WO2014070075A1

WO2014070075A1 - Motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2014070075A1
Application number: PCT/SE2013/051232
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sami Teppola
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab
Priority date: 2012-11-01
Filing date: 2013-10-23
Publication date: 2014-05-08
Also published as: SE1251243A1; SE536737C2

Abstract

Motor vehicle comprising : - a cabin unit (3) which via a joint (4) is articulated to a vehicle frame (2) and tiltable i n relation to the vehicle frame, - a liquid container (10) fitted on the vehicle frame turned toward the cabin unit, and - an elongated conduit bundle (20) having a first section (22) which is fitted on the vehicle frame, a second section (23) which is fitted on the cabin unit, and a third section (24) which is fitted between the above-mentioned first and second sections. The liquid container is articulated to the vehicle frame via a joint (13) located at the first end (11) of the liquid container in order to permit the opposite second end (12) of the liquid container to turn in a vertical direction in relation to the vehicle frame when the cabin unit is tilted in relation to the vehicle frame. The said third section of the conduit bundle has a first section (24a) which is fixed to the liquid container and which extends between the said first and second ends of this, and an adjacent second section (24b) which extends between the said second end of the liquid container and the cabin unit.

Description

Motor vehicles FI ELD O F TH E I NVENTION AN D PR IOR ART

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent clai m 1 . In certain heavier motor vehicles, such as certain types of towi ng vehicles and trucks, the motor vehicle's operating space is arranged in a cabin unit, which is articulated to the motor vehicle's vehicle frame and tiltable in relation to the vehicle frame backwards and forwards between a lowered position and a raised position. The cabin unit is normally in the lowered position and may be tilted forwards to the raised position so that the engine compartment below the cabin unit is available for service or repairs. I n a motor vehicle with a tiltable cabin unit, certain devices on the vehicle's frame are connected to associated devices in the cabin unit via flexible conduits in the form of e.g . cables and pipes which are gathered in a joint conduit bundle. This conduit bundle is fixed, at a first fixation point, to the vehicle frame and at a second fixation point to the cabin unit, and the conduit bundle between these points of fixation i ncludes one section which is loosely arranged in order not to adversely affect the cabi n unit's ability to be tilted . In order to avoid damage to the conduit bundle and its attach ments, the loose section of the conduit bundle which extends between the mentioned first and second points of fixation, i.e. between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit, must be sufficiently long so that it is not exposed to excessive tensile stress when the cabin unit is tilted forwards from the lowered position to the raised position . This means that the loose section of the conduit bundle is relatively long and bulky. In addition , space is required around the loose section of the conduit bundle in order to ensure that this section of the conduit bundle is freely movable in connection with the tilting of the cabi n unit. This loose section of the conduit bundle therefore occupies a relatively large space in the motor vehicle in the area between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit, which means there is less space for other vehicle components which may need to be placed in the area between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit. In connection with its suspension movements in relation to the vehicle frame, the cabin unit is also at risk of knocking into the loose and relatively bulky section of the conduit bundle which is located in the area between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit, thus producing a more rigid suspension and i mpaired cabin comfort. OBJ ECTIVE OF TH E I NVENTION

The objective of the present i nvention is to achieve a solution to the above-mentioned problem, i .e. a bulky conduit bundle between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit in a motor vehicle with a tiltable cabin unit. SU MMARY O F TH E I NVENTION

According to the present invention , the above-mentioned objective is achieved with the help of a motor vehicle having the characteristics defined in patent clai m 1 .

The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises:

- a vehicle frame,

- a cabin unit which comprises a driver's seat and which is articulated to the motor vehicle frame via a joint and tiltable in relation to the vehicle frame backwards and forwards between a lowered position and a raised position ,

- a liquid container which is fitted on the vehicle frame turned toward the cabin unit, where such liquid container has a first end turned away from the said joint and an opposite second end , and

- an elongated conduit bundle consisting of a nu mber of flexible conduits, such conduit bundle having a first section which is fitted on the vehicle frame, a second section which is fitted on the cabi n unit, and a third section which is fitted between the above-mentioned first and second sections.

The liquid container is articulated to the vehicle frame via a joint located at the said first end of the liquid container in order to permit the opposite second end of the liquid container to turn in a vertical direction in relation to the vehicle frame when the cabin unit is tilted in relation to the vehicle frame. The said third section of the conduit bundle has a first section which is fixed to the liquid container and which extends between the said first and second ends of this, and an adjacent second section which extends between the said second end of the liquid container and the cabi n unit. In the cabin unit's lowered position, the liquid container is lowered toward the vehicle frame and when the cabin unit is tilted from its lowered position to its raised position , the loose section of the conduit bundle between the second end of the liquid container and the cabin unit is extended and pulls the above-mentioned second end of the liquid container with it in an upward turning direction . When the cabin unit is then returned into its lowered position, this loose section of the conduit bundle slacks, causing the liquid container, by virtue of gravitation, to turn back into the lowered position. With the arrangement according to the invention , the loose section of the conduit bundle between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit may be shortened compared to the conventional arrangement described above. This entai ls that the conduit bundle takes up less space in the area between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit, which in its turn entails increased space for other vehicle components in this area and a possibility of avoidi ng that the cabin unit knocks into the conduit bundle in connection with suspension movements between the cabin unit and the vehicle frame and thus i mproved cabin comfort.

