Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BELLOWS FOR A CROSSOVER BETWEEN TWO
ARTICULATELY CONNECTED VEHICLES
The invention relates to a bellows for a crossover between two articulately
connected vehicles or vehicle components, e.g. an articulated bus, whereby
the bellows comprises two side walls, whereby the side walls of the bellows
are connected by a bellows bottom, whereby in the transition area from the
side wall to the bellows bottom the bellows comprises a multitude of insert
pleat units, whereby the side wall comprises side wall pleats, whereby each
of the side wall pleats possesses a bellows frame on the exterior of the
bellows.
A bellows for a crossover between two articulately connected vehicles is
sufficiently well known in the state of the art. Known for example are
articulated buses that comprise a crossover, whereby the crossover
comprises a bellows that encompasses a crossover gangway, e.g. a
platform, in a tunnel-like manner. However, the bellows does not only
surround the crossover gangway, e.g. the plafform, but also the vehicle's
articulated joint that is situated below the plafform, so that the vehicle's
articulated joint is protected from environmental impact. A vehicle
articulated joint of this type is described in EP 2 738 071 A, for example.
This vehicle articulated joint consists of two joint segments that are
connected by a pivot bearing. Laterally, the two joint segments are
equipped with two dampers, whereby the two dampers extend obliquely to
connect the two joint segments. This means that a vehicle joint of this type
possesses a rather large width.
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EP 0 653 319 B1 describes for a bellows an integral transition from the
pleat of the side wall as vertical section to the horizontal section in the
floor
area. In this, the pleat of the side wall possesses a seam that extends along
the crest on the inside of the bellows, whereby the seam extends only to
the bending point between the horizontal and vertical sections of the
transition from the side wall to the floor, to facilitate bending. The pleat
of
the horizontal section may also possess a seam on the inner crest, which
would also only extend to the bending point. Consequently, the area of the
bend is seam-free.
DE 10 154 033 B4 describes the transition region between the side wall of
a bellows and the horizontal base, whereby the connection between the
horizontal base and the vertical side wall is embodied similarly to the one in
EP 0 653 319. The horizontal section is followed by a removable bellows
bottom with a floor cover and bellows ribs, whereby the bellows ribs are
connected to the bellows frame of the bellows.
A bellows of the initially mentioned type is known from EP 1 391 329 Bl.
Here, in the interior crest of the transition area from the side wall to the
bellows floor the bellows possesses an insert pleat unit in a majority of
pleats. Arranging an insert pleat unit in the transition area of each pleat
from the side wall to the floor makes it possible to provide an extension
distance in the corner area of the bellows that is essentially identical to
the
one in the area of the side wall. The insert pleat unit comprises a multitude
of pleats or ripples, whereby the depth of the pleats of the insert pleat unit
is
lower than the overall height of the pleats of the side wall. This illustrates
that for an identical extension distance the bottom will be flatter than the
side wall area.
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As already mentioned above, the vehicle's articulated joint has a
comparatively wide construction width. Arranging the insert pleat unit in
accordance with EP 1 391 329 B1, namely on the inside of the respective
pleats of a bellows, in particular in the area of the crown of each pleat,
suffers from the disadvantage that the bulge of the insert pleat unit extends
comparatively far into the interior of the bellows. As a result, the bellows
will
come into contact with the vehicle's articulated joint, if the latter
possesses
a certain width, in particular in the area of coupling point of the damper to
the respective joint segment, which in the long term leads to wear and tear
of the bellows in this area.
The present invention is based on the objective to be able to provide the
width of the bellows, the maximum of which is determined by the clearance
between the two side walls of the bellows, even in the transition area to the
bellows bottom, whereby the bellows is to be kept level in the floor area in
order to allow a continuous low-floor design of the vehicle.
