GB2408490A - Emergency vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A body for mounting on the rear of an emergency vehicle is fully enclosed by side walls 12, a front wall 14, a rear wall 16 and a roof 18. The body is a self-supporting structure of thermosetting material, without any additional supporting structure, chassis or frame. The side walls 12 have an external planar wall 30 and an internal corrugated sheet 32, both of thermosetting material, forming a panel with thickness and strength provided by the two components and the corrugation. The front wall and roof are similarly formed. Thus, adequate structural strength can be provided for the body without the additional weight of a supporting framework of conventional designs.

Description

Emergency Vehicles The present invention relates to emergency vehicles.

Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, can be extremely heavy when fully equipped. This has implications in respect of the degree of qualification required of the driver, and thus affects the overall cost of operating the vehicle.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an enclosed body for attachment to an emergency vehicle and within which emergency facilities may be provided, during use, the enclosed body having a self supporting structure formed wholly or substantially wholly of thermosetting material to provide substantially the whole of the structural strength of the body.

Preferably the thermosetting material is a synthetic resin, which may be polypropylene. Reinforcing fibres may be incorporated within the thermosetting materials. Preferably, the reinforcing fibres are in the form of a mat of interwoven fibres.

Preferably, the body is formed of a plurality of panels attached together. The panels may be attached together by means of adhesive. The body is preferably generally parallelepipedal in form. Preferably each face of the body is provided by a single panel, the panels being attached together at or near the edges of the body.

Preferably, at least one of the panels has a sheet of thermosetting material providing a generally planar surface for the panel, and a corrugated sheet of themmosetting material attached to the said sheet. Preferably the planar surface provided by the sheet faces outwardly of the body.

The invention also provides an emergency vehicle having a body as defined above.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1 to 4 show a body in accordance with the invention, being, respectively, a perspective view from the rear, a perspective view from the front, a side elevation and a rear elevation; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the body of figs. 1 to 4; and Fig. 6 is a partial, enlarged section of one wall of the body.

Figs. 1 to 4 show a body in accordance with the invention, in its finished form. The body 10 is fully enclosed by side walls 12, a front wall 14, a rear wall 16 and a roof 18. Side windows 20 and a side door 22 are provided in the walls 12 and an end window 24 is provided in the front wall 14.

Doors 26 are provided in the rear walls 16.

The doors 22, 26 provide access to the interior of the body 10, within which emergency facilities are provided during use. For example, it is envisaged that the body 10 may be fitted out as an ambulance or other emergency vehicle.

In order to be used, the body 10 is attached to the chassis of an emergency vehicle as indicated in broken lines at 28.

The body shown in figs. 1 to 4 is constructed in a manner which can be understood more readily by reference to fig. 5. In considering fig. 5 it will be important to note that the body 10 is formed as a self supporting structure which is formed wholly or substantially wholly of thermosetting material to provide substantially all of the structural strength of the body.

Each side wall 12 has two principle components of thermosetting material, namely an external wall 30, which is substantially planar, except at its edges, and faces outwardly in the finished body 10. Inside the wall 30, one or more corrugated sheets 32, also of thermosetting material, cover the wall and are attached to it by appropriate means, such as adhesive. This provides a panel with additional thickness (by virtue of the two components) and strength (by virtue of the corrugation). The front wall 14 is formed in similar manner, having an external wall 34 in generally planar form, attached to an inner sheet 36, which is corrugated.

The roof 18 again has an external (upper) sheet 38 attached to a corrugated sheet 40. Finally, the floor 42 of the body 10 is provided by a shaped sheet of thermoseKing material.

These five panels are provided along their edges with formations to allow the panels to be attached to each other, along the edges of the body 10.

By reference to the material being used, and in the interests of weight saving, this attachment is preferably by means of an appropriate adhesive material.

It is important to note that the body formed from these side panels is a self supporting structure which does not have or require any additional supporting structure, chassis or frame. In this way, and in view of the density of thermosetting resin materials, it is accepted that adequate structural strength can be provided for the body 10 without the additional weight normally associated with a conventional arrangement of a framework (often of steel) to which detachable panels are mounted.

The walls 30 have been described as primarily planar, however, an integral lip 44 is provided at their rearmost edge, turned in to extend partly across the rear wall 16. The gap between the vertical edges of the lips 44 is closed by the doors 26. This completes the rear walls 16, which are not in the form of a separately identifiable planar panel.

