Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
  • B60J5/00—Doors
  • B60J5/04—Doors arranged at the vehicle sides
  • B60J5/06—Doors arranged at the vehicle sides slidable; foldable
  • B60J5/062—Doors arranged at the vehicle sides slidable; foldable for utility vehicles or public transport

Definitions

• the invention relates to road or rail freight transport vehicles which have at least one loading and unloading side provided with a partition capable of changing from a side closing configuration to a side opening configuration.
• the flexible walls ensure sealing against wind, dust, water, cold, looks, but absolutely not against theft of goods, illegal entry as well as thrusts of lateral loads whose center gravity can move.
• FR-A-2561606 is a closure device consisting of a series of rigid swing doors hinged by hinges to vertical uprights suspended by rollers on a rail which extends 5 along the length of the opening.
• the present invention relates to a simple solution which, without involving the use of a flexible wall, offers any guarantee of security and tightness and allows, if necessary, the sealing for international transport.
• the subject of the invention is therefore a device for closing or opening on demand a side of a bodywork of a freight transport vehicle, which comprises a partition permanently suspended from an upper horizontal structure fixed to the bodywork along said side, this partition comprising a series of rigid wall panels which are aligned in the closed configuration and which are capable of being folded manually in accordion step by step against each other in the open configuration, the device also comprising a lower horizontal structure attached to the bodywork along said side and means for establishing or eliminating a connection between the partition and this structure, said panels being embedded in the lower horizontal structure and in the upper horizontal structure which cover them respectively at the bottom and at the top in the closed configuration and means being provided to cause the panels to exit on demand out of the two structures in order to allow them to be folded back, the partition remaining suspended from the upper horizontal structure.
• the device also has in particular one or more of the following characteristics: said structures determine U-shaped housings in which the lower and upper ends of the panels of the partition are embedded in the closed configuration; said housings have abutment surfaces for the ends of the panels in the closed configuration; the device comprises means for causing an upward displacement of the upper horizontal structure or of a part of this structure and / or a downward displacement of the lower horizontal structure or of a part of this structure to release the panels said structures; -
• the partition is suspended from the upper horizontal structure by uprights provided with means for hanging from the upper horizontal structure, these means allowing the uprights to move along this structure and allowing the uprights to be taken out of the structure by relative vertical sliding amounts and suspension means, and the panels are hinged laterally on the uprights and hinged laterally together to be able to pivot; the partition suspension means are designed to allow the partition to tilt outwards from the bodywork in the open configuration; some of the uprights or "main uprights" are provided at the bottom with a manually controlled locking means for fixing the upright to the
• FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bodywork on a lateral side of a van according to a mode of the invention, in the closed configuration
• Figure 2 is a plan view of the body of Figure 1 in the open configuration after lifting the upper horizontal structure of the body according to the invention
• FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bodywork on a lateral side of a van according to another embodiment of the invention, in the closed configuration
• Figure 4 is a cross section of the lower horizontal structure of the body of Figure
• Figure 5 is a plan view of the body of Figure 3 in the open configuration after retraction of part of the lower horizontal structure, in accordance with the invention
• Figure 6 is a cross section of the lower horizontal structure of Figure 5
• FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of the lateral side of the van of FIG.
