Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
  • B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
  • B60D1/48—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by the mounting
  • B60D1/481—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by the mounting adapted for being mounted to the front and back of trailers, carts, trolleys, or the like to form a train
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
  • B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
  • B60D1/24—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by arrangements for particular functions
  • B60D1/36—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices characterised by arrangements for particular functions for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers, visual guide means, signalling aids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60D—VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
  • B60D1/00—Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices
  • B60D1/58—Auxiliary devices
  • B60D1/62—Auxiliary devices involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D47/00—Motor vehicles or trailers predominantly for carrying passengers
  • B62D47/006—Vehicles which can be divided in sub-vehicles; nestable vehicles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of road transport vehicles and more particularly to the field of thermal and electric vehicles for public transport of passengers in an urban environment.
• urban traffic patterns differ substantially from interurban modes of travel as they depend on traffic and population density within a defined urban area that can be changed on a single day.
• the stopping of the public transport vehicles takes place at dedicated points forming a loading station conventionally positioned along a flow of traffic, for example at a sidewalk.
• docking requires that the transport vehicle to be positioned closer to the edge of the station over its entire length .
• loading stations along the vehicle path may be located in architecturally constraining urban environments to allow the driver of the transit vehicle.
• This difficulty of performing an effective docking maneuver can slow down the rate of movement of the vehicle between two loading stations and lead to a delay in respecting the schedules of the vehicle expected by passengers.
• this docking maneuver when this docking maneuver is not performed correctly by the vehicle, it may block all or part of the flow of traffic and thus disrupt the movement of other vehicles.
• the present invention aims to overcome this disadvantage by providing a vehicle whose docking maneuvers are facilitated for the driver and allows the realization of a flexible fleet and adaptable to the constraints of urban and extra-urban service.
• the invention relates to an autonomous urban vehicle for the transport of passengers equipped with a passenger compartment characterized in that the vehicle comprises steering wheels at the front and rear of the vehicle and at least a portion of a face at one end of the vehicle forms a coupling interface with at least one complementary interface positioned on a portion of a face at one end of another vehicle.
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary implementation of vehicles according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is an example of a convoy of urban autonomous vehicles according to the invention.
• the invention relates to an autonomous urban vehicle 1 for the transport of passengers equipped with a passenger compartment, characterized in that the vehicle 1 comprises steering wheels 2 at the front and at the rear of the vehicle 1 and that at least a portion of a face 3 located at one end of the vehicle 1 carries a coupling interface 4 with at least one complementary interface 4 positioned on a portion of a face at one end of another vehicle.
• the other vehicle is of the same type or similar to that of the invention.
• this conductor is positioned in the leading vehicle 1, the other vehicles forming trailers, which can be motorized.
• a convoy directed by a single driver can be formed by a single vehicle or the coupling of at least two vehicles.
• the coupling of vehicles 1 allows a quick and efficient adjustment of the transport capacity of the convoy, possibly on portions of the route to best meet the needs of passenger transport.
• this coupling also allows to gather one or more convoys with different routes on a common portion of their respective courses.
• the vehicle 1 realizes a basic module of a convoy to which complementary base modules can be coupled to form a larger convoy with a boarding capacity more adapted to the needs of transport.
• the vehicle 1 according to the invention is able to flow independently and independently in the manner of a bus in areas with reduced service.
• the vehicle 1 reaches a larger service area, the latter is then able to be coupled with a similar vehicle 1 may come, for example, another reduced service area or the deposit.
• This coupling allows the assembly formed by the two coupled vehicles to circulate in a guided manner in a predefined circuit portion in the manner of a convoy driven by a single driver. At one end of this circuit portion, after a decoupling operation of the vehicles 1, each of them is then able to serve a respective circuit or return to the depot.
• the driver who is no longer useful in a convoy formed by several vehicles 1 can leave his vehicle to intervene on a vehicle of a convoy being uncoupled and coming in the opposite direction .
