GB2500439A

GB2500439A - Body structure and seating arrangement for truck cab

Info

Publication number: GB2500439A
Application number: GB1205438.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Justin Yee; Dieter Rohkohl; Ryan Dickman; Tracy Simpson-Meyer
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2012-03-21
Filing date: 2012-03-21
Publication date: 2013-09-25
Also published as: GB201205438D0

Abstract

The invention firstly relates to a body structure 10 for a truck cab, comprising a roof frame structure 12 which delimits the body structure 10 on its upper end and consists of a front cross member element 14 and a rear cross member element 16 connected by side member elements 18, 20. The rear cross member element 16 comprises a portion 26 elevated relative to the other roof member elements 14, 18, 20. The invention secondly relates to a seating arrangement comprising a driver seat (44 see fig 2) and a passenger seat (46 see fig 2) which are moveable to form a bed having a surface for sleeping.

Description

Body structure and seating arrangement for a truck cab The invention relates to a body structure according to claim 1 and a seating arrangement for a truck cab.

Truck cabs are usually provided as so-called day cabs, which lack sleeping bunks, and sleeping cabs including a sleeping bunk and usually exhibiting raised roofs which allow the operator to stand inside the cab. While sleeping cabs offer greater comfort to the driver and improved aerodynamic properties due to the raised roof channeling the wind flow around the cab, they usually take a significant amount of space and therefor require a different mounting arrangement than day cabs. The two cab types therefore are usually not exchangeable on the same truck frame.

Day cabs are known in extended length versions, which offer the primary benefit of extended seat travel and more storage area behind the seats. Due to being similar in size to the short versions, these cabs can generally be mounted on the same mounting *.....

* arrangements. However, even the extended length day cabs cannot provide the comfort r* : and aerodynamic advantages of sleeper cabs.

It is therefore the objective of the present invention to provide a cab body and seating r structure for a truck cab, which allow for a highly compact yet comfortable and aerodynamically advantageous cab.

This objective is achieved by a cab body according to claim 1 and a seating arrangement according to claim 4.

According to the invention, a body structure for a truck cab comprises a roof frame structure which delimits the body structure on its upper end and consists of a front cross member element and a rear cross member element connected by side member elements.

The rear cross member element comprises an elevated member portion elevated with regard to the other roof member elements.

The elevated member portion provides a support for a raised roof structure even within the constraints of a day cab format. The body structure according to the present invention therefore combines the compact format of a day cab with the aerodynamic and comfort advantages of a sleeper cab, while still being mountable to a day cab mounting arrangement on a truck frame structure.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elevated member portion is substantially U-shaped, with lateral column elements connected by a central horizontal member element. This provides for an especially good structural stabibty of the cab body.

It is furthermore advantageous, if the body structure comprises a structure portion extending from respective rear door columns and supporting the elevated member portion, This structure portion can be viewed as a cantilevered extension of a usual day cab structure providing additional space within the cab as well as a stable support for the raised roof.

The invention further relates to a seating arrangement for a truck cab, comprising a driver seat and a passenger seat, which, respectively, are moveable from a sitting position to a bunk position, in which the seats jointly form a bunk structure with a lying surface. * . * * .*

In other words, the seats of the seating arrangement are rearrangeable to at least *...** * partially form a bunk, allowing for the incorporation of such a bunk in very compact, day cab style truck cabs without necessitating extension of the cab structure to a point where a different mounting arrangement on the truck frame would be necessary. This is particularly advantageous for trucks which are usually employed only during daytimes but have to be used for occasional long-haul tasks for which a driver's bunk is needed. S. S

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a seat part of the passenger seat is laterally moveable between the sitting position, where it is positioned at the passenger side of the cab and the bunk position, where it is positioned substantially in the center of the cab and forms the center part of the lying surface.

The lateral movement of the seat part allows for a particularly simple conversion kinematics between the sitting and lying position thereby saving weight and reducing maintenance effort. Furthermore, rearranging the passenger seat part into the lying position by lateral movement does not necessitate any extension of the cab structure in longitudinal direction, thereby allowing for a particularly compact cab.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a back-rest portion of the passenger seat is rotatable between the sitting position, in which it rests against a cab back wall, and the lying position, in which it is rotated by 900 and forms a lateral part of the lying surface.

With minimal need for rearrangement! one lateral as well as the center part of the bunk structure can be formed from the passenger seat in this manner, providing a compact, lightweight and easy to handle seating arrangement.

It is particularly advantageous, if the back-rest portion is upholstered on its front and back side. In this embodiment, one upholstery part provides cushioning in the sitting position, while the other provides cushioning for the lying surface. This helps to avoid a complex kinematic of rearrangement with multiple axes of rotation.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the driver seat is longitudinally movable between the sifting position and the lying position, in which it is foldable into a support element for the bunk structure. Rearrangement of the driver seat between sitting and lying position therefor can be simply achieved by utilizing the already installed mechanisms for adjusting seat position and backrest angle, thereby allowing for a particularly lightweight construction. S * S

* While it is possible to provide the driver side lateral part of the lying surface by the driver * S seat, it is advantageous to mount an upholstery element on the driver side cab wall and allow for its rotation into a lying position, in which it is supported by the support element formed by the driver seat. This provides for a particularly comfortable bunk structure.

Set out below is a description of the invention and its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawing. The figures depict: Fig. 1 A perspective view of a cab body structure according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig, 2 a)-d) a preferred embodiment of a seating arrangement for a truck cab in various stages of conversion from a sitting position to a lying position.

