US20120144570A1

US20120144570A1 - Rail vehicle having a sanitary unit

Info

Publication number: US20120144570A1
Application number: US12/963,835
Authority: US
Inventors: Sander van Lieshout
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2010-12-09
Filing date: 2010-12-09
Publication date: 2012-06-14

Abstract

A rail vehicle has at least one sanitary unit in which a WC device with an outlet pipe is to be installed. A car-body-side waste water pipe connection for connecting to the outlet pipe is provided. An intermediate pipe element is attached to the sanitary unit such that one side of the intermediate pipe element is used for a connection to the outlet pipe and the other side is used for a connection to the waste water pipe.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a rail vehicle having at least one sanitary unit in which a WC device with an outlet pipe is to be installed and having a car-body-side waste water pipe connection for connecting to the outlet pipe.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

When installing sanitary units, which are typically in the form of cabins, it must be noted that tolerances during the installation thereof are very large and are very difficult to cope with. In particular, the connection of the outlet pipe of a WC device to the car-body-side water pipe connection is of concern here. In this context, the WC device is usually pre-mounted within the sanitary unit and therefore orientation, installation and connection takes up a large amount of time and possible errors cannot be ruled out during installation.
The installation is additionally made difficult by the fact that the waste water pipe connection between the car-body-side waste water pipe connection and the WC device is embodied in a detachable fashion.
In the prior art, the procedure adopted during installation is such that the waste water piping is firstly installed in the car body. Then, the sanitary units are positioned in the car in such a way that they are located at the correct position in the car body and at the same the outlet pipe of the WC device adjoins the car-body-side waste water piping. This is a difficult undertaking due to various measurement tolerances. As soon as the connection between the outlet pipe of the WC device and the waste water pipe connection at the car body side is produced, the sanitary units are mounted in the car body.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the invention is to simplify the installation of sanitary units in car bodies of rail vehicles.
This object is achieved in that an intermediate pipe element is attached to the sanitary unit side in such a way that one side of which intermediate pipe element can be used for connection to the outlet pipe and the other side of which can be used for connection to the waste water pipe.
Owing to the fact that the intermediate pipe element is permanently provided on the sanitary unit, the following functions can be separated from one another: one side of the intermediate pipe element serves for connecting the WC device to the car-body-side waste water pipe connection. The other side of the intermediate pipe element has the function of producing a connection to the car-body-side waste water pipe connection. To this extent, the connection between the car-body-side waste water pipe connection and the outlet pipe of the WC device is produced in two stages during installation, which is simpler to handle.
The outlet pipe of the WC device preferably protrudes through a wall in the sanitary unit, and the intermediate pipe element is attached to an outer side of the sanitary unit.
The waste water pipe connection is advantageously connected to the intermediate pipe element via a flexible pipeline. Any tolerances with respect to the position of the sanitary unit in the car body can be compensated by this flexible connection. This reduces the dependence of the connection of the WC device to the car-body-side waste water piping on the position of the sanitary unit in the car body.
With respect to removal of the WC device, for example for maintenance purposes and/or in order to replace it, it is advantageous if a detachable form of attachment is selected between the intermediate pipe element and the WC device.
It is then possible, for maintenance purposes, to make the detachable connection of the WC device independent of the connection to the waste water piping. Furthermore, the same connection is defined “internally”, and can therefore be ensured and checked in advance, i.e. during the pre-installation of the sanitary unit.
The installation time for the sanitary unit can also be shortened if it is possible to concentrate on the orientation of the sanitary unit in the car body, in which case it is not necessary also to simultaneously pay attention to the position with respect to car-body-side piping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between waste water piping and a WC device which is installed in a sanitary unit, in a first installation step,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between waste water piping and a WC device, which is installed in a sanitary unit, in a second installation step, and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a junction region between waste water piping and a WC device which is installed in a sanitary unit, with a WC device which has been removed for maintenance purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a WC device 1 which is, for example, already installed in a corner region of a sanitary unit 2, of which only a detail is illustrated here. The WC device 1 has an outlet pipe 3 which protrudes out of the sanitary unit 2 through an opening in the wall thereof, and is connected to an intermediate pipe element 5 using a sleeve 4.
The intermediate pipe element 5 is attached to an outer side of the sanitary unit 2 via a securing element 6, in a rigid embodiment in the exemplary embodiment which is presented. The intermediate pipe element 5 is arranged, using the securing element 6, in such a position on the outer side of the sanitary unit 2 that when the WC device 1 is installed in the sanitary unit 2 a relatively simple connection can be produced between the outlet pipe 3 of the WC device and the facing end of the intermediate pipe 5.
Before a connection is produced between car-body-side waste water piping 7 and the still free end of the intermediate pipe element 5, a WC device 1 which has been completely installed within the sanitary unit 2 and connected to the intermediate pipe element 5 is already available. This simplifies overall the installation of the sanitary unit within the car body of a rail vehicle.
In order to connect the waste water piping 7 with connection 8 to the intermediate pipe element 5 a flexible rubber hose 9 is used, and therefore any measurement tolerances during the installation of the sanitary unit 2 in the car body can be allowed for. In other embodiments, said connection can also be produced by means of a solid pipe element.
FIG. 2 then shows the finished connection between the car-body-side waste water piping 7 and the outlet pipe 3 of the WC device. The only difference compared to FIG. 1 is that the flexible hose 9 is now connected to the previously still free end of the intermediate pipe element 5.
FIG. 3 corresponds essentially to the illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 2, but here the WC device has, for example, been taken out from its associated end of the intermediate pipe element 5 for maintenance purposes. As a result, the connection between the intermediate pipe element 5 and the waste water piping 7 remains unchanged, and removal and installation of the WC device 1 can therefore be handled easily.

Claims

1-4. (canceled)

5. A rail vehicle, comprising:

a sanitary unit for installing a WC device with an outlet pipe;

a waste water pipe connection for connecting to the outlet pipe of the WC device; and

an intermediate pipe element attached to the sanitary unit such that

a first side of the intermediate pipe element is used for a connection to the outlet pipe and

a second side of the intermediate pipe is used for a connection to the waste water pipe.

6. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outlet pipe protrudes through a wall in the sanitary unit, and the intermediate pipe element is attached to an outer side of the sanitary unit.

7. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the waste water pipe connection is connected to the intermediate pipe element via a flexible pipeline.

8. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the waste water pipe connection is connected to the intermediate pipe element via a flexible pipeline.

9. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the intermediate pipe element is detachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.

10. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the intermediate pipe element is detachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.

11. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intermediate pipe element is detachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.

12. The rail vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the intermediate pipe element is detachably attached to the outlet pipe of the WC device.