KIT FOR MOUNTING A TRIM PANEL ON A BODY OF A TRANSPORT VEHICLE, BODY AND VEHICLE WITH SUCH A KIT AND CORRESPONDING MOUNTING PROCEDURE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a kit for mounting a trim panel to a transport vehicle body, a body and a vehicle comprising such a kit and an associated mounting method.

[0002] In the field of passenger transport vehicles, particularly rail vehicles, the vehicles comprise a body delimiting an interior compartment for accommodating passengers. For reasons of comfort and safety, the body is covered, on the inside, with trim panels. Some of these panels are fixed to the roof of the body and form a ceiling of the interior compartment. The panels, which can reach large dimensions - for example, have a width comparable to the width of a rail vehicle body, and a length of several meters -, are fixed to the body by fastening devices. The body generally comprises fastening rails, which are oriented on the inside and which cooperate with the fastening devices. When the vehicle is moving, the body generates vibrations which can be transmitted to the trim panels, which is a source of discomfort for the passengers.

[0003] WO-01 / 05640-A1 describes a fastening device which incorporates a damping element and which allows a trim panel to be suspended from a fixing rail, the rail being connected to the roof of a railway vehicle body. The damping element must be inserted by sliding into the rail, which makes it impractical to install the panels, particularly when these panels are large. The assembly is also not secure.

[0004] CN-211 543 533-U describes a fixing device for a rail vehicle body trim panel. The mounting of the panel to the body is not detailed.

[0005] It is these problems that the invention aims to address more specifically by proposing a mounting kit that is more practical to use, particularly when installing cladding panels.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a mounting kit for fixing a trim panel to a body of a transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, the mounting kit comprising: a mounting subassembly, comprising: a trim panel, intended to be attached to the body, preferably facing the roof, and at least one fixing device, wherein the fixing device comprises: a fixing lug, configured to be fixed to the trim panel, a fixing flange, configured to be fixed to the body, and a damping element, which connects the fixing lug to the fixing flange, the damping element being configured to limit the passage of vibrations between the fixing lug and the fixing flange, while the fixing flange is configured to be fixed to a fixing rail secured to the body, and the fixing lug of each fixing device is fixed to an edge of the trim panel.

[0007] According to the invention, the mounting kit comprises at least one holding support, each holding support comprising: an assembly portion, configured to be assembled to a fixing rail in a reversible manner, preferably by hand and without tools, and a support portion, configured to cooperate reversibly with the mounting subassembly when the assembly portion is assembled to the fixing rail, so as to maintain each fixing flange in a mounting position opposite a fixing rail. and in that the holding bracket is configured to be disassembled from the fixing rail once the fixing flange is attached to the facing fixing rail.

[0008] Thanks to the invention, each fastening device is assembled to the panel before fixing each fastening device to the fixing rail, which is practical and saves time. The trim panel is temporarily fixed to the fixing rail by means of the holding brackets, the fastening devices then being located opposite the fixing rails and easy to secure. The fixing bracket limits the transmission of vibrations between the body and the panel, contributing to the comfort of the vehicle passengers. Since the trim panel is self-supporting, each fastening device is fixed, on the one hand, to the longitudinal edges of the panel and on the other hand, to the body. During assembly, the fastening devices are accessible, which facilitates assembly.

[0009] According to advantageous but not mandatory aspects of the invention, such a mounting kit may incorporate one or more of the following features taken in isolation or in any technically admissible combination: the damping element is made of elastomer material, while the fixing flange and the fixing lug are secured to each other by vulcanization of the damping element. The fixing flange further comprises: an attachment portion, configured to be fixed to the fixing rail by a fixing member, the attachment portion defining an attachment axis, and a retaining portion, which provides a receiving volume for the damping element, the receiving volume being open in an opening direction, which is orthogonal to the attachment axis; while the damping element comprises a receiving volume, which is provided in the damping element and which opens out from the damping element parallel to the opening direction, and the fixing lug further comprises: a first portion, which is received in the receiving volume, and a second portion, which is configured to be fixed to the edge of the trim panel.The support portion comprises: a first plate, intended to be placed in support against the edge of the panel, and a second plate, intended to be placed in support on an internal face of the cladding panel.

[0010] The invention also relates to a vehicle body, comprising at least one fixing rail secured to the body, and a mounting kit as defined previously. At least one of the holding supports is fixed to the fixing rail by the assembly portion, while the at least one holding support cooperates with the mounting subassembly, the mounting subassembly being in an assembly position, in which each fixing flange is opposite a corresponding fixing rail.

