GB2505587A

GB2505587A - Railroad vehicle with collision energy absorption structure

Info

Publication number: GB2505587A
Application number: GB1320747.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sota Kimura; Toshihiko Mochida; Tadamasa Kaneyasu
Original assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Current assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Priority date: 2011-06-14
Filing date: 2012-05-18
Publication date: 2014-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-18
Also published as: GB2505587B; WO2012172924A1; DE112012002087T5; DE112012002087B4; GB201320747D0; JP2013001195A

Abstract

Provided are: a railroad vehicle comprising a collision energy absorption structure requiring a reduced space and capable of reliably absorbing a large amount of energy; a passageway opening frame; and a collision energy absorption structure. A collision energy absorption structure is configured in such a manner that a passageway opening frame (50), which is provided with energy absorption members provided in a form in which the energy absorption members are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction and are fitted to the inside of the passageway opening frame (50), is disposed along the peripheral edge of the passageway opening at each of both ends of a railroad vehicle and is joined to a vestibule diaphragm frame (70) by fastening parts (120) through the energy absorption members. As a result of the configuration, the passageway opening frame (50) has both a function of forming the passageway opening and a function of absorbing collision energy, and this can reduce the space which the collision energy absorption structure occupies. In addition, the energy absorption members are arranged in a planar shape along the passageway opening frame (50), and as a result, the energy absorption members can reliably absorb collision energy without totally buckling.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[Title of Invention]

RMLROAD VEHICLE WITH COLLISION ENERGY ABSORPTION

STRUCTURE

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a railroad vehicle with a coffision energy absorption structure for absorbing collision energy through plastic deformation when coffision occurs to the vehicle, disposed on a passageway opening created to an end structure of the railroad vehicle through which crews and passengers move from one car to another.

[Background Art]

[0002] A railroad vehicle body is composed of an underframe constituting a floor surface of the vehicle, side structures disposed perpendicularly with respect to the underframe at both width-direction ends of the underframe of the vehicle body and constituting side walls of the railroad vehicle, end structures disposed perpendicularly with respect to the underframe at both longitudinal ends of the underframe of the railroad vehicle body, and a roof structure arranged on upper ends of the side structures and end structures and constituting a roof of the vehicle body. On a bottom surface of the underframe are mounted a body bolster arranged to extend in the width direction of the vehicle body at both width-direction end sections of the underframe to receive drive force or braking force from the underframe, beams disposed at both longitudinal ends of the underframe, a middle beam for connecting the body bolster and the beams and having a coupler for coupling one car and another built therein, and side beams disposed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the underframe at the lower surface of the width-direction ends of the underframe. The underframe has a strong rigidity in order to receive these beams.

[0003] For example, when a train formation composed of a plurality of railroad vehicles collides against an obstacle on a track, not only the leading car of the train formation coffides against the obstacle, but also the longitudinal ends of the respective cars of the railroad vehicle constituting the train formation coffide against one another. The underframe of the car body of the railroad vehicle has a strong rigidity as described above, so that it is not easily collapsed. However, since the underframe is not easily collapsed, it will not absorb the shock of the coffision, so that the shock that occurs by coffiding against an obstacle may be applied on the crews and passengers on board the vehicle.

[00041 In order to relieve such shock accompanying the coffision, an energy absorption member composed of two face plates and ribs connecting the face plates created by extrusion, and a coffision energy absorption structure arranging the above-described energy absorption members so that the direction of extrusion thereof corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is proposed (patent literature 1).

[00051 On the other hand, a gangway with a vestibule diaphragm is formed on the end structure of the railroad vehicle through which crews and passengers move from one car to another, and a coffision energy absorption structure having an energy absorption member disposed between the vestibule diaphragm and the gangway or having the energy absorption member disposed instead of the vestibule diaphragm is proposed (patent literature 2).

[Citation List] [Patent Literature] [00061 [PTL 11 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-326550 [PTL 21 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-241373

[Summary of Invention]

[Technical Problem] [00071 According to the above-described coffision energy absorption structure, a space must be provided for disposing the coffision energy absorption structure separately from the space for crews and passengers (hereinafter referred to as "cabin space"), so the cabin space and freedom of design of the vehicle may be restricted thereby.

[00081 According to the above-mentioned coffision energy absorption structure, the peak load when the energy absorption members are crushed tend to be high, and there are cases where the shock acting on the crews and passengers by coffision czmnot be sufficiently moderated or the cabin space is damaged by the shock.

