Electric railcar
The electric draisine addresses the bulkiness and weight issues of traditional draisines by incorporating integrated motors, foldable components, and a lightweight design, enabling efficient single-person operation and transportation in challenging environments.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2022002837
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-03-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-02
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-03-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing draisines are bulky, heavy, and difficult to transport, making them impractical for single-person operation, especially in inaccessible areas like underground railways where road access is not possible.
The electric draisine features a compact support tray for a standing occupant, integrated electric motors in the wheels, foldable arms and handlebars, and a lightweight design, allowing for easy transportation and operation by a single person.
The electric draisine enables efficient and quick movement along railways, reduces intervention time, and allows for easy transportation in a compact folded position, addressing the challenges of accessibility and usability in difficult environments.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Electric track car Technical field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of handcars. More particularly, the present application relates to an electric handcar intended to transport only one occupant at a time. Prior art
[0002] In the railway sector, the areas in which an agent must carry out an intervention are often difficult to access when these intervention areas are located between two stations, stops or stations. The agent can travel by motor vehicle, but the railway tracks may be distant from the motor roads. In addition, the number of accesses between the railway tracks and the motor roads is generally limited. Indeed, each access requires surveillance to prevent third parties from entering the railway tracks via this access.
[0003] For underground railways, in particular, access by road is generally not possible. In this case, the agent is generally obliged to walk from the nearest station to the point where he must intervene. In addition to the safety risks associated with such a practice, this results in a particularly long access time to the intervention point.
[0004] Furthermore, vehicles called draisines are known in the field of means of transport on railways. A draisine is a self-propelled vehicle. A draisine intended to run on a railway is generally very bulky, if only because of the gap between the two rails of the railway, on which the wheels of the draisine must rest. The draisine is also generally heavy. For these two reasons in particular, a draisine is generally a vehicle that is difficult to transport and therefore to use by a single person. Summary
[0005] The present disclosure improves the situation.
[0006] A handcar is proposed comprising a support platform adapted to receive a standing occupant, at least three wheels intended to roll on the rails of a railway track, and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of the at least three wheels.
[0007] Preferably, the draisine according to the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination: - at least one electric motor is integrated into one of the at least three wheels, the draisine preferably comprising at least two wheels equipped with an integrated motor, preferably at least four wheels with an integrated motor; - at least one wheel, preferably each wheel, is connected to the support plate by an arm; - at least one arm, preferably each arm, is pivotally mounted relative to the support plate, so as to be able to be folded along and / or under the support plate; - the draisine includes a handlebar fixed to the support plate; - the handlebar is pivotally mounted relative to the support plate, so that it can be folded along and / or onto the support plate; - the handlebar is height adjustable; - the handlebar is fixed in rotation around an axis normal to the support plate; -the handlebar is arranged at a distance from a longitudinal end of the support plate, the distance between the longitudinal end of the support plate and the handlebar being preferably between a third and a half of the length of the support plate, the distance between the longitudinal end of the support plate and the handlebar being preferably still substantially equal to a third of the length of the support plate; - the handlebar is arranged at a longitudinal end of the support plate, in particular at a distance from a longitudinal end of the support plate less than a third of the length of the support plate, preferably less than a fifth of the length of the support plate, more preferably less than a tenth of the length of the support plate; - at least one wheel, preferably each wheel, is associated with at least one guide roller on a rail, each roller being pivotally fixed around an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the associated wheel; - the handcar comprises at least one handle, preferably integral with the support plate; - the support plate extends mainly in a longitudinal direction, the draisine comprising a handle in the vicinity of a first longitudinal end of the support plate, and at least one caster in the vicinity of a second longitudinal end of the support plate, opposite the first longitudinal end; - the draisine comprises at least one electric battery for powering the at least one electric motor, the at least one electric battery preferably being fixed to the support plate; - the draisine comprises a braking device, in particular at least one of a mechanical friction braking device and a magnetic braking device, the draisine preferably comprising at least a first mechanical friction braking device and at least one magnetic braking device. Brief description of the drawings
[0008] Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the attached drawings, in which:
[0009] [Fig. 1] schematically represents in perspective, a first example of a draisine in the deployed position.
[0010] [Fig.2] schematically represents a detail of the draisine of [Fig.l] rolling on a railway track.
[0011] [Fig.3] schematically represents the draisine of [Fig.l] in the folded position.
[0012] [Fig.4] schematically represents in perspective a second example of a draisine, in the folded position.
[0013] [Fig.5] schematically represents a top view of a third example of a draisine in the deployed position. Description of the embodiments
[0014] In the remainder of the description, elements that are identical or have the same function in the different examples bear the same reference sign. These elements are not described in detail within the framework of each illustrated example. On the contrary, for the sake of brevity of the present description, only the differences between the examples shown are mentioned below.
