U.S. patent application number 13/343442 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-28 for bus cabin structure.
Invention is credited to Paul Cantin, Tomasz Cychowski, Kristopher Egilson, Jordan Fast, Andrew Kerr, Glen Naylor.
Application Number | 20120161469 13/343442 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40930929 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120161469 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kerr; Andrew ; et
al. |
June 28, 2012 |
BUS CABIN STRUCTURE
Abstract
Bus cabin structures including improved configurations of
floors, passenger aisles and steps, interior roofs or ceilings, and
door frames.
Inventors: |
Kerr; Andrew; (US) ;
Naylor; Glen; (US) ; Cantin; Paul; (Lorette,
CA) ; Cychowski; Tomasz; (Winnipeg, CA) ;
Egilson; Kristopher; (Winnipeg, CA) ; Fast;
Jordan; (Winnipeg, CA) |
Family ID: |
40930929 |
Appl. No.: |
13/343442 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12365769 |
Feb 4, 2009 |
8109551 |
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13343442 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 31/02 20130101;
B62D 47/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/178 |
International
Class: |
B62D 31/02 20060101
B62D031/02 |
Claims
1.-17. (canceled)
18. A bus cabin structure having a curbside wall including at least
one door frame comprising a plurality of substantially vertical
door posts, and a substantially horizontal door header with rounded
top corners merging the header and door posts in a continuously
formed inverted U-shape.
19. A bus cabin structure according to claim 18 wherein: the
plurality of substantially vertical door posts, and the
substantially horizontal door header comprise a tubular steel
structural section.
20.-26. (canceled)
27. The bus cabin structure of claim 18, the curbside wall
comprising a plurality of said door frames.
28. The bus cabin structure of claim 19, the tubular steel
structural section being non-circular in section.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to floor and ceiling structures for
transit buses and other vehicles. In particular, the invention
relates to bus cabin structures having lower floors and upper
floors, with transition floor modules therebetween, the transition
modules having central aisles with recessed steps and angled front
walls.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
[0002] The invention relates to cabin structures for vehicles, such
cabins as used in wheelchair-accessible and other transit bus
cabins. To allow access by passengers in wheelchairs, and disabled,
elderly, or other passengers who have difficulty with stairs,
including for example passengers with wheeled baby carriages or
wheeled carrying devices, buses are commonly designed with a lower
front floor section.
[0003] Such floors may be made increasingly accessible when the bus
stops by, for example, operating "kneeling" front suspension or
lateral tipping suspension mechanisms to bring the floor adjacent
the front and rear doors closer to the exterior curb elevation.
Extendable ramps or lifts are also commonly used to enable wheeled
access between external sidewalk surfaces and the lower, usually
forward, floor of the bus cabin.
[0004] Such bus cabin floors often have front wheel wells and/or
other structures projecting significantly into the cabin, with a
central aisle extending axially along the bus between the front
wheel wells in buses with lower floors. The rear section of the bus
usually includes an upper floor section beneath which the engine
and other operating equipment is installed. A foot step can be used
to transition between the lower and upper floor sections. The upper
floor section is generally not accessible to wheelchairs or other
wheeled devices.
[0005] Due to the lower forward floor design, space for engine
machinery, fuel tanks, and other bulky equipment within the bus is
generally limited to beneath the rear upper floor. However, such
available space may be inadequate for certain bus
configurations.
[0006] The transition step between the lower and upper floor
sections is generally perpendicular to the central aisle extending
axially through the bus cabin. Wheelchairs, baby carriages and
other wheeled devices may collide or otherwise interfere with the
step and become difficult to redirect laterally out the rear doors.
Typically, wheelchair passengers and those with wheeled devices
such as baby carriages prefer to exit through the front doors due
to difficulty in navigating out the rear doors. This impedes entry
of passengers through the front doors and generally slows down
transit service as a result.
[0007] Features that distinguish the present invention from the
background art will be apparent from review of the disclosure,
drawings and description of the invention presented below.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In various aspects the invention provides a bus cabin
structure comprising: a floor with an axially extending central
aisle, the floor comprising: a lower floor section; and an upper
floor section rearward of the lower floor section; a roof, a
forward wall, a rear wall, curbside wall and driverside wall, each
of the walls extending between the floor and the roof, the curbside
wall including a rear door; wherein the floor includes a floor
transition module rearwardly adjacent the rear door joining the
lower floor section and the upper floor section together, a central
aisle section of the module including a recessed foot step, the
module having an upper surface aligned with the upper floor section
and a base aligned with the lower floor section, the module having
a front wall having a curbside portion rearward of a driverside
portion and an aisle portion between the curbside and driverside
portions disposed at a predetermined angle thereto.
[0009] Among other advantages, the transition floor module provides
increased space for bus equipment under the driverside portion
which extends forwardly relative to the curbside portion. The
angled aisle or step portion also increases the area of the step
which improves the footing of passengers climbing or descending on
steps in a moving vehicle, and also increases space for equipment
underneath. The increased space provided beneath the transition
module causes an equal reduction in space within the passenger
cabin; however, since seats can be mounted on the upper driverside
surface of the transition module, only under-seat space is reduced.