• Figures 8A and 8B are perspective views of an open ( Figure 8A) and closed ( Figure 8B) van;
• Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view of a closure wall according to one invention in the open configuration;
• Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the partition of Figure 9 in the closed configuration;
• Figure 11 is a detail view of the upper part of an amount of the partition in the closed configuration, in cross section;
• Figure 12 is a detail view of the upper part of an amount of the partition in the closed configuration along the width of the amount;
• Figure 13 is a detail view of the lower part of an amount of the partition in the closed configuration, in cross section;
• Figure 14 is a detail view of the lower part of an amount of the partition in the closed configuration along the width of the amount;
• Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an amount of the partition in three successive positions during a change of configuration of the partition to the opening configuration;
• Figure 16 is a view similar to that of Figure
• FIG. 18 is a horizontal section of an end panel of the partition fitted with a tensioning system;
• - Figure 19 is a vertical section showing a tensioning means;
• Figure 20 is a plan view of a detail of an amount of the partition according to an alternative embodiment, for an observer located inside the body;
• Figure 21 is a side view of the upright of Figure 20;
• Figure 22 is a section of the upright by a horizontal plane;
• Figure 23 is a diagram in vertical section of a variant of the upper horizontal structure
• Figures 24 and 25 are schematic horizontal sections illustrating a longitudinal pressure device of the partition, and which equips the partition panels located respectively at the front of the partition ( Figure 24) and at the rear ( Figure 25 )
• Figure 26 is a cutaway view of an embodiment detail of the part of the pressure device which equips the panel located at the rear
• Figure 27 is a horizontal section in the view of Figure 26
• Figures 28 and 29 illustrate an embodiment of a hinge between two partition panels, these two panels being unfolded (Figure 28) or folded (Figure
• FIGS 1 and 2 there is shown a lateral side of a van consisting of a rectangular frame comprising two vertical uprights (1,2) and two longitudinal members
• Lower horizontal structure (3) and “upper horizontal structure” (4) are fixed while the upper horizontal structure (4) is vertically displaceable, under the action of jacks (5) carried by the uprights between a low position (fig.l) and a corresponding high position (fig. 2) the closing configuration and the side opening configuration respectively.
• FIGS. 3 to 6 an alternative embodiment has been shown in which the upper horizontal structure is fixed while the lower horizontal structure (3 ') consists of a part (3' a) which is fixed and of a retractable part (3'b) which is pivotally pivoted relative to the fixed part between a position where these two parts cooperate to form a longitudinal groove (26) (FIG. 4) and a position where the movable part has tilted towards the outside and down to open this groove laterally outwards (fig 6).
• the fixed part (3 'a) is a section integral with the floor (7) of the van and the retractable part (3'b) pivots around an axis (8) fixed to the floor under the action of a jack (9) carried by a bracket (10) and which acts on a connecting rod (11) terminated by an L-shaped profile which constitutes the movable part (3'b) of the lower horizontal structure.
• These maneuvering means of the mobile part are repeated as necessary in the length of the lower horizontal structure, for example in each of the sections marked A1 to A5 in FIG. 3 and B1 to B5 in FIG. 5.
• the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments of means for making all or part of the upper and lower horizontal structures mobile so as to allow the partition to be released.
• FIGS. 1 to 6 have not shown the actual closing partition, but this partition (12) is visible in the lateral views of FIGS. 7 and on the perspective views of Figures 8, respectively in the closed configuration ( Figures 7A and 8A) and in the open configuration ( Figures 7B and 8B), in an example where the upper horizontal structure (4 ') is vertically movable.
• the partition (12) is made up of rigid partition panels and intermediate posts. More specifically, in the embodiment considered it consists of modules each comprising an upright (13) and two panels (14,15) which are located on either side of the upright and are hinged thereto with sealing, while the adjacent panels of two adjacent modules are also hinged to each other with sealing, to allow the partition to be folded in accordion fashion.
• the articulations between an upright and the panels adjacent to this upright are designed to allow the panels to be dismantled, for example by vertical sliding of the panels on the upright, likewise for the articulations between the panels.
• the partition panels have any desired structure and are made of any desired material, simple or complex, preference being given to the structures and materials most favorable for strength, rigidity, lightness and resistance over time.
• the panels are metal boxes possibly covered with an internal facing and / or an external facing.
• the heads of the uprights are engaged in a groove (18) facing downwards which has the upper horizontal structure and the uprights of the partition are equipped at the top to be suspended and manually movable along this structure, which is arranged for this purpose .
