FR3140823A1 - Vehicle car comprising a projection system configured to emit at least one light beam, associated vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle car comprising a projection system configured to emit at least one light beam, associated vehicle The present invention relates to a car (20) of a vehicle (10), in particular railway, suitable for traveling in a tunnel (15). The car (20) comprises a projection system (40) configured to emit at least one light beam (45) comprising an average orientation (O) directed upwards. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Vehicle car comprising a projection system configured to emit at least one light beam, associated vehicle

The present invention relates to a vehicle car, in particular a railway car, suitable for traveling in a tunnel.

The invention relates to the field of improving the user experience of passengers of public transport vehicles.

In the field of public transport, we know vehicles, particularly rail vehicles, such as metropolitan trains or trains. These inter or intra urban vehicles are suitable for moving from platform to platform through tunnels. At each platform, the vehicle stops to let users exit and enter. In particular, each vehicle follows a predefined route called a line.

When a public transport user enters a respective vehicle, he or she must wait for the vehicle to arrive at the desired destination platform before disembarking. If the vehicle is outdoors, the user can observe the landscape passing by as the vehicle moves. However, when the vehicle is traveling in a tunnel, the user has nothing to observe. In fact, the tunnels are most of the time dark. These tunnels only include a small number of light elements which are generally intended for maintenance operations or to provide signage for the driver of the vehicle.

The journey through the tunnels can be significantly long, so there is a need to make this journey more pleasant for the user.

The present invention therefore aims to improve the user experience of public transport users.

For this purpose, the present invention relates to a vehicle car, in particular a railway car, capable of circulating in a tunnel, the car comprising a projection system configured to emit at least one light beam comprising an average orientation directed upwards.

With the car according to the invention, the light beam oriented upwards is able to reflect against a wall of a tunnel when the vehicle travels in the tunnel. This reflection therefore generates a luminous halo effect around the vehicle. The halo is particularly aesthetic, which improves the user experience for users.

According to particular embodiments, the car comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all possible technical combinations:

- the projection system comprises at least one light source capable of emitting light, and at least one optical device capable of focusing the light to form the light beam,

- the projection system comprises a reception module, and a control module connected to the reception module and to the or each light source, the control module being able to control switching on or off of each light source in operation an on or off instruction received by the reception module,

- the car further comprises means for detecting entry or exit from the tunnel, the control module being capable of controlling the switching on of each light source following detection of the entry of the car into the tunnel, and suitable for controlling the extinction of each light source following the detection of the exit from the tunnel, the car,

- each light source is capable of emitting light for a plurality of distinct colors, the reception module being capable of receiving a color change instruction and the control module being capable of controlling a change in the color of the light emitted by each light source according to the color change instruction received,

- the optical device comprises at least one transparent lens in a material chosen from a group consisting of:

- glass,

- poly methyl methacrylate,

- polycarbonate,

- the car further comprises at least one headlight capable of illuminating an area in front of the car relative to a direction of movement of the vehicle, the projection system being at least partially integrated into the at least one headlight of the car;

- the light beam is substantially conical and has a vertical angular opening of between 10° and 50° and a horizontal angular opening of between 30° and 90°; And

- the projection system is configured so that an angle between a horizontal plane on which the car rests and the average orientation of the light beam is between 45° and 75°.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising at least one power car and at least one non-drive car, the or at least one of the power cars being as defined above.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- there is a schematic representation of a vehicle comprising a car according to the invention, traveling in a tunnel; And

- there is a schematic representation of a vehicle headlight of the .

We represented, on the , a vehicle 10 traveling in a tunnel 15. The vehicle 10 is preferably a railway vehicle, such as a mainline train, otherwise called a long-distance train, or a metropolitan railway train, otherwise called a metro.

The vehicle 10 comprises at least one power car 20 and preferably at least one non-drive car 22. Advantageously, the vehicle 10 comprises a power car 20 at each of its ends. The vehicle 10 is able to move in the tunnel 15 in a longitudinal direction L and in one direction of movement.

