Conversion of opposing seats into lying areas in conjunction with stacked sleeping areas of a space-saving sleeping car

Abstract

Vis-a-vis seats that can be converted into a lying surface, in which a continuous lying surface is formed from two seating surfaces 4, 5 and a backrest 7, whereby the sufficient length of the previous backrest 7 ensures that no bumps or cracks occur from the head to the hip area, as well as the conversion of a seating compartment with two seats into two cabins one above the other without standing height, in railway carriages with a suitable room layout, which preferably also includes compartments with their own compartment corridor.

Description

Task

[0001] The overriding object of the invention is a practical arrangement and conversion of sleeping and seating facilities in a sleeping car railway carriage, which achieves a high utilization of space, a high proportion of individual sleeping places and a greater utilization of the corridor area, and which allows good use of the functional areas even when the train is partially occupied.

[0002] An appropriate number of comfortable seats should be available for sections of the route before and after the actual night's rest.

[0003] On sleeper and couchette trains, comfort while lying down is paramount, meaning a sufficiently wide and long flat sleeping area, rather than the available height for each passenger, which is why bunk beds are preferred. Furthermore, disruptions caused by other passengers should be limited, preferably by keeping the number of people in the compartment as small as possible.

[0004] In a compartment with the length and width of a berth and preferably standing height, the seating position should allow two passengers to sit opposite each other. In the converted position, two berths should be created, one above the other, preferably in their own separate cabins.

[0005] The seat and backrest areas in the sitting position should be designed and adapted to provide a comfortable reclining surface, taking into account the user's anatomical characteristics. This is particularly important with a sufficiently long backrest, which, in the reclining position, becomes a support for the upper body from the hips and the head. State of the art

[0006] The compartment concept of European sleeping and couchette cars is usually based on a corridor running along the side of the carriage, with adjacent compartments featuring a standing-height area (compartment corridor) running perpendicular to the direction of travel. Bunk beds or sleeping areas are also oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel, on one side (sleeping cars) or both sides (couchette cars) of the compartment corridor. Single travelers often share a compartment. When the second bed is folded up, the space used for lying down at night becomes available as air space for sitting upright on the lower bunk.

[0007] Sleeping areas separated by a curtain, e.g. in cabin berths along the outer walls and along a central aisle, also do not allow for undisturbed sleeping comfort.

[0008] One design used as a sleeping trailer for buses is based on sleeping compartments (hereinafter referred to as cabins to better distinguish them from "normal" compartments) stacked lengthwise (JP 2001-63 566 A) or side by side (DE 12 23 705 A), usually three-tiered, which are accessed via a corridor at the narrow end (foot end). Even without luggage, four or five passengers would be extremely cramped in a corridor one meter long and, for example, 60 cm wide. Therefore, simultaneous boarding and disembarking of all passengers upon departure or shortly after arrival of the train would be impossible. Converting such cabins into two seats is not practical if access is from the narrow side.

[0009] The conversion of a total of four seat and backrest areas of two opposite seats into one lying area per pair of seats is known from German long-distance trains of the 20th century and the US 25 499 A, similar with a swung-away upper bed and differently wide, rectangular seats from the US 4 018 166 A. The CH 267 028 A, AU 26 998 77 A and CN 2 343 026 Y swivel a backrest into the middle position of a lying area.

[0010] In single-bed compartments according to DE 17 26 852 U, the backrest is lowered out of the way on only one side. However, due to its low height and length, it does not form a comfortable or even continuous sleeping surface; the swivel mattress required would obstruct a second level in the compartment. US 938 929 A shows an advantageous support (there Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) a seat that can be pushed forward; and to create a small standing area, part of the seat can be folded up together with a section of the mattress (see Fig. 1 dashed).

[0011] DD 38 711 A1 shows swivel arms, referred to as guide arms, for swiveling up an unused backrest. US 1 621 086 A describes a foldable partition between the corridor and a foldable upper bed area with a curtain, curtain rail, and fall protection.

[0012] Most known designs of night train carriages avoid beds in front of the windows, although this arrangement would be less problematic today given the high insulation values ​​of the windows and the fact that they cannot be opened anyway. Use cases

[0013] The described invention is particularly suitable for a mixture of compartments with dedicated standing and changing areas and stacked cabins without standing facilities in close proximity. Thus, the corridor area is subjected to varying degrees of stress by the different compartment types, and overall, it is neither overloaded nor understressed. Several preferred embodiments of a carriage are based on dividing the carriage width into four strips, one of which is used for the inventive, two-seat compartments that can be converted into individual cabins, one for the corridor, and the two remaining for compartments with longitudinal sleeping berths and an associated compartment corridor or dressing area.

