GB2276816A

GB2276816A - Bed for vehicle cab

Info

Publication number: GB2276816A
Application number: GB9406590A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Oskar Brand; Alain Berthet
Original assignee: Daimler Benz AG; Mercedes Benz AG
Current assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Priority date: 1993-04-06
Filing date: 1994-03-31
Publication date: 1994-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-31
Also published as: GB2276816B; GB9406590D0; ITRM940188A1; NL9400499A; FR2703637B1; FR2703637A1; ITRM940188A0; DE4311239C1; IT1272969B

Description

2276816 1 Bed arrangement for a cab of a motor vehicle The invention

relates to a bed arrangement for a cab of a motor vehicle, particularly but not exclusively of a lorry, having a bed which is mounted such that it can pivot, about a horizontal transverse spindle in pivot mountings, between a horizontal lying position and a tilted position swung towards a wall of the cab.

It is known (DE 33 22 213 A1) to provide a camping van with a bed arranged in the region of the cab. This bed is suspended in the region of the vehicle roof. It can pivot, as required. downwards about a horizontal transverse spindle into a horizontal lying position.

The present invention seeks to provide a bed arrangement, of the type mentioned in the first paragraph, which is simple to handle and can be f itted in a spacesaving manner.

According to the present invention there is provided a bed arrangement for a cab of a motor vehicle, having a bed which is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis between a horizontal lying position and a tilted position swung towards a wall of the cab, wherein there acts laterally on the bed, at a distance f rom the transverse spindle axis, at least one retaining swing arm which is mounted on the bed so as to be rotatable about a rotational spindle, parallel to the transverse spindle axis, and which spindle is held, at its f ree end, so as to be moveable axially and rotatably in a thrust/pivot guide attached to the vehicle and which can be f ixed in end positions by means of an arresting device.

Consequently, the bed can, in a simple manner, be pushed manually upwards out of the horizontal lying position into the tilted position. In the same manner, the bed is brought into its lying position again by a small number of manipulations. owing to the lateral arrangement of the retaining swing arm, the space located beneath the bed, when the latter is in the swung-up state. is freely accessible, 2 as a result of which additional space is obtained. Owing to the provision of the retaining swing arm, in particular no bearing surfaces are required for supporting the bed in its horizontal lying position.

In one development of the invention, the arresting device is connected to the thrust/pivot guide and has a spring-loaded unlocking mechanism provided with a handle segment. Consequently, the arresting device can be unlocked by a simple manipulation, as a result of which the bed can be pivoted.

In a further development of the invention, the pivot mountings are held by means of sliding elements such that they can move slidingly, perpendicularly with respect to the transverse spindle, in a horizontal sliding guide. Consequently, a horizontal displacement of the bed is possible, as a result of which the bed can be drawn out into a desired position.

In a further development of the invention, the horizontal sliding guide has arresting means for fixing the pivot mountings in at least two spacedapart positions. Consequently, the bed can be arrested in the respectively desired horizontally displaced position.

In a further development of the invention, the thrust/pivot guide is assigned a locking bolt which is attached to the vehicle and is intended to prevent a pivot movement of the bed in a horizontally displaced position. With regard to the confined space in the cab, the bed can thus only be pivoted when it is in the pushed-back position.

In a further development of the invention there is provided, between the bed and the rear wall of the cab, a fold of textile material which is fixed both on the bed and on the rear wall and the length of which corresponds approximately to the spacing between the two positions of the sliding guide. Consequently, in the drawn-out state of the bed, a gap between the rear wall of the cab and the bed is covered over.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described 3 by way of example with reference to the drawing.

The drawing shows, in a side view, a configuration of a bed arrangement, according to the invention, in a cab of a lorry, in the case of which the bed can pivot about a horizontal transverse spindle and can be drawn out forwards essentially horizontally.