[0015] [Fig.l] schematically represents a first example of an electric draisine 10. Here, the draisine 10 is autonomous, in that it does not require a power supply external to the draisine. To do this, the draisine comprises an electric battery 12.
[0016] As illustrated, the draisine 10 firstly comprises a support plate 14, intended to receive one or even two occupants, standing. Preferably, the support plate 14 is sized to allow only one occupant to be received, in a standing position. Thus, in particular, the draisine 10 is devoid of a seat or bench allowing an occupant to sit. Thus, the draisine 10 is significantly more compact, less heavy and therefore easier to transport.
[0017] As illustrated, the support plate 14 may be formed by a plate 16, for example metallic, here associated with two longitudinal tubes 18. The tubes 18 make it possible to reinforce the plate 16. Each tube 18 may be fixed, in particular welded, to the plate 16. The plate 16 defines through openings 15 with each tube 18. It is thus possible to pass the hand through these openings 15 and use each tube 18 as a handle to carry the draisine 10. Alternatively, handles may be fixed to the plate 16. Alternatively again, the plate 16 may define, alone, one or more through openings which may be used as handle(s), in particular when the draisine 10 is in the folded configuration, as described below.
[0018] Here, the battery 12 is fixed on the plate 16. Advantageously, a housing for receiving the battery 12 is fixed on the plate 16. The housing can be opened by a su- upper, so as to make access to the battery easier.
[0019] The draisine 10 also comprises four wheels 20, called load wheels in that they are intended to support the rest of the draisine 10. Here, each wheel 20 is a driving wheel, equipped with an integrated electric motor. Alternatively, only two wheels 20 can be driven and, preferably, equipped with an integrated electric motor, in particular the two front wheels 20 or the two rear wheels 20. The driving wheels 20 are advantageously controlled by a system for controlling the associated motors. The system for controlling the motors can be arranged in the vicinity of the electric battery 12, in particular in the same housing receiving the electric battery 12.
[0020] Each wheel 20 is connected to the support plate 14 by an associated arm 22. Each arm 22 can be mounted on the support plate 14, pivoting relative to a respective axis A1-A4. Thus each arm 22 can selectively be: - in a folded position, in which the arm 22 extends along and / or under the support plate 14, as illustrated in [Fig.3]; or - in a deployed position, in which the wheel 20 is substantially in its position furthest from the support plate 14, as illustrated in [Fig.l]. In the deployed position of the arms 22, corresponding to the deployed position of the draisine 10, the arms 22 may be parallel. In particular, the two front arms of the draisine may be aligned, on the one hand, and the two rear arms may be aligned, on the other hand.
[0021] In the example illustrated, each axis A1-A4 of pivoting of the arms 22 relative to the support plate 14 is substantially normal to the support plate 14, in particular to the plate 16 of the support plate 14.
[0022] In the example illustrated, each wheel 20 is associated with a device 24 for guiding on a railway rail. Here, each guiding device 24 is formed by one, preferably two, rollers 26, oriented perpendicularly to the associated wheel 20. The rollers 26 are thus called guide rollers, as opposed to the wheels 20 called carrier wheels, the rollers 26 not having the function of carrying the rest of the draisine 10, but of guiding the wheels 20 along the rail. Thus, as illustrated in [Fig. 2], when a wheel 20 is intended to roll on the tread corresponding to the upper face 28 of a rail 30, each associated roller 26 is intended to roll on an internal lateral face 32 of the rail 30.Thus, by configuring the position of the rollers 26 associated with the two front wheels 20, on the one hand, and with the two rear wheels 20, on the other hand, such that the distance between the rollers 26 considered is substantially equal to the distance between the internal lateral faces 32 of the rails 30 of a railway track, good maintenance in position of the draisine 10 on the railway track is ensured, in particular at the level of the points.
[0023] The illustrated draisine 10 also comprises a handlebar 34. Here, the handlebar 34 does not have the function of steering the draisine 10, but rather a function of aiding the balance of the occupant of the draisine 10. Thus, the handlebar 34 is fixed in rotation about an axis B, perpendicular to the support plate 14. Here, the handlebar 34 is pivotally mounted about an axis C, parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels 20, between a folded position in which the handlebar 34 extends along the support plate 14, and a deployed position of use, in which the handlebar 34 is substantially perpendicular to the support plate 14. A locking device 35, well known to those skilled in the art, makes it possible to maintain the handlebar 34 in the deployed position of use, illustrated in [Fig. 1].
