  8  side) of the plug rail  5  (see  FIG. 2 ). The second rail  9  supports the leading end side (door  8  side) of the plug rail  5 . As a result, both ends of the plug rail  5  are supported by the first rail  2  and the second rail  9 . Dangling of the leading end side of the plug rail  5  can be thus prevented even when the plug distance (the distance that the door  8  moves in the vehicle body width direction) is long. That is, dangling of the door  8  coupled to the plug rail  5  through the door hanging fitting  7  can be prevented. It is therefore possible to block the doorway without leaving a gap using the door  8  and to ensure the air tightness of the door  8 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the second rail  9  is fixed through an L-shaped hanging fitting  10  that is fixed to the frame (not shown) in the ceiling. A block piece  11  is configured to be movable in the vehicle body longitudinal direction along the second rail  9 . 
     Furthermore, a guide passage  12  is coupled to the other surface (the right side surface in  FIG. 1 ) of the first rail  2 . The guide passage is the passage through which a rotating roller  15  to be described later passes, and, as shown in  FIG. 2 , composed of a straight passage along the first rail  2  and a bent passage that is bent toward the center of the gateway from one end of the straight passage. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , two shafts  13  are coupled between the plug rails  5  at a central portion of the door hanging fitting  7 . A slide member  14  is inserted on the two shafts  13 . A rotary shaft is erected on the upper surface of the slide member  14 , and the rotating roller  15  is rotatably provided on the rotary shaft. 
     Furthermore, a coil spring  16  is inserted on each of the two shafts  13  on the opposite side across the slide member  14  from the door  8  so as to urge the slide member  14  toward the door  8 . Thus, the rotating roller  15  travels while separating the door  8  from the wall surface when passing through the inside of the guide passage  12 , and can also move smoothly from the straight passage to the bent passage of the guide passage  12 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 2 , inside the first rail  2  (on the lower side in  FIG. 2 ), there are provided an air cylinder  17  and a rod  18  that telescopes in parallel with the first rail  2  from the air cylinder  17 . The rod  18  can telescope from its position shown in  FIG. 2  to the position indicated by a rod  18 ′. The rod  18  is also coupled to the bearing fitting  4  through a coupling fitting  19 . 
     Therefore, the telescopic motion of the rod  18  allows the bearing fitting  4 , the plug rail  5  coupled to the bearing fitting  4 , the moving member  6  coupled to the plug rail  5 , the door hanging fitting  7 , the door  8 , and the block piece  11  to reciprocate in the vehicle body longitudinal direction. It should be noted that the shafts  13 , the slide member  14 , and the rotating roller  15  are also allowed to reciprocate in the vehicle body longitudinal direction through the door hanging fitting  7 . 
     In contrast, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the door  8  cannot be moved beyond the position of a door  8 ′ indicated by the two-dot dash line in  FIG. 1 , simply by the telescopic motion of the rod  18 . That is, it is an auxiliary pressing device  30  and a main pressing device  40  to be described later that move the moving member  6  in the vehicle body width direction along the rail  5   a  of the plug rail  5  and move the door  8  to the position of the door  8  indicated by the solid line in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the auxiliary pressing device  30  and the main pressing device  40  are arranged around the door  8 . The auxiliary pressing device  30  is a pressing device that is disposed to face the inner surface of the door  8  and presses the door  8  toward the door frame. The main pressing device  40  is a pressing device that is disposed adjacent to the door  8  in the vehicle body longitudinal direction and presses the door  8  toward the door frame. To close the door  8 , the auxiliary pressing device  30  is brought into operation first, and then the main pressing device  40  is brought into operation. 
     It should be noted that, in  FIG. 3 , a pair of left and right main pressing devices  40  on the same level is shown on the upper side, and below them, a pair of left and right auxiliary pressing devices  30  on the same level is shown. However, actually, a pair of left and right main pressing devices  40  on the same level is provided below the auxiliary pressing devices  30 , and below them, a pair of left and right auxiliary pressing devices  30  on the same level is provided, and further below them, a pair of left and right main pressing devices  40  on the same level is provided. 
     That is, the three main pressing devices  40  and the two auxiliary pressing devices  30  are alternately provided on the left side. Also in the same manner, the three main pressing devices  40  and the two auxiliary pressing devices  30  are alternately provided on the right side. Thus, it is possible to equally press the door  8  against the door frame and to ensure the air tightness. 
     Next, referring to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , the auxiliary pressing device  30  and the main pressing device  40  for pressing the door  8  against the door frame will be described in concrete terms. 
       FIG. 4( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the auxiliary pressing device is unoperated, and  FIG. 4( b )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the auxiliary pressing device is in operation. It should be noted that  FIG. 4  shows the schematic diagram on the door end side of the door  8 . 
     The auxiliary pressing device  30  is adapted to further move the door  8 ′ indicated by the two-dot dash line in  FIG. 1  toward the doorway and press the door  8  against a door frame W. The auxiliary pressing device  30  is provided inside an in-vehicle wall extending in the vehicle body width direction and fixed to a frame of the wall. The auxiliary pressing device  30  is composed of an air cylinder  31 , a piston  32  ( FIG. 4( b ) ) that telescopes in the vehicle body width direction from the air cylinder  31 , and a pressing member  33  that is coupled to a leading end of the piston  32  and abuts on the inner surface of the door  8  to press the door  8 . 
