PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE WITH A DEVICE FOR MOVING AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICAL CONTACT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a means of transporting people with a device for moving at least one electrical contact.

[0002] It is known that in the interior of a vehicle, e.g., a rail vehicle, power supply and data transmission take place at a specified position of an associated piece of equipment. A piece of equipment can be, for example, a seat, a table, a power outlet, or a display. Separate cabling is required for each piece of equipment and each function. This cabling supplies various functions with electrical power and data, e.g., a seat reservation display and / or lighting. Each cabling leads precisely to the specified position of the associated piece of equipment.

[0003] This requires significant design and installation effort for the cabling. The cabling layout is not very flexible, for example, when converting the interior, and offers limited reuse options. Conversion may be necessary, for example, when changing from a winter layout to a summer layout or when replacing the interior fittings. Furthermore, different cabling may be required for different rail vehicles, making standardization difficult.

[0004] DE 10 2004 008 571 B4 describes a transport device with a support rail in which a busbar holder with busbars is arranged. The busbars serve to supply electrical energy to a vehicle drive of the transport device. A disadvantage of this is that only a single possible application for the support rail is described.

[0005] WO 01 / 87665 A1 describes a profile rail for a passenger seat that is attached to a vehicle floor structure. An electrical busbar and / or a ventilation duct are also integrated into the profile rail.

[0006] DE 10 2012 015 566 A1 describes a luggage rack within which a movable electronic module with a module adapter and a plug is located. Panels are provided that can be inserted between the electronic modules to close off an open profile body of the luggage rack.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a means of transport for people with a device in which an alternative application of a support rail with conductor rails is used.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a passenger transport means with a device for displacing at least one electrical contact according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are contained in the subclaims.

[0009] According to the invention, the object is achieved in a means of transporting people with a device for moving at least one electrical contact, wherein the device at least one support profile having at least one side opening in the longitudinal direction, at least one guide rail element arranged in the support profile and having a second side opening open to the same side as the first side opening, at least one plug unit that can be inserted into the guide rail element and displaced along the longitudinal direction of the support profile and the guide rail element, and at least one electrical functional unit coupled to the plug unit. The means of transport is a passenger transport means, the support profile is arranged on an interior structure of the passenger transport means, and a position of the plug unit can be adapted to a changed position of the functional unit in the longitudinal direction of the passenger transport means when a functional unit is displaced during a conversion of the interior of the passenger transport means.

[0010] One advantage of the invention is that it is possible to connect a functional unit to a supply line or the guardrail element regardless of the position of the functional unit. Changes to the interior fittings can be taken into account during the design phase of the passenger transport vehicle, allowing for flexible planning for future changes or upgrades. The device can also be pre-assembled and easily reused. Conversion takes little time and requires little effort. Conversion cycles over the service life of the passenger transport vehicle can thus be shortened. In addition, cost, weight, and material savings are possible. Any number of guardrail elements can be arranged in the support profile as required. The effort required to install the device in the passenger transport vehicle is minimal. During assembly or disassembly, tools can be reused, and work processes remain the same.The number of errors is lower than with conventional cabling. An interior structure can be, for example, a side wall, a ceiling or the inside of the roof, a floor of a vehicle, or the inside of a rail vehicle body.

[0011] Preferably, the support profile is integrated into at least one profile element arranged on the interior structure of the passenger transport means, in particular into at least one seat support profile element. This makes it possible to manufacture the support profile and the profile element from a single piece, which also saves space.

[0012] Alternatively, the support profile can be mounted independently of other components on the interior structure of the passenger transport vehicle. This allows for greater flexibility when converting the passenger transport vehicle, for example, allowing a vertical installation position to be changed.

[0013] According to the invention, the support profile has at least one cover unit that covers the support profile on at least one side of the connector unit. This protects the guide rail element from dirt or damage. The cover unit can be modular in design, i.e., prefabricated cover sections can be arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction. The cover unit can be visually coordinated with a panel of the interior structure and / or be designed in one piece with a part of the panel of the interior structure.

[0014] Furthermore, at least one sealing element can be arranged between the support profile and the connector unit. This sealing element improves the protection of the guide rail elements against contamination or, for example, liquid ingress.

[0015] In particular, the plug unit can comprise at least one plug element with a circular cross-section. A plug element with a circular cross-section is particularly easy to manufacture.

