GB2509122A

GB2509122A - Disposal device in a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2509122A
Application number: GB201223136A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karthik Raju
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2012-12-20
Filing date: 2012-12-20
Publication date: 2014-06-25
Also published as: GB201223136D0

Abstract

A disposal device 10 in a motor vehicle comprises a duct device 14 arranged underneath the vehicle floor 12 with at least one duct 16 which via respective through openings with closing elements 28 in the vehicle floor 12 and the duct device 14 can be supplied with object to be disposed of, wherein a disposal duct narrows at least in a partial portion of its longitudinal extension. A fan or suction device may be provided to discharge disposed objects from the duct.

Description

Disposal Device of a Motor Vehicle The invention relates to a disposal device of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

The disposal of waste from the interior spaces of motor vehicles plays a very important part in particular with commercially used motor vehicles such as for instance busses, as the disposal of waste from the interior spaces commonly is time-consuming and cost-intensive. Thus the profitability of the respective motor vehicle is affected by a corresponding cleaning of its interior space and is impaired in the case of a correspondingly time-consuming and cost-intensive disposal.

KR 1019990067218 discloses a disposal device of a motorvehicle, the disposal device comprising a duct device, which is arranged underneath a vehicle's floor and which comprises at least one disposal duct. The disposal duct and the floor of the vehicle have respective through openings arranged in at least partial mutual overlapping, via which objects to be disposed of such as for instance waste can be supplied to the disposal duct.

The objects to be disposed of can be conveyed in a relatively simple way from the interior space into the disposal duct. However, a great effort is required to remove the objects to be disposed of from the disposal duct.

It is therefore the task of the present invention to further develop a disposal device of a motor vehicle of the initially mentioned kind in such a way that the objects to be disposed of can be removed from the disposal duct in a way that is simple and requires little effort.

This task is solved by the disposal device of a motor vehicle, in particular of a bus, having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the inventions with * * expedient and non-trivial further developments of the invention are indicated in the remaining claims. a..

In order to realize a disposal device of a motor vehicle, in particular of a bus, of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1, in which disposal device a removal of objects * a a to be disposed of from the disposal duct can be realized in a manner requiring little time and effort, it is envisaged according to the invention that the disposal duct narrows at least in a partial portion of its longitudinal extension. This design of the disposal duct for instance when blowing or sucking out the objects from the disposal duct produces a jet effect, by which air for sucking or blowing out the objects to be disposed of is accelerated.

As a result! even objects with disadvantageous outer geometries and/or with a great weight can be removed from the disposal duct in a simple and quick manner. Further a power consumption of a fan device for blowing out the objects to be disposed of or a power consumption of a suction device for sucking out the objects to be disposed of can be kept low. Thereby an energy-efficient cleaning of the disposal duct is possible.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the inner edges of the disposal duct are rounded. Thereby the movement of the objects to be disposed of is supported during their removal from the disposal duct, since the objects to be disposed of cannot get caught on sharp edges. In this way a particularly simple and fast cleaning is rendered possible. At the same time the disposal device allows for keeping the interior space clean in an uncomplicated way, so that a convenient environment can be created for the vehicle passengers.

The possibility of removing objects to be disposed of in a particularly fast and simple way both from the interior space of the motor vehicle as well as from the disposal duct, also a very high profitability of the motor vehicle can be realized. This is in particular advantageous, if the motor vehicle is configured as commercial motor vehicle. The disposal device in this connection allows for keeping the overall costs across the operating life of the motor vehicle to a minimum.

The fan device or suction device is preferably coupled to an energy storage device of the motor vehicle and is capable of being supplied with energy by means of this energy storage device. The energy storage device is for instance a battery, by means of which the fan device or the suction device is supplied with electric energy for operating the suction device or the fan device. Hereby it can be done without an external energy source * that is different and separate from the motor vehicle, so that the disposal duct can be * ***.* * cleaned particularly quick and cost-efficient.

*.**** Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description and the features and feature * * * combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be used not only in the respective indicated combination, but also in any other combination or taken alone, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

The drawings show in: Fig. 1 a schematic perspective view of a disposal device of a motor vehicle in the form of a bus, the disposal device comprising a duct device arranged under a vehicle floor of the motor vehicle, the duct device having two disposal ducts, which can be supplied with objects to be disposed of, for instance waste, via respective through openings of the vehicle floor and the duct device, the through openings being arranged in at least partial mutual overlapping, wherein the respective disposal duct narrows at least in a partial portion of its longitudinal extension.

