Railways – Terminals and stations – Platforms
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-31
2002-03-26
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Terminals and stations
Platforms
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360668
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an adaptable platform door system and more particularly to an adaptable platform door system for railroad stations used by automatically controlled trains and/or automatically controlled and driverless trains. Furthermore the present invention relates to a method for the control of such an adaptable platform door system.
The use of driverless trains, which are for example controlled by a computer, means that entry into a station is exacting from the safety technology aspect. Serious accidents may occur, if waiting passengers assume positions close to the track, since a remote controlled train cannot reliably react to such events or for this purpose additional and generally externally provided measures are necessary.
Moreover in the greater part of known railroad and subway systems there is the problem of the necessity of several different types of trains and rolling stock having to halt in a station, which have different configurations of doors. Furthermore, it is possible for a train not to be able to halt precisely owing to external influences (weather, atmospheric humidity, ice etc.) at a given point (so-called “slither”).
The German patent publication 2,462,031 A1 describes a station for automatic railroads with a restraining grid including a railing. This however does not mean that passengers will not get on the track; furthermore there is the danger of limbs getting through the grid into the track area and the space corresponding to the overall cross section of the train.
In the German patent publication 3,132,296 A1 a security partition wall for platforms is disclosed, which has corresponding sliding doors. This security partition wall is a stationary built-in structure and has gaps in the walls, into which only a predetermined sliding door is inserted. This wall calls for use with trains only having a fixed configuration of doors.
In the German patent publication 3,214,602 A1 a transport system is disclosed having two barriers defining three areas on the platform, through which the stream of passengers may be conducted. In this system the openings in the barriers are stationary.
In the German patent publication 69,204,934 A1 a “folding door device for rail vehicles” is described. In this case folding elements are folded into the platform area or out of it, something which may mean danger for the passengers on the platform at certain points.
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a platform door system, which can be employed for different types of train or, respectively, carriages and different accuracies of halting.
This object is to be achieved by the arrangement as claimed in the independent claims. Further advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims.
More particularly, the object is attained by a platform door system
1
comprising a barrier
10
having screen or barrier elements
12
able to be aligned along a track
3
and/or a platform
4
, the barrier elements
12
being able to be so shifted in relation to one another that same at least partially overlap so that freely selectable predetermined openings
5
and opening sizes may be provided along the track
3
and/or platform
4
. Owing to the shifting of the individual barrier elements in relation to each other danger can be avoided to the extent that no passenger will be clamped or injured during opening or closing of the platform door system. At the same time the platform door systems of the invention provides flexible or adaptable systems able to set any desired door opening configuration, since they may do without permanently installed components. This is more particularly advantageous, when—be it for reasons of different trains of different dates of construction (and partly different in structure), be it owing to different use of a platform for different types of trains (for instance: local traffic with many wider doors and long distance traffic with a few narrow doors)—different types of trains are to halt at the same platform one after the other. Permanently installed wall elements and sliding doors would here obstruct different train doors making disembarking impossible at such positions. Owing to the adaptable system of the present invention it is possible, even in an emergency or in the case of a non-scheduled halt of a train at a position on the platform not intended for it, for a configuration of openings corresponding to the actual position of the train (and its configuration doors to be opened) to be produced. The result is that investments in platform security and in new rolling stock no longer lead to mutual obstruction.
In the platform door system of the invention it is advantageous for the barrier elements
12
to be designed in the form of panels. It is more particularly preferred for the barrier elements
12
to be designed rectangularly. By having a panel-like, i. e. planar design, it is possible for the barrier elements to be readily shifted in relation to each other. Owing to the rectangular design it is possible for the barrier elements to be fully aligned with one another and they then make available a suitable space for the passengers to pass through. It would be feasible for the barrier elements to be in the form of triangular plates, which like a shutter opening could be shifted in relation to one another. It would also be feasible for the barrier elements to be curved in plan view. This is particularly preferred in the case of curved platform or, respectively, curved platform edges. The invention also contemplates elements in the form of an array of straight parts at an angle to each other. This is particularly preferred when the platform edge is curved in form.
A form of the elements as rhombs as seen in elevation would also be possible in order to provide security at platform edges in stations erected on a slope (with a sloping surface). A design is particularly preferred in the case of which barrier elements are provided which are preferably narrow, elongated and/or lamellar, which can be adapted to stations whose slope varies along the platform edge and which constitute an adaptable barrier for the platform.
A further embodiment of the present platform door system is characterized by the barrier elements
12
comprising transparent materials; more especially if the barrier elements
12
prevailingly comprise glass and/or acrylics; and more particularly same can consist entirely of transparent materials. This means that when a train arrives the passengers will be able to see it and estimate where the doors will open and where not. Thus the danger of accidents is reduced, since unexpected opening of the doors is substantially prevented. Moreover, more particularly in the case of a subway, the passengers using the system will as well be afforded an opportunity to see the position of halting of the train at least at the moment of its arrival and when it comes to a halt and to obtain an impression at least of the platform, to orientate themselves and accordingly to get a subjective sense of security. It is preferred for the inherent static effect of such transparent materials to be used. It is particularly preferred for additional mechanical parts to be set in the transparent material. Such mechanical parts are preferably parts which have a different mechanical strength and/or a different modulus of elasticity. This means that special areas of the barrier elements may be adapted to practical requirements such as for instance as regards a high wear rate, frictional forces, warping or fracture loads. The materials are preferably selected from the group comprising metals, plastics, which can resist high loads—more particularly acrylics—ceramic materials or combinations thereof.
In the case of a further embodiment of the invention a platform door system is provided, in the case of which the barrier elements
12
can be shifted in relation to one another. More particularly, a platform door system is provided, in which the barrier elements
12
can be shifted perpendicularly to a line along the track
3
and/or platform
4
Haynes and Boone LLP
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Morano S. Joseph
Rauch Jurgen
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