• the implementation of vehicles 1 according to the invention also has great comfort for passengers, who can remain inside the vehicle 1 during a coupling operation. Moreover, each of the vehicles of the same convoy can be led to follow a different circuit which only a portion is shared with other vehicles of the convoy and justifies the coupling operation, a traveler information system can advantageously indicate the destination of the vehicles. The traveler will be able to get in the vehicle of the train that serves its final destination.
• the implementation of a fleet of vehicles according to the invention thus allows, on the one hand, flexibility both in the configuration of vehicle convoys and in the choice of areas served and, on the other hand, reduced costs for obtaining a dense network of a territory by public transport lines.
• at least one of the front or rear axles is motorized and connected for example to an on-board electrical power source of the super-capacitor type.
• the vehicle 1 also comprises a driving position that can be occupied by a driver.
• the front and rear axles are respectively at the front and rear ends of the vehicle 1, allow the realization of a low and flat floor in the operating space.
• the driver is advantageously housed between or above the wheels of the front axle.
• the front and rear overhangs are reduced to the maximum to allow the deflections of the wheels.
• This configuration allows to offer a large space completely flat and low for development, without wheel passage. These low overhangs also allow small lateral deflections during cornering. Driving and docking at the stations are thus facilitated.
• this virtual absence of cantilever limits curves, the deflections of the ends and thus reduces the footprint jig.
• the hitch material or intangible is also simplified insofar as the distance between two vehicles is reduced.
• steering wheels 2 at the front and rear of the vehicle 1 facilitates the docking operation for the driver.
• this docking operation is greatly improved by the presence of such steering wheels at each of the vehicle modules.
• the vehicle 1 of the invention comprises at least one pivoting mechanism of the wheels 2 positioned at the front and / or rear of the vehicle 1 so as to allow a transverse displacement of the vehicle 1
• the steering wheels 2 are adapted to allow a crab displacement of the vehicle 1, that is to say a transverse displacement of the vehicle 1 which facilitates a homogeneous docking of the vehicle 1 over its entire length.
• the steering front axle can be oriented from the driving position by means of control members.
• the steering rear axle can then be driven by a flight control system so as to control either a carousel mode of travel; is a mode of transverse displacement called crab.
• the transverse movement or crab allows the driver to make turns in small spaces or congested environments.
• the vehicle 1 may be equipped with an alarm indicating the orientation of the rear wheels.
• the suspension of the vehicle 1 is preferably controlled in attitude.
• the berthing position at the dock, vertical and lateral, of each of the doors of the vehicle 1 is controlled, even in road mode. Access for people with reduced mobility is facilitated for all access, even without pallet loading.
• the vehicle 1 is characterized in that the coupling interface 4 comprises a detection mechanism of a complementary interface 4 associated with a distance management mechanism which separates the coupling interface from the complementary interface.
• a detection mechanism makes it possible to obtain recognition of the coupling interfaces 4 between them and thus to facilitate the coupling operation of the two vehicles 1 concerned.
• the distance management mechanism makes it possible to maintain a minimum distance between the ends of two vehicles 1 to guarantee, on the one hand, a safety distance between the vehicles 1 of the same convoy and, on the other hand, a flexibility of movement of one vehicle relative to the other.
• the distance management mechanism is at least connected:
• the distance management mechanism makes it possible to adjust the various mechanisms involved in moving the vehicle 1 as a function of the distance sought between two coupled vehicles 1.
• the coupling interface 4 may involve either a mechanical system or an intangible system.
• the coupling interface 4 comprises a disengageable mechanical connection device.
• the vehicle 1 comprises a servo mechanism of the master / slave type connected to at least:
• the servo mechanism is also connected to at least one coupling interface 4 of the vehicle 1 and is associated in operation with the activity of this coupling interface 4.
• specific servocontrol laws can also be predefined by means of on-board electronic means.