     When the door  8  is moved to the position  8 ′ indicated by the two-dot dash line in  FIG. 1 , the piston  32  is extended in the vehicle width direction to cause the pressing member  33  to abut on the inner surface of the door  8  so as to move the door  8  toward the door frame W (in the vehicle body width direction). It should be noted that the door  8  is provided with a rubber airtight cap  8   a , and the air tightness of the door  8  can be ensured by pressing the airtight cap  8   a  against the door frame W. Furthermore, the auxiliary pressing device  30  causes the piston  32  to abut perpendicularly on the inner surface of the door  8 , thereby allowing efficient movement and press of the door  8 . 
     Moreover, a blocking wall  8   b  that surrounds the portion of the door  8  on which the pressing member  33  abuts is provided inward the vehicle on an inner surface (on the door end side) of the door  8 . Thus, an accident, such as pinching a finger between the pressing member  33  and the inner surface of the door  8 , can be prevented. It should be noted that a gap between the leading end of the blocking wall  8   b  and the obliquely-extending wall surface is of a size so that the finger does not enter the gap. 
       FIG. 5( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the main pressing device is unoperated, and  FIG. 5( b )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the main pressing device is in operation. The main pressing device  40  is adapted to further press the door  8  moved to the position shown in  FIG. 4( b )  by the auxiliary pressing device  30  against the door frame W. The main pressing device  40  is provided inside a vehicle side wall and fixed to a frame of the vehicle side wall. 
     The main pressing device  40  is provided with an air cylinder  41  and a piston that telescopes in the vehicle body longitudinal direction from the air cylinder  41 . The main pressing device  40  is also provided with: a rotary shaft  42  coupled to the inner surface of the vehicle body side wall and extending vertically; an arm  43  journaled to the rotary shaft  42  and extending inward the vehicle, a leading end thereof being bent toward the inner surface of the door  8 ; a rotating roller  44  turnably journaled to the leading end of the arm  43 ; and a link member  45  having one end that is rotatably coupled to the leading end of the piston and the other end that is rotatably coupled to the arm  43 . It should be noted that the leading end of the piston is provided with a rotary shaft and the one end of the link member  45  is coupled to the rotary shaft. Furthermore, the arm  43  is mounted to the rotating roller  44  and the link member  45  in such a manner as to be rotatable on the rotary shaft. 
     With the main pressing device  40 , when the piston is extended in the vehicle body longitudinal direction, the link member  45  causes the arm  43  to rotate about the rotary shaft  42 , and the rotating roller  44  turnably journaled to the leading end of the arm  43  abuts the inner surface of the door  8  and presses the door  8  toward the door frame W. In this case, even if an external force is applied from the outer surface of the door  8 , the external force is distributed without acting directly upon the link member  45  and the piston. It is therefore possible to resist the external force and ensure or maintain the air tightness of the door  8  without increasing the size of the cylinder  41 . 
     That is, if the main pressing device  40  and the auxiliary pressing device  30  are operated in reverse order, the main pressing device  40  cannot move the door  8  over a long distance. In order to move the door  8  over a long distance, it is necessary to increase the size of the arm  43 , and, accordingly, also to increase the size of the cylinder. Furthermore, it is necessary to increase the size of the cylinder  31 , because the external force acts directly upon the piston  32  in the auxiliary pressing device  30 . 
     As described above, causing the main pressing device  40  and the auxiliary pressing device  30  to work in reverse order leads to an increase in the size of the cylinder device. However, according to the aspect of this embodiment, there is no need to increase the size of the cylinder device. In this manner, according to this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently move the door  8  to an airtight position and ensure or maintain the air tightness of the door without increasing the size of the cylinder device even when the door  8  must be moved across a distance to arrive at the airtight position. 
       FIG. 6( a )  is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the door is pressed by the auxiliary pressing devices, (b) is a schematic diagram showing a state at the time of storing the door in a door pocket, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing a state at the time of removing the door from the door pocket. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6( a ) , the railroad vehicle  1  is provided with a door pocket T that stores the door  8  when the door  8  is opened toward the door tail (to the left side in  FIG. 6 ) of the door  8 . An opening/closing door  50  for opening and closing an entrance T 1  of the door pocket T is also provided. Therefore, when the door  8  is closed (at timing before the auxiliary pressing device  30  is brought into operation), the opening/closing door  50  is moved toward the door  8  so as to close the entrance T 1  of the door pocket T. Thus, it is possible to prevent a finger from being inserted through the entrance T 1  of the door pocket T and pinched by the auxiliary pressing device  30  or the main pressing device  40 . 
     In contrast, when the door  8  is stored in the door pocket T as shown in  FIG. 6( b )  or when the door  8  is removed from the door pocket T as shown in  FIG. 6( c ) , the blocking wall  8   b  provided in a protruding manner on the door  8  abuts on a leading end  51  of the opening/closing door  50 . 
     Therefore, in this embodiment, the portion of the leading end  51  of the opening/closing door  50  through which the blocking wall  8   b  passes is made of rubber or a brush. Thus, even if the blocking wall  8   b  is provided in a protruding manner on the door  8 , the entrance T 1  of the door pocket T can be covered. It is therefore possible to prevent, for example, the inadvertent entry of a finger from the portion through which the blocking wall  8   b  passes. 
     While an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is by no means limited to the above embodiment, and it is obvious that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.