A truck cab body structure 10 comprises a roof frame structure 12 consisting of a front cross member 14 and a rear cross member 16 connected by side members 18, 20. The front cross member 14 is supported by the front door columns 22 and forms the upper limitation of a wind shield aperture 24.

The rear cross member 16 comprises a central member portion 26, which is elevated with respect to the other roof member elements 14, 18, 20. The elevated central member portion 26 consists of two column elements 28, which are connected by a cross member element 30.

The elevated member portion 26 allows for the installation of a raised roof element! which is not shown in the figure, extending between the front cross member 14 and the rear cross member 16, therefore allowing an operator to stand upright in the cab and providing excellent aerodynamic properties.

The rear cross member 16 is supported by column elements 32, which extend behind of and parallel to the rear door columns 34 and which are connected to these by connecting elements 36. Together with a floor panel portion 38, which extends the main floor panel 39 backwards, the rear cross member 16, the column elements 32 and the connecting elements 36 form a cantilevered body structure portion 40 extending the cab body structure rearwards compared to a normal day cab body. * * * * .*

The cab body structure 10 according to fig. 1 can advantageously be combined with a * seating arrangement 42 according to fig. 2 to provide an essentially day cab sized cab which allows the operator to stand upright and provides the operator with a compact yet

comfortable bunk.

r The seating arrangement 42 consists of a driver seat 44 and a passenger seat 46. Fig. 2 a) depicts both seats in their sitting configuration. The passenger seat 46 in this configuration touches the passenger side wall 48 and the rear wall 50 of the cab. The passenger side wall 52 furthermore comprises a luggage door 52 and the rear wall 50 a door 54.

To convert the seating arrangement 42 into a lying arrangement, thereby providing a bunk for the driver, in a first step, a seating part 56 of the passenger seat 46 is laterally moved

--

in direction of arrow 58 towards the lateral center of the cab, as depicted in fig. 2b. The seating part thereby provides the center portion of the bunk to be formed.

In a next step, the back rest part 60 of the passenger seat 46 is rotated around its wall mount to form a lateral part of the lying surface of the bunk. To provide a comfortable surface, the back rest part 60 is fitted with two upholstery elements 62, 64, one on the front side and one on the back side of the back rest part 60.

To form the last part of the bunk, the driver seat is moved longitudinally within its adjustment rails 66 and its backrest part 68 is pivoted into a horizontal position. A further upholstery element 70, which is pivotally mounted on the driver side wall and only shown in its pivoted down position in fig 2 d), completes the lying surface of the bunk.

In summary, a combination of the body structure 10 and the seating arrangement 42 allow for a comfortable as well as compact cab with excellent aerodynamic properties. * . . * **

***.*. * * ** ** * * * * ** ** * * * * a * * * * * * *.

I

List of reference signs body structure 12 roof rail structure 14 front cross member 16 rear cross member 18, 20 side member 22 front door column 24 windshield aperture 26 elevated member portion 28 coiumn element cross member element 32 column element 34 rear door column 36 connecting element 38 floor panel portion 39 main floor panel body structure portion 42 seating arrangement 44 driver seat 46 passenger seat 48 passenger side wall cab rear wall 52 luggage door 54 door 56 seat part 58 arrow backrest part 62, 64 upholstery element * * 66 rail 68 driver seat backrest part upholstery element

Claims

Claims 1. Body structure (10) for a truck cab, comprising a roof frame structure (12) which delimits the body structure (10) on its upper end and consists of a front cross member element (14) and a rear cross member element (16) connected by side member elements (18, 20), characterized in that the rear cross member element (16) comprises an elevated member portion (26) elevated with regard to the other roof member elements (14, 18, 20).
2. Body structure (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elevated member portion (26) is substantially U-shaped, with lateral column *:*. elements (28) connected by a central horizontal member element (30).

4***** * *
3. Body structure (10) according to any of claims 1 or 2 * characterized in that the body structure (10) comprises a structure portion (40) extending from respective * ** rear door columns (34) and supporting the elevated member portion (26). * 4 * . *
4, Seating arrangement (42) for a truck cab, comprising a driver seat (44) and a passenger seat (46), which, respectively, are moveable from a sitting position to a bunk position, in which the seats jointly form a bunk structure with a lying surface.
5. Seating arrangement (42) according to claim 4, characterized in that a seat part (56) of the passenger seat (46) is laterally moveable between the sitting position, where it is positioned at the passenger side of the cab and the bunk position, where it is positioned substantially in the center of the cab and forms the center part of the lying surface.
6. Seating arrangement (42) according to claim 5, characterized in that a back-rest portion (60) of the passenger seat (46) is rotatable between the sitting position, in which it rests against a cab back wall (50), and the lying position, in which it is rotated by 930 and forms a lateral part of the lying surface.
7. Seating arrangement (42) according to claim 6, characterized in that the back rest portion (60) is upholstered on its front and back side.
8. Seating arrangement (42) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the driver's seat (44) is longitudinally movable between the sitting position and the lying position, in which it is foldable into a support element for the bunk structure.
9. Seating arrangement (42) according to claim 8, characterized in that an upholstery element (70) is pivotably mounted on the driver side cab wall and rotatable into a lying position, in which it is supported by the support element. * . . * .* * * *. ** * * . * * ** ** * * * * * ** * * * * * **