• the servo mechanism of the master / slave type is arranged to enslave all the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic organs of all the vehicles. 1 of the convoy to be ordered the only driver of the convoy.
• This servo mechanism thus allows one of the vehicles 1 of the convoy to take control of the various mechanisms involved in the movement of the vehicle 1.
• a single driver is able to ensure joint control of the operation of each of the vehicles.
• vehicles 1 of the convoy during the movement of it.
• This joint control of the operation of the vehicles thus allows a more secure movement than when traveling by a first tractor vehicle to which are coupled several towed vehicles.
• the single conductor is positioned in the vehicle 1 head of the convoy.
• the vehicle 1 comprises a steering device associated with a communication interface mounted on the vehicle 1 to allow remote control of the vehicle 1.
• This particular construction of the vehicle 1 thus allows a driver who does not is not present in one of the vehicles of the convoy, to take the orders of at least one of the vehicles of the convoy to carry out at least some maneuvers.
• the coupling interface 4 includes connections that allow control from central control and control means, for example at a single vehicle 1 of the convoy.
• electrical safety circuits can be brought to be positioned between two vehicles, in a manner similar to that practiced in the railway field.
• no energy passes from one vehicle 1 to the other.
• each vehicle 1 remains autonomous and has its own traction system and energy reserve. The connection between vehicles 1 is then only a control and control link.
• the vehicle 1 is characterized in that at least one of the axles of the vehicle 1 is associated with a disengageable mechanical guide system of the vehicle adapted to cooperate with the guide rail of a traffic zone.
• This feature is preferably implemented in the context of an adaptation of the road vehicle to guide railways (s) rail (s) classically implemented for tramway type vehicles.
• the driver can steer his front axle to the rail catch area on the roadway and then lower the guidance system.
• the orientation of the rear axle towards the rail catch area is done automatically through an on-board steering system.
• the vehicle 1 is characterized in that at least one of the vehicle axles is associated with a disengageable mechanical guiding system of the vehicle capable of being coupled with a cooperation interface of another vehicle.
• the vehicle 1 is characterized in that at least one of the axles of the vehicle 1 is associated with a virtual guidance system of the vehicle capable of cooperating with a predefined guide line of a traffic zone .
• a virtual guidance system of the vehicle capable of cooperating with a predefined guide line of a traffic zone .
• the implementation of such a virtual guidance system requires the cooperation of the guidance system with positioning terminals positioned at different points of the path taken by the vehicle 1 or the convoy of the vehicle 1.
• this system guide is associated with a database incorporating a virtual map of the circuit to be traveled by the vehicle 1 or the convoy of the vehicle 1.
• the database and / or the location terminals participate in the realization of a virtual guidance line intended to cooperate with the virtual guidance system of the vehicle 1.
• the virtual guidance system can be associated with each of the axles to be single-channel.
• the invention also relates to a set of at least two vehicles according to the invention, characterized in that at least two vehicles 1 are connected by their respective coupling interfaces 4. This assembly of at least two vehicles 1 thus allows the realization of a convoy of vehicles (1).
• a second vehicle called "slave” via at least one servo mechanism.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Control Of Driving Devices And Active Controlling Of Vehicle (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Steering Control In Accordance With Driving Conditions (AREA)
• Arrangement Or Mounting Of Propulsion Units For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=58358658

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2016
  • 2016-12-22 FR FR1663140A patent/FR3061086B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2017
  • 2017-12-15 EP EP17829228.0A patent/EP3558724A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2017-12-15 CN CN201780079392.7A patent/CN110139767A/zh active Pending
  • 2017-12-15 WO PCT/FR2017/053619 patent/WO2018115663A1/fr unknown
  • 2017-12-15 BR BR112019012781A patent/BR112019012781A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2017-12-22 AR ARP170103646A patent/AR110573A1/es unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-06-19 CL CL2019001701A patent/CL2019001701A1/es unknown

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