DAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR A RAIL VEHICLE

The present invention relates to a damper arrangement for a rail vehicle (101), in particular, a light rail vehicle, comprising a damper unit (106), wherein the damper unit (106) comprises a piston unit (106.1) and a cylinder unit (106.2) defining an axial direction and a radial direction. The cylinder unit (106.2) comprises a sealingly closed working chamber (106.3) filled with a damping fluid (107) and axially slidably receiving a piston element of the piston unit (106.1), wherein the piston element separates the working chamber (106.3) in a first space (106.5) and a second space (106.6). The piston unit (106.1) has a first interface part (106.7) forming a first interface of the damper unit (106) to a first vehicle component (102.1) of the rail vehicle and facing away from the cylinder unit (106.2). The cylinder unit (106.2) has a second interface part (106.8) forming a second interface of the damper unit (106) to a second vehicle component (102.1) of the rail vehicle and facing away from the piston unit (106.1). A damper support unit (108) supports the damper unit (106), wherein the damper unit (106) is configured to provide a damping force damping a relative motion between a third vehicle component (103.4) connected to the damper support unit (108) and at least one of the first vehicle component (102.1) and the second vehicle component (102.1) along the axial direction. The damper support unit (108) restricts motion of the piston unit (106.1) with respect to the damper support unit (108) in a first direction along the axial direction while allowing motion of the piston unit (106.1) in an opposite second direction along the axial direction. The damper support unit (108) restricts motion of the cylinder unit (106.2) with respect to the damper support unit (108) in the second direction while allowing motion of the cylinder unit (106.2) in the first direction. The piston element (106.4) defines a radial gap (G) with respect to the cylinder unit (106.2) in the radial direction, the radial gap (G) restricting flow of the damping medium between the first space (106.5) and the second space (106.6) in order to provide a defined dynamic characteristic of the damping force which is dependent on a speed of a relative motion between of the piston element (106.4) and the cylinder unit (106.2) along the axial direction.