Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-07
2004-04-20
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S492000, C280S494000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722685
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority from German Application No. 101 15 767.3-21 filed Mar. 29, 2001, from European Patent Application No. 02001780.2 filed on Jan. 25, 2002 and from European Patent Application 02002159.8 filed on Jan. 29, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a joint between two vehicles or vehicle parts such as an articulated bus or a railcar for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Joints between two vehicles or vehicle parts, in an articulated bus for example, are notoriously well known. A central joint in the form of a buckle joint is thereby provided, its central axle being arranged in the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The vehicle buckles about this axle when threading a curve.
The shortcoming of the known buckle joints is that the two vehicles or vehicle parts need to be separated by a distance of approximately 1,600 mm on account of the extension of the joint. As the space the joint occupies between the two vehicles or vehicle parts is in principle of limited use only, there is an interest in minimizing the distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts in order to possibly accommodate another row of seats in the vehicles or vehicle parts.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is therefore to provide a joint, more specifically a buckle joint, that permits to reduce the distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts that are joined together by way of said joint as compared to a conventional buckle joint.
To achieve this object and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, a first variant suggests to provide the joint with at least two joint members that are held apart from the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle and with at least one, preferably two joint arms that is/are carried so as to be capable of rotating about the two joint members. In the simplest case i.e., in an embodiment with two joint members and one joint arm, the joint arm, depending on the direction of the curve, alternatively rotates about the axle of the one or of the other joint member in a way similar to that of a swinging door. It has thereby to be made certain that the respective one of the joint members that is not in operation is fixed.
In dividing a central buckle joint into two joint members which have one pivot each and are located outside the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle i.e., to the side of the vehicle, the distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts in the region of the joint is reduced. More specifically, the distance of heretofore 1,600 mm may be reduced to less than 1,100 mm, so that another row of seats may be arranged in one of the vehicles or vehicle parts. Another advantage is that the bellows may be shortened to about half its length due to the reduced distance between the vehicles, which is particularly advantageous with regard to cost since the central frame that serves as a stabilizing element may be dispensed with. Another advantage is that the change in the kinematics that was occasioned by the division into two joint members causes the bellows to be only slightly displaced transversely, which results in an improved durability of the bellows. From a constructional point of view, splitting the prior art central buckle joint into two joint members that are held apart from the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle causes the one or the other joint to be activated depending on the curve the vehicle has to thread. By virtue of the reduced length when traveling around a curve, the bellows bulges less, more particularly downward, because it may be of a more rigid configuration as it is only slightly displaced transversely. Inasmuch, busses with little road clearance (low-platform busses) may also be built with such a joint or bellows.
Further advantageous embodiments and features of this variant will become apparent in the subordinate claims.
In a first embodiment with two joint arms, it is for example particularly advantageous that each vehicle or vehicle part be provided with a bearing bracket, each of the bearing brackets receiving a joint arm. Said joint arm is thereby rotatably connected to the bearing bracket. To attach the joint to the vehicle by means of bearing brackets has the advantage that the joint may be inserted between the two vehicles or vehicle parts as an entity so to speak.
Furthermore, the bearing brackets are advantageously flush on the vehicles or vehicle parts i.e., they are arranged on the same height in an effort to prevent vertical moments from being brought into the vehicles or vehicle parts.
To minimize the height of the joint as a whole, the two joint arms are arranged, according to another feature, above and beneath the corresponding bearing bracket.
To prevent the joint from not being activated when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the two joint arms are non-rotatably linked to the corresponding bearing bracket in the joint member in the region of their respective pivot. This also means that, when threading a curve, the corresponding joint arms are alternatively rotatably linked to the one or to the other bearing bracket, stopping or locking of the respective one of the joint members depending on the curve that has to be threaded. More specifically and to prevent rotation, at least one bolt is provided for connecting at least one joint member to the respective one of the bearing brackets.
As the two joint arms are joined together, the bolt must take hold of both the one and the other joint member in order to fixate the one joint in such a manner that it cannot rotate.
According to another advantageous feature, the one bearing bracket may be linked to the vehicle or vehicle part in such a manner as to be vertically pivotal which permits the vehicle to travel through depressions or drive over hilltops.
According to a second and third embodiment, the solution in accordance with the invention is that the joint members that are held apart from the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle may be slidably received by the one vehicle or vehicle part across the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the two joint arms being connected by their other end to the other vehicle or vehicle part by means of a swivel joint that is arranged in the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle. This clearly shows that the buckling movement is performed in two stages. On the one hand the connection of the joint members to the other vehicle or vehicle part by means of a swivel joint arranged in the central longitudinal axis permits a certain buckling angle, preferably a buckling angle of up to 15°. If the buckling angle needs to be higher, which is for example the case when such a bus must travel around sharp curves, one of the joint members is displaced across the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle, thus enlarging the buckling angle. For, depending on the curve that is threaded, the one joint member, with a vertically oriented axle for example, that holds the one joint arm is caused to move toward the other joint member with the other joint arm. The joint arm hereby oscillates about the corresponding joint member. This means that the distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts increases on the outer side of the curve, the extent of the increase of said distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts being dimensioned in function of the capability of the joint member that holds the joint arm of moving toward the other joint arm. How much the distance between the two vehicles or vehicle parts increases additionally depends on the length of the joint arms.
This buckling in two stages bases on the finding that in 90% of the driving time of an articulated bus the maximum buckling angle to be realized is of only 15°. Merely exceptional cases require greater buckling angles and it was found out that buckling angles never exceed 26°. The angle of 26° also corresponds, by the way, to the maximum buckling angle of a prior art joint.
It was found that the distance between the two ve
Gumpert Horst Joachim
Karasek Jens
Koch Robert
Hubner GmbH
Lum L.
Morris Lesley D.
Vigil Thomas R.
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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