A bed 1 is suspended, in a cab of a lorry, on two opposite side walls of the cab. For reasons of clarity, these sides walls are not represented. The bed 1 is arranged in front of a rear wall 2 of the cab. The bed 1 is mounted, in two opposite pivot mountings 4, such that it can pivot about a horizontal transverse spindle 5. Each pivot mounting 4 on both sides of the bed 1 represents a sliding element which is held such that it can move slidingly in a horizontal guide rail 3. Each sliding piece of the two opposite pivot mountings 4 is provided with a receiving bearing for in each case one bearing journal of the bed 1. The two opposite guide rails 3 are f ixed in each case at the same level on the opposite side walls of the cab. For reasons of clarity, this fixing on the side walls is not represented. The guide rails 3 are thus arranged such that they are attached to the vehicle. At a distance in front of the pivot mountings 4 there is articulated on the bed 1 laterally, on both sides, in each case one retaining swing arm 9. The two opposite retaining swing arms 9 are mounted on the bed 1 such that they can pivot about a common horizontal pivot spindle 8, which is parallel to the transverse spindle 5. Each retaining swing arm 9 is provided. towards the free end, with a cylindrical surface and exhibits, at the f ree end, a stop head 16 which is of enlarged diameter with respect to the cylindrical part of the retaining swing arm 9. The cylindrical part of the retaining swing arm 9 is held such that it can be displaced in a linear manner in a telescoping guide 11. The telescoping guide 11 represents an essentially cylindrical bush which is mounted on the side wall such that it can pivot about a horizontal spindle 12 which is perpendicular 4 to the sliding spindle. For this purpose there projects outwards, from the telescoping guide 11, a journal which is mounted such that it can move rotatably in a corresponding bearing receiving means of the side wall not shown. By this measure, the retaining swing arm 9, on the one hand, can be displaced in a linear manner in the telescoping guide 11 and, on the other hand, can pivot about the pivot point of the spindle 12. The telescoping guide 11 thus forms a combined thrust/pivot guide for the retaining swing arm 9.

In addition, the telescoping guide 11 is provided with an arresting device 13, 14, 15 which fixes the retaining swing arm 9 in its end position relative to the telescoping guide 11. For this purpose, there is retained, in a securing means 14 on the telescoping guide 11, a Ushaped bow 13 such that it can move in a linear manner radially with respect to the sliding spindle of the retaining swing arm 9. Each leg of the U- shaped bow 13 is acted upon by a compression spring 15 which exerts, on the bow 13, a loading acting in the direction of the retaining swing arm 9. The two ends 18 of the legs of the bow 13 project inwards through two bores in the telescoping guide 11. In the represented position, said ends project, in addition, into two corresponding bores in the retaining swing arm 9, with the result that the retaining swing arm 9 is arrested in a positively locking manner, by means of the arresting device 13, 14, 15, relative to the telescoping guide 11. In this arrangement, only the sliding mobility of the retaining swing arm 9 is locked, i.e. pivoting about the spindle 12 is possible.

The same arrangement of retaining swing arm 9 and telescoping tube 11 is provided on both sides of the bed 1, so that, for the configuration located opposite not shown, you are referred to the above description.

The two opposite horizontal guide rails 3 have a length which is slightly greater than four times the length of the sliding piece of the pivot mountings 4. The bed 1 can therefore be displaced horizontally by an amount which corresponds to the maximum displaceability of the sliding piece of the pivot mounting 4 in the respective guide rail 3. The two end positions of the pivot mounting 4 are represented in the drawing, the drawn-out position being characterized by the reference numerals 4a and 5a. In order to avoid an unintentional displacement of the bed 1 in the respective end position, the pivot mounting 4 is also provided with arresting means 6. In this arrangement there is provided, in a tubular part of the transverse spindle 5 of the bed 1, an arresting bolt which is spring-loaded axially outwards by a compression spring. Corresponding to the two end positions of the bed 1 there are provided, in each guide rail 3, two corresponding openings into which the spring-loaded arresting bolt latches in a positively locking manner once it has reached the respective end position. In order to unlock the arresting bolt there acts, on the rear end of the same, a Bowden cable 7 which is guided forwards through the bed 1 and is fastened on a movable handle 10. By simply pulling the handle 10, the arresting bolt is thus drawn out of the respective opening in the guide rail 3, with the result that the bed 1 can be displaced horizontally.