[0014] To better distinguish them from standard compartments with a corridor, compartments without standing height are referred to as cabins in this description. These are preferably stacked cabins with the same floor plan, the floor space of which is entirely or largely occupied by the sleeping area, allowing access to the sleeping area directly from the corridor of the carriage.

[0015] Such sleeping cabins, with direct access from the carriage corridor to the sleeping areas, primarily allow single travelers to sleep without roommates while requiring minimal space; if sufficiently wide, they are also suitable for couples. In the embodiment of claim 2, the separate cabins are created by folding down a bed and creating a sleeping area with standing height in a space previously used as a two-seat compartment. The claim also considers cases where such compartments were booked for single occupancy, so the upper bed remains folded up and a sleeping area below largely fills the compartment, above which standing height is guaranteed if necessary.

[0016] Instead of longitudinally arranged, enclosed cabins, bunks separated from the corridor only by curtains are also being considered, thus using the corridor more like a compartment corridor. This is known as a cabin bunk car when arranged on both sides.

[0017] The convertibility of the seats is also considered for compartments with compartment corridor 207, as in Fig. 7 and there at bed position 209, but is mainly needed in cases like 204 without a compartment corridor in order to make a foot area below the seat usable, or in cases with a short compartment corridor. Description of the seating and lying areas

[0018] German express train compartments of the 20th century often had adjustable seats that could be connected to form an almost continuous reclining area. The last seats were usually adjusted by kneeling on seats already reclined or from the aisle. This allowed for full, but only a few seats in the compartments, and in a six-seat compartment, hardly more than three people could lie comfortably. The reclining area, formed by two seats, consisted of four sections with three gaps and was correspondingly uncomfortable. At the same time, the height of the backrests was limited by the total space available for reclining, which was just under 2 meters, and in any case, was barely more than 50 cm.This disadvantage is avoided by a pair of seats according to claim 1, in which the seats are also mounted opposite one another in the sitting position and each have at least one backrest and one seat, in that a lying surface can be formed from just three parts of the two seats, namely both seat surfaces and just one backrest. This backrest can then have normal dimensions of at least 60 cm in length (height when sitting). In order to put it into a lying position, the associated seat surface must be moved further forward than in the known design. This is made considerably easier if the compartment is for two people and therefore a single pair of seats, whereby the seat surface can be supported on the side outer wall so that it is held at three corners together with two articulated connections to the flat backrest.A backrest that is too long should be avoided, so that passengers lying down can bridge the gap between the original backrest and the seat with their hips, and when lying on their back, with a hollow back, rather than resting with their buttocks in a gap. Depending on the length, the opposite seat can also be pushed out slightly or be fixed and extended below its corresponding backrest by a section that is not needed when sitting. The corresponding backrest of the other seat should preferably be pushed upwards or folded away.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, an upper lying surface and base are located above such a pair of seats, which can be pivoted or lowered and, according to claim 2, with the pivoting or lowering in the lying position, together with the lateral boundaries of the compartment and a possible console or seal 3, creates a spatial closure to the lower compartment or lower part of the compartment. In this case, it is desirable for the two cabin-shaped compartments or parts of the original compartment to be accessible separately, even if the other compartment remains closed, and thus have door areas that can be opened separately. In the sitting position, however, it is more practical if both door areas can be opened together. This can be achieved by a suitable locking of the two door areas with one another, as is known in a simple form, for example, from horse stables.The locking mechanism is preferably released automatically by folding the upper bed into the lying position.

[0020] Railway wagons with seats and beds of the required standard can be, in particular, railcars, unpowered control cars and / or trailers or intermediate cars which are not designed as individually coupled wagons, but as a group which cannot be easily separated, for example coupled with Jacobs frames or other wagon connections which are difficult to separate. Variations

[0021] The described features are generally applicable in vehicles, particularly railways and ships, but also in stationary applications such as hotels or temporary structures. Compartments can be separated from the corridor by curtains or doors, for example, revolving, rolling, or sliding doors. Cabins arranged one above the other can be offset laterally, which may facilitate the allocation of steps and access openings to the upper cabin. The berths proposed "lengthwise" or "in the direction of travel" can also have a certain directional deviation from the lengthwise direction, which improves headroom, especially given the rounded top of the car body. Standing height refers to adults of normal height. Illustrations The Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show longitudinal sections of a 2-person compartment that can be divided into two cabins and are explained in more detail below. Fig. 3 shows a train section with several embodiments 1 according to the invention in plan view. Fig. 4 is a cross-section. Fig. Figure 5 shows a variant of the hallway area with non-rectangular sleeping places to improve the space conditions. The Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 show further floor plan examples with compartments according to the invention. Some of the examples are shown next to a continuous corridor, while others are shown on a level without a continuous corridor.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of compartment type 1 with the bed 2 folded up. Below the bed 2, the contours of the console 3 on the outer wall can be seen. The seats 4, 5 and backrests 6, 7 are also in the sitting position. Below the window 8, the outer wall contains a rail 9 at seat height, on which a corner of the seat 5 can be additionally supported with pins or bolts 10. In the Fig. In the reclining position shown in Figure 2, the right-hand seat 5, 7 is pushed very far forward, which is made much easier by the support provided on the outer wall, which is particularly useful in two-seater compartments. Its extra-long backrest 7 then supports the back and head of the reclining occupant, while the original seat 5 supports the hip / bottom area. The two gaps between the cushions are located under the hollow back and thighs, i.e. outside the areas of the body primarily subject to stress when lying down, and are less of a nuisance than with a symmetrical, four-part reclining surface. The seat 4 is not movable in the sketch and extends to the opposite wall, thus being longer than required in the sitting position. The now excess backrest 6 is pushed upwards or folded away. The reclining surface 2 rests on the console 3 and divides the compartment into two separate cabins. A piece of luggage 11 is located under one of the seats.

