The trend towards mega cities continues, with the result that more and more people have to be transported by rail. The vehicles for high-speed trains, local passenger trains, electric tramways and driverless subways all have one thing in common: their requirement profiles include a demand to convey people as quickly and reliably as possible. In modern rail vehicles, there is also increasing attention being given to the energy expenditures. The idea is to minimise the moved mass by utilising lightweight construction as much as possible.
The vehicles are constructed modularly in order to make it possible to manufacture and test individual sub-assemblies separately and then to be able to exchange these quickly and simply for maintenance or upgrading and modernisation purposes. As a result, more and more interfaces for these sub-assemblies and modules are being given pluggable designs. This minimises the life-cycle costs (LCC) which benefits the operator.
A modern connector must consequently fulfil an extremely wide range of requirements. The reliable contact transfer and power transmission during a long life in harsh environments, with the most compact and lightweight construction possible and with a high level of operator comfort are just a few of these requirements.
The general idea behind such a high-current connector inevitably includes a certain number of solid contacts that are enclosed in a robust aluminium housing. These solutions are well-known and useful, and consequently are used successfully in vehicles. Due to the protective housing of these components, however, the design continually reaches limits with regard to the contacts that can be implemented. Harting now offers a completely new additional series, the Han HC Individual. This connector expands the possible arrangements of high-current interfaces substantially. The central idea is based on high-current insulator inserts that are locked separately into a universal aluminium rail. Each contact pair is sealed individually and, when combined with the connection-side threaded joint, offers IP 66/67 protection in accordance with IEC 60 529. Up to six contacts can be strung together individually and without special tools in a very simple and quick process.
The locking with opening aid
In rail applications, high stress levels, due to environmental influences and shock and vibration, must always be expected. In order to avoid malfunctions during operation, the components must fulfil the pertinent railway-specific requirements in accordance with DIN 61373. The Han HC Individual satisfies the demanding Category 2 in this regard, which allows attachment to the bogie. The locking also has a modular design, which means that users can choose the number of locking elements depending on the application requirements. These are made out of light aluminium and are screwed together to the aluminium rail. One of the special highlights is the integrated and exchangeable stainless steel guide bolts that protect the insulator insert from damages while conveniently supporting the insertion process during handling with large cable cross-sections. Because the lever system pushes the connector halves apart during opening, the activation and separation forces in this family are especially small, with forces less than 50 N.
Stackable contact arrangement
Besides extending the contact arrangement along the fixing rail, the connectors also allow layers to be placed one on top of the other. The result is a power interface with a large number of pins in the most compact space. This stacking does not require any additional components, because the locators of the locking elements can be rotated by 180° to connect two levels to each other. The use of materials such as aluminium and plastic makes the product light, but without creating obstacles to outdoor utilisation.
If the installation situation, such as on a vehicle floor, makes additional protection necessary, an aluminium plate can optionally be added to protect the insulator insert from impact and flying stones. The plastic elements are tested for resistance to environmental influences such as ozone, hydraulic oil, and acidic and base materials. They furthermore exhibit good flame protection levels, such as F2/I3 in accordance with NFF 16 101/102.
The Han HC Individual series is a technological extension of the Han HC 350 contact inserts for transmitting high currents by means of individual contact arrangement. Thanks to this new technology, the product family is qualified for individual interface formation in rail applications in the areas of the car-to-car transition points, traction motors and power converters.
For more information contact Errol Mann, Harting South Africa, +27 (0)11 575 0017, [email protected], www.harting.co.za
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