[0016] In a practical embodiment of the invention, electrical energy, at least one signal, and / or data can be transmitted to the plug-in element via the guide rail element. For example, a joint transmission of electrical energy and data is possible.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the guide rail element is a power rail, a busbar, and / or a data bus. These types of guide rail elements are particularly suitable for the combined transmission of electrical power and data. Furthermore, this method allows for the elimination of cables or guide rail elements. For example, a busbar or a data bus can be used for various functions simultaneously, e.g., for a seat sensor and a central reading light switch.

[0018] In addition, a control unit can be arranged between the plug unit and the functional unit. The control unit expands the device's application range from a pure electrical power supply to an alternative or additional control of the functional units.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit comprises at least one functional unit controller, and the passenger transport means comprises at least one main controller coupled to the functional unit controller. The main controller represents an interface to the vehicle and communicates with any number of functional unit controllers, whereby a data exchange takes place. A functional unit controller can also communicate with any number of other functional unit controllers and the main controller, whereby a data exchange takes place.

[0020] According to a particular development of the invention, the functional unit controller can be used to control, monitor, and / or transmit information to at least one input and / or at least one output of a functional unit. This increases the flexibility of the device.

[0021] Furthermore, the functional unit controller is located within the functional unit and can be moved together with the functional unit. Thus, separate handling of the functional unit controller is not necessary.

[0022] Furthermore, the functional unit can comprise a seat information display unit, a lighting unit, a comfort function unit, a sensor unit, an acoustic communication unit, a visual information unit, e.g., a display unit, a diagnostic unit, a condition monitoring unit, a wayfinding unit, and / or an entertainment unit. Thus, the device is very versatile. Other functional units or types of functional units are also conceivable.

[0023] Furthermore, the task is solved with a rail vehicle with at least one device.

[0024] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to four figures. They show: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a device according to the invention in a means of transport, Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the device according to the invention along the line AA in Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 a schematic sectional view of the device according to the invention in an enlargement of the area B in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 a schematic sectional view through a plug unit of the device according to the invention along the line DD in Fig. 3 .

[0025] Fig. 1 shows a means of transport 80 in the form of a passenger transport means or a rail vehicle with functional units 83 and a main controller 84 with a power supply 85. In the exemplary embodiment, the functional units 83 are seating units. However, the functional units 83 can also include display units, lighting units, or the like. The main controller 84 is arranged centrally in the means of transport 80. Of a device 10 according to the invention, only support rails or support profiles 20, functional unit controller 70, and a transition line 30a are shown here. The functional unit controller 70 is each enclosed by an associated control unit, which is not shown here. The transition line 30a connects guide rail elements 30 in a door area, which are arranged on both sides of the door area in the support profiles 20 (cf. Fig. 3 ).

[0026] In the Fig. 1 bis 4 x denotes a longitudinal direction, y a transverse direction, and z a vertical direction of the transport means 80. The functional units 83 are arranged in the x-direction at variable distances. The functional unit controllers 70 are each assigned to the functional units 83 and can be built into them. In the vertical direction z, functional units 83 with functional unit controllers 70 can be arranged one above the other, as shown in Fig. 1 , or offset from one another. In the transverse direction y, the support profiles 20, the functional units 83, and the functional unit controllers 70 are arranged immovably in the exemplary embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, however, it would be conceivable to arrange the functional units 83 and the functional unit controllers 70 so that they can be displaced in the transverse direction y.

[0027] In Fig. 2 The transport means 80 is shown in a sectional view. The transport means 80 also includes functional units 83. Furthermore, an interior structure 81 of the transport means 80 is shown, which is a side wall here. A plug unit 40 (cf. Fig. 3 ) of the device 10 is arranged between a functional unit 83 and the interior structure 81, characterized by the cutout B. In addition, a plug unit 40 of the device 10 is also arranged in the cutout C. In the longitudinal direction x, several plug units 40 are arranged one behind the other in the cutouts B and C, cf. Fig. 1 .

[0028] In Fig. 3 the device 10 is shown enlarged. The device 10 comprises a support profile 20 with an inner support 20a and a first side opening 21. The inner support 20a accommodates guide rail elements 30, which are, for example, U-shaped and open on the same side as the first side opening 21. Plug-in elements 41 are inserted into the guide rail elements 30, which belong to a plug unit 40 and establish electrical contacts with the guide rail elements 30. Sealing elements 51 are arranged between the plug unit 40 and the support profile 20. Of the transport means 80, only a functional unit 83, the interior structure 81 and a profile element 82 are shown here. The support profile 20 is designed in one piece with the profile element 82.