[0023] Figure 3 shows in plan several demanding forms of such compartments 1 in a single-story carriage section of approximately 10 meters with the position of the cross-section 4-4'.

[0024] In particular, a corridor section with compartments on both sides is shown: Compartment type 12 on the wider side, shown here to the left of corridor 13, has bunk beds 14 and a small entrance area or compartment corridor 15 with standing height, which can also be used for changing clothes while standing and provides legroom while sitting. The cross-section 4-4' of this area is shown in Fig. 4.

[0025] On the narrower side (right) next to the corridor 13 there are four compartments 1 of the design already described, in which two people can sit opposite each other and which are divided into two stacked cabins in the lying position, as in Fig. 1., Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. In the floor plan of the Fig. 3, the seating position and the diagonal of the sleeping areas are shown in dashed lines. Only when converting to sleeping position do these compartments have to be left, and each compartment is divided into two low-ceilinged cabins, each of which is accessed from the corridor.

[0026] Doors and access openings are represented by jagged arrows. Rooms are outlined with individual lines for illustrative purposes only. All exterior rooms can have windows.

[0027] As in cross section 4-4' in Fig. As can be clearly seen in Figure 4, the floor plan of the car body is divided exclusively by vertical boundaries into corridor 13 and compartments, or rather, cabins and seating areas. The upper sleeping area 2 of compartment 1 above the window is shown folded up; additionally, it is shown in dashed lines in a lowered position. In the lowered position, its shape is intended to create a complete spatial enclosure, even in the door area. Brackets 3 support the sleeping area and, together with rubber lips, reduce sound transmission between the upper and lower sections of the cabin.

[0028] Fig. 5 shows a variant of one of the Fig.3 similar section with non-rectangular sleeping berths, thus ensuring more space in the upper body area of ​​cabins 21 than at the foot end, and utilizing the narrower foot area to slightly widen the cabins or cabins 20 on the other side of the aisle. The gap between the sliding seat 22 and the wall facing the corridor 13 in cabins 21 takes into account the reduced space when sliding forward to create a sleeping area.

[0029] The versions with divisible cabins with seating can also be built with open "cabin berths" separated from the corridor by a curtain. A mix of cabin berths and enclosed cabins on the narrow side next to the aisle, as opposed to compartments with a corridor on the other side of the aisle, would also be advantageous. Cabin berths may be particularly preferable for passengers with claustrophobia. However, with fewer cabin berths, mutual noise disturbance, especially from snoring, would be significantly reduced, and in particular, there would be no direct propagation of sound between two cabin berths across the corridor. Other passengers would be protected from noise by having separate cabins.

[0030] Such compartments, cabins, and cabins can be arranged in a variety of ways within a carriage and combined with other designs. In principle, however, the design of the seating / reclining combination is not dependent on a specific arrangement within the carriage, but simply requires a side entrance in the middle of the long side of the compartment or not too far from it.

Claims

[1] Pair of seats in a carriage, in which the seats are mounted opposite each other in the sitting position and each have at least one backrest (6, 7) and one seat surface (4, 5), characterized by that a lying surface can be formed from three parts of the two seats by bringing the backrest (7) of one seat with a length of at least 60 cm into a lying position, the associated seat surface (5) is moved forwards a corresponding distance and, together with the seat surface (4) of the opposite seat, a continuous lying surface is formed, wherein preferably the seat surface (5) moved forwards is supported on a side wall (9, 10) and the backrest (6) of the other seat can be pushed upwards or folded away. [2] Construction of compartments in a carriage with a pair of seats according to the preceding claim, in which two lying surfaces are located one above the other in the lying position, characterized bythat the upper lying surface together with the base (2) can be pivoted and / or lowered and that the pivoting and / or lowering in the lying position together with the lateral boundaries of the compartment and a possible console or seal (3) achieves a spatial closure to the lower part of the compartment.

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