CH715677A1 - Vehicle, in particular bus for passenger transportation, comprising an electric drive. - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle, in particular a bus for passenger transportation, comprises an electric drive motor, a battery 6 for storing electrical drive energy, a transmission unit 10 arranged on a roof 2 of the vehicle for transmitting electrical energy for charging the battery 6, the transmission unit 10 at least one electrical one Contact element 31, 32 for contacting a transmission contact arranged independently of the vehicle, and a roof structure 3 arranged on the roof 2 of the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a carrier 20 with which the transmission unit 10 is fastened to the roof of the vehicle, the carrier 20 being such is formed and fastened to the roof 2 such that the transmission unit 10 arranged on the carrier 20 projects at least partially beyond the roof structures 3 and fastening elements of the carrier 20 are fastened to the roof 2 of the vehicle outside of a plan view of the roof structures 3. Due to the partially outstanding arrangement, no additional installation space on the roof 2 of the vehicle is required for the transmission unit 20 in the outstanding area. Accordingly, the available space can be used for other roof structures or components. Because the fastening elements of the carrier 20 are fastened to the roof of the vehicle outside the roof structure 3, that is to say the carrier 20 does not interact directly with the roof structure 3, no modifications or adaptations are necessary on the roof structure 3.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a bus for passenger transportation, comprising an electric drive motor, a battery for storing electrical drive energy, a transmission unit arranged on a roof of the vehicle for transmitting electrical energy for charging the battery, the transmission unit being at least one comprises electrical contact element for contacting a transmission contact arranged independently of the vehicle; and a roof structure arranged on the roof of the vehicle.

State of the art

Vehicles of the generic type are known. They include, in particular, electric buses and hybrid buses which, in addition to the electric drive with drive energy from the battery, also comprise at least one further drive option.

Such buses use roof structures, which in particular the battery, electrical converters and other components such. B. an air conditioning, record or include. This allows the space required in the vehicle's usable space to be reduced.

For driving, the drive motor draws the electrical energy from the battery. In particular, energy is taken from the battery to accelerate the vehicle, and energy is preferably fed back into the energy store by means of the drive motor operated as a generator when the movement of the vehicle is decelerated. Overall, however, the average electrical energy stored in the battery decreases during driving, so that the range of the vehicle is limited. In particular for electric buses that are used in regular services, options for charging the battery along the line traveled must be provided.

In this context, it is known to provide a local charging station at stops, in particular for buses, through which the battery can be supplied with electrical energy for the duration of the stop at the stop. In order to be able to supply electrical energy in the area of the bus stop, a transmission unit with at least one electrical contact element, e.g. B. a pantograph arranged; there are preferably two electrical contact elements, so that both polarities can be picked up in the roof area. The contact element or the contact elements contact one or two transmission contacts arranged independently of the vehicle, for. B. arranged in the area of the stop above the bus contact rails.

The transmission unit requires space on the roof of the vehicle and thus reduces the space available for the other roof structures.

DE 10 2015 015 532 A1 (Daimler AG) therefore proposes to arrange the vehicle-side contact element on the air conditioning system. Correspondingly, two contact rails are arranged adjacent to the air outlet openings of the air conditioning system and project above a height of the housing of the air conditioning system. Alternatively, a pantograph is arranged on the housing of the air conditioning system.

This increases the installation space that is available on the roof for other roof structures. However, this construction requires specific training or adaptation of the air conditioning system.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle belonging to the aforementioned technical field, which enables optimal use of the space on the roof of the vehicle and high flexibility in the selection and arrangement of required roof structures.

The solution to the problem is defined by the features of claim 1. According to the invention, the vehicle comprises a carrier with which the transmission unit is fastened to the roof of the vehicle, the carrier being designed and fastened to the roof in such a way that the transmission unit arranged on the carrier at least partially projects above the roof structures and with fastening elements of the carrier outside a floor plan the roof structures are attached to the roof of the vehicle.

Because the transmission unit at least partially overhangs the roof structure, it does not require any additional installation space on the roof of the vehicle in the outstanding area. Accordingly, the available space can be used for other roof structures or components. The arrangement of the transmission unit also results in greater flexibility because it can be arranged in the same area of the roof in which roof structures or other components are also useful. For example, it is possible to place the transmission unit in the foremost roof area, which in many cases makes it easier to contact the stationary transmission contacts - even if other elements are to be arranged in the same area for functional reasons or because of the desired weight distribution.

Preferably, at least 50% of the floor plan (i.e. the projection projected onto the roof plane) of the transmission unit is overlapping with the floor plan of the roof structure, particularly preferably at least 80%. In certain cases, a practically 100% overlap is also possible, with only the fastening elements of the carrier and elements of the carrier coming outside the floor plan of the roof structure.