[0011] Advantageously, the body has an elongated shape parallel to a longitudinal axis and comprises at least two fixing rails, which are arranged symmetrically on either side of a longitudinal plane of the body, the longitudinal plane being parallel to the longitudinal axis, while the cladding panel comprises two opposite longitudinal edges, parallel to the longitudinal axis and located on either side of the longitudinal plane, at least one fixing device being fixed to each longitudinal edge, and each fixing device is fixed to a fixing rail, so as to hold the cladding panel facing the roof.

[0012] The invention finally relates to a transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising a body as described above.

[0013] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method of mounting a trim panel to a body and by means of a mounting kit as described above, the mounting method comprising the steps of: a) mounting, on either side of the longitudinal plane of the body, at least one holding support on each fixing rail, b) assembling, on each longitudinal edge of the trim panel, the fixing device to form a mounting sub-assembly, c) then placing the mounting sub-assembly so that each holding support cooperates with the mounting sub-assembly, the mounting sub-assembly being in an assembly position, in which the trim panel is facing the roof and in which each fixing flange is facing a corresponding fixing rail.

[0014] Advantageously, the mounting method comprises a step, subsequent to step c), consisting of securing the fixing flange to the opposite fixing rail by means of a fixing member, for example a hammer-head screw, then dismantling the holding support.

[0015] This method induces the same advantages as those mentioned above regarding the fixing device according to the invention.

[0016] The invention will be better understood, and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of an embodiment of a mounting kit, a body, a vehicle and a mounting method, in accordance with its principle, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: [ Fig 1 ] there figure 1 is a schematic section of a transport vehicle according to the invention; [ Fig 2 ] there figure 2 is a perspective view, following the arrow II on the figure 1 , of the vehicle of the figure 1 , representing a mounting subassembly in accordance with the invention, certain parts being hidden to facilitate reading; [ Fig 3 ] there figure 3 is a section of detail III of the mounting subassembly of the figure 2 , some parts being hidden to facilitate reading, and [ Fig 4 ] there figure 4 is a perspective view of a mounting subassembly and a holding support in accordance with the invention, observed along an arrow IV on the figure 2 .

[0017] A transport vehicle 2 is shown on the figure 1 . The vehicle 2 is here a railway vehicle, which runs on rails 4 of a railway track. Alternatively, the vehicle 2 is a road transport vehicle, such as a coach, or even a maritime or air transport vehicle.

[0018] The rails 4 are assumed to be straight and horizontal here. For convenience, we define an X axis, which is parallel to the rails 4, a Y axis, which is horizontal and orthogonal to the X axis, and finally a vertical Z axis. The X, Y and Z axes together form a direct orthogonal coordinate system.

[0019] The vehicle 2 comprises a body 6, which has an elongated shape parallel to a longitudinal axis A6. The longitudinal axis A6 is also a direction of movement of the vehicle 2 and is here parallel to the axis X. The body 6 comprises a floor 60, a roof 62 and two side walls 64. The side walls 64 connect the floor 60 and the roof 62 to each other to delimit a compartment V6, in which the passengers are accommodated. In the example illustrated, the body 6 also comprises an intermediate floor 66, which separates the compartment V6 into a high compartment 68A and a low compartment 68B. The intermediate floor is therefore a ceiling for the low compartment 68B and a floor for the high compartment 68A.

[0020] The body 6 is made of metal, for example steel or aluminum alloy. For the comfort and safety of the passengers, the side walls 64 and the roof 62 are covered with trim panels, which are connected to the body 6. A trim panel 100 covering the roof 62 is shown in the figures 2 à 4 .

[0021] The panel 100 has four edges opposite each other in pairs, with two longitudinal edges 102, which are here rectilinear and parallel to the longitudinal axis A6, and two transverse edges 104, which are here each located in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A6 and each have a curved profile, visible on the figure 2 , which is similar to a profile of the roof 62. The panel 100 and the roof 62 here each have a symmetrical profile with respect to a longitudinal plane P6, which is parallel to the longitudinal axis A6 and to the axis Z. The longitudinal plane P6 is therefore vertical when the body 6 is placed on horizontal rails 4. The longitudinal edges 102 are thus located on either side of the longitudinal plane P6.

[0022] The trim panel 100 is kept at a distance from the roof 62, to avoid the transmission of vibrations between the roof 62 and the trim panel 100. According to examples, equipment and / or cables of the vehicle 2, fixed to the body 6, are housed between the panel 100 and the roof 62. This equipment or cables is not shown.