• the upper horizontal structure (4) has above this groove (18) a slide (18 ') in which are held spherical rollers (19) which can be move along the groove and which are carried by a carriage (20) fixed to the upper end of the upright (13) so that it can slide vertically so that the vertical distance between the rollers and the top of the upright can vary over some predetermined stroke.
• the carriage has a tab (21) which slides freely in a vertical opening (22) of the upright.
• these rollers are shaped to allow an inclination of the uprights when they are released from the upper horizontal structure (Figure 16C).
• the base ends of the uprights are engaged in the groove (26) facing upwards which has the lower horizontal structure and some of the uprights or "main uprights” are equipped with a locking system for the upright in this structure.
• This manually controlled locking is obtained for example ( Figures 13 and 14) by means of a lever (23) which pivots on the upright around a horizontal axis (24) and which, in the locked position, protrudes under the upright and engaged by its lower end in a keeper (25) formed on one side of the groove (26).
• the lever is accessible on the face of the upright facing outwards and a pivoting of the lever towards the outside of the van as shown in broken lines in FIG. 13, makes it possible to unlock the foot of the upright.
• Appropriate means make it possible to secure access to the lever.
• the axis of the lever is carried by a slide (24 ') connected by a linkage (24 ") to the sliding carriage (20) which carries the rollers of the upright so that the sliding of the carriage causes a corresponding sliding of the axis and therefore the lever, which allows the lever to be retracted into the upright.
• Figure 15 there are shown the three configurations where the leg of the upright (13) is locked (Figure 15A), unlocked ( Figure 15B) and then pulled out (Figure 15C) from the groove (26) under the effect of lifting 5 of the upper horizontal structure (4).
• this lifting is carried out in two phases in a first phase the lifting raises the rollers (19) of the upright and retracts the lever without lifting the upright until the sliding carriage (20) of the 10 rollers has come in limit switch (Figure 15B) and in a second phase, the lifting of the upper horizontal structure causes the uprising to rise, which ends up coming out of the lower horizontal structure (Figure 15C).
• secondary uprights are not fitted at the bottom with a locking system but are provided (FIG. 16) with a roller or shoe (27) which facilitates the sliding of the foot of the upright in the groove (26) of the lower horizontal structure.
• This roller or the like is telescopic so that when the leg of the upright has come out of the lower horizontal structure (FIG. 16C), the roller goes down by itself to bear against the external face (3c) of the lower horizontal structure (3) .
• the upper longitudinal structure is self-supporting and prestressed so that in the absence of the partition it has an upward arrow and that under the effect of the weight of the partition it becomes horizontal.
• the rigid panels of the partition are dimensioned so that in the closed configuration (FIG. 17A) the panels are received embedded in the grooves
• the panels remain stationary at the start of the first phase of lifting the upper horizontal structure where the uprights are stationary, but at the end of this phase the panels are removed from the upper horizontal structure (FIG. 17B); they exit the lower horizontal structure during the second lifting phase of the upper horizontal structure ( Figure 17C).
• the closing partition is advantageously provided at each end with a system ensuring the sealing of the partition in the closed configuration at the junction of the partition and the front or rear upright of the bodywork and comprising at least at one end a device for tension the partition in the closed configuration.
• This system consists, for example, of a vertical C profile (29) which can slide horizontally in a vertical tubular profile (30) integrated in the last rigid panel of the partition (fig. 18) and which can engage in a corresponding vertical C-shaped section (31) of the bodywork upright for the closed configuration or to be released from this profile for the open configuration.
• a vertical C profile (29) which can slide horizontally in a vertical tubular profile (30) integrated in the last rigid panel of the partition (fig. 18) and which can engage in a corresponding vertical C-shaped section (31) of the bodywork upright for the closed configuration or to be released from this profile for the open configuration.
• the tension system absorbs changes in length of the diagonal of the body when the vehicle passes over a bump.
• the upper horizontal structure (4) is shaped to allow the carriages to slide.