Because the fastening elements of the carrier are attached to the roof of the vehicle outside the roof structure, that is, the carrier does not interact directly with the roof structure, no modifications or adjustments are necessary to the roof structure. Both the transmission unit and the roof structures could thus be essentially freely selected, and there is great flexibility in the arrangement of the same.

The fasteners are particularly attached to the roof in the same way as the roof structures and other components in the roof area. The attachment can e.g. B. on mounting plates that extend substantially along the roof surface or on rails that run on the roof surface or extend in lateral areas of the roof surface from this up. The attachment is thus particularly indirect on the roof, d. H. via suitable mounting elements. However, depending on the design of the roof, direct attachment is also possible.

When the roof structure, which is towered over by the transmission unit, it is in particular an air conditioning system. Like the transmission unit, an air conditioning system (or an element thereof) is often preferably arranged in the foremost area of the roof for functional reasons, so that the overlapping arrangement there is advantageous. Typical air conditioning systems also have a vertical dimension, which allows a transmission unit to be arranged above them without exceeding a predetermined maximum height of the vehicle.

It can also be a different component in the towering roof structures, for. B. the battery (or one of several batteries) or an electrical converter. The transmission unit can also tower over several roof structures.

Advantageously, the carrier has a mounting surface for the transmission unit, which extends parallel to a roof surface of the vehicle. This means that the fastening surface lies in a plane which extends parallel to a horizontal plane of the vehicle, as is defined by the chassis of the vehicle. The transmission unit can thus be arranged in a manner analogous to an arrangement directly on the vehicle roof. Adjustments to the transmission unit are unnecessary or are minimized.

The carrier advantageously comprises a frame element which forms the fastening surface for the transmission element. With the help of a frame element, the carrier can be easily formed. In addition, the frame element enables air to circulate between the top and the bottom of the carrier, provided that the fastening surface defined by the frame is not completely covered by the transmission element. This air circulation can be important for the cooling of the underlying roof structures or for the air supply and removal to and from it.

Advantageously, the transmission unit is attached to the carrier such that it rests on the frame element. It can thus be fastened in the same way as when it is fastened to the vehicle roof and at several points or on several surfaces which are distributed over the base area of the transmission unit. There are therefore no new static requirements for the transmission unit compared to the usual fastening situation.

Alternatively, the carrier for fastening the transmission element comprises a flange (which extends, for example, upwards perpendicular to the roof surface) or a plate (which, for example, extends parallel to the roof surface).

Advantageously, the fastening elements of the carrier are arranged in a region of a longitudinal end of the carrier, in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle at the same longitudinal end. The fasteners are therefore either located in the front or in the direction of travel, in front or behind the towering roof structure. This ensures that the width of the roof structure can use the entire available space. In addition, fasteners in the longitudinal direction are only necessary on one side of the roof structure, so that the longitudinal expansion of the roof structure is irrelevant for the attachment of the carrier and thus the transmission unit.

In alternative embodiments, transmission elements are located both in front of and behind the roof structure, or there are transmission elements which are attached to the roof of the vehicle on the side of the roof structures (on one side or on both sides).

In a preferred embodiment, the fastening elements are arranged in end regions of a cross-arm connected to the frame element, and at least one connecting part of the cross-arm is arranged with the frame element in a central region of the cross-arm. This results in a stable attachment of the carrier. Due to the geometry, the cross-arm also represents a kind of torsion spring - with a suitable choice of material. H. the frame element has a predeterminable elasticity with respect to a (slight) rotation about the longitudinal axis of the transverse boom. This can be advantageous when contacting local transmission contacts because it enables the alignment of the contact elements (or the contact element) of the transmission unit to be adjusted with respect to a rotation about the transverse axis.

The end regions are understood in particular to be the outermost 20% of the transverse boom, and the central region is the central 50%. There is thus a “free section” of the cross-arm between the fastening elements and the connecting part, which enables the torsion.

In a first embodiment, the at least one contact element of the transmission unit is designed as a contact rail, the contact rail extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In a second embodiment, the at least one contact element of the transmission unit is designed as a pantograph. The choice of the contact element depends on the shape and arrangement of the local transmission contacts of the fixed charging stations. There are also other constructions, such as. B. linearly displaceable contact rails or pivotable contact arms possible.

Advantageously, the roof structure has at least one openable swivel flap, a swivel axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being arranged in relation to the carrier with an arranged transmission unit such that opening of the swivel flap is not hindered. The roof structures or incorporated components are therefore easily accessible for maintenance purposes, exchange or repairs. In an air conditioning system, for example, filters that can be replaced are accessible via the open swivel flap. The corresponding work can be carried out without dismantling the transmission unit, so the overlapping arrangement (except perhaps in the case of a complete replacement of the towering roof structures) has no influence on the serviceability of the roof structures.