[0023] The trim panel 100 is attached to the body 6 by means of attachment devices 200, which are visible in the figures 3 And 4. Each fastening device 200 comprises a fastening tab 210, which is configured to be fastened to the trim panel 100, a fastening flange 220, configured to be fastened to the body 6, and a damping element 230, which connects the fastening tab 210 to the fastening flange 220. The damping element 230 is configured to limit the passage of vibrations between the fastening tab 210 and the fastening flange 220.

[0024] The damping element 230 is thus made of a material suitable for absorbing vibrations, such as an elastomeric material, for example vulcanized rubber of the ethylene-propylene-diene monomer type, also known as “EPDM”. The fixing lug 210 and the fixing flange 220 are each made of a rigid material, for example metal such as steel.

[0025] The fixing flange 220 comprises a fastening portion 222 and a retaining portion 224. Each fastening portion 222 is configured to be fixed to a fixing rail 70 of the body 6 by means of a fixing member 240. In the illustrated example, the body 6 comprises two rails 70, which are rectilinear and arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal plane P6. Each fixing rail 70 is integral with the body 6. In the illustrated example, each rail is an integral part of the body 6 by being made in a single piece with the roof 62 and / or the side walls 64. Alternatively, each rail 70 is attached to the body 6, for example by welding or by mechanical fixing. Each rail 70 is made in a single piece or several pieces.

[0026] Each fixing rail 70 extends in its length parallel to the longitudinal axis A6. In the example of the figure 2 , two fixing rails 70 are shown, these two rails 70 being arranged symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal plane P6. Each fixing rail 70 here has a “C”-shaped profile, the opening of the “C” being oriented towards the compartment V6 and the back of the “C”, opposite the opening, being oriented towards the body 6. Of course, other shapes of fixing rail 70 are possible. The opening of the “C” defines an attachment axis A70, which is orthogonal to the roof 62 at the location where the rail 70 is connected to the body 6. The “C”-shaped opening also defines an attachment plane P70, which is orthogonal to the attachment axis A70.

[0027] The retention portion 224 provides a reception volume V224, visible on the figure 3 , in which the damping element 230 is received. The receiving volume V224 here has a rectangular section, with two opposite sides orthogonal to the attachment axis A70 and which are connected by a third side parallel to the attachment axis A70, so that the volume V224 is open on the side oriented towards the longitudinal plane P6, in an opening direction A224, represented by an arrow on the figure 3 The opening direction A224 is here parallel to the attachment plane P70.

[0028] The damping element 230 comprises a receiving volume V232, which is formed in a hollow in the material of the damping element 230. The receiving volume V232 here has a slot shape, which is formed parallel to the attachment plane P70 and which opens out of the damping element 230 on the same side as the receiving volume V224, that is to say in the opening direction towards the longitudinal plane P6. In the example illustrated, the receiving volume V232 opens out of the damping element 230 in a direction parallel to the opening direction A224.

[0029] The fixing lug 210 comprises a first portion 212, which is received in the receiving volume V232 and which is integral with the damping element 230, and a second portion 214, which is configured to be fixed on one of the longitudinal edges 102 of the panel 100.

[0030] In the illustrated example, the fixing lug 210 is formed by a cut and folded metal sheet or plate, the first portion 212 being inserted into the slot-shaped receiving volume V232. Thus, during the manufacture of the fixing device 200, the fixing flange 220 and the fixing lug 210 are secured to each other by vulcanization of the damping element 230. The fixing device 200 is thus “undismountable”, that is to say that separating the fixing lug 210 or the fixing flange 220 from the damping element 230 requires destroying the damping element 230.

[0031] The second portion 214 here comprises holes 216, provided for fixing the second portion 214 to the covering panel 100, by means of fixing members. These fixing members, not shown, are for example rivets or screws. Optionally, the second portion 214 is glued to the covering panel 100, in addition to or replacing the fixing members in the holes 216. One or more fixing devices 200 assembled to the same covering panel 100 form a mounting subassembly 300.

[0032] The receiving volume V224 of the retaining portion 224 and the receiving volume V232 provided in the damping element 230 are both open towards the longitudinal plane P6. Thus, when the covering panel 100 and the fixing devices 200 are in the assembled configuration, as shown in the figures 2 And 3, the damping element 230 is held in compression within the receiving volume V224, which prevents the generation of cracks within the damping element 230 and contributes to the durability of the fixing device 200. The fixing lug 210 and the fixing flange 220 are not in direct contact with each other, but are connected to each other by the damping element 230: thus the transmission of vibrations between the body 6 and the trim panel 100 is limited by the fixing device 200.