[00091 According to the technique taught in patent literature 1, the energy absorption members are arranged so that the crushing direction thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the raiJroad vehicle, and linearly in the width direction of the vehicle. Therefore, when energy absorption members having a certain length or longer are used, the whole energy absorption members may be bucked during energy absorption. Thus, it is difficult to absorb the given energy by the art taught in patent literature 1.

[00101 According further to patent literature 1, an extremely large space may be required in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to install the coffision energy absorption structure.

[00111 According to the art taught in patent literature 2, a uniform load is transmitted to the members constituting the vehicle via the energy absorption members during coffision. Thus, for example, when the roof structure of the cabin space adjacent to the collision energy absorption structure has a smaller strength or rigidity than the underframe, it becomes necessary to reduce the crushing load of the energy absorption members to prevent the occurrence of damages to the members constituting the roof structure. Therefore, it is difficult according to the art taught in patent literature 2 to absorb sufficient coffision energy.

[00121 According frirther to the art taught in patent literature 2, energy absorption members can be removed easily from the vehicle structure. Then again, such convenient arrangement of the energy absorption members may cause the members to be removed or displaced from the mounting positions of the vehicle structure during collision. Therefore, according to the art taught in patent literature 2, it may be difficult to absorb the coffision energy in a reliable manner.

[00131 Therefore, the problem to be solved is to use a gangway formed on the end structure of the railroad vehicle to provide a passage through which crews and passengers can move from one car to another as the location for disposing the coffision energy absorption structure in the railroad vehicle.

The object of the present invention aims at solving the problems of the prior art by providing a coffision energy absorption structure with a high reliability and a railroad vehicle having such a coffision energy structure, only requiring a small space for installation, and capable of absorbing sufficient coffision energy while preventing the occurrence of damage to members constituting the cabin space.

[Solution to Problem] [00141 The object of the present invention can be achieved by a railroad vehicle with a coffision energy absorption structure, comprising: an end structure disposed on a longitudinal end of a railroad vehicle body; a passageway opening frame disposed on the end structure and surrounding a passageway opening forming an entrance to a gangway through which crews and passengers can move from one car to another; and a vestibule diaphragm frame fixed to the passageway opening frame and having a contractable vestibule diaphragm surrounding the gangway connected thereto; wherein the vestibule diaphragm frame is fixed to the passageway opening frame with a crushable energy absorption member intervened between the vestibule diaphragm frame and the passageway opening frame in the longitudinal direction of the railroad vehicle body.

Further, the passageway opening frame with a coffision energy absorption structure according to the present invention comprises a metallic shape member manufactured via integral molding; and a plurality of energy absorption members arranged along a longitudinal direction of the shape member and separated from each other; wherein the shape member equipped with the energy absorption members is arranged along a peripheral edge of a passageway opening formed to a car end section in the longitudinal direction of a railroad vehicle.

Moreover, the collision energy absorption structure according to the present invention comprises an energy absorption member intervened between a passageway opening frame and a metallic vestibule diaphragm frame applied to the passageway opening frame, wherein when the railroad vehicle coffides against an obstacle, the energy absorption member is crushed to absorb collision energy.

[Advantageous Effects of Invention] [00151 According to the coffision energy absorption structure, the passageway opening frame with the coffision energy absorption structure, and a railroad vehicle of the present invention, the space within the passageway opening frame which had not been used in the prior art is utilized as the location for disposing the coffision energy absorption structure, so that the coffision energy absorption structure requires smaller space for installation. Further, since the coffision energy absorption structure can be arranged in a pianar shape along the peripheral edge of the passage frame, the occurrence of buckling of the whole energy absorption device as according to the prior art can be suppressed, and a coffision energy absorption structure, a passageway opening frame and a railroad vehicle capable of absorbing sufficient coffision energy and having high reliability can be provided while preventing the occurrence of damage of the members constituting the cabin space.

[Brief Description of Drawingsl

[00161 [Fig. i] Fig. 1 is a pattern diagram ifiustrating an example of a railroad vehicle having a vestibule diaphragm formed on an end structure.

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a pattern diagram showing an A-A cross-section of the railroad vehicle illustrated in Fig. 1, seen from a car end side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of section B of Fig. 2, ifiustrating the structure of a passageway opening frame in a collision energy absorption structure of Embodiment 1.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a view ifiustrating a state in which a vestibule diaphragm frame is mounted to the passageway opening frame shown in Fig. 3.