• the vehicle floor (7) consists of self-supporting multiplia wooden panels to which the two lower horizontal structures are fixed.
• the rear panel of the vehicle is normally fitted with pivoting doors on a U-shaped frame made up of two uprights (1,1 ') welded to a lower crossmember (40).
• FIGS. 20 to 22 illustrate a variant of an upright for suspending the partition with the upper horizontal structure which constitutes an example of an embodiment in which the roller carrier for the upright is fixed to the upright so that it can be detached from the inside the body.
• Figure 20 is to be compared to Figure 12 and Figure 21 is to be compared to Figure 15.
• the vertical light (22) of the upright in which the tab (21) of the carriage (20) which carries the rollers (19) of the upright can slide is closed laterally on the inside of the bodywork by a cover (41) which is shown in strong lines in the figures.
• This cover is fixed to the upright by screws (42) which are accessible from the inside of the bodywork so that disassembly of the cover makes it possible to detach the lug from the upright so that only the lug and the carriage remain hanging from the upper horizontal structure, while the rest of the upright carrying the panels attached to the upright is completely freed from the upper structure.
• FIG. 23 shows an alternative embodiment of the upper horizontal structure (called upper stretcher) which constitutes the running rail of the vertical rollers of the upright carriages and the running rail of the horizontal and vertical rollers (36) of the sunroof (37 and is still used for the upper interlocking of the partition panels and for the recovery and the channeling forwards or backwards of the water received by the roof.
• upper stretcher constitutes the running rail of the vertical rollers of the upright carriages and the running rail of the horizontal and vertical rollers (36) of the sunroof (37 and is still used for the upper interlocking of the partition panels and for the recovery and the channeling forwards or backwards of the water received by the roof.
• the upper horizontal structure is provided with a flap (43) articulated on an edge of the structure at (44) so that it can be tilted from a substantially horizontal position where it covers a lateral edge of the sunroof as shown in solid lines in the figure in a raised position as shown in phantom in the figure.
• This flap in the covering position prevents access to the corresponding edge of the sheet (46) which covers the sunroof.
• FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment of a device for pressurizing the partition.
• FIG. 24 is to be compared with FIG. 18.
• the last partition panel (12A) situated at the front of the partition (12) has a vertical front end edge capped with a vertical profile (47 ) shaped to have a vertical wing (48) freely received in a vertical groove (49) of a vertical profile (50) fixed to the front upright (51 ') of the body
• the last partition panel (12B) located at the rear of the partition has a rear vertical edge capped by a vertical profile (52) shaped to present a vertical wing (53) received in a vertical groove (54) of a vertical profile (55) which can slide along an axis horizontal against a spring (56) which exerts on the profile and therefore on the panel (12B) and on the whole of the partition a constant longitudinal pressure.
• the spring (56) is located inside the rear tubular upright (57) of the body in a housing determined by profiles (58, 59). In practice, there will generally be several springs acting in parallel on the profile, for example two springs (56, 56 ').
• the springs can be compressed on demand by a crew (60) shaped so that a pivoting lever (61) accessible on the side of the upright makes it possible to push the crew in the direction of compression of the springs (FIG. 26) when '' we want to relieve the bulkhead of the effect of springs.
• the profiles (47) and (50) respectively constitute with the profiles (52) and (55) sealing baffles.
• pairs of profiles (47, 50) and (52, 55) can advantageously be identical.
• Figures 28 and 29 relate to an embodiment in which the joints (16) between the panels are constituted by profiles of rigid material, the cross section of which is in the form of a bezel as shown.
• the invention applies to any length of vehicle.
• a classic example is that where the beams have a length of 13m60.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

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• 2002
  • 2002-08-28 FR FR0210672A patent/FR2830507B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-08-30 WO PCT/FR2002/002973 patent/WO2003018339A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2002-08-30 EP EP02796329A patent/EP1427596A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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