Additional components shown in fig. 5 are used to finish the body 10.

In particular, the inwardly facing faces of the walls 12, 14 may be clad with inner sheets 46 to cover the corrugation of the sheets 32, 36, 40. Each of the doors 22, 26 may be formed of inner and outer skins, as shown in fig. 5.

Skirts 48 may be provided along the lower edges of the side walls 12, primarily for cosmetic reasons. The front and rear edges of the roof sheet 38 may be recessed to receive lightbars 50 containing flashing or strobe lights of the type commonly provided on emergency vehicles.

Fig. 6 shows additional detail of one of the side walls 12, and indicates 1 5 an additional feature arising from the corrugations of the sheets 32. Each corrugation, such as that indicated at 52, is separated from neighbouring corrugations (not shown) by regions 54 in which the wall 30 and sheet 32 are in intimate contact and attached together, preferably by means of adhesive.

At the corrugation 52, the existence of the corrugation results in a void 56 around which the wall 30 and corrugation 52 form a box section structural member providing strength for the wall 12. The corrugation also serves to space the inner sheet 46 from the wall 30. Finally, the corrugation 52 allows a conventional fitting 58 to penetrate the inner sheet and the corrugation 52 in order to provide a mounting arrangement for equipment, equipment brackets etc. Thus, in addition to providing improved strength for the corresponding panels, the corrugations provide a large choice of fixing positions for additional equipment to be provided within the body, in connection with the emergency facilities required.

Important components of the body 10 have been described as made of thermosetting material. Preferably, this is a synthetic resin, such as polypropylene. This allows simple, conventional moulding techniques to be used to form the components and panels into appropriate shapes. Additional strength can be provided by incorporating reinforcing fibres within the thermosetting material. In a preferred arrangement, the thermosetting material is in the form of a net of interwoven fibres, impregnated with the thermosetting resin, so that the whole may be thermally formed to the required shape, after which the resin maintains the shape and the fibres provide reinforcement.

The use of thermosetting materials provides advantages of light weight, which may improve the performance or running costs associated with the emergency vehicle, but more particularly, is expected to reduce the weight of some emergency vehicles sufficiently to affect the level of qualification required of the driver. Durability of the body is also increased, particularly as none of the key components are vulnerable to rust. It is expected that the body may realistically outlive a particular vehicle chassis on which it is mounted. Attachment means are preferably therefore provided to allow removal for reinstallation on an alternative vehicle chassis. The wide range of fitting positions provided within the body, by virtue of the corrugations, allows equipment within the body to be changed, modified or upgraded, as practice develops.

Many variations and modifications can be made to the apparatus described above, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as will be apparent to the skilled reader. In particular, many different choices of material, shapes, sizes, relative shapes and sizes can be made.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (15)

1. Claims:- 1. An enclosed body for attachment to an emergency vehicle and

   within which emergency facilities may be provided, during use, the enclosed body having a self supporting structure formed wholly or substantially wholly of thermosetting material to provide substantially the whole of the structural strength of the body.
2. 2. A body according to claim 1, wherein the thermosetting material is a l O synthetic resin.
3. 3. A body according to claim 2, wherein the synthetic resin is polypropylene.
4. 4. A body according to any preceding claim, wherein reinforcing fibres are

   I

   .: 15 incorporated within the themmosetting materials. ... .
5. 5. A body according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing fibres are in the form of a mat of interwoven fibres. :.

   ^.: 20
6. 6. A body according to any preceding claim, wherein the body is formed of a Gil plurality of panels attached together.
7. /. A body according to claim 6, wherein the panels are attached together by means of adhesive.
8. 8. A body according to any preceding claim, wherein the body is generally parallelepipedal in form.
9. 9. A body according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein each face of the body is provided by a single panel, the panels being attached together at or near the edges of the body.
10. 10. A body according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein at least one of the panels has a sheet of thermosetting material providing a generally planar surface for the panel, and a corrugated sheet of thermosetting material attached to the said sheet.
11. 11. A body according to claim 10, wherein the planar surface provided by the sheet faces outwardly of the body.
12. 12. An emergency vehicle having a body as defined in any preceding claim.
13. 13. An enclosed body for attachment to an emergency vehicle, substantially l O as designed above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. 14. An emergency vehicle substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

    l 5
15. 15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter * . disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims. :e . e a