This space is not normally utilized in transit buses.
[0010] Further, the angled front wall of the transition floor
section provides an angled bumper to more easily redirect wheeled
devices laterally after colliding axially. The angled front wall
wheeled redirects devices toward the rear doors and reduces the
tendency for wheeled devices to become trapped in a right angle
corner after collision with the step. The reduced difficulty in
exiting through the rear doors, will encourage one-way flow of all
passengers from front to rear and therefore will improve the
overall efficiency of all passenger movements through the bus.
[0011] In further aspects, the invention provides floors for
transit buses and other vehicles, the forward portions of the lower
floor sections forward of the front wheel wells including a front
lateral aisle extending between a front door in the curbside wall
and the central aisle, the front lateral aisle including a
laterally downwardly sloping front ramp toward the front door.
[0012] In further aspects, the invention provides floors for
transit buses and other vehicles in which the forward floor portion
includes a transversely extending raised portion between the front
wheel wells having a top surface at a level above the lower floor
section, a forward ramp, and a rearward ramp, the forward and
rearward ramps extending between the raised portion and the forward
portion and the rearward portion of the lower floor section
respectively.
[0013] In further aspects the invention provides cabin structures
for transit buses and other vehicles, wherein the cabin roof upward
of the upper floor section comprises a rear roof section having a
central raised panel or other portion having an underside surface
disposed at a higher level than an underside surface of a forward
roof section.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In order that the invention may be readily understood, one
embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the
accompanying drawings.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a passenger
bus showing the general layout of lower front floor, upper rear
floor, ceiling panels, seats and stanchions mounted to the ceiling
rail.
[0016] FIG. 2 is an isometric schematic view from a top curbside
position showing a partial bus chassis frame with a bus cabin
structure having floor, roof, and partial vertical wall structures
with rear and front door frames.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an axial centerline sectional view through the bus
cabin structure of FIG. 2.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a floor plan view of the bus cabin structure shown
in FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 5 is an isometric detail view from showing details of
the transitional floor module of FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 6 is partial sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 1,
showing the rear roof section.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective elevation view of the rear
roof section along line 7-7 of FIG. 1.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 9 is an isometric detail view of the upper-rear front
door frame corner of FIG. 2.
[0024] Further details of the invention and its advantages will be
apparent from the detailed description included below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a passenger
bus to illustrate the layout of the interior passenger cabin, many
parts of which are commonly used and known to those skilled in the
art, so only a brief description is necessary. The bus is made
wheel chair accessible by having a lower front floor 11 and lower
thresholds for passenger exit and entrance doors (see door
locations 7, 8 in FIG. 2), with optionally axle suspension that may
be actuated up and down to kneel or tilt as close as possible to
the road or curb level, such as 14 inches or less. The front wheel
wells protrude into the cabin and a central aisle permits passage
from the front door towards the rear door. The rear portion of the
floor 10 is raised to accommodate the rear axle, transmission and
house other equipment. The rear portion of the floor 10 is
accessible via one or more steps 14 and so is not wheel chair
accessible. Seats 44 are supported with vertical stanchions 43
mounted to a longitudinal rail 42 and/or a side wall of the
bus.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a partial bus chassis defining a bus cabin
structure. Such cabins and chassis may be fabricated using any
materials and processes suitable for accomplishing the purposes
described herein. For example, the chassis frame may be fabricated
of elongate roll-formed structural steel and/or extruded aluminium
sections welded together to form the chassis base, roof and wall
frames as outlined in FIG. 2. Flat roof, wall and floor panels of
sheet metal or other materials are attached to the chassis frame to
enclose the cabin and define the floor 1, roof 2, and vertical
walls (front, rear, curbside and driverside walls 3, 4, 5, and 6)
with rear and front door frames 7, 8. Other suitable materials can
include fiber-based composite structures and structural plastics
may also be used.
[0027] The bus cabin structure includes a floor 1 with an axially
extending central aisle 9, the floor comprising: a lower floor
section; and an upper floor section 10 rearward of the lower floor
section 11. The cabin is bounded by the roof 2, a forward wall 3, a
rear wall 4, curbside wall 5 and driverside wall 6, each of the
walls extending between the floor 1 and the roof 2. The curbside
wall 5 includes a rear door frame 7 within which a rear door may be
mounted.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the floor 1 includes a floor
transition module 12 rearwardly adjacent the rear door frame 7
joining the lower floor section 11 and the upper floor section 10
together. A central aisle section 13 of the module 12 includes a
recessed foot step 14. The module 12 has an upper surface 15
aligned with the upper floor section 10 and a base 16 aligned with
the lower floor section 11.
[0029] The module 12 has a front wall 17 having a curbside portion
16 rearward of a driverside portion 18 and an aisle portion 19
between the curbside portion 16 and driverside portion 18 disposed
at an angle "A" thereto (see FIG. 4). The angle A may be in the
range of, for example, 30 to 60 degrees and as illustrated 45
degrees may be selected.