The U-shaped bow 13 is bent such that there is sufficient space for a hand or a finger to grip it. In order to unlock the retaining swing arm 9, the U-shaped bow 13 is thus manually drawn out in a simple manner until the retaining swing arm 9 is free. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bed 1 is thus suspended on the two side walls of the cab in the region of the rotational spindle 5 and in the region of the spindle 12. If the bed I is displaced horizontally in its drawn-out position la, then the articulation point of the retaining swing arm 9 in the region of the pivot spindle 8 moves over the path 21 which is in the form of an arc of the circle,, i. e. the bed 1 carries out a "pitching movement". Since, however, the angle a, which, in the initial position of the bed 1, the retaining swing arm 9 is at with respect to a vertical 19, 6 also remains the same when the bed 1 is pivoted via the vertical 19 into the position la, a horizontal alignment of the bed 1 is ensured in both positions. The drawn-out position of the thrust/pivot guide, represented by chaindotted lines, is identified by the addition a to the reference numerals.

For reasons of space, no pivoting upwards can take place in the drawn-out position la of the bed 1. For this purpose there is provided, on the side wall of the cab, an arresting bolt 17 which projects inwards from the side wall. In the position 16a, said arresting bolt 17 locks the stop head 16 and thus the retaining swing arm 9. In order to pivot the bed 1 upwards, the latter must thus first of all be pushed back again into the position which is represented by solid lines. In order to pivot the bed 1 upwards, first of all the bow 13 is drawn out, with the result that the retaining swing arm 9 is unlocked. Consequently, a statically determined system is attained when manually pivoting the bed 1 upwards, since the retaining swing arm 9 can yield in a linear manner in the telescoping guide 11. The articulation point of the retaining swing arm 9 on the pivot spindle 8 moves over the circle arc 20 when pivoting the bed 1 upwards. The intermediate position of the bed 1 midway up is designed by 11, 81, 91 and 161. It can be seen from this position, represented by chain-dotted lines, that the retaining swing arm 9 is displaced to a relatively large extent within the telescoping guide 11. In the swung-up end position, identified by 110, 810, 911, 1111, 1311 and 1411, of the bed 1 likewise represented by chain-dotted lines, the stop head 16 rests on the telescoping guide 11 again, as a result of which the bow 13 latches in a positively locking manner into the retaining swing arm 9 again. The bed 1 is thus arrested in the position ill, represented by chain-dotted lines. In order to swing the bed downwards into the horizontal position, all that needs to be done is, in a simple manner, to release the bow 13 once again, as a result of which the bed 1 automatically pivots downwards due to its 7 own dead weight. A pneumatic spring may additionally be provided as damper or supporting aid.

In the region of a rear side of the bed 1 and of the rear wall 2 there is provided a pocket-like fold 22 of textile material which becomes taut, when the bed 1 is drawn out, and thus, in the drawn-out position la of the bed 1, covers over the gap remaining between rear wall 2 and bed 1.

8

Claims

1. A bed arrangement f or a cab of a motor vehicle, having a bed which is mounted so as to be pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis between a horizontal lying position and a tilted position swung towards a wall of the cab, wherein there acts laterally on the bed, at a distance from the transverse spindle axis, at least one retaining swing arm which is mounted on the bed so as to be rotatable about a rotational spindle, parallel to the transverse spindle axis, and which spindle is held, at its free end, so as to be moveable axially and rotatably in a thrust/pivot guide attached to the vehicle and which can be fixed in end positions by means of an arresting device.

2. A bed arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the arresting device is connected to the thrust/pivot guide and has a spring-loaded unlocking mechanism provided with a handle segment.

3. A bed arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the pivot mountings are held by means of sliding elements such that they can move slidingly, perpendicularly with respect to the transverse spindle, in a horizontal sliding guide.

4. A bed arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the horizontal sliding guide has arresting means for fixing the pivot mountings in at least two spaced-apart positions of the sliding guide.

5. A bed arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein the bed is provided with a release mechanism for unlocking the arresting means.

6. A bed arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thrust/pivot guide has a locking bolt which is attached to the vehicle and is adapted A 9 to prevent a pivot movement of the bed in a horizontally displaced position.

7. A bed arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is provided, between the bed and a rear wall of the cab, a fold of textile material which is fixed both on the bed and on the rear wall and the length of which corresponds approximately to the spacing between the two end positions of the sliding guide.

8. A bed arrangement f or a cab of a motor vehicle, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.