According to one embodi ment of the invention , the said first section is received in an elongated groove which is arranged in or on top of the liquid container and which extends between the said first and second ends of the same container. The section of the conduit bundle which runs along the liquid container is arranged to be protected inside this groove, which entails a reduced risk of damage on this section of the conduit bundle. According to another embodiment of the invention , the said groove is integrated into the liquid container and preferably designed as an external recess in the liquid container. Thus, the need to fit a separate groove on the liquid container is avoided whi le the groove may be designed to take up less space.

Other favourable characteristics of the motor vehicle according to the invention are set out in the non-independent patent clai ms and the description below.

B RI E F D ESCRI PTION OF DRAWI NGS

The invention is described below with the help of example embodi ments, with reference to the enclosed drawings. Exhibited in :

Fig 1 a schematic side view of a motor vehicle, according to one embodiment of the present invention, with a tiltable cabin unit showed in a lowered position,

Fig 2 a schematic side view of a part of the motor vehicle, according to Fig 1 , with the cabin unit showed in a raised position,

Fig 3 a schematic side view of a liquid container in a motor vehicle, according to Fig 1 ,

Fig 4 a section according to the line IV-IV in Fig 3, Fig 5 a diagram of parts included in the motor vehicle, according to Fig 1 , with the motor vehicle's cabin unit showed in a lowered position , and Fig 6 a diagram si milar to Fig 5, but with the motor vehicle's cabin unit showed in a raised position .

D ETAI LE D D ESC RI PTION OF EM BOD I M ENTS OF TH E I NVENTION

In Fig 1 , 2, 5 and 6 a motor vehicle 1 is i llustrated according to one embodi ment of the present invention. I n this case the motor vehicle is a towing vehicle. The motor vehicle 1 comprises a vehicle frame 2 and a cabin unit 3 with a driver's seat. The cabin unit 3 is connected via a joint 4 to the vehicle frame 2 and tiltable in relation to the vehicle frame backwards and forwards between a lowered position (see Fig 1 and 5) and a raised position (see Fig 2 and 6). The said joint 4 is located at the front end of the cabin unit 3. When the vehicle is driven, etc. , the cabin unit 3 is normally in the lowered position and may be tilted forwards to the raised position so that the engine compartment below the cabin unit is made available for service or repair. I n the lowered position the cabin unit 3 is carried by the vehicle frame 2 in a conventional manner with suspension elements 5 which are arranged between the vehicle frame and the cabin unit and illustrated in a very schematic way in Fig 5 and 6.

The motor vehicle 1 is equipped with a liquid container 1 0 which is fitted on the vehicle frame 2 turned toward the cabin unit 3. This liquid container 1 0 is thus arranged in the space 6 between the vehicle frame 2 and the cabin unit 3. The liquid container 1 0 has a first end 1 1 which is turned away from the joint 4 between the vehicle frame 2 and the cabin unit 3 and an opposite end 1 2 which is located i n the vicinity of the said joint 4. The liquid container 1 0 is articulated to the vehicle frame 2 via a joint 1 3 located at the said first end 1 1 of the liquid container in order to permit the opposite second end 1 2 of the liquid container to turn in a vertical direction i n relation to the vehicle frame 2 when the cabin unit 3 is tilted in relation to the vehicle frame. The joint 1 3 defines a horizontal pivot 1 4 for the liquid container 1 0, so that the liquid container may be turned in relation to the vehicle frame 2 by turning around this pivot 1 4.

The liquid container 1 0 may, for example, be a windscreen washer fluid container, a coolant container or an oil container. The liquid container 1 0 is suitably made of a plastic material but could alternatively be made of metal .

The motor vehicle 1 also comprises an elongated conduit bundle 20 consisting of a number of flexible conduits 21 (see Fig 4), each extending between the vehicle frame 2 and the cabin unit 3. As illustrated in Fig 5 and 6, this conduit bundle 20 has a first section 22 which is fitted on the vehicle frame 2, a second section 23 which is fitted on the cabin unit 3, and a third section 24 arranged between the said first and second sections 22, 23 and which extends between the vehicle frame 2 and the cabin unit 3._The said third section 24 of the conduit bundle 20 has a first section 24a which is fixed to the liquid container 1 0 and which extends between the said first and second ends 1 1 , 1 2 of the liquid container, and an adjacent second section 24b which extends between the said second end 1 2 of the liquid container and the cabin unit 3. The said first section 24a is preferably fitted on the outside of the liquid container 1 0 and may be fixed to the liquid container 1 0 with the help of suitable fitting elements (not displayed). The first section 24a could alternatively be fitted in a channel extending through the liquid container 1 0 inside this between the first and second ends 1 1 , 1 2 of the liquid container.