[0030] The base 20 as illustrated comprises a forwardly-extending
flange and the driverside portion 18 of the front wall 17 and the
upper surface 21 of the floor transition module 12 define an upper
seat mounting surface.
[0031] The curbside portion 16 of the front wall 17 of the floor
transition module 12 may be rearwardly adjacent the rear door frame
7. The floor transition module 12 can be molded of fiberglass or
carbon fiber as a hollow molded shell, or fabricated in any other
way compatible with the purposes disclosed herein.
[0032] A rear lateral aisle 22 extending between the rear door
frame 7 and the central aisle 9 can include a laterally downwardly
sloping rear ramp 23 toward the rear door frame 7.
[0033] In the embodiment shown, lower floor section 11 includes
laterally spaced-apart front wheel wells 24 with the axially
extending central aisle 9 therebetween. The lower floor section 9
has a forward portion 25 forward of the front wheel wells 24 and a
rearward portion 26 rearward of the front wheel wells 24. The upper
floor section 10 includes laterally spaced apart rear wheel wells
27 with the central aisle 9 extending therebetween.
[0034] In the illustrated embodiment the lower floor section 11
includes a transversely extending raised portion 28 between the
front wheel wells 2 having a top surface at a level above the lower
floor section 11. A forward ramp 29 and a rearward ramp 30
extending between the raised portion 28 and the forward portion 25
and the rearward portion 26 of the lower floor section 11
respectively.
[0035] The forward portion 25 of the lower floor section 11 forward
of the front wheel wells 24 includes a front lateral aisle 31
extending between a front door frame 8 in the curbside wall 5 and
the central aisle 9. The front lateral aisle 31 includes a
laterally downwardly sloping front ramp 32 toward the front door
frame 8.
[0036] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant
arts, the use of sloping floor portions 29, 30, 32, 23, etc., can
provide advantages such as lower thresholds for forward and rear
doors 8, 10, by for example accommodating a front axle (not shown)
supporting wheels disposed in wheel wells 24 and other apparatus
beneath the floor sections of the cabin structure. The inventors
have found that providing floor portions 29, 30, etc., at angles of
between about 1 degree and 5 degrees, and preferably about 2
degrees, relative to main portions of the floor 11 provides
desirable combinations of floor configuration and door thresholds
in currently-common bus constructions. In particular, the sloping
of such floor portions at such rates has been found to provide
significantly improved door threshold heights without interfering
with passenger movement within the bus.
[0037] The roof 2 upward of the upper floor section 10 can comprise
a rear roof or ceiling section 33 including a central raised panel
34 having an underside surface disposed at a higher level than an
underside surface of a forward roof section 35. The rear roof or
ceiling section 33 can include an upwardly- rearwardly-sloped
transition panel 36 between the central raised panel 34 and the
forward roof section 35. The central raised panel 34 can includes a
ventilation opening and/or emergency hatch 37. The roof or ceiling
structure can include a pair of continuous longitudinal rails 42
spanning the forward roof section 35 and laterally bounding the
central raised panel 34 and the transition panel 36. As will be
understood by those skilled in the relevant arts, once they have
been made familiar with this disclosure, by, for example,
configuring the longitudinal rails 42 in a such that they are
substantially horizontal and/or parallel to one or more of floor
section(s) 10 and/or 11, as shown for example in FIG. 1, while
providing transition panel 36 raised panel 34 above, for example, a
central aisle provided between seats for passenger ingress and
egress, various combinations of passenger convenience, structural
strength, and pleasing aesthetic arrangements may be attained. The
stanchions 43 can be positioned at any longitudinal location to the
rails 42.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the curbside wall includes front
and rear door frames 7-8. FIG. 9 shows the details of a top-rear
corner of the front door frame 8 which is typical of the door frame
construction, with a fore and aft pair of vertical door posts 40,
and a horizontal door header 38 with rounded top corners merging
the header 38 and door posts 40 in a continuously formed inverted
U-shape. The pair of vertical door posts 40, and a horizontal door
header 38 comprise a square tubular steel structural section,
formed by cold rolling or bending, for example. Other vertical
posts 39 and horizontal members 45 are welded to the door frame 8
to fabricate the curbside wall portion of the chassis frame. The
right angle joints between the vertical posts 39 and the horizontal
members 45 are welded and can be reinforced with a corner bracket
41 to reduce stress concentrations and the resultant metal fatigue.
However the continuous rounded and formed top corners of the door
frame 8 merging the door posts 40 and header 38 have been found to
be structurally superior to a conventional right angle welded
corner even though more effort is required. The door frame openings
are substantial in size and bending stresses, induced by bus
movements and collisions, tend to be concentrated at the top
corners of the door frames 7, 8.
[0039] Although the above description relates to a specific
preferred embodiment as presently contemplated by the inventor, it
will be understood that the invention in its broad aspect includes
mechanical and functional equivalents of the elements described
herein.
* * * * *