EP2155511A1

EP2155511A1 - Emergency exit structure for vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP2155511A1
Application number: EP07794287A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ramazan Ucar
Original assignee: Canel Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Canel Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2007-05-15
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2010-02-24
Also published as: WO2008140426A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an emergency exit structure (1 ), which comprises a fixed frame (2) mountable in a clearance opened on the side bodywork of a mass transport vehicles such as bus, train, etc., a mobile frame (3) connected to the fixed frame (2) in such a way that it can perform the rotational movement and on which mobile frame a glass (4) is placed, and a lock arm (6) used to control a lock mechanism which enables to open the mobile frame (3) in cases of emergency.

Description

EMERGENCY EXIT STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES

Technical Field

The invention relates to an emergency exit structure positioned on the side windows of the vehicles, particularly of the buses.

The invention relates particularly to an emergency exit structure mounted on the side bodywork of the vehicle, in order to easily reach the passengers in case of an accident.

Background Art

The side windows of the buses in use today are fastened by way of adhering the same to the side walls of the bus bodywork in a manner not able to be dismantled, both because of the sound permeability being low and the costs being taken into account. A single glass, usually 4 mm thick, is adhered on the side walls of the bus bodywork. However, in some cases, two glasses having a thickness of 4 mm are adhered to each other and are fastened to the side walls of the bus bodywork, in order to provide heat isolation.

In said present applications in current practice, a monotonous appearance is obtained when viewed from the outside; this enables the wind to graze the surface and prevents the formation of sound. However, the existing applications bear some shortcomings. The demands for safety ever increasing especially in the service vehicles for the in-city and intercity voyages have become unable to be satisfied with the present applications.

Particularly after the accidents, the side window glasses of the bus are broken, in order to evacuate the passengers at the interior of the bus, and thus the passengers are removed from the bus. On the other hand, breaking the bus glasses leads both to significant time losses and the need to impart a great force. The time loss occurring as a result of breaking the glasses puts the lives of the injured passengers inside the bus under risk. Moreover, unwanted results may occur, such as the broken pieces of glass harming the passengers inside the vehicle. Another adverse factor is that in cases of emergency (fire, jamming inside the vehicle, etc.) where the passengers remaining inside the vehicle have to go out until the aid arrives from the exterior, it is not possible to break the vehicle glass from a tight and troubled zone they are present inside the vehicle. In such circumstances, the losses of life increase, with the passengers being unable to get themselves outside the vehicle in cases of emergency.

Moreover, especially in the vehicles like buses with stationary side glasses, the amount of oxygen decreases after a certain period of time. Therefore, it becomes harder for the passengers inside the vehicle to breath. To avoid this situation, the air blower units disposed above the seats where the passengers sit are utilized. Because of the operation of these units used to ventilate inside the vehicle and to relieve the passengers, a significant noise is formed and the loss of energy is encountered.

In the European Patent Application no. EP 1710105, an emergency exit window is described for the vehicles. It comprises a fixed frame integrated with the vehicle chassis, and the centering and the mobile cover means fitted to the fixed rows of covers assembled on a removable frame located on the fixed frame and supporting the glass. The mobile covers are moved by means of a joining element via an automatic or manual mechanism. Automatic or manual mechanism is controlled by the pneumatic, hydraulic, remote control or electrical operating means. In cases of emergency, the mobile parts on the fixed frame are moved by means of the automatic or manual mechanism, hence the connection of the mobile parts with the fixed parts on the mobile frame is broken and the mobile frame is enabled to be taken as a whole towards the outside. However, this drive mechanism comprises too many parts, and especially in case of failure or deformation likely to occur in the drive mechanism that enable the mobile parts on the fixed frame to be moved, it will not be possible to remove the mobile frame as a whole. Furthermore, the removal of the mobile frame as a whole to outside causes the extra operations like reassembling the mobile frame on the fixed frame. As a result, the presence of the need for an emergency exit structure that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks and disadvantages and is assembled on the side bodywork of the vehicle in order to easily reach the passengers in any case of accident and to ventilate the interior of the vehicle when desired, and the inadequacy of the existing solutions have made it necessary to provide an improvement in the relevant art.

Object of the Invention

Based on the state of the background art, the object of the invention is to develop an emergency exit structure that is assembled on the side bodywork of the vehicle in order to eliminate the disadvantages with the fixed side glass applications used especially in the buses according to the current state and to reach the passengers easily in any case of accident.