[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at C-C of Fig. 2, ifiustrating the details of a method for joining the vestibule diaphragm frame to the passageway opening frame.

[Fig. 6] Fig 6 is a view ifiustrating a method for absorbing energy according to the coffision energy absorption structure of Embodiment 1.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 2.

[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a load history during collision of the coffision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 2.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view ifiustrating a collapse margin of energy absorption members in a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 3.

[Fig. 101 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view ifiustrating a method for joining the vestibule diaphragm frame and the passageway opening frame in a coffision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 4.

[Fig. 111 Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view ifiustrating a method for joining the vestibule diaphragm frame and the passageway opening frame in a coffision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 5.

[Fig. 121 Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method for joining the vestibule diaphragm frame and the passageway opening frame in a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 6.

[Fig. 131 Fig. 13 is a pattern diagram illustrating an example of Embodiment 7 in which energy absorption members are arranged in a dispersed manner on the railroad vehicle.

[Description of Embodimentsl

[00171 Now, one example of a railroad vehicle with a coffision energy absorption structure provided in a passage opening according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[00181 Fig. 1 is a pattern diagram illustrating one example of railroad vehicle having a vestibule diaphragm disposed on an end structure. A railroad vehicle structure 1 is formed of an underframe 2 constituting a floor surface, a roof structure 3 constituting a roof, side structures 4 (only one side of which is ifiustrated) connecting the underframe 2 and the roof structure 3 and constituting left and right walls in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and end structures 5 (only one of which is fflustrated that are surrounded by the underframe 2, the roof structure 3 and the side structures 4 and constituting planes that close both ends of the vehicle at the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Openings for windows and doors are formed on the side structures 4.

An opening section is formed at a center area of each end structure as an entrance to a gangway through which crews and passengers move from one car to an adjacent car. The gangway is formed inside a flexible, accordion-shaped vestibule diaphragm 60. The vestibule diaphragm 60 is attached via one of the vestibule diaphragm frames 70 to an outer side of the vehicle of the end structure 5, and is attached via the other vestibule diaphragm frame 70 to an adjacent car.

[00191 Fig. 2 is a pattern diagram in which a cross-section taken at A-A of the railroad vehicle shown in Fig. 1 is seen from the end side of the vehicle toward the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A passageway opening 6 as an entrance to the gangway through which crews and passengers move from one car to another is disposed at a center of the end structure 5, and the passageway opening 6 is surrounded by a passageway opening frame 50 having a rectangular structure composed of vertical columns 52 and 52 that are erected from longitudinal end portions of the underframe 2, an upper horizontal column 54 connecting the upper ends of the two vertical columns 52 and 52, and a lower horizontal column 56 alTanged above the underframe 2 at the longitudinal end thereof.

[00201 The vestibule diaphragm 60 ifiustrated in Fig. 1 is connected to the vestibule diaphragm frame 70, and by attaching the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 to the passageway opening frame 50 (refer to Fig. 2), the vestibule diaphragm 60 is attached to the car end of the railroad vehicle structure 1, and a gangway is formed in the interior thereof.

<Embodiment 1> [00211 Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of section B of Fig. 2, showing a structure of a passageway opening frame of a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 1. A passageway opening frame 50 according to the present invention is a member composed of one bottom panel 102 and two side panels 104, which is a shape member having a channel-like groove with an opening formed on one side of a member having a square cross section, composed of the single bottom panel 102 and two side panels 104 and 104. The opening of the shape member is opened toward the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, that is, toward the vestibule diaphragm frame 70. The coffision energy absorption structure characterizes in adopting a structure in which energy absorption members 110 that absorb energy through plastic deformation are arranged to fit within the shape member and separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the member so as to create a collapse margin 130A between adjacent energy absorption members 110 and 110. The collapse margin 130A is the amount of deformation of the energy absorption member when bulging in the direction crossing the crushing direction when it is collapsed by the crushing effect that is caused when the railroad vehicle coffides against an obstacle.

[00221 The above-described passageway opening frame 50 is arranged so that it runs along the whole peripheral edge of the passageway opening 6 disposed on the end structure 5 ifiustrated in Fig. 2.

[00231 Fig. 4 is a view ifiustrating a state where a vestibule diaphragm frame is attached to a passageway opening frame ifiustrated in Fig. 3. A collision energy absorption structure 10 is formed by attaching the vestibule diaphragm a frame 70 to the passageway opening frame 50 via energy absorption members using fastening parts 120A.