[0029] In Fig. 4 A section through the plug-in elements 41 is shown. Cover units 50 are arranged on both sides of the associated plug unit 40, which cover the support profile 20 (cf. Fig. 3 ) cover.

[0030] When converting an interior of the means of transport 80, functional units 83 can be moved to change the distances between the functional units 83 in the longitudinal direction. A conversion can also include, for example, a change in a seat pitch, a table pitch, a seat direction, a seat type, a position change of a seat number, a seat reservation display and / or a reading light, a change in the number and / or arrangement of luggage racks, luggage shelves, room dividers and / or displays, and / or an adaptation of a flexible area.

[0031] The position of each plug unit 40 can be adapted to a changed position of a functional unit 83 or a functional unit controller 70. The plug unit 40 can be moved along the support profile 20 thanks to the plug elements 41 and the guide rail elements 30, which are open on one side. Complex changes to cabling or rewiring can be avoided. Existing vehicles can be retrofitted, i.e., conventional cabling can be removed and a device 10 installed. List of reference symbols

[0032] 10Device 20Support profile 20aInner support 21First side opening 30Guard rail element 30aTransition line 40Plug unit 41Plug element 50Cover unit 51Sealing element 70Functional unit controller 80Means of transport 81Interior structure 82Profile element 83Functional unit 84Main controller 85Infeed xLongitudinal direction yTransverse direction zVertical direction

Claims

1. Passenger transport means (80) with a device (10) for displacing at least one electrical contact, the device (10) comprising - at least one support profile (20) which has at least one side opening (21) in the longitudinal direction (x), - at least one guide rail element (30), which is arranged in the support profile (20) and has a second side opening, which is open towards the same side as the first side opening (21), - at least one plug unit (40) which can be inserted into the guide rail element (30) and can be displaced along the longitudinal direction (x) of the support profile (20) and the guide rail element (30), and - at least one electrical functional unit (83) which is coupled to the plug unit (40), wherein - the support profile (20) is arranged on an interior room structure (81) of the passenger transport means, and - a position of the plug unit (40) can be adapted to a changed position of the functional unit (83) in the longitudinal direction (x) of the passenger transport means when a functional unit (83) is displaced during a conversion of an interior room of the passenger transport means, characterised in that - the support profile (20) has at least one cover unit (50) which covers the support profile (20) on at least one side of the plug unit (40), the cover unit (50) being laterally adjacent to the plug unit (40).

2. Passenger transport means (80) according to claim 1, characterised in that the support profile (20) is integrated into at least one profile element (82) arranged on the interior room structure (81) of the passenger transport means, in particular into at least one seat holder profile element.

3. Passenger transport means (80) according to claim 1, characterised in that the support profile (20) is arranged independently of other components on the interior room structure (81) of the passenger transport means.

4. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one sealing element (51) is arranged between the support profile (20) and the plug unit (40).

5. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plug unit (40) comprises at least one plug element (41) with a circular cross-section.

6. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an electrical energy, at least one signal and / or data can be transmitted to the plug element (41) by means of the guide rail element (30).

7. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide rail element (30) is a conductor rail, a busbar and / or a databus.

8. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a control unit is arranged between the plug unit (40) and the functional unit (83).

9. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of claim 8, characterised in that the control unit comprises at least one functional unit controller (70), and in that the passenger transport means comprises at least one main controller (84) which is coupled to the functional unit controller (70).

10. Passenger transport means (80) according to claim 9, characterised in that a control, a monitoring and / or an information transmission can be carried out at at least one input and / or at least one output of a functional unit (83) by means of the functional unit controller (70).

11. Passenger transport means (80) according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the functional unit controller (70) is arranged in the functional unit (83) and is displaceable together with the functional unit (70).

12. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the functional unit (70) comprises a seat information display unit, a lighting unit, a comfort function unit, a sensor unit, an acoustic communication unit, a visual information unit, e.g. a display unit, a diagnostic unit, a condition monitoring unit, a wayfinding unit and / or an entertainment unit.

13. Passenger transport means (80) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the passenger transport means is a rail vehicle.