Fig. 2 part of a schematic and perspective top view of the vehicle floor; Fig. 3 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the disposal device; Fig. 4 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the disposal device according to a further embodiment; and Fig. 5 part of a further sectional and perspective top view of the disposal device.

In the figures same elements and elements having the same functions are equipped with the same references.

Fig. 1 in a schematic perspective view shows a disposal device of a motor vehicle in the form of a bus, the disposal device being designated as a whole with reference 10. Of the bus from Fig. 1 a vehicle floor 12 can be discerned, which bounds the interior space of the bus in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the bottom. In the vertical direction fl.

* of the vehicle underneath the vehicle floor 12 a duct device 14 of the disposal device 10 is arranged, the duct device 14 being held on the vehicle floor 12. The duct device 14 comprises two duct elements 16 spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle, which each have a first length portion 18 and an adjacent second length portion 20. By the duct elements 16 a disposal duct 22 extending along each of the length **.* portions 18, 20 is bounded as can be seen from Figs. 3 and 4. In the length portion 18 the respective duct element 16 and thus the respective disposal duct 22 has a longitudinal extension, which at least essentially extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The length section 18 in this connection extends at least across a major portion of an extension of the vehicle floor 12 running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The disposal ducts 22 each can have an at least essentially rectangular cross-section preferably with rounded interior edges.

As can be seen in a combined viewing with Fig. 2, the respective duct element 16 and the vehicle floor 12 have respective through openings 24, which are arranged at least in partial mutual overlapping. Via the through openings 24 objects to be disposed of, such as for instance waste from the interior space of the bus, can be discharged into the respective disposal duct 22 and thus be removed in a simple way from the interior space.

From Fig. 1 it can be discerned that the respective disposal duct 22 via the longitudinal portion 20 can end in a respective collection container 26.

On a side facing away from the vehicle floor 12, in particular opposite to it, it may be envisaged that the respective duct element 16 has at least one discharge opening, via which the waste from the disposal ducts 22 can be discharged. Via these respective discharge openings for instance the respective disposal duct 22 can end in the respective collection container 26. This discharge opening may be equipped with at least one closing element for unblocking and blocking the discharge opening. The closing element may be a pivotable flap or a shiftable closing element, which is capable of being moved between a closed position and an at least one open position.

To the respective through openings 24 is assigned at least one closing element 28 for unblocking and blocking the through opening 24. The closing element 28 may be a flap, which is held to be capable of being pivoted relative to the vehicle floor 12 between a closed position and at least one open position. In the closed position the through openings 24 are blocked, whilst the through openings 24 are at least partially unblocked in the open position. * 0

* OOaO* * As can be seen from Figs 1, 2, and 5, the closing element 28 in the present case is configured as shifting element and is capable of being shifted between the closed position * and the open position relative to the vehicle floor 12. I... * 0*es

*t*0*S From Fig. 1 to 5 also vehicle seats 30 of the bus as well as a driver's seat 32 can be seen. The vehicle seats 30 are arranged in respective seat rows with four of the vehicle seats 30, wherein the seat rows are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Two respective vehicle seats 30 each of a respective one of the seat rows form a vehicle seat pair, wherein the respective vehicle, seat pairs of the respective seat row in the transverse direction of the vehicle are arranged spaced apart from each other, thus forming a central corridor 34. The vehicle seats 30 and the drivers seat 32 are attached to the vehicle floor 12.

The through openings 24 with the respective closing element 28 in this connection are arranged in the vehicle's transverse direction between and in the vehicle's longitudinal direction in front of the respective vehicle seats 30 of the respective vehicle seat pair.

Corresponding seat passengers of the vehicle seats 30 thus can move the closing element 28 from its closed position into its open position, in order to be able to arrange as a consequence waste via the through openings 24 in the corresponding disposal duct 22.

The closing elements 28 in this connection are arranged in a respective foot well of the seat rows. Thereby it is rendered possible that the seat passengers can open the respective closing element 28 with their feet, which is an advantage in particular when they are holding the waste to be disposed of in their hands.

