EP2243679A2 - Roller system with support function for a retractable sliding step - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a roller system for an extendable boarding aid door opening a passenger transport vehicle, the boarding is moved from a rest position to a use position and back, guide means (26) are provided, each side of the boarding in the extension / retraction direction and, the boarding over Rolls (28) in the guide means (26) is guided. It is characterized in that at least one of the rollers (28) relative to the boarding aid is relatively movable, that the boarding aid relative to the guide means (26) of the movable roller (28) is movable in the vertical direction such that they are under vertical load ( F b) is supported from above on at least one stationary component of the passenger transport vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to a roller system for an extendable Zustiegsghilfe, in particular a Schiebetritt a door entry of a passenger transport vehicle, wherein the boarding aid from a rest position in a position of use and back is movable.

Such approach and access aids are used in vehicles for passenger transport, such as buses or rail vehicles of public transport. They are known in many forms and facilitate entry and exit in that in the area of stops on the vehicles displaced and often also pivotally mounted and resilient sliding steps are extended. Sliding steps are used to bridge gaps (for example on platforms) or for height compensation. Approach aids can be designed as only extendable sliding steps, but they can be lowered in the extended state on the ground, for example, the platform so that they rest with. Boarding aids facilitate or enable wheelchair users to access the vehicles. After completion of the training and entry phase and possibly after closing the vehicle doors the boarding aid is returned to its rest position.

Approach aids, which do not rest in the extended state and must be able to be loaded accordingly, are generally referred to as sliding steps. These are usually made of a resistant and rigid, but as lightweight as possible material and are usually provided with a slip-resistant pad.

In the area of the sliding step, a motor is provided in the case of externally operated boarding aids, which moves the sliding step out of its rest position into the position of use and back again. Walk-in sliding steps are led laterally over rollers in guide means, over which they can be linearly extended and retracted. Motorized sliding steps are for example in the publications DE 20 2007 000 912 U1 and DE 20 2006 016 432 U1 described. These all build relatively high, which is increasingly undesirable. Vehicle manufacturers pay particular attention due to ever increasing demands on boarding aids, in particular on the necessary installation space in the critical entrance area. The installation depth and installation height depend on the extension path, load path of the load itself and the dimensions of the guide and roller system.

Another disadvantage is that the roles wear over the useful life of the boarding aid strong, if they are not designed extremely robust and resistant.

The object of the present invention is to provide a system for a boarding aid, in particular a sliding step, which allows a compact and space-saving construction of the boarding aid. Furthermore, the o.g. Disadvantages of the prior art can be avoided.

• die Zustiegshilfe aus einer Ruhestellung in eine Gebrauchsstellung und zurück verfahrbar ist,
• Führungsmittel vorgesehen sind, die jeweils seitlich der Zustiegshilfe in Ein-/Ausfahrrichtung verlaufen und
• die Zustiegshilfe über Rollen in den Führungsmitteln geführt ist, und dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass

zumindest eine der Rollen gegenüber der Zustiegshilfe derart relativ bewegbar ist, dass die Zustiegshilfe gegenüber dem Führungsmittel der bewegbaren Rolle in vertikaler Richtung derart bewegbar ist, dass sie sich bei vertikaler Belastung von oben auf mindestens einem stationären Bauteil des Personenbeförderungsfahrzeugs abstützt.According to the invention, the object is achieved by a roller system for an extendable boarding aid of a door entry of a passenger transport vehicle, wherein

• the boarding aid is moved from a rest position into a use position and back,
• Guide means are provided, each extending laterally of the boarding in the extension / retraction and
• the boarding aid is guided by rollers in the guide means, and characterized in that

at least one of the rollers relative to the boarding aid is relatively movable, that the boarding aid relative to the guide means of the movable roller in the vertical direction is movable so that it is supported by a vertical load from above on at least one stationary component of the passenger transport vehicle.

The roller system according to the invention is suitable for all roll-guided boarding aids, but especially for sliding steps. Sliding steps therefore, because they do not rest on the ground, must be so sturdily constructed that several people can enter the sliding door at the same time, without this giving way downwards or taking damage. Accordingly, in particular the walkable plate of the sliding step, the guide means and the rollers running therein by material selection and dimensioning accordingly executed. In particular, the rollers must be able to withstand the load occurring.

This is where the invention comes in, namely by turning away from the usual and widespread role system. The roller module according to the invention causes the stress otherwise acting on a roller is significantly reduced.