The car 20 according to the invention is preferably the driving car 20 furthest upstream of the vehicle 10 with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle 10. In other words, the car 20 according to the invention is preferably the lead car of the vehicle 10 .

To enable its movement, the car 20 preferably comprises wheels 25 suitable for rolling against rails 30 of the tunnel 15.

The car 20 further comprises at least one headlight 35 configured to illuminate the tunnel 15 for the driver of the vehicle 10, and more particularly configured to illuminate the rails 30 in front of the vehicle 10.

The car 20 advantageously comprises two headlights 35 which are preferably located on a front face of the car 20, i.e. the face facing when the vehicle 10 is moving. One of the two headlights 35 is preferably located on a first lateral part of the front face (in particular substantially to the left when turned in the direction of movement of the vehicle), while the other headlight 35 is preferably located on a second side part opposite the first side part of the front face (in particular substantially to the right in being turned in the direction of movement of the vehicle).

Alternatively, the car 20 includes only one headlight 35, which is in this case preferably arranged in a central part of the front face.

The or one of the headlights 35 will be described in more detail below with reference to the .

Still with reference to the , the car 20 comprises a projection system 40 configured to emit at least one light beam 45 comprising an average orientation O directed upwards. By “directed upwards” is meant the fact that the average orientation O includes at least one non-zero component in a vertical direction V perpendicular to a horizontal plane. The horizontal plane is defined by the longitudinal direction L and by a transverse direction T perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the vertical direction V.

The projection system 40 comprises for example at least one light source 50 capable of emitting light, and at least one optical device 55 capable of focusing the light emitted by each light source 50 in order to form the light beam 45.

The projection system 40 further comprises a reception module 60, detection means 62 and a control module 65 which will be described below.

There is a detailed sectional view of one of the headlights 35, in a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction T.

The lighthouse 35 comprises a substantially parallelepiped body 70. The body 70 defines a housing 80 from a face facing the car 20 in the direction of movement of the vehicle 10. The housing is delimited by a vertical surface 85, a horizontal surface 90 and an inclined surface 95. Each of said surfaces 85, 90, 95 extends along the transverse direction T.

The vertical surface 85 is preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. It defines a bottom of the housing 80. The vertical surface 85 forms, with the horizontal surface 90, an angle substantially equal to 90º.

The horizontal surface 90 is perpendicular to the vertical direction V. The horizontal surface 90 extends from the vertical surface 85 towards one end of the body 70 defining the housing 80.

The inclined surface 95 extends from the vertical surface 85 towards one end of the body 70.

The body 70 further comprises a first projection 100 extending substantially in the vertical direction, downwards, from the horizontal surface 90. In addition, the body 70 comprises a second projection 105 extending, in the vertical direction, towards the top, from one end of the inclined surface 95. The first 100 and second projection 105 are shaped to enclose a window 106 of the headlight 35.

The headlight 35 further comprises a lighting system 110 capable of illuminating an area in front of the car 20 relative to the direction of movement of the vehicle 10.

The lighting system 110 preferably comprises a plurality of lamps 115. Advantageously, the lighting system 110 comprises four lamps 115 distributed in two horizontal rows of two lamps each. The two horizontal rows are aligned with each other in such a way that on the representing a section of the headlight 35 in a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction T, two lamps 115 are visible.

The lamps 115 are partially embedded in the vertical surface 85 and are intended to illuminate an area upstream of the car 20 relative to the direction of movement of the vehicle 10, and preferably an area located at the level of the rails 30. Thus, the lamps 115 preferentially illuminate the tunnel floor 15.

The headlight 35 further comprises each light source 50 and each optical device 55.

The headlight 35 preferably comprises three light sources 50, and three optical devices 55 aligned in the transverse direction T.

Each light source 50 is for example a light-emitting diode (LED) capable of emitting colored light, in a plurality of possible colors. In other words, the light source 50 is capable of emitting light in several different colors depending on a command received from the control module 65 which will be described below.

