Front-arrangement for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, comprising a screen cleaning device

The invention relates to a front assembly for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, eg. As a tram, with a disc cleaning device, a vehicle with such a front assembly, a method for producing such a front assembly and a method for operating a vehicle, especially a rail vehicle, eg. as a tram.

Known windshield wiper systems for rail vehicles have the components drive device, water tank, wiper arm and wiper blade. The drive device is usually located in a waterproof housing. The wiper arm and wiper blade form the wiper device which is disposed below the front window. The water tank, the cleaning agent contained may be located away from the wiper means and the drive means.

A windshield cleaning devices are typically arranged below the windshield (windscreen). But also for the rear window of the vehicle may be provide a windshield cleaning system. Therefore, under a front assembly for a vehicle is also or can be arranged at the rear of the vehicle assembly to understand. It should be noted that, at least reverse the direction of travel of rail vehicles.

The components of the windshield cleaning system as drive device, water tank and wiper means are at least partially secured by the prior art to the vehicle body or of the component parts of the vehicle. For example, in<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE19921930A1"><text>DE 199 21 930 A1</text></patcit> describes a windshield washing system, wherein the windscreen washer device formed from water tank and water pump is fixed to the vehicle body.

In a collision of a rail vehicle having a body, in particular with another vehicle, the windscreen washer device may be irreparably destroyed at impact damage with low driving speed or. Although rail vehicles are often designed so that the supporting structure (ie, vehicle body) collisions at low speeds up to 6 km / h - without prejudice survives, the disc cleaner is likely to need even for such a "low-speed crash" are exchanged. In unfavorable cases, the disc cleaner can also damage or destroy the windshield. This is especially true in modern trams that provide the driver with a driving position very close to the front end of the rail vehicle so that the driver can see through the windshield obstructions or people in a very short distance ahead of the vehicle. Instead the previously customary buffers relatively far projecting on the vehicle front, have modern trams usually a bumper bar which extends on the front of the vehicle from one side to the other side and on its front side has an impact area, the case of an impact (particularly in collision with a similar vehicle) absorbs impact forces and derives. Here, the bumper bar on shock absorber elements with the supporting structure of the vehicle is connected. In the aforementioned driving speeds up to 6 km / h, the shock absorber elements can absorb the acting solely on the bumper bar impact energy. Depending on the configuration of the arrangement with shock-absorbing elements takes place here a reversible and / or irreversible deformation of the shock absorber elements.

The object of the invention is a front assembly for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, eg. As a tram, provide a window cleaning device which can be preserved at least in collisions of the rail vehicle with low driving speed from damage or destruction. Another object is to provide a vehicle with such a front assembly, a method for producing such a front assembly and a method for operating a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, eg. As a tram Indicate.

To solve the problem, it is proposed to couple the disc cleaning device with an impact element at the front of the vehicle or the front of the vehicle and to allow at least parts of the disk cleaning means therefore, by the movement of the impact element under the action of impact forces from the colliding bodies move away or object. This is based on the realization that the impact element transfers the impact forces on at least one shock-absorbing element and the impact energy is absorbed by movement of the impact element of the shock-absorbing element. The invention is thus based on the idea to attach the disc cleaning device mounted at an impact element of the rail vehicle, that at least parts of the device are exposed to collision of the vehicle no impact forces and can thus be protected from damage or destruction, as they the result of the collision-based movement impact element are placed in a protective position.

The window cleaning device comprises in particular a drive device and a drive device connected to the wiper device on, and, optionally, also at least one liquid container. In particular, the drive means and, optionally, a gear for transmitting the driving force to the wiper arm and / or the at least one liquid container is / are brought into the protecting position.

In particular, a front assembly for a vehicle is proposed, in particular for a rail vehicle, eg. As a tram, wherein the front assembly comprises an impact member having a forwardly facing impact surface and a window cleaning device, which in turn drive means and one of the drive means having drivable windscreen wiper device, wherein the impact element is arranged to derive event of an impact of a body, in particular of another vehicle to record on the front of the vehicle and thus to the impact surface of the impact element shock forces and and wherein the impact element is coupled with at least one shock-absorbing element. The disk cleaning means is attached to the impact element for the vehicle, wherein the impact element and attached disk cleaning means are movable relative to a support of the front assembly and thus in a built-in into the vehicle condition relative to the supporting structure of the vehicle at an occurrence the impact forces to retreat and by allowing a digestion of the acting impact energy at least one shock-absorbing element.