[00241 Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at line C-C of Fig. 2, which illustrates the details of the method for attaching the vestibule diaphragm frame to the passageway opening frame. The fastening part 120A penetrates the energy absorption member 110 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70, and secures these components to the passageway opening frame 50. A face plate out of the face plates constituting the passageway opening frame 50, the energy absorption member 110 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 which is perpendicular to the crushing direction (longitudinal direction of the fastening part 120A) has a hole formed thereto through which the passing the fastening part 120A passes. The energy absorption behavior of the energy absorption member 110 depends on the deformation behavior of the plane extending in parallel with the crushing direction, so that the hole through which the fastening part 120A is passed (which is not screw-engaged with the fastening part 120A) does not have much influence on the energy absorption behavior.

Further, since the energy absorption member 110 is crushed in a form guided by the side panels 104 and 104 and the fastening part 120A composing the passageway opening frame 50, coffision energy can be absorbed efficiently.

Furthermore, when force acts on the passageway opening frame 50 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 in a direction separating the two members, drag (force puiJing together the passageway opening frame 50 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 so that they are not separated) occurs against the force to the fastening part 120A by the operation of a head portion, but when force acts on the direction pushing the passageway opening frame 50 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 together, drag will not occur. That is, when the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 compresses the energy absorption member 110, no drag occurs against the compression load to the fastening part 120A. Therefore, the fastening part 120A will not block absorption of collision energy by the energy absorption member 110.

[00251 The cross-sectional shape of the energy absorption member 110 is composed of a frame and a grid, but the ifiustrated shape is merely an example, and any arbitrary shape can be adopted as long as it realizes a deformation behavior of a plane parallel to the crushing direction. If the energy absorption member is formed by extrusion molding, the direction in which the member is pushed can be either parallel with or perpendicular to the crushing direction.

[00261 Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the method for absorbing collision energy by the coffision energy absorption structure 10 shown in Fig. 4. When the railroad vehicle experiences coffision, at first, the vestibule diaphragm is crushed between cars, and when the vestibule diaphragm is completely crushed, the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is pushed inward (to the inner side) of the passageway opening frame 50 in such a manner that the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is guided by the side panels 104 and 104 composing the passageway opening frame 50, as shown in Fig. 6. In this process, coffision energy is absorbed by the energy absorption members 110 being crushed, so that energy can surely be absorbed reliably without having the joint surfaces of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the energy absorption member 110 displaced during energy absorption.

[00271 At the same time, since the energy absorption member 110 disposed along the peripheral edge of the passageway opening 6 is arranged in a planar shape, the occurrence of whole budding of the energy absorption member 110 can be suppressed compared to the case where the energy absorption member is disposed linearly along the width direction of the railroad vehicle, and a determined amount of energy can be absorbed thereby. That is, since a plurality of energy absorption members 110 having a short length are arranged in the crushing direction and in an annular shape along the peripheral edge of the passageway opening 6, whole buckling wiJi not occur easily to the energy absorption members 110.

<Embodiment 2> [00281 Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is a view illustrating the load history during coffision of the coffision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 2.

The passageway opening frame 50 of the coffision energy absorption structure is composed of a single bottom panel 102 and two side panels 104 and 104, and the cross-section formed by the bottom panel 102 and side panels 104 and 104 is shaped so that an opening is formed to one side of a rectangle shape. The opening of the shape member is opened toward the direction of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70. The coffision energy absorption structure absorbs energy by the plastic deformation of the energy absorption members 110, and characterizes in having an arrangement where energy absorption members 110 having different sizes in the thickness direction are fitted to the inner side of the shape member and arranged so as to be separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the shape member with collapse margins 130A formed therebetween.

[00291 A difference t of the thickness size (length in the crushing direction) of the energy absorption members 110 is set variously, so that dunng absorption of energy, the energy absorption member having a greater thickness (the upper member 110 in the ifiustrated example) is compressed first by the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 (refer to Fig. 6) and experiences plastic deformation, and thereafter, the energy absorption members having smaller thicknesses (the lower member 110 in the ifiustrated example) are sequentially compressed thereafter by the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and experiences plastic deformation. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8, the initial peak load during deformation of the energy absorption members can be reduced significantly, as shown by the load -deformation line (broken line) of the coffision energy absorption structure according to the present invention, compared to the loadS deformation line (solid line) of the prior art coffision energy absorption structure.