A locking device may be provided for locking the respective closing element 26. In order to move the closing element 28 from its closed position into its open position, the locking device is unlocked by the seat passenger. As can be seen from Figs. ito 5, the waste due to the arrangement of the through openings 24 and the closing elements 26 in the respective foot well can be discharged in a simple way through the through openings 24 into the corresponding disposal duct 22. Due to the arrangement of the through openings 24 between the respective vehicle seats 30 of the respective vehicle seat pair the through openings 24 can be very easily accessed by both seat passengers of the vehicle seat pair. Preferably the closing elements 28 are arranged at places, which can be reached in an ergonomic and convenient way by the seat passengers. ** ** * * S

Advantageously, to the respective closing element 28 at least one spring element is * assigned, by means of which the closing element 28 is capable of being moved from its closed position into its open position. In other words the spring element is preloaded at least in the closed position and thus applies a spring force to the assigned closing element 28. The closing element 28 in this connection contrary to the spring force application can be kept by the respective seat passenger in its open position. If the seat 0fl *.* **e * !1⁄4 passenger unclasps the closing element 28, the closing element 28 is automatically moved from the closed position into the open position by means of the spring force application. Hereby a raised actuation comfort is realizable. Thereby the through openings 24 can also be safely blocked.

For marking the through openings 24 the closing elements 28 each can be equipped with at least one marking, such as for instance a label. This label can be equipped with a notification that no unsuitable and for instance particularly heavy waste must be discharged into the corresponding disposal duct 22.

Fig. 3 illustrates a possibility of removing the waste -for instance in the course of a maintenance operation on the bus -from the respective disposal duct 22. In this connection for instance a suction device is envisaged, by means of which the waste is capable of being sucked out of the respective disposal duct 22. This suction operation is illustrated by direction arrows 36.

Fig. 4 shows a further possibility of removing the waste from the disposal ducts 22. For this purpose for instance a fan device 38 with at least one fan element 40 is provided, by means of which the waste can be blown out from the respective disposal channel 22. This blowing out is illustrated in Fig. 4 by direction arrows 42. As is illustrated by the direction arrows 42, the waste is blown out from the disposal duct 22 and thereby moved into the collection container 26. In order to keep the weight, the cost, and the number of parts of the disposal device 10 to a minimum, a joint fan element 40 is assigned to the two disposal ducts 22 advantageously. Thereby both disposal ducts 22 can be cleaned and waste removed from them by means of one fan element 40.

By way of discharging the waste into the respective collection container 26 a complete dismantling of the of the disposal device 10 can be avoided. Rather it may be merely necessary, to take out the collection containers 26, in order to dispose of the waste contained therein. By way of the arrangement of the duct device 14 beneath the vehicle floor 12 the disposal ducts 22 can be configured to have a very large capacity so that also a particularly large amount of waste can be collected during a long trip and thus be removed from the interior space.

In order to realize a particularly simple as well as time and cost-efficient removal of the * waste from the disposal ducts 22, it is advantageously envisaged that the respective disposal duct 22 narrow at least in a respective partial portion of its longitudinal extension.

Hereby a jet effect is produced when blowing or sucking waste out so that a respective air a 0*** stream is accelerated. Hereby also particularly heavy waste can be removed from the disposal ducts 22. ** * . * . * * * * **.* * * ***. *

****** * *

Claims

Claims 1. A disposal device (10) of a motor vehicle, the disposal device comprising a duct device (14) arranged underneath a vehicle floor (12) of the motor vehicle with at least one disposal duct (22), which via respective through openings (24) of the vehicle floor (12) and the duct device (14)! the through openings being arranged in at least partial mutual overlapping, can be supplied with objects to be disposed of, characterized in that the disposal duct (22) narrows at least in a partial portion of its longitudinal extension.
2. The disposal device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that interior edges of the disposal duct (22) are rounded.
3. The disposal device (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the channel device (14) has at least one discharge opening on a side facing away from the vehicle floor (12) and being in particular opposite thereof, via which discharge opening the objects to be disposed of are capable of being discharged from the disposal duct (22).
4. The disposal device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in thatSa closing element for blocking and unblocking the discharge opening is assigned to the discharge opening. S..S
5. The disposal device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that * * at least one closing element (28) for blocking and unblocking the through openings (24) is assigned to the through openings (24).
6. The disposal device (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one spring element is assigned to the closing element (28), by means of -which the closing element (28) is capable of being moved from at least one open position unbiocking the through openings (24) to a closed position blocking the through openings.
7. The disposal device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one fan device (38) or a suction device is provided, by means of which the objects to be disposed of are capable of being discharged from the disposal duct (22). *. .a * . * * . * * .