Each optical device 55 is for example a transparent lens integrated into the inclined surface 95 of the headlight 35.

Each transparent lens is for example made of glass, polymethyl methacrylate (plexiglass) or polycarbonate.

Each optical device 55 is arranged contiguous to each respective light source 50 so that substantially all the light emitted by the light source 50 penetrates the optical device 55. Each optical device 55 is capable of focusing the light emitted by a respective light source 50 so that the light emitted by the set of light source(s) 50 forms the light beam 45.

Several lens models can be used to form the optical device 55. Depending on the lens chosen, the geometry of the light beam 45 varies. For example, the lenses are capable of forming a light beam 45 of circular, oval, or elliptical section. In addition, the light beam 45 is preferably substantially conical and has a vertical angular opening between 10º and 50º. Vertical angular opening is defined as being the angle formed by the light beam 45 in a plane comprising the vertical direction V.

Preferably, the light beam 45 also has a horizontal angular opening of between 30° and 90°. The horizontal angular aperture is defined as being the angle formed by the light beam 45 in a plane comprising the transverse direction T.

The inclination of the inclined surface 95 is such that the average orientation O of the light beam emitted by the light source(s) 50 and optical device(s) 55 forms with a horizontal plane on which the car 20 rests, an angle between 45° and 75°. The angle is measured between orientation O and longitudinal direction L.

Again with reference to the , the light beam 45 is intended to reach a ceiling 117 of the tunnel 15, thus forming a zone of incidence 120 with the ceiling 117 of the tunnel 15. The zone of incidence 120 is preferably elliptical. The zone of incidence 120 is for example located at a distance substantially equal to 5 meters in front of the car 20 in the direction of movement of the vehicle 10. The zone of incidence 120 extends for example, in the longitudinal direction L , over a distance of between 2 and 3 meters.

The light beam 45 reaching the zone of incidence 120, it is reflected on the ceiling 117 of the tunnel 15 in a plurality of directions, due to the geometry of the tunnel 15. The light beam 45 thus forms a luminous halo around the car 20 and more generally around the vehicle 10.

The reception module 60 is for example an electronic module capable of communicating with one or more systems internal or external to the vehicle 10, preferably by a wireless connection. The reception module 60 is preferably connected to the control module 65.

The reception module 60 is for example configured to receive, for example from a system external to the vehicle 10, an instruction for switching on or off each light source 50.

The reception module 60 is for example configured to also receive, for example from a system external to the vehicle 10, an instruction for changing the color of the or each light source 50.

The detection means 62 are for example sensors, such as position sensors or brightness sensors. They are capable of detecting an entry and/or exit from the tunnel 15 by the vehicle 10. For example, when the vehicle 10 is a metro which arrives at the platform, it leaves a respective tunnel 15. Furthermore, when the vehicle 10 is a metro which leaves a platform, it enters a respective tunnel 15.

The detection means 62 are connected to the control module 65 and are configured to transmit to said module 65, an entry and/or exit detection signal from a respective tunnel 15.

The control module 65 is configured to interact with each light source 50.

The control module 65 is configured to, when the reception module 60 receives an on or off instruction, control the on or off of each light source 50.

The control module 65 is further configured to, when the reception module 60 receives a color change instruction, control the color change of each light source 50.

Furthermore, the control module 65 is configured to, when it receives from the detection means 62, an entry signal into a respective tunnel 15, control the ignition of each light source 50, and when it receives from said means 62, an output signal from a respective tunnel 15, controlling the extinction of each light source 50.

The operation of the car 20 and more particularly of the projection system 40 will now be described.

Initially, the vehicle 10 is stopped in a first tunnel 15 and the light sources are turned off.

The reception module 60 receives an ignition instruction, for example from a system external to the vehicle 10. The control module 65 then controls the ignition of each light source 50. The light emitted by each light source 50 is then focused by each optical device 55 thus forming the light beam 45.

The light beam 45 reaches the ceiling 117 of the first tunnel 15 at the level of the zone of incidence 120. The light beam 45 is reflected on the ceiling 117 of the first tunnel 15 forming a light halo around the vehicle 10.