[0024] The handlebar 34 is here arranged at a longitudinal end of the support plate 14, in particular at a distance from a longitudinal end of the support plate 14 less than a third of the length of the support plate 14, preferably less than a fifth of the length of the support plate 14, more preferably less than a tenth of the length of the support plate 14. In particular, the handlebar 34 is here arranged at a longitudinal end of the plate 16 of the support plate 14, in particular at a distance from a longitudinal end of the plate 16 of the support plate 14 less than a third of the length of the plate 16 of the support plate 14, preferably less than a fifth of the length of the plate 16 of the support plate 14, more preferably less than a tenth of the length of the plate 16 of the support plate 14.Here, the handlebar 34 is arranged such that the main extension axis B of the handlebar 34 intersects the side of the plate 16 of the support plate 14, forming the end, here front, of the support plate 14.
[0025] Here, the handlebar 34 comprises a first tube 36 and a second tube 38, mounted telescopically in the first tube 36. This allows the height of the handlebar 34 to be adjusted. The handlebar 34 comprises a hanger 40, forming two rectilinear handles 42, fixed to the end of the second tube 38.
[0026] A trigger can be attached to the handlebar 40, to allow the driving wheels to be controlled, in particular to accelerate the draisine 10. Alternatively or in addition, a user can use the draisine 10, substantially in the same way as a conventional electric scooter. Thus, after an initial push with a leg to launch the draisine 10, the driving wheels 20 drive the draisine 10 and cause the rotation of the driving wheels 20, initiated by the user's push, to continue.
[0027] The draisine 10 may furthermore be provided with a braking device. The braking device may be a friction braking device, in particular by friction on the wheels 20, and / or an energy recovery braking device. The energy recovery braking device may advantageously be implemented to partially recharge the battery 12.
[0028] The draisine 10 as described above allows an occupant to move easily and quickly on a railway track, autonomously. An agent having to intervene on a railway line between two stations, stations or stops can thus easily reach the intervention point, even in the event of a power cut to the railway.
[0029] However, before and / or after the intervention, the agent can fold the arms 22 along and / or under the support plate 14. In this folded position of the draisine 10, as illustrated in [Fig. 3], the draisine 10 is particularly compact and can easily be transported by a single person. Thus, in particular, in the folded position of the draisine 10: - the length L2 of the draisine 10 may be greater than 1 m and / or less than 1.50 m; and / or - the width 12 of the draisine 10 may be less than 50 cm; and / or - the height H2 of the draisine 10 may be less than 30 cm.
[0030] It should be noted here that the length L2 of the folded draisine 10 is substantially equal to the length of the support plate 14, in this case of the plate 16 of the support plate 14.
[0031] For comparison, in the deployed position of the draisine 10, illustrated in [Fig.l]: - the length L1 of the draisine 10 may be greater than 1 m and / or less than 1.50 m, the length L1 of the draisine 10 deployed being preferably substantially equal to the length L2 of the draisine 10 folded; and / or - the width 11 of the draisine 10 may be greater than 1.5 m, in particular substantially equal to 1.67 m; and / or - the height H1 of the draisine 10 can be substantially equal to 1 m, it being indicated here that the height H1 of the draisine 10 deployed depends essentially on the height adjustment of the handlebar 34.
[0032] The draisine 10 advantageously has a weight of less than 25 kg, to be easily transportable by a single user.
[0033] The example of a draisine 100 illustrated in [Fig. 4] differs from the previous example of a draisine 10, essentially in that the support plate 14 comprises, here is made up of, a metal plate 16, on which two handles 44 are fixed. The support plate 14 is thus devoid of tubes 18 running along a respective edge of the plate 16.
[0034] The example of a draisine 200 shown in [Fig. 5] comprises a tube 18, here a single one, partially running along both sides of the plate 16 while maintaining spaces 15. The tube 18 also extends opposite and at a distance from a front end of the plate 16. The tube 18 thus forms a handle 46, here arranged at the front of the support plate 14. The handle 46 can advantageously be used to pull the draisine 200 into its folded position, in which the arms 22 are folded along and / or below the support plate 14. In this case, in fact, it is possible to roll the draisine 200 on rollers provided for this purpose at the rear end of the plate 16, opposite the end where the handle 46 is formed.
[0035] Furthermore, here, the position of the handlebar 34 is slightly different from the position of the handlebar 34 illustrated in [Fig.l] and [Fig.3]. Here in fact, the handlebar 34 is arranged at a distance L3 from one end, here front, of the plate 16 of the support plate 14 between a third and a half of the total length of the plate 16 of the support plate 14. Preferably, the handlebar 34 is arranged substantially at a third of the length of the plate 16 of the support plate 14. It has in fact been found that better stability of the occupant of the draisine 200 is then obtained.
[0036] In the case illustrated in [Fig.5], the battery 12 supplying the drive wheels 20 can then be arranged longitudinally between the handlebar 34 and the end closest to the plate 16 of the support plate 14. The battery 12 can in particular be fixed under the plate 16 of the support plate 14.