Another object of the invention is to ensure that the developed emergency exit structure may be used for ventilating the interior of the vehicle when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide that the mobile frame connected with the fixed frame mounted on the side bodywork of the vehicle performs the rotational movement outwards around an axis extending along the part where it is connected with the fixed frame, by means of a lock arm controlling the lock mechanism and that the passengers are safely evacuated through the clearance formed between the mobile frame and the fixed frame in any case of emergency, without the need being left to break the vehicle glasses.

The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the figures provided below and the detailed description written with reference to said figures, hence the evaluation must be made taking into account said figures and detailed description. Description of the Figures

Figure 1 : General perspective view of the emergency exit structure according to the invention, in open position. Figure 2: General perspective view of the emergency exit structure according to the invention, in open position and as viewed from a different angle. Figure 3: Side view of the emergency exit structure according to the invention, with the mobile frame in open position. Figure 4: Front view of the emergency exit structure according to the invention, with the mobile frame in open position. Figure 5: The detailed view illustrating the way of connection between the mobile frame and the fixed frame. Figure 6: The detailed view of the lock mechanism that enables the mobile frame to open and close. Figure 7: The detailed view of the mobile and fixed locking parts on the mobile frame and the fixed frame.

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Reference Numbers

1. Emergency exit structure

2. Fixed frame

3. Mobile frame

4. Glass

5. Clearance

6. Lock arm

7. Connecting part

8. Mobile lock element

8.1 Lock channel

8.2 Connecting element

9. Joint

10. Joint groove

11. Movement transmission element

12. Spring

13. Fixed lock element

13. 1 Lock projection

13. 2 Connecting element

14. Movement slot

15. Support

Detailed Description of the Invention

In Figure 1 and Figure 2, the perspective views of the emergency exit structure (1 ) according to the invention are shown in open position. As seen in the figures, the emergency exit structure (1 ) comprises in general a fixed frame (2) mounted by bolting the same in the space opened on the side bodywork of the mass transport vehicles such as the buses, trains, etc. and a mobile frame (3) fastened on the fixed frame (2) so that it can perform the rotational movement. The glass is adhered on the mobile frame (3) and a monotonous structure is obtained when viewed from the outside. In cases of emergency such as accident, etc., the mobile frame (3) performs the rotational movement around the (x) axis in connection with the fixed frame (2), by means of rotating a lock arm (6), and it opens towards the outside of the vehicle. After the opening, the passengers are taken outside the vehicle via the clearance (5) formed between the fixed frame (2) and the mobile frame (3), without the glass of the vehicle being broken.

In Figure 3, the side view of the emergency exit structure (1 ) is provided with the mobile frame (3) in open position. There are connecting parts (7) at the top corners of the fixed frame (2). The connecting parts (7) enable the fixed frame (2) to be connected onto the vehicle bodywork.

As seen in Figure 4, the mobile lock elements (8) are disposed at certain intervals along the lower edge of the mobile frame (3). In cases of emergency, the mobile lock elements (8) connected with the lock arm (6) perform a linear movement along the lower edge of the mobile frame (3), upon the rotation of the lock arm (6) on the mobile frame (3). The lock mechanism of the emergency exit frame will be described in more detail in the following.

As seen in Figure 5, the connection of the fixed frame (2) with the vehicle bodywork is provided by means of the connecting parts (7). The mobile frame (3) is suspended to the fixed frame (2) via the suspension method. The connection between the mobile frame (3) and the fixed frame (2) is provided by means of a detent-shaped joint (9) on the mobile frame (3) and a joint groove (10) formed on the fixed frame (2) such that said joint (9) may engage therein. When the mobile frame (3) performs the outward rotational movement upon the rotation of the lock arm (6), the joint (9) enters within the joint groove (10) and allows the mobile frame (3) to perform a rotational movement with respect to the fixed frame (2).