To meet this objective, the present invention proposes that each insert pleat
unit extends on the inside of the bellows between the respective side wall
pleats, whereby the insert pleat unit comprises at least two horizontally
extending insert pleats, which are held by the bellows frame of the side wall
pleat, in between which the insert pleat unit is situated. This illustrates
that
the insert pleat unit has been relocated into the region of the depth of the
side wall pleat. This means that outside of the side wall pleat, in the
installed state of the bellows, the ends of the insert pleat unit extend
horizontally. In practical application it has been found that the available
width of the bellows in the area of the bellows bottom on each side
increases by approximately 5 cm, in comparison to a bellows design as it is
known from EP 1 391 329 B1.
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Advantageous features and designs of the invention are illustrated in the
dependent claims.
It is in particular intended that the side wall pleats possess a greater
depth,
in particular twice the depth, than the insert pleats of the insert pleat
unit.
Further, the insert pleats of the insert pleat unit have upper and lower
edges, which end in the bellows frames of the side wall pleats, between
which or inside which extends the respective insert pleat unit. This
illustrates that the insert pleat unit that consists of at least two insert
pleats
ends at one point in the corresponding bellows frame of the side wall pleat.
In this, the upper edges of the insert pleats of the insert pleat unit extend
horizontally in their installed state, whereas the two lower edges on both
sides of the upper edge extend obliquely towards the upper edges, and, as
already mentioned, are held in one point by the respective bellows frame of
the side wall pleat.
In this connection, it is in particular further intended that the bellows
frame
of the side wall pleat, between which extends the insert pleat unit, holds the
common lower edge of the two insert pleats of the insert pleat unit. This
illustrates that in the side wall area this bellows frame holds the side wall
pleat flanks of the side wall pleat, whereas in the horizontal area, i.e. in
the
corner area of the bellows, it accepts in a clamping manner the common
lower edge of the insert pleats of the insert pleat unit. This means that the
number of bellows frames in the floor area is equal to the number in the
side wall area, even if the number of pleats itself in the floor area is
doubled
even if with lower depth.
It is further intended that each side wall pleat and each insert pleat
comprises two side wall pleat flanks and two insert pleat flanks. The insert
pleat unit comprises at least two insert pleats. Every pleat of the insert
pleat
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unit is formed in the area of the depth of the side wall pleat flank of the
side
wall pleat by a part of the side wall pleat flank. This means that for forming
the insert pleat, the side wall pleat flank is folded over twice in the area
of
the depth of the side wall pleat, whereby the two adjacent flanks of the two
5 insert pleats of the insert pleat unit are held in the horizontal area by
the
bellows frame, which already extends in the area of the side wall pleats.
For the purpose of ensuring a durable shape of the insert pleat generated
by folding over the side wall pleat flank, it is intended to provide a seam
that
extends along the insert pleat in the area of the upper edge of the insert
pleat.
In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with the help of
the
figures.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an articulated bus;
Fig. 2 shows the articulated vehicle joint connecting the two vehicles;
Fig. 3 shows an exterior perspective view onto the corner area of a bellows
of Fig. 1, in the transition from the side wall area to the floor
area;
Fig. 4 shows a view from the interior onto the transition between the side
wall and the floor of the bellows (corner area);
Fig. 5 shows a representation in accordance with Fig. 3 in the spread apart
state;
Fig. 6 shows a representation in accordance with Fig. 4 in the spread apart
state.
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The two vehicle components 1 and 2 of the articulated bus are connected
by the crossover 5. The crossover 5 comprises the bellows 10, which
encompasses the platform 8 and the vehicle's articulated joint 7 located
below in a tunnel-like manner.
The vehicle's articulated joint 7 is illustrated in Fig. 2. The vehicle's
articulated joint 7 comprises the two joint segments 7a and 7b, which are
linked by a pivot bearing 7c. In addition, the vehicle's articulated joint 7
is
equipped on each side with a damper 9, which in an oblique position
connects the two joint segments 7a and 7b. As already explained above,
this vehicle articulated joint 7 is located within the bellows 10.
Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the bellows 10, in particular an exterior
perspective view from the exterior of the bellows onto the transition area or
corner area between the side wall and the bellows bottom 16. In the area of
its side wall, the bellows 10 comprises several side wall pleats 13. Each
individual side wall pleat 13 is formed by two side wall pleat flanks 26. The
two side wall pleat flanks 26 comprise a reinforcing support, in particular at
least one fabric layer that is coated on both sides with an elastomer.
Consequently, the side wall pleat flanks are elastically deformable.
Arranged on the outside of the bellows are bellows frames 15, each of
which holds the two side wall pleat flanks 26. In the transition area 14 from
the side wall 12 to the bellows bottom 16, the bellows frame bends at an
angle of approximately 90 , as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The bellows bottom 16
represents the continuation to the insert pleat unit between the side wall
pleat flank 26 of a side wall pleat 13 and is not illustrated in its entirety.
In the following we consider a side wall pleat 13, whereby in between the
side wall pleat 13, i.e. between the two side wall pleat flanks of the side
wall
pleat 13, the insert pleat unit 18 extends on the interior side of the bellows
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24. The insert pleat unit 18 comprises the two insert pleats 20 and 22, as is
illustrated in Fig. 4. In this, the depth 28 of the side wall pleat is
approximately twice as great as the depth 30 of the insert pleat. Each insert
pleat 20, 22 comprises two insert pleat flanks, in particular the insert pleat
flanks 20a, 20b and 22a, 22b. The two insert pleat flanks 20a, 20b and 22a,
22b respectively form an upper edge 32, which in the installed state of the
bellows will extend essentially horizontally in the area of the side wall
pleat
flank 26. In combination with the side wall pleat flank 26, the insert pleat
flank 20a or the insert pleat flank 22a form a lower edge 34 together with
the side wall pleat flank 26, whereby the lower edge 34 extends diagonally
upward towards the bellows frame 15, and together with the upper edge 32
of the insert pleat unit is held by the bellows frame in one point. The
material aspect of this is that both the insert pleat 20 and the insert pleat
22
are formed by the respective immediately adjacent side wall pleat flank 26,
which is why these components are illustrated in brackets in the drawing.
This means that the side wall pleat flank 26, which for the purpose of
forming the respective insert pleat 20, 22 protrudes freely downward, is
folded or turned over twice to form the insert pleat 20, 22, whereby the two
free flanks of the two insert pleats 20, 22 form a common lower edge 36 of
the insert pleat unit, which in turn is held by the horizontally extending
part
of the bellows frame 15 (Fig. 5, Fig. 6). This means that the insert pleat
flanks 20a, 20b, 22a, 22b are physical components of the corresponding
side wall pleat flank 26. In order to maintain the shape to the respective
insert pleat 20, 22, each of the upper edges 32 of the insert pleats 20, 22
comprises a seam 38. Each of the seams 38 runs along the insert pleats
20, 22. This illustrates that the seam 38 holds the insert pleat flanks 20a,
20b and 22a, 22b. In this connection, for the purpose of maintaining the
shape, the side wall pleat 13 on the inside of the bellows also possesses a
seam 27 that extends along the side wall pleat 13.
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List of reference labels:
1 Vehicle component
2 Vehicle component
5 Crossover
7 Articulated vehicle joint
7a Joint segment
7b Joint segment
7c Pivot bearing
8 Platform
9 Damper
10 Bellows
12 Side wall
13 Side wall pleat
14 Transition area (corner area)
15 Bellows frame
16 Bellows bottom
18 Insert pleat unit
Insert pleat
20 20a Insert pleat flank
20b Insert pleat flank
22 Insert pleat
22a Insert pleat flank
22b Insert pleat flank
24 Bellows interior
26 Side wall pleat flank
27 Seam on the top edge of the side wall pleat
28 Depth of the side wall pleat
Depth of the side wall pleat
30 32 Upper edge of insert pleat
34 Common lower edge of insert pleats
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36 Lower edge of the insert pleats
38 Seam on the top edge of the insert pleat
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