Then, vehicle 10 is moving in the first tunnel 15 and arrives near a platform. The detection means 62 then detect the exit from the first tunnel 15 and send, to the control module 65, the exit detection signal from the first tunnel 15. The control module 65 then controls the extinction of each light source 50 to avoid dazzling surveillance cameras on the platform.

Vehicle 10 then stops at the platform to let users get off and on.

Then, vehicle 10 restarts. The detection means 62 then detect the entry of the tunnel into a second tunnel 15. The detection means 62 then send, to the control module 65, an entry detection signal into the second tunnel 15. The control module 65 then controls the ignition of each light source 50. The projection system 40 then projects the light beam 45 again forming a luminous halo around the vehicle 10.

The exit and entry detections of tunnel(s) 15 are repeated several times throughout the movement of the vehicle 10.

At an instant, the reception module 60 receives, for example from a system external to the vehicle 10, a color change instruction. The control module 65 then controls the change of color of each light source 50.

The car 10 according to the invention improves the user experience since the light beam 45 allows the formation of a light halo around the vehicle 10.

In addition, the optional detection means 62 make it possible to avoid the glare of surveillance cameras on the platform as well as users waiting for the vehicle 10 to arrive at the platform.

In addition, the orientation of the light beam 45 makes it possible not to disturb the driver of the vehicle 10 or the driving sensors if the vehicle 10 is autonomous.

The change in color of the light beam 45 makes it possible to provide information to users. Indeed, certain metro systems require that vehicles 10 belonging to different lines, each associated with a color, make stops at the same platform. The car 20 according to the invention therefore makes it possible to identify the line of a vehicle 10 by the color of the light halo formed by the light beam 45.

Alternatively, the color change makes it possible to adapt the color of the light beam 45 to specific events such as the national holiday, New Year's Eve or others.

Claims (10)

Car (20) of vehicle (10), in particular railway, suitable for traveling in a tunnel (15), the car (20) comprising a projection system (40) configured to emit at least one light beam (45) comprising an orientation middle (O) directed upwards. Car (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the projection system (40) comprises at least one light source (50) capable of emitting light, and at least one optical device (55) capable of focusing the light to form the light beam (45). Car (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the projection system (40) comprises a reception module (60), and a control module (65) connected to the reception module (60) and to the or each source of light (50),
the control module (65) being capable of controlling an switching on or off of each light source (50) as a function of an on or off instruction received by the reception module (60). Car (20) according to the preceding claim, further comprising means for detecting (62) entry or exit from the tunnel (15), the control module (65) being capable of controlling the ignition of each light source ( 50) following the detection of the entry of the car (20) into the tunnel (15), and capable of controlling an extinction of each light source (50) following the detection of the exit from the tunnel (15), of the car (20). Car (20) according to claim 3 or 4, in which each light source (50) is capable of emitting light for a plurality of distinct colors, the reception module (60) being capable of receiving an instruction for changing the color and the control module (65) being capable of controlling a change in the color of the light emitted by each light source (50) as a function of the color change instruction received. Car (20) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, in which the optical device (55) comprises at least one transparent lens in a material chosen from a group consisting of:

• glass,
• poly methyl methacrylate,
• polycarbonate.

Car (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one headlight (35) capable of illuminating an area in front of the car (20) relative to a direction of movement of the vehicle (10), the projection system (40) being at least partially integrated into the at least one headlight (35) of the car (20). Car (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the light beam (45) is substantially conical and has a vertical angular aperture ( ) between 10° and 50° and a horizontal angular opening between 30° and 90°. Car (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the projection system (40) is configured so that an angle ( ) between a horizontal plane on which the car (20) rests and the average orientation (O) of the light beam (45) is between 45° and 75°. Vehicle (10), in particular railway, comprising at least one driving car (20) and at least one non-driving car (22), characterized in that the or at least one of the driving cars (20) is according to any one of the preceding claims.