<Embodiment 3> [00301 Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a collapse margin of the energy absorption member in a coffision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 3. A coffision energy absorption structure 10 ifiustrated in Fig. 9 has a cross-sectional shape in which collapse margins 130B of energy absorption members 110 are disposed in a width direction of the passageway opening frame 50. By forming the collapse margins 130B in the width direction of the passageway opening frame 50, there is no need to fit the passageway opening frame 50 and the energy absorption member 110 during assembly of the collision energy absorption structure 10, and the tolerance of size of the energy absorption members 110 can be set high, so that the creation of the energy absorption member is facilitated.

<Embodiment 4> [00311 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view ifiustrating the method for joining a vestibule diaphragm frame to a passageway opening frame in a collision energy absorption structure according to Embodiment 4. As shown in the cross-sectional view, a collision energy absorption structure 10 illustrated in Fig. 10 has a vestibule diaphragm frame 70 composed of a base section 71 arranged substantially in parallel with an end structure 5, and an extended section 72 extending in the longitudinal direction of the railroad vehicle from one end in the width direction of the base section 71, wherein the horizontal cross-sectional shape thereof is substantially L-shaped. The extended section 72 of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is disposed at a position biased toward the passageway opening 6, and an energy absorption section 110 is arranged in a space surrounded by the passageway opening frame 50 and a concaved surface of the substantially L-shaped cross-section composed of the base section 71 and the extended section 72 of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70.

In Embodiment 4, the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 has a substantially L shaped cross-section, but the passageway opening frame 50 can have a substantially L-shaped cross-section instead.

[00321 When the railroad vehicle experiences coffision, at first, the vestibule diaphragm 60 is collapsed between cars, and when the vestibule diaphragm 60 is completely collapsed, the extended section 72 of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 crushes the energy absorption member 110 in a form guided by the surface constituting the passageway opening 6 of the passageway opening frame 50. According to this arrangement, the energy absorption members 110 can be crushed efficiently without having the joint surface between the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the energy absorption member 110 displaced, so that the energy absorption structure 10 can absorb coffision energy reliably. Since the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is guided more reliably by the passageway opening frame 50 during absorption of collision energy, the leading end of the extended section 72 of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 can be protruded toward the longitudinal direction of the vehicle for length 6, so as to overlap the same with the passageway opening frame 50.

According to the above arrangement, when shear force is applied on the fastening part 120A between the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the passageway opening frame 50, such as when the railroad vehicle experiences coffision when it is traveiiing on a curved track, since the extended section 72 of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the passageway opening frame 50 support each other in the area of initial penetration quantity 6, coffision energy can be absorbed reliably without having the joint surfaces between the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the energy absorption member 110 displaced.

[00331 Further according to the above arrangement, the energy absorption structure 10 has an energy absorption member 110 disposed on the inner side of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70, and there is no need to dispose an opening (refer to Fig. 3) in the cross-section of the passageway opening frame 50. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a passageway opening frame 50 having a high flexural rigidity, so that the thickness of other components constituting the railroad vehicle structure 1 can be reduced, and the weight of the vehicle can be reduced. However, so as not to have the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 come in contact with the end structure 5 and damage the end structure 5 during crushing of the energy absorption members 110, it is desirable that the cross-sectional shape of the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is designed to prevent contact with the end structure 5, such as by preventing the frame 70 from being overlapped with the end structure 5 in the crushing direction, as shown in Fig. 11. The vestibule diaphragm frame 70 ifiustrated in Fig. 10 has a wall section on the side facing the passageway opening 6 50 that the energy absorption member 110 is not visible from the passageway opening 6, but it is not necessary to provide such wall section, and in such case, the passageway opening 6 can be widened corresponding to the thickness of the wall section.

<Embodiment 5> [00341 Fig. 11 illustrates a collision energy absorption structure 10 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention, adopting a cross-sectional shape in which a vestibule diaphragm frame 70 is joined via a fastening part 120A while being inserted to an inner side of a passageway opening frame 50 in advance initial penetration quantity: th. By having the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 inserted to the inner side of the passageway opening frame 50 from the opening section of the frame 50, even when shear force acts on the fastening part 120A between the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the passageway opening frame 50, when coffision occurs to the vehicle traveling on a curved track, for example, the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the passageway opening frame 50 support each other in the area of the initial penetration quantity 6, and coffision energy can be absorbed reliably without having the joint surfaces between the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the energy absorption member 110 displaced.