The invention is i.a. the recognition that it is advantageous to separate the functions of the roles of boarding aids, namely the guiding and moving the boarding aid, carrying the dead load of boarding and wearing or holding the total load when using the boarding. The weight of the boarding aid is many times less than the burden that acts on the rollers when using the boarding aid. According to the invention, therefore, the rollers are used for the movement and the carrying of the dead load and not to carry the operating load, for example by entering the boarding aid.

This is achieved in that the rollers or their axes are not positioned stationary to boarding, but with respect to the boarding aid, so are arranged relatively movable. This can be achieved in that the rollers are pivotable or articulated, but it is also conceivable mobility in the vertical direction against a spring force. When exceeding a certain load, which is higher than the dead weight of the boarding aid, the boarding aid lowers by the mobility of the rollers until it is supported independently of the rollers on a stationary component of the passenger transport vehicle. In this state, the vertically acting from above loading force is no longer worn or held on the rollers, but passed over the support in the rigid component of the vehicle. The operating load is thus carried independently of the carrying capacity of the rollers. As a rigid component can serve, for example, guide means in which the rollers are guided.

Depending on the version of the boarding aid, it may be sufficient that only a single role is carried out relatively movable. Usually, however, two rollers arranged one after the other in the extension direction are provided on each side of an approach aid, of which advantageously at least the rollers which are in the extension direction are designed to be relatively movable. Depending on dimension and design However, it can also be useful for the boarding aid if all the rollers can be moved in the vertical direction relative to the boarding aid.

Ultimately, any construction that is capable of allowing relative movement of the roll to boarding is suitable. As already stated, this can be achieved by pivoting the roller relative to the boarding aid when the roller is mounted on a pivotable intermediate element. The intermediate element is attached, for example via a torsion spring to the boarding aid, which allows a method of boarding without lowering it. Only when the force of the torsion spring is exceeded, the boarding aid lowers. In a particularly advantageous variant, it is also possible to store the roller or its axis directly on the boarding aid, wherein the axis is acted upon by a spring force. The spring force is also sufficiently large to allow a method of boarding without distracting the same. Only when the boarding aid is loaded, the spring force is overcome and the boarding aid can lower relative to the movable roller. Instead of a spring and a plastic or elastomer or other elastic elements may be used as a functional element that allows lowering of the approach aid from a certain load.

The support of the boarding aid can take place at any suitable position. For this purpose, it may be provided that the boarding aid touches on a stationary component of the passenger vehicle with a corresponding load. For example, may be provided below the boarding a cross member, which does not touch the boarding when entering and exiting, but with which it comes in contact with appropriate load.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment variant, the boarding aid is supported via suitable components directly on the guide means for the rollers. For this purpose, the boarding aid may comprise a component which projects into the guide means, preferably a guide rail, but is not in contact therewith. Only when the boarding aid is lowered, sets the rigid component with the projecting into the guide rail area the guide means and supports the boarding aid accordingly.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the roller system can be combined with a load sensing. This is advisable because, by lowering the boarding aid and the subsequent placement on a support element, a contact point which can be used for a sensing is created. Should the approach aid be moved further on the support element after placement, an increased friction results, which can be measured without additional components via the motor current of the drive motor. It is also conceivable a switching element in the region of the support, which is switched under load. Depending on the time or position of the boarding aid, the signal may cause a further extension of the Ausschubs to prevent this retract or trigger an alarm.

The roller system according to the invention leads to a significantly lower installation height for the guidance area of the boarding aid. It can easily be realized heights of only 35 mm, which means a significant reduction in the height compared to usual boarding aids. The resilience of the roller system is not dependent on the load capacity of the rollers themselves, but arises from the supportability of the corresponding support components. The system components are subjected to less stress, which indirectly leads to a cost reduction over the life of the boarding aid. Optional functions, such as the load sensing of the tread, can be realized with a simple mechanism.

A further reduction in installation height and increased reliability can be achieved in that the boarding aid per guide means has at least one roller module with a roller plate which is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis on the side of the sliding step and in the at least two guided in the respective guide means module rollers are rotatably mounted. The roller plate is pivotally mounted on the side entry aid and thus has a kind of rocker function. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, two module rollers are provided, which are arranged equally spaced right and left of the pivot axis of the roller plate. Thus, the load is transferred by a vertical force acting from above over the plate of the sliding step on the bearing of the roller plate and finally on the two rollers themselves. With such a roller module, the force acting on the individual module rollers is halved compared with the use of only a single roller. According to the invention, it can be provided that the roller module has not two, but three or more module rollers. On the one hand, the rollers can be arranged distributed uniformly along the roller plate, so that they each remove the same load, but it is also conceivable a distribution in which individual roles are more or less burdened than others. This can for example be achieved in that the rollers have different distances to the pivot axis or right and left of the pivot axis a different number of module rollers is arranged.

