Communication bellows between cars of a rail vehicle
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a communication bellows including at least one external skin which has a succession of inwardly directed undulations and at least one internal skin which has a succession of outwardly directed undulations which are provided facing the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin, the two skins together delimiting an acoustic insulation space, the internal skin being connected to at least some of the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin, the external skin and internal skin being connected to each other only by some mutually facing undulations, other undulations of the two skins remaining separate from each other.
1. A communication bellows having a closed contour comprising:
at least one external skin which has a succession of inwardly directed undulations;
at least one internal skin which has a succession of outwardly directed undulations which are provided facing the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin;
the internal skin and external skin together delimiting an acoustic insulation space, the two skins having a closed cross-section;
some of the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin being connected to at least some of the outwardly directed undulations of the internal skin, thereby connecting the external skin and internal skin;
remaining undulations of the internal skin and external skin being separate from each other; and
hinges flexibly connecting the inwardly directed undulations and outwardly directed undulations which extend over a majority of a length of the inwardly directed undulations and outwardly directed undulations.
2. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the inwardly directed undulations and outwardly directed undulations of the external skin and internal skin have peaks which are provided facing each other in the same plane which is transverse relative to the bellows.
3. The communication bellows according to claim 2 , wherein the internal skin and external skin are connected to each other by at least one of the mutually facing peaks of the inwardly directed undulations and outwardly directed undulations.
4. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the hinges include a first assembly of knuckles which are connected to the external skin and a second assembly of knuckles which are connected to the internal skin, the knuckles being interposed and articulated about a pin extending therethrough.
5. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the external skin and internal skin have, along each edge thereof, a fixing rim which protrudes towards the outer side and the inner side of the bellows, respectively.
6. The communication bellows according to claim 5 , wherein the fixing rims are secured to the edge of the external skin and internal skin by over-molding.
7. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the external skin and internal skin have the same thickness.
8. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the external skin and internal skin is between 3 and 7 mm.
9. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the external skin and internal skin have, along the opposing peripheral edges thereof, assembly flats, along which the internal skin and external skin are compressed against each other.
10. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the undulations of the external skin and internal skin have a height which is between 20 and 35 mm.
11. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the undulations of the external skin and internal skin have, when at rest, a length which is between 20 and 30 mm.
12. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein a number of undulations is between 8 and 15.
13. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein the number of undulations is 11.
14. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein a proportion of mutually facing undulations of the external skin and internal skin which are connected to each other is between 30% and 60% of the total number of mutually facing undulations.
15. The communication bellows according to claim 1 , wherein a proportion of mutually facing undulations of the external skin and internal skin which are not connected to each other is between 70% and 40% of the total number of mutually facing undulations.
16. The communication bellows according to claim 1 wherein approximately one of every two mutually facing undulations are connected to each other over the lengths of the two skins.
17. A communication bellows having a closed contour comprising:
at least one external skin which has a succession of inwardly directed undulations;
at least one internal skin which has a succession of outwardly directed undulations which are provided facing the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin;
the two skins together delimiting an acoustic insulation space, the internal skin being connected to at least some of the inwardly directed undulations of the external skin,
wherein the external skin and internal skin have a closed cross-section and are connected to each other only by some mutually facing undulations, remaining undulations of the internal skin and external skin being separate from each other,
wherein the external skin and internal skin are connected to each other by hinges which extend over a majority of a length of the inwardly directed undulations and outwardly directed undulations; and
wherein the hinges include a first assembly of knuckles which are connected to the external skin and a second assembly of knuckles which are connected to the internal skin, the knuckles being interposed and articulated about a pin extending therethrough.
18. The communication bellows according to claim 17 wherein a proportion of mutually facing undulations of the external skin and internal skin which are connected to each other is between 30% and 60% of the total number of mutually facing undulations.