[0033] The attachment portion 222 here has the shape of a rectangular plate, which extends in its length parallel to the longitudinal axis A6 and has two ends each comprising a retaining portion 224. An oblong hole 226 is provided in a central portion of the attachment portion 222, between the two retaining portions 224, so as to allow the attachment member 240 to pass. One of the large sides of the attachment portion 222, located on the side of the longitudinal plane P6, here has a curved portion 228 which cooperates with the profile of the attachment rail 70 to allow the correct positioning of the attachment device 200 relative to the rail 70 during the mounting of the covering panel 100.

[0034] The fixing member 240 is preferably reversible, that is to say that the mounting subassembly 300 can be removed from the body 6. The fixing member 240 here comprises a screw 242 with an elongated parallelepiped-shaped head, also called a “hammer head” screw, and a nut 244. On the figure 3 , the head of the screw 242 is shown within the fixing rail 70, while on the figure 4 , the fixing member 240 is better visible, however the rail 70 is not shown.

[0035] Preferably, the trim panel 100 is “self-supporting”, that is to say that the trim panel 100 does not sag under its own weight but remains at a distance from the roof 62 simply by being held by the fixing devices 200 distributed over the longitudinal edges 102. When mounting the trim panel 100 to the body 6, at least one fixing device 200 is first assembled on each longitudinal edge 102 of the panel 100, to form the mounting subassembly 300. It is understood that depending on the length of the longitudinal edges 102, the number of fixing devices 200 fixed to each of the longitudinal edges 102 is adapted to support the trim panel 100.

[0036] When assembling the mounting subassembly 300 to the body 6, the operator advantageously has a holding support 400, shown in the figure 4The holding bracket 400 allows the operator to hold the mounting subassembly 300 in a mounting position, i.e. a position in which the fixing flange 220 of each fixing device 200 is opposite a fixing rail 70, while the fixing members 240 are not yet secured.

[0037] The holding support 400 comprises for this purpose an assembly portion 410, configured to be assembled to a fixing rail 70 in a reversible manner, and a support portion 420, configured to cooperate with the mounting subassembly 300. Thus, when the mounting portion 410 is assembled to the fixing rail 70, the cladding panel 100 is held facing the roof 62 and the attachment portion 222 of each fixing flange 220 is in the mounting position, facing a fixing rail 70.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the assembly portion 410 comprises a support portion 412, configured to be placed in abutment against the fixing rail 70 parallel to the attachment plane P70, and a latch 414, configured to reversibly assemble the holding support 400 to the fixing rail 70.

[0039] The latch 414 is advantageously actuated by an operator by hand, and without tools. The latch 414 here comprises a rod 416, pivotally mounted relative to the support portion 412 around an axis A416 substantially orthogonal to the support portion 412. The rod 416 has a first end, oriented towards the body 6, on which is fixed a key 417, configured to cooperate with the fixing rail 70. The rod 416 comprises a second end, opposite the first end and oriented towards the compartment V6, which comprises a handle 418, represented here by a parallelepiped, configured to be actuated by an operator, by hand and without tools.

[0040] Of course, as a variant the operator can use a tool to actuate the latch 414, for example a screwdriver and / or a wrench, in which case the handle 418 has a complementary shape provided for this purpose. Optionally, the latch comprises an indexing mechanism, not shown, which prevents the latch 414 from loosening without action by an operator.

[0041] The support portion 420 here comprises a first plate 422, intended to be placed in abutment against the longitudinal edge 102 of the panel 100, as well as a second plate 424, in abutment on an internal face 108 of the covering panel 100, the internal face 108 being oriented towards the compartment V6.

[0042] Thus, the mounting subassembly 300 and the holding support(s) 400, used when mounting the subassembly 300 to the body 6, together constitute a mounting kit 500. Preferably, the mounting kit 500 comprises as many holding supports 400 as the mounting subassembly 300 comprises fixing devices 200. In the example illustrated, the body 6 comprises two fixing rails 70 arranged symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal plane P6. Thus, at least one holding support 400 is mounted on each fixing rail 70. Then, the operator places the mounting subassembly so that each holding support 400 cooperates with the mounting subassembly, the trim panel 100 being slightly elastically deformable to accommodate the positioning of the mounting subassembly 300.

[0043] As a result, the mounting subassembly 300 is held facing the roof by the holding brackets 400. The operator then secures each fixing flange 220 to the corresponding fixing rail 70 located opposite, by means of a fixing member 240.

[0044] Then, the operator dismantles the holding support 400 from the rail 70, here by actuating the latch 414. The dismantling of the holding support 400 is also done by hand and without tools.