<Embodiment 6> [00351 Fig. 12 ifiustrates a collision energy absorption structure 10 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention, adopting a cross-sectional shape in which fastening parts 120A join an energy absorption member 110 and a bottom panel of a passageway opening frame 50, and join the energy absorption member 110 and the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 without penetrating the energy absorption member 110. Each fastening part 120A is securely joined to the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 or the passageway opening frame 50 via screw-engagement. Since the energy absorption member is joined respectively to the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 and the passageway opening frame 50, the engagement force of the fastening parts 120A can be enhanced compared to the coffision energy absorption structures according to embodiments 1 through 5, so that the passageway opening adopting the present coffision energy absorption structure has higher reliability than the passageway opening adopting the coffision energy absorption structures according to embodiments 1 through 5.

<Embodiment 7> [00361 The embodiment ifiustrated in Fig. 13 as Embodiment 7 of the present invention has the coffision energy absorption structure ifiustrated in any one of Embodiments 1 through 6 disposed on a car end section in the longitudinal direction of the railroad vehicle. Thereby, the passageway opening frame can have both the function for constituting the passageway opening and the function for absorbing the coffision energy, and the coffision energy absorption structure can be arranged in smaller areas, so that the cabin space can be increased and the freedom of design of the vehicle can be enhanced. Further, since a plurality of energy absorption members 110 having a short length are disposed discretely around the peripheral edge of the passageway opening Gin the crushing direction, it has an advantageous characteristic that whole buckling hardly occurs to the energy absorption members 110.

[00371 According to the railroad vehicle ifiustrated in Embodiment 7, the number and positions of energy absorption members 110 arranged along the passageway opening frame 50 are controlled, so that sufficient energy can be absorbed while preventing the occurrence of damage of members constituting the structural body having smaller rigidity or strength in the railroad vehicle.

For example, in Fig. 13, if the underframe 2 or the side structure 4 has a higher strength or rigidity than the roof structure 3, greater number of energy absorption members 110 are arranged on the lower side of the vertical columns 52 and 52 or the lower horizontal column 56 than on the upper side of the vertical columns 52 and 52 or the upper horizontal column 54. By having the energy absorption members 110 arranged highly densely on the lower area of the end structure, coffision energy can be absorbed in the state having a high load applied on the underframe 2 or the side structure 4 than on the roof structure 3, and sufficient coffision energy can be absorbed while preventing the occurrence of damage to the members constituting the roof structure 3.

[00381 According to the ifiustrated embodiments, no member is disposed in the inner space of the energy absorption members, but in another example, a member absorbing energy can be arranged therein. For example, it is possible to further increase the amount of energy absorption by arranging foamed aluminum or honeycomb panels therein.

[00391 The passageway opening frame mentioned above adopts a cross-sectional shape having a portion of the surface panel constituting the rectangle removed, but it can also adopt a round or oval cross-sectional shape with a curved surface panel, with a portion of the surface panel facing the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 removed to form an opening, so that the whole cross-sectional shape is C-shaped, or with two opposing sides in the width direction of the square formed into a chevron to create a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, with a portion of the surface panel facing the vestibule diaphragm frame 70 removed to form an opening, so that the whole cross-sectional shape is substantially C-shaped.

[00401 The passageway opening frame mentioned above can be created by extrusion processing, so that it has advantages such as facilitated fabrication and high reliability.

[00411 When minor collision occurs, it is merely necessary to exchange the energy absorption members and the fastening parts according to the coffision energy absorption structure described above, so that maintenance is advantageously simplified.

[00421 The coffision energy absorption structure mentioned above can be realized by changing the shape of the frame member constituting the passageway opening frame or the vestibule diaphragm frame in the member constituting the railroad vehicle structural body, so that it has an advantage of not requiring a major remodeling of the railroad vehicle body.

[00431 The application of coffision energy absorption structure according to the present invention is not restricted to railroad vehicles, and can include new transportation systems or monorails having multiple cars connected for operation.

[Reference Signs Listi [00441 1 Railroad vehicle body 2 Underframe 3 Rood structure 4 Side structure End structure 6 Passageway opening Collision energy absorption structure Passageway opening frame 52 Vertical column 54 Upper horizontal column 56 Lower horizontal column Vestibule diaphragm Vestibule diaphragm frame 71 Base section 72 Extended section 102 Bottom panel 104 Side panel Energy absorption member 120A, 120B Fastening part 130A, 130B Collapse margin of energy absorption member 110