Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Passenger bus body
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-16
2004-02-24
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Passenger bus body
C296S203010, C296S029000, C403S256000, C256S059000, C105S397000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06695389
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a framework, in particular a structural frame of a superstructure for a vehicle, in particular for rail or road bound vehicles for passenger transport, having a side-wall structure containing an inner side facing the interior of the vehicle superstructure and an outer side facing outwards and longitudinal sections and vertical sections forming cross-like connecting places.
As a rule, the side-wall structures of above mentioned vehicle superstructures are made up of sections that run in the longitudinal and vertical directions and are joined together at their—usually cross-like connecting places by means of welding, bolting or riveting. By longitudinally oriented sections, hereinafter referred to as longitudinal sections, are meant in particular longitudinal profiled rods, parapet sections and strut-shaped sections such as floor struts, base struts, roof and middle struts. By vertically oriented sections, hereinafter referred to as vertical sections are meant in particular profile rods, profile posts such a door posts, vertical columns such as side-wall columns and window posts. The window posts are situated in the region of the window glazing and divide the window front into segments or areas. The door posts serve the purpose of delimiting the sides of the entry openings in the side-wall structure.
Superstructures for omnibuses and motor buses of the conventional kind mainly exhibit a structural frame which is flush with its outer contour, onto which outer cladding elements such as aprons and blinds and the glazing of the window areas are mounted. In the present description, by “outer side” is meant lying or arranged towards the outside of the superstructure and by “inner side” is meant lying or arranged towards the inner side of the superstructure.
The above mentioned longitudinal and vertical sections in the side-wall structure are structural elements of the vehicle superstructure. They contribute significantly to the rigidity and strength of the superstructure. The requirements made of the mechanical properties of the connecting places or joints between the longitudinal and vertical sections are, therefore, also accordingly high.
Conventional side-wall structures contain as a rule roof struts running in the region of the roof, floor struts or base struts running in the region of the floor, and vertical side-wall posts. Further, in order to reinforce the superstructure, the side-wall structures also contain longitudinal sections such as middle-strut sections or parapet sections between the floor struts and the roof struts.
The longitudinal and vertical sections of the side-wall structure normally lie flush on the outside in a plane, the so called side-wall plane. The connections between the longitudinal and vertical sections are therefore as a rule cross-like in shape i.e. one section is always interrupted at the connection and lies head on with the un-interrupted crossing section. Both sections are screwed or welded together e.g. by means of corner connecting pieces.
In a first known version of side-wall structure the longitudinal sections viz., the roof, central and floor struts at the joints made with the vertical sections, namely the wall columns, are in the form of continuous longitudinal sections which are interrupted only at the openings for the doors. Each of the vertical sections is interrupted at the joining places, and lie head-on in contact with a long side of the longitudinal sections and are screwed or welded to these by means of corner connecting pieces.
Also known are side-wall structures in which the vertical sections are continuous and, at the cross-like joints, the longitudinal sections are in the form of interrupted sections. In that case the ends of the lengths of longitudinal sections lie head-on against a long side of the vertical sections and are joined by screwing or welding to them with the aid of corner connecting pieces.
Further side-wall structures are known in which both the longitudinal and vertical sections are continuous at the cross-like joints, whereby in that version the vertical sections run behind the longitudinal sections on the inside. That side-wall structure, however, does not form a flush plane on the outside and if repairs are necessary, the vertical sections have to be dismantled from their crossed position at the back—a complicated, expensive process. It has also been found that such side-wall structures have excessively thick walls which, for legal reasons regarding maximum overall vehicle width and minimum interior width of vehicle, are difficult to realise.
Also known are side-wall structures in which cross-like connections are made between longitudinal and vertical sections, both of which are continuous and feature interruptions in the form of machined-out recesses. These recesses, however, require additional fabrication steps and therefore complicate the production process.
The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle construction having a side-wall structure that is characterised by way of good strength and rigidity, great ease of assembly and repair, and large freedom in design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing object is achieved by way of the invention in that, at one several or all cross-like connecting places between longitudinal and vertical sections, the longitudinal section is continuous and the longitudinal section crosses behind the vertical section on the inside at least in part and is releasably attached to the vertical section and, for the purpose of releasable connection of the longitudinal section to the vertical section, the longitudinal section contains at least one undercut longitudinal groove.
In the present description “cross-like” means that both sections cross at an angle which is preferably but not essentially 90° or about 90° (degrees of angle). The sections may also cross each other at an angle (smaller angle) e.g. of 45°-90°. It is self explanatory that the vertical sections in this context need not be, but are preferably, vertical to the horizontal, and the longitudinal sections need not be, but are preferably, horizontal. The vertical sections may e.g. arranged away from the vertical by an angle of up to 45°, and the longitudinal sections may likewise be arranged away from the horizontal by an angle of up to 45°.
In the present description “crossing at the back” means that the section in question runs without interruption i.e. continuously behind the other section it crosses.
The longitudinal section or sections preferably contain one, two or more parallel undercut longitudinal grooves or C-shaped undercut grooves situated on the outside and running in the longitudinal direction of the section, whereby the undercut groove or the vertical section or sections cross at the back at the cross-like connecting places and rest against the inner face of the vertical section or sections. The mentioned longitudinal grooves serve the purpose of releasable connection to the vertical section. If two or more of the longitudinal grooves are foreseen in the longitudinal section, then it is possible to achieve higher strength and rigidity in the joint. In the present description “longitudinal” grooves means grooves running in the longitudinal direction of the section and advantageously running parallel to its sides.
At the said cross-like connecting place the longitudinal section and the vertical section are joined together, preferably by means of one or more screw-type connections, whereby the screw-type connection comprises a screw which passes through the vertical section or a connecting element and engages the threaded hole in an insert introduced into the undercut longitudinal groove of a longitudinal section. When the screw has been tightened, the insert engages in a clamping manner behind the undercut groove thereby fixing the vertical section to the longitudinal section.
In this version—and in all of the following versions and further developments thereof according to the invention which employ the above mentioned insert—the
Dallo Gino
Streiff Samuel
Alcan Technology & Management Ltd.
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia L.
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