In a preferred embodiment, a distance of the pivot axis from a vehicle center line, in the vehicle transverse direction, is at least as large as a distance of an outer boundary of the transmission unit arranged on the carrier from the vehicle center line, in the vehicle transverse direction. This ensures that the pivoting flap can be pivoted freely - at least in a first pivoting range starting from the closed position.

From the following detailed description and the entirety of the claims, further advantageous embodiments and combinations of features of the invention result.

Brief description of the drawings

[0029] The drawings used to explain the exemplary embodiment show: <tb> Fig. 1 <SEP> A schematic view of a bus according to the invention; <tb> Fig. 2 <SEP> is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus; <tb> Fig. 3 <SEP> is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus; <tb> Fig. 4 <SEP> is a schematic representation of a third embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus; <tb> Fig. 5 <SEP> is an oblique view of the first embodiment; <tb> Fig. 6 <SEP> is a plan view of the first embodiment; <tb> Fig. 7 <SEP> a top view of the carrier of the arrangement according to the first embodiment; <tb> Fig. 8 <SEP> an oblique view of the carrier; and <tb> Fig. 9 <SEP> a top view of the carrier.

Basically, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

Ways of Carrying Out the Invention

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a bus according to the invention. Bus 1 is an electric bus, which u. a. includes electric drive motors and a battery for storing electrical driving energy. Corresponding buses are known in principle, the usual components are therefore not described further.

On the roof 2 of the bus 1, several roof structures are arranged, including an air conditioning system 3 and a converter box 4 (further structures are omitted for the sake of clarity or are only hinted at). A transmission unit 10 is arranged on a carrier 20 such that it partially covers the air conditioning system 3. The transmission unit 10 comprises two contact rails 31, 32, which extend parallel to the direction of travel and are spaced apart in the transverse direction. When bus 1 is at a standstill, they can interact with a lowerable contact part of a stationary charging station to charge the battery with driving energy in a manner known per se.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus. The air conditioning system 3 is arranged directly on the roof 2 of the bus. The transmission unit 10 is arranged on a carrier 20, the carrier 20 having a fastening element 21, by means of which it is fastened in the direction of travel in front of the air conditioning system 3 on the roof 2 of the bus, for. B. by means of a screw connection. A frame 25 is connected to the fastening element 21 via a connecting part 23. The frame 25 extends from the upper end of the connecting part 23 parallel to the roof 2 of the bus to the rear and forms a receiving surface for the transmission unit 10. The latter thus extends parallel to the roof 2 and the air conditioning system 3 and projects above the air conditioning system 3, which is between the carrier 20 with the transmission unit 10 and the roof 2 is arranged.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus. The air conditioning system 3 is arranged directly on the roof 2 of the bus. The transmission unit 10 is arranged on a carrier 120, the carrier 120 having a fastening element 121, by means of which it is fastened in the direction of travel in front of the air conditioning system 3 on the roof 2 of the bus, for. B. by means of a screw connection. A connecting part 123 is arranged on the fastening element 121 and extends vertically upwards starting from the roof 2. The end face of the transmission unit 10 is fastened in the upper region of the connecting part 123. It in turn extends parallel to the roof 2 and to the air conditioning system 3 and projects above the air conditioning system 3, which is therefore arranged between the transmission unit 10 and the roof 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a third embodiment of the arrangement of a transmission unit on the roof of the bus. The air conditioning system 3 is arranged directly on the roof 2 of the bus. The transmission unit 10 is arranged on a carrier 220, the carrier 220 having two fastening elements 221, 222, by means of which it is fastened laterally next to the air conditioning system 3 on the roof 2 of the bus, e.g. B. by means of a screw connection. A connecting part 223, 224 is arranged on each of the fastening elements 221, 222, which extends vertically upwards starting from the roof 2. At the upper ends of the connecting parts 223, 224, a frame 225 is attached, which extends parallel to the roof 2 of the bus and forms a receiving surface for the transmission unit 10. The latter thus extends parallel to the roof 2 and to the air conditioning system 3 and projects above the air conditioning system 3, which is therefore arranged between the carrier 220 with the transmission unit 10 and the roof 2.

The three embodiments shown schematically in FIGS. 2-4 are symmetrical in particular in the transverse direction, wherein a plurality of laterally spaced fastening elements and / or fastening elements with a certain transverse extent can be used in order to ensure adequate support in the transverse direction.

Further arrangements are possible, for. B. those in which fastener are arranged both in front of and behind the air conditioner 3. The arrangements shown can be used in connection with different transmission units and roof structures.