[0037] The present disclosure is not limited to the examples described above, as illustrative and non-limiting examples. On the contrary, the present disclosure encompasses all the variants that the person skilled in the art may envisage, of the technical solutions retained.
[0038] Thus, in the examples described, the draisine 10, 100, 200 comprises four wheels 20 which are all driven. The draisine 10, 100, 200 may however comprise three wheels, four wheels, or even more than four wheels. In all cases, the draisine 10, 100, 200 preferably comprises at least two driven wheels 20. The two driven wheels advantageously have a common geometric axis of rotation.
[0039] In the examples still illustrated, each wheel 20 is connected to the support plate 14 by means of a respective arm 22. However, it can be imagined that only the wheel or wheels of the draisine 10 arranged on the same longitudinal side of the support plate 14 are connected to the support plate 14 by means of an arm 22. In this case, the support plate 14 in operation is arranged closer to one rail 30 of the railway track than to the other, or is even arranged substantially above a rail 30 of the railway track.
[0040] In the first two examples illustrated again, handles, designed to carry the draisine 10,100 in the folded position, are formed or fixed only on longitudinal sides of the support plate 14. Alternatively or in addition, one or more handles can be imagined at a longitudinal end or at each longitudinal end of the support plate 14, as illustrated on the draisine 200 according to the third illustrated example. It is also conceivable to provide the support plate 14 with the draisines 10,100 according to the first and second illustrated examples: - one or more handles at one longitudinal end of the support plate 14; and - one or more casters at the other longitudinal end of the support plate 14. Such a configuration makes it possible to move the draisine 10,100, off the rails 30 of a railway track, by pulling it and rolling it on the rollers, substantially like a suitcase.
[0041] In the first examples illustrated, the electric battery 12 is fixed on the support plate 16 of the support tray 14. However, generally, it is preferred that the electric battery 12 be fixed under the support plate 16 of the support tray 14 to lower the center of gravity of the draisine. Alternatively, the electric battery 12 is fixed on the support plate 16 of the support tray 14 to facilitate access.
Claims
Claims
1. Draisine (10; 100; 200) comprising a support plate (14) adapted to receive a standing occupant, at least three wheels (20) intended to roll on the rails (30) of a railway track, and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of the at least three wheels (20), the draisine being devoid of a seat or bench allowing an occupant to sit down.
2. A handcar according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electric motor is integrated into one of the at least three wheels (20), the handcar (10) preferably comprising at least two wheels (20) provided with an integrated motor, preferably at least four wheels (20) provided with an integrated motor.
3. A handcar according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one wheel (20), preferably each wheel (20), is connected to the support plate (14) by an arm (22).
4. A track bike according to claim 3, wherein at least one arm (22), preferably each arm (22), is pivotally mounted relative to the support plate (14), so that it can be folded along and / or under the support plate (14).
5. A handcar according to any preceding claim, comprising a handlebar (34) fixed to the support plate (14).
6. A track bike according to claim 5, wherein the handlebar (34) is pivotally mounted relative to the support plate (14), so that it can be folded along and / or onto the support plate (14).
7. A handcar according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the handlebar (34) is height adjustable.
8. Draisine according to one of claims 5 to 7, in which the handlebar (34) is fixed in rotation around an axis (B) normal to the support plate (14).
9. A track bike according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the handlebar (34) is arranged at a distance from a longitudinal end of the support plate (14), the distance (L3) between the longitudinal end of the support plate (14) and the handlebar (34) preferably being between one third and one half of the length of the support plate (14), the distance (L3) between the longitudinal end of the support plate (14) and the handlebar (34) preferably being substantially equal to one third of the length of the support plate (14).
10. A handcar according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the handlebar (34) is arranged at a longitudinal end of the support plate (14), in particular at a distance from a longitudinal end of the support plate (14) less than a third of the length of the support plate (14), preferably less than a fifth of the length of the support plate (14), more preferably less than a tenth of the length of the support plate (14).
11. A track vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one wheel (20), preferably each wheel (20), is associated with at least one guide roller (26) on a rail (30), each roller (26) being pivotally fixed about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the associated wheel (20).
12. Draisine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one handle (44; 46), preferably integral with the support plate (14).
13. A handcar according to claim 12, wherein the support plate (14) extends mainly in a longitudinal direction, the handcar (200) comprising a handle (46) in the vicinity of a first longitudinal end of the support plate (14), and at least one caster in the vicinity of a second longitudinal end of the support plate (14), opposite the first longitudinal end.
14. A handcar according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one electric battery (12) for powering the at least one electric motor, the at least one electric battery (12) preferably being attached to the support plate (14).