In Figure 6, the detailed view is provided for the lock mechanism enabling the mobile frame (3) to open and close. In Figure 7, the detailed view is provided for the mobile and fixed lock elements (8, 13) on the mobile frame (3) and the fixed frame (2). A movement slot (14) is formed along the lower edge of the mobile frame (3). Inside the movement slot (14), there is located a spring (12) which is connected on one end to a fixed support (15) and on the other end to a movement transmission element (11 ). The movement transmission element (11 ) passes through the mobile lock elements (8) connected on the mobile frame (3) by means of the connecting elements (8.2), and is connected to the lock arm (6). Upon rotating the lock arm (6), the movement transmission element (11 ) pulls the spring (12) in the direction of (y) and enables the mobile lock elements (8) to perform a linear movement along the lower edge of the mobile frame (3).

The fixed lock elements (13) are disposed at certain intervals on the lower edge of the fixed frame (2), by means of the connecting elements (13.2). The lock projections (13.1 ) are formed on the fixed lock elements (13). When the mobile frame (3) is in closed position, the lock projection (13.1 ) is engaged in a stationary manner inside the lock channel (8.1 ) formed on the mobile lock element (8). In this case, the lock projection (13.1) prevents the mobile frame (3) from being opened. The mobile frame (3) is enable to remain in a stationary position by means of the pulling force imparted by the spring (12). Owing to the pulling force imparted by the spring (12), the lock channel (8.1 ) is allowed to be located in a stationary manner on the lock projection (13.1 ).

When it is desired to bring the mobile frame (3) to open position, the lock arm (6) is rotated and upon said rotation, the movement transmission element (11 ) connected with the lock arm (6) enables the spring (12) to extend and stretch in the direction of (y). At the same time, the mobile lock elements (8) connected with the movement transmission element (11 ) also move in (y) direction, in order to provide the release of the lock channel (8.1 ) from the lock projection (13.1 ). Once the lock channel (8.1 ) is released from the lock projection (13.1), the mobile frame (2) performs an outward rotational movement and the passengers are enabled to be evacuated through the clearance (5) formed in a safe manner. As the movement transmission movement (11 ), the metal based cables, such as high strength steel, etc., may be used. For the connecting elements (8.2, 13.2), preferably the bolts are used.

The invention may not be limited to the representative applications provided in this section. The alternative embodiments that may be realized by the persons skilled in the art based on the basic components within the protective scope as defined by the claims and on the alternative embodiments mentioned hereinabove will have the meaning of violation of the invention.

Claims

1. An emergency exit structure (1 ) assembled on the side bodywork of the vehicle in order to enable the evacuation of the passengers in cases of emergency characterized in that it comprises;

- a fixed frame (2) mounted on the side bodywork of the vehicle,

- at least one mobile frame (3) on which the glass (4) is adhered, which performs the rotational movement in connection with said fixed frame (2) in order to form the clearance (5) enabling the passengers to be evacuated,

- fixed lock elements (13) having lock projections (13.1 ), which are mounted at certain intervals on said fixed frame (2), - mobile lock elements (8) disposed at certain intervals in the movement slot (14) formed on the lower edge of said mobile frame (3), which have lock channels (8.1 ) completely engaging into said lock projections (13.1 ) by means of the pulling force imparted by a spring (12) positioned inside said movement slot (14) when the mobile frame (3) is in closed position, - a lock arm (6) positioned on said mobile frame (3) and connected with said spring (12) and said mobile lock elements (8) and

- movement transmission element (11 ) connected with said lock arm (6), which enables said mobile lock elements (8) to move in (y) direction inside said movement slot (14) and said lock channels (8.1 ) to be released from said lock projections (13.1 ) upon said lock arm's (6) being rotated in order to bring the mobile frame (3) to open position.

2. Emergency exit structure (1 ) according to claim 1 characterized in that said mobile lock element (8) comprises the connecting element (8.2) which enables it to be mounted on said mobile frame (3).

3. Emergency exit structure (1 ) according to claim 1 characterized in that said fixed lock elements (13) comprise the connecting elements (13.2), which enable them to be mounted on said fixed frame (2).

4. Emergency exit structure (1 ) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises the connecting parts (7), which are positioned at the upper corners of said fixed frame (2) and enable said fixed frame (2) to be connected on the vehicle bodywork.

5. Emergency exit structure (1 ) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a fixed support (15) inside said movement slot (14), which is connected said spring (12).

6. Emergency exit structure (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a detent shaped joint (9) formed on said mobile frame (3).

7. Emergency exit structure (1 ) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a joint groove (10) formed on said fixed frame (2), to which said joint (9) engages during the opening of said mobile frame (3).