Figure 5 shows an oblique view of the first embodiment, Figure 6 is a plan view. The front area of the roof 2 of an electric bus for the transportation of people with the corresponding roof structures is shown. From the front to the rear, these comprise an air conditioning system 3, a converter 5 and a battery 6 for storing driving energy. A transmission unit 10 with two two-part contact rails 31, 32 extending parallel to the direction of travel is arranged above the air conditioning system 3. The transmission unit 10 is arranged on a frame 25 of a carrier 20. The latter is carried by two connecting parts 23.1, 23.2, which extend perpendicularly between a cross member 27 and the frame 25.

At the outer ends of the cross member 27 fastening elements 21, 22 are arranged, which are screwed to the roof 2 of the bus with fastening rails 7, 8 extending in the longitudinal direction.

The air conditioning system 3 has lateral swivel covers 3a, 3b on both sides, which can be swiveled about an axis aa or bb parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bus. Because the axes aa, bb are arranged at substantially the same distance from the longitudinal center line of the bus as the outer boundary of the frame or the transmission unit 10, the swivel covers 3a, 3b can be pivoted freely into a vertical position. The swivel covers 3a, 3b, in particular, give access to filters that have to be changed regularly.

Between the frame 25 of the bracket 20 and the upper surface of the air conditioner 3, a space is left out. Therefore and because the two contact rails 31, 32 do not fill the area spanned by the frame 25, an unimpeded air circulation between the air conditioning system and the surroundings is guaranteed.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the carrier of the arrangement according to the first embodiment, Figure 8 is an oblique view and Figure 9 is a plan view.

The carrier 20 is made of steel. It comprises a frame 25 with a rectangular outer shape, formed by two longitudinal and two transverse bars. In the transverse direction, it is reinforced by a cross strut 26 which connects the two lateral longitudinal spars to one another and which runs parallel to the transverse spars. In the vicinity of one of the longitudinal ends of the frame 25, both longitudinal spars are each connected to a cross strut 27 by means of a connecting part 23.1, 23.2. A fastening element 21, 22 is arranged at each of its outer ends. Each of these fastening elements 21, 22 comprises a bracket with a plurality of bores, so that it can be screwed to a counterpart by means of a plurality of screws.

A plurality of bores are also provided on the frame 25, so that a transmission unit or components forming a transmission unit, such as contact rails, can be screwed to the frame 25. The distances between the first fastening element 21 and the first connecting part 23.1, between the two connecting parts 23.1, 23.2 (frame width) and between the second connecting part 23.2 and the second fastening element 22 are approximately the same, i.e. they are approximately one third of the total width of the carrier 20 Due to the considerable distances between the fastening elements 21, 22 and the connecting parts 23.1, 23.2 for the frame, the cross strut 27 u. a. the function of a torsion spring, which allows a certain adjustment movement of the frame 25 about the axis of the cross strut 27, but returns the frame 25 to its horizontal orientation in the absence of external forces.

In summary, it can be stated that the invention creates an electrically driven vehicle which enables optimal use of the installation space on the roof of the vehicle and high flexibility in the selection and arrangement of required roof structures.

Claims (11)

1. Vehicle, in particular bus for passenger transportation, comprising: a) an electric drive motor; b) a battery for storing electrical drive energy; c) a transmission unit arranged on a roof of the vehicle for transmitting electrical energy for charging the battery, the transmission unit comprising at least one electrical contact element for contacting a transmission contact arranged independently of the vehicle; and d) a roof structure arranged on the roof of the vehicle, marked by a carrier with which the transmission unit is fastened to the roof of the vehicle, the carrier being designed and fastened to the roof in such a way that the transmission unit arranged on the carrier at least partially projects above the roof structures, and fastening elements of the carrier outside a plan of the roof structures on the roof of the vehicle are attached. 2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the roof structure is an air conditioning system. 3. Vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrier has a fastening surface for the transmission unit, which extends parallel to a roof surface of the vehicle. 4. Vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the carrier comprises a frame element which forms the fastening surface for the transmission element. 5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the transmission unit is attached to the carrier such that it rests on the frame element. 6. Vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the fastening elements of the carrier are arranged in a region of a longitudinal end of the carrier. 7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the fastening elements are arranged in end regions of a cross-arm connected to the frame element and that at least one connecting part of the cross-arm with the frame element is arranged in a central region of the cross-arm. 8. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the at least one contact element is designed as a contact rail, the contact rail extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 9. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the at least one contact element is designed as a pantograph. 10. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the roof structure has at least one openable swivel flap, wherein a swivel axis extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is arranged in relation to the carrier with an arranged transmission unit such that the swivel flap is opened is not hindered. 11. Vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that a distance of the pivot axis from a vehicle center line, in the vehicle transverse direction, is at least the same size as a distance of an outer boundary of the transmission unit arranged on the carrier from the vehicle center line, in the vehicle transverse direction.