In the illustrated embodi ment, the said first section 24a runs into an elongated groove 1 5 which is arranged in the liquid container 1 0 and extends between the said first and second ends 1 1 , 1 2 of this container. I n the illustrated example the groove 1 5 is integrated with the liquid container 1 0 and designed as an external recess in the liquid container's upper side 1 6. As an alternative, the groove 1 5 could be designed as a separate part fixed on the liquid container 1 0, for example on the liquid container's upper side. I n the latter case, the groove 1 5 may be fixed on the liquid container 1 0 with e.g. bonded , welded or bolted joints.

The conduit bundle 20 may, for example, comprise conduits 21 of one or several of the following types: power cable, signal cable, washer fluid pipe, pneumatic cable, hydraulic cable and fuel pipe. When the cabin unit 3 is in the lowered position, the liquid container 1 0 is also in a lowered position , as illustrated in Fig 1 and 5. The loose part of the conduit bundle 1 0 extending between the liquid container's second end 1 2 and the cabin unit 3, i .e. the above-mentioned section 24b, is in a flaccid state when the cabin unit 3 is in the lowered position . When the cabin unit 3 is tilted from its lowered position to its raised position , the loose section 24b of the conduit bundle extending between the liquid container's second end 1 2 and the cabin unit 3 is extended and exerts an upward tensi le force on the second end 1 2 of the liquid container. Under the action of the pulling force from the conduit bundle 20, the liquid container 1 0 turns around the pivot 1 4 from the lowered position showed in Fig 1 and 5 to the raised position showed in Fig 2 and 6. The part of the conduit bundle 20 which is fixed to the liquid container 1 0, i .e. the above-mentioned section 24a, moves with the liquid container 1 0 in a turning movement around the pivot 1 4 and is thus turned at an upward angle when the cabin unit 3 is tilted from its lowered position to its raised position . When the cabin unit 3 is then returned to its lowered position, the loose section 24b of the conduit bundle becomes flaccid, and the said pulling force on the liquid

container 1 0 ceases, so that the liquid container is free to return back from the raised position to the lowered position under the action of gravity. The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably a heavy motor vehicle, such as a towing vehicle or a truck.

The invention is not li mited in any way to the embodi ments described above, but numerous possible modifications thereof should be obvious to a person skilled in the area, without such person departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended patent clai ms.

Claims

PATENT CLAI MS

1 . Motor vehicle comprising :

- a vehicle frame (2) ,

- a cabin unit (3) which comprises a driver's seat and which is articulated to the vehicle frame (2) via a joint (4) and tiltable in relation to the vehicle frame backwards and forwards between a lowered position and a raised position ,

- a liquid container (1 0) which is fitted on the vehicle frame (2) turned toward the cabin unit (3), where such liquid contai ner

( 1 0) has a first end (1 1 ) turned away from the said joint (4) and an opposite second end (1 2), and

- an elongated conduit bundle (20) consisting of a nu mber of flexible conduits (21 ), such conduit bundle (20) having a first section (22) which is fitted on the vehicle frame (2) , a second section (23) which is fitted on the cabin unit (3) , and a third section (24) which is fitted between the above-mentioned first and second sections (22, 23),

characterised i n :

- that the liquid container (1 0) is articulated to the vehicle frame (2) via a joint (1 3) located at the said first end (1 1 ) of the liquid container in order to permit the opposite second end ( 1 2) of the liquid container to turn in a vertical direction in relation to the vehicle frame (2) when the cabin unit (3) is tilted in relation to the vehicle frame, and

- the fact that the said third section (24) of the conduit bundle (20) has a first section (24a) which is fixed to the liquid container (1 0) and which extends between the said first and second ends ( 1 1 , 1 2) of this, and an adjacent second section (24b) which extends between the said second end (1 2) of the liquid container and the cabin unit (3).

2. Motor vehicle according to clai m 1 , characterised in that the said first section (24a) is arranged on the outside of the liquid container (1 0).

3. Motor vehicle according to clai m 1 or 2, characterised in that the said first section (24a) runs into an elongated groove ( 1 5) which is arranged inside or on the liquid container (1 0) and extends between the said first and second ends (1 1 , 1 2) of this.

4. Motor vehicle according to clai m 3, characterised in that the said groove (1 5) is integrated in the liquid container (1 0).

5. Motor vehicle according to clai m 4, characterised in that the said groove (1 5) is designed as an external recess in the liquid container (1 0).

6. Motor vehicle according to any of clai ms 3-5 characterised in that the said groove (1 5) is arranged on the upper side of the liquid container (1 6).

7. Motor vehicle according to any of clai ms 1 -6, characterised in that the liquid container (1 0) is a washer fluid container.

8. Motor vehicle according to any of clai ms 1 -6, characterised in that the liquid container (1 0) is a coolant container.

9. Motor vehicle according to any of claims 1-6, characterised in that the liquid container (10) is an oil container.

10. Motor vehicle according to any of claims 1-9, characterised in that the conduit bundle (20) comprises conduits (21 ) of one or several of the following types: power cable, signal cable, washer fluid pipe, pneumatic cable, hydraulic cable and fuel pipe.