The roller system according to the invention allows a reduction in the height of the boarding aid in particular in that the module rollers must have a significantly smaller diameter than the usual roles. This results from the distribution of the load over several module rolls. Accordingly, the sliding step or the tread plate can be guided over very low-mounted guide means, whereby the overall height of the boarding aid is considerably reduced.

According to the invention, the roller module can replace a roller which is movable relative to the boarding aid and thereby make it possible to lower the boarding aid itself. It is also conceivable, however, a combination of relatively movable rollers according to the invention with a pivotable in the vertical direction roller module.

The drive of the sliding step may be different, e.g. by lateral spindles, which in addition to the drive also take over the function of the guide, or by a central drive, which requires additional (for example lateral) guide means. Further drive options are also feasible, but these are not discussed in the context of this patent application.

Figur 1:

Bereich einer Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung mit einem Rollensystem nach dem Stand der Technik in perspektivischer Darstellung, mit aus- gefahrenem Schiebetritt,

Figur 2:

Bereich einer Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung mit einem erfindungsge- mäßen Rollensystem in perspektivischer Darstellung, mit ausgefahre- nem Schiebetritt,

Figur 3:

eine vergrößerte Darstellung einer ersten Ausführungsform der erfin- dungsgemäßen bewegbaren Rolle aus Figur 2,

Figur 4:

die relativ bewegbare Rolle aus Figur 3 in Seitenansicht, Rolle unbelas- tet, Schiebetritt belastet

Figur 5:

die relativ bewegbare Rolle aus Figur 3 in Seitenansicht, Rolle belastet, Schiebetritt unbelastet

Figur 6:

eine Prinzipdarstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante einer relativ bewegbaren Rolle im Schnitt, Schiebetritt unbelastet,

Figur 7:

die relativ bewegbare Rolle aus Figur 6 im Schnitt, Schiebetritt belas- tet,

Figur 8:

die erfindungsgemäße Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung im Schnitt, unbe- lastet,

Figur 9:

die erfindungsgemäße Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung im Schnitt, belas- tet,

Figur 10:

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Rollenmo- duls.

Based on the following figures, the invention will be explained in more detail. These are only to be understood as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Show it:

FIG. 1:

Area of a sliding step extension device with a roller system according to the prior art in a perspective view, with extended sliding step,

FIG. 2:

Area of a sliding step extension device with a roller system according to the invention in perspective view, with extended sliding step,

FIG. 3:

an enlarged view of a first embodiment of the invention according to the movable roller FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4:

the relatively movable role FIG. 3 in side view, roll unloaded, sliding step loaded

FIG. 5:

the relatively movable role FIG. 3 in side view, roller loaded, sliding step unloaded

FIG. 6:

a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a relatively movable role in the section, Schiebetritt unloaded,

FIG. 7:

the relatively movable role FIG. 6 on average, pushing on foot,

FIG. 8:

the sliding step extension device according to the invention in section, unloaded,

FIG. 9:

the sliding step extension device according to the invention in section, loaded,

FIG. 10:

a perspective view of a Rollenmo- module according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the essential components of a Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20 with an extended sliding step 22. The Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20 works in principle like a drawer, the sliding step 22 is through an opening of the housing 24 in this or moved out of this.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the side parts of the housing 24 which extend in the one-out direction are designed as guide means 26 in which rollers 28 arranged laterally on the sliding step 22 are guided. In the Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20 shown two rollers 28 are provided on each side, which are acted upon by a load of the sliding step 22 with a corresponding resultant force, wherein the front in the extension direction roller 28 is about twice as much as the rear roller 28 is charged.

The sliding step 22 has a plate which is arranged between two parallel to the guide means 26 extending side cheeks 32. The side cheeks 32 act as a kind of retaining arms. The side cheeks 32 and retaining arms are connected to each other via an additional cross brace 34.

Furthermore, a drive 36 is shown in the rearward in the extension / extension direction of the Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20.

The following figures illustrate the roller system according to the invention, wherein the Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung invention 20 is constructed substantially according to the Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20 according to the prior art.