[0045] The embodiments and variations mentioned above can be combined with each other to generate new embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A mounting kit (500) for fixing a trim panel (100) to a body (6) of a transport vehicle (2), in particular a rail vehicle, the mounting kit comprising: - a mounting sub-assembly (300), comprising: • a trim panel (100), intended to be attached to the body (6), preferably against or near the roof (62), and • at least one fixing device (200), wherein the fixing device (200) comprises: - a fixing lug (210), configured to be fixed to the cladding panel (100), - a fixing flange (220), configured to be fixed to the body (6), and - a damping element (230), which connects the fixing lug (210) to the fixing flange, the damping element (230) being configured to limit the passage of vibrations between the fixing lug (210) and the fixing flange (220), while the fixing flange (220) is configured to be fixed to a fixing rail (70) integral with the body (6), and the fixing lug (210) of each fixing device (200) is fixed to an edge (102) of the trim panel, characterised in that the mounting kit (500) comprises at least one holding bracket (400), each holding bracket (400) comprising: - an assembly portion (410), configured to be assembled to a fixing rail (70) in a reversible manner, preferably by hand and without tools, and - a support portion (420), configured to reversibly co-operate with the mounting sub-assembly (300) when the assembly portion (420) is assembled to the fixing rail (70), so as to hold each fixing flange (220) in a mounting position facing a fixing rail (70), and in that the retaining bracket is configured to be removed from the fixing rail once the fixing flange is fixed to the facing fixing rail.

2. The mounting kit (500) according to the preceding claim, wherein: - the damping element (230) is made of elastomer material, - the fixing flange (220) and the fixing lug (210) are connected to each other by vulcanisation of the damping element (230).

3. A mounting kit (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the fixing flange (220) further comprises: • an attachment portion (222), configured to be fixed to the fixing rail (70) by a fixing member (240), the attachment portion (222) defining an attachment axis (A70), and • a retaining portion (224), which provides a reception volume (V224) for the damping element (230), the reception volume (V224) being open in an opening direction (A224), which is orthogonal to the attachment axis (A70); - the damping element (230) comprises a receiving volume (V232), which is formed in the damping element (230) and opens out of the damping element (230) parallel to the opening direction (A224), and - the fixing lug (210) also comprises: • a first portion (212), which is received in the reception volume (V232), and • a second portion (214), which is fixed to the edge (102) of the trim panel (100).

4. A mounting kit (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting portion (420) comprises: - a first plate (422), designed to be placed against the edge (102) of the trim panel (100), and - a second plate (424), designed to be placed against an internal face (108) of the trim panel.

5. Vehicle (2) body (6), comprising: - at least one fixing rail (70) integral with the body (6), - a mounting kit (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which at least one of the holding brackets (400) is fixed to the fixing rail (70) by the assembly portion (410), in which the at least one holding bracket (400) cooperates with the mounting sub-assembly (300), the mounting sub-assembly (300) being in an assembly position in which each fixing flange (220) faces a corresponding fixing rail (70).

6. Body (6) for a vehicle (2) according to the preceding claim, in which: - the body (6) has an elongated shape parallel to a longitudinal axis (A6) and comprises at least two fixing rails (70), which are arranged symmetrically on either side of a longitudinal plane (P6) of the body (6), the longitudinal plane being parallel to the longitudinal axis (A6), - the cladding panel (100) comprises two opposite longitudinal edges (102), parallel to the longitudinal axis (A6) and located on either side of the longitudinal plane (P6), at least one fixing device (200) being fixed to each longitudinal edge (102), in which each fixing device (200) is fixed to a fixing rail (70), so as to hold the cladding panel (100) facing the roof (62).

7. A transport vehicle (2), in particular a railway vehicle, comprising a body (6) according to the preceding claim.

8. A method of mounting a trim panel (100) to a body (6) in accordance with claim 6 and by means of at least one mounting kit (500) in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the method of assembly includes the steps consisting of: a) mounting at least one holding bracket (400) on each fixing rail (70) on either side of the longitudinal plane (P6) of the body (6), b) assembling, on each longitudinal edge (102) of the trim panel (100), the fastening device (200) to form a mounting sub-assembly (300), c) then placing the mounting sub-assembly (300) so that each holding bracket (400) co-operates with the mounting sub-assembly (300), the mounting sub-assembly (300) being in an assembly position, in which the trim panel (100) is near the roof (62) and in which each fixing flange (220) faces a corresponding fixing rail (70).

9. Assembly method according to the preceding claim, in which the assembly method comprises a step, subsequent to step c), consisting of securing the fixing flange (220) to the adjacent fixing rail (70) by means of a fixing member (240), for example a hammer-head screw, and then dismantling the holding bracket (400).