The Figures 2-5 show a first embodiment of the roller system according to the invention. It can be seen that the roller 28 is mounted on an intermediate element 38. These are rear rollers that behave inversely to front rollers of the sliding step 22. The roller 28 runs in the guide means 26, the intermediate element 38 is fixed to a side wall 32 of the sliding step 22. The intermediate element 38 is pivotably mounted via a pivot bearing 40, wherein a spring element, preferably a torsion spring, is provided inside the pivot bearing 40. FIG. 4 shows the position of the intermediate element with loaded sliding step 22, FIG. 5 the position with lowered and unloaded sliding step 22. The roller system is in the FIGS. 4 and 5 shown cut, so guide means 26 and other components are not visible. The force of the spring element in the pivot bearing 40 is selected such that the sliding step 22 only at additional load, the Dead weight of the sliding step 22 exceeds, lowers. It is not apparent how the sliding step 22 is supported on a stationary component of the vehicle.

The FIGS. 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of a roller system according to the invention in a highly simplified schematic diagram. The roller 28 is mounted on its roller axis 42 on the sliding step 22. The roller 28 is movable in the vertical direction, wherein a spring element 44 is provided, which the roller 28 according to FIG. 6 holds in its initial position. The roller 28 is guided in the running as a rail guide means 26 and can be moved in this.

FIG. 7 shows that the sliding step 22 can then be supported on the guide means 26 when the sliding step 22 is sufficiently loaded (loading force F _b ), and the spring force of the spring element 44 overcoming. As already stated, however, the sliding step 22 can also be supported on other components of the vehicle. Fig. 7 shows the front roller, the rear roller has a reverse construction.

The FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the balance of power, which act on the boarding aid in the unloaded and loaded condition. When retracted position and when extending the sliding step 22, the rollers 28 are loaded with dead weight Fg. At the same time, the spring force F _f acts in the pivot bearing 40. In the unloaded state, no contact force F _a .

FIG. 9 shows the Schiebetrittausfahrvorrichtung 20 in the extended state and under load. It turns out that in this state, the contact force F _a at two points (F _a 1 and F _a 2) acts as a resultant force to the loading force F _b . The spring force F _f has been overcome and the Schiebetritt has lowered.

FIG. 10 shows a further advantageous improvement over the prior art. As an essential difference, it can be seen that the roller 28 at the front in the sliding step extension device 20 has been replaced by a roller module 38 according to the invention. The structure and function of the roller module 46 result in particular from the FIGS. 4 and 5 ,

The roller module 46 has in the illustrated embodiment, two rollers (in the following module rollers 48) which are rotatably mounted in a roller plate 50 and are guided in each case in the guide means 26. The roller plate 50 itself is in turn rotatably or pivotally mounted about a pivot axis X-X laterally on the sliding step 22. Thus, the otherwise acting on the only one front roller 28 vertical force is evenly distributed on two module rollers 48, which is just in the front in one-extension direction roller bearing due to the higher load there advantage. The uniform loading of the module rollers 48 results from the fact that they each have the same distance to the pivot axis X-X.

As already stated, the roller system is suitable for all extendable boarding aids, the use of a sliding step 22 is certainly regarded as a preferred embodiment variant is due to its significantly lower load distribution. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown.

Claims (8)

Roller system for an extendable boarding aid of a door entry of a passenger transport vehicle, wherein the boarding aid can be moved from a rest position into a position of use and back, - Guiding means (26) are provided, each extending laterally of the boarding aid in the in / out direction and, the boarding aid is guided over rollers (28) in the guide means (26),
characterized in that
at least one of the rollers (28) relative to the boarding aid is relatively movable, that the boarding aid relative to the guide means (26) of the movable roller (28) in the vertical direction is movable so that they are at vertical load (F _b ) from above supported at least one stationary component of the passenger transport vehicle. Roller system according to claim 1, characterized in that the boarding aid is supported on the guide means (26) under a vertical load (F _b ). Roller system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the movable roller (28) a force which opposes the vertical load (F _b). Roller system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the roller (28) via its roller axis (42) mounted on the sliding step (22), wherein the roller (28) is subjected to a force in the vertical direction. Roller system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the roller (28) on an intermediate element (38) and the intermediate element (38) via a pivot bearing (40) is pivotally mounted on the boarding aid, wherein within the pivot bearing (40). a spring element is provided. Roller system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the boarding aid is guided in the extension direction laterally via two respective movable rollers (28). Roller system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the boarding aid is designed as a sliding step (22). Roller system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the boarding aid per guide means (26) has at least one roller module (38) with a roller plate (42) which is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis (XX) on the side of the boarding aid and in which at least two in the respective guide means (26) guided module rollers (40) are rotatably mounted.

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