Further, a vehicle, especially a rail vehicle such as. For example, tram, proposed in which the front assembly is arranged in a front region of the vehicle and connected through the support of the front assembly to the supporting structure of the vehicle and wherein the view of the drive means against the direction of travel, a free space is available, into which - upon occurrence of impact forces on the impact surface - evades the drive device.

In addition, a method of manufacturing a front assembly for a vehicle is proposed, in particular for a rail vehicle, such as a tram, comprising the steps of.:<ul><li>● providing a window cleaning device having a driving device and a drivable by the drive means windscreen wiper device, </li><li>Wherein an impact of a body, in particular of another vehicle to record on the front of the vehicle and thus to the impact surface of the impact element and dissipate impact forces ● providing an impact member having an impact surface, the impact element is arranged,</li><li>● coupling the impact element with at least one shock-absorbing element,</li><li>● Fix the disc cleaner to the impact element for the vehicle and</li><li>● designing of the impact element and attached</li></ul>To shrink disc cleaning device relative to a support of the front assembly and thus in a built-in the vehicle condition relative to the supporting structure of the vehicle as a mobile unit upon occurrence of impact forces and by allowing a digestion of the acting impact energy at least one shock-absorbing element.

also belongs to the scope of the invention a method for operating a vehicle, especially a rail vehicle, such as a tram, which.:<ul><li>received ● during an impact of a body, in particular of another vehicle, on the front of the vehicle and thus to an impact surface of an impact element of the vehicle acting impact forces of the impact element and on at least one derived with the impact element coupled shock-absorbing element, wherein the impact element towards of at least moved a shock-absorbing element,</li><li>● the movement of the impact element is a disk cleaning device of the vehicle which has a drive device and a drivable by the drive means windscreen wiper device, transferred, so that at least the drive means and other parts of the disc cleaning means can be removed from the body.</li></ul>

Thus, in one preferred embodiment of the window cleaning device is provided that upon application of force caused by impact on the impact surface of the impact element, the drive means and the liquid container can be displaced in a free space of a component inside. The component is a part of the supporting structure of the vehicle, for example, the chest strap, which is arranged in the direction of travel behind the impact element. In collision-induced movement of the impact element along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle parts of machinery mounted on his plate cleaning means are moved in a lying behind them free space, which is formed from the chest strap into. The chest strap is at this point, designed as a housing-like component with the direction of travel in front opposing opening that in cross section has a U-profile. For those parts of the disk cleaning means is, for example, the liquid container and the drive means, which are pushed back in a collision on the direction of travel in front lying impact element in the direction of travel.

In particular, the impact element (also referred to as anticlimber) a bumper bar (also called a bumper) can be connected on both sides at its opposite ends via at least one shock-absorbing element with the supporting structure. The bumper bar may be convex curved according to the usual rounded design of a rail vehicle. It may be preferably made of metal profiles or as high-strength aluminum-milled and is - in contrast to the shock-absorbing elements - in collision with a vehicle, or with an object - its shape. But the latter preferably applies generally for any impact element when the window cleaning device is attached.

The impact element (especially the bumper bar) and the at least one shock-absorbing element are usually located in the front and rear of the rail vehicle. They are typically arranged at the same height above the rails. In the case of a bumper bar, the shock absorber elements particularly in the direction of travel behind the bumper bar are arranged at the lateral ends, so that in a collision, the impact forces are introduced via the lateral ends of the bumper bar in the shock absorber elements. The shock-absorbing elements are pressed against one lying behind this surface and / or subject. It is a part or parts of the vehicle body. The impact energy is - when the shock absorber elements can no longer absorb energy - introduced into the body.

Thus, the impact forces exactly can not only be intercepted capable of dissipating energy in the direction of the vehicle longitudinal axis, is preferably a guide (in particular with sliding surfaces) exist, the direction of movement or range of movement (preferably one or more horizontal direction (s) in the rearward direction) of the impact element pretending in a frontal collision. In particular, the guide takes the force components occurring by oblique or transverse joints at Kraftbeaufschlagungen on effective and also enables a retraction of the impact element due to the impact force.

The impact element takes the impact, the impact forces and impact energy and transfers it to the at least one shock-absorbing element which absorbs impact energy and converts it into other forms of energy as potential energy, heat and deformation energy. In particular, the impact element is exclusively via the connected at least one shock-absorbing element with the supporting structure of the vehicle. This does not exclude, as is the case in a preferred embodiment, that the weight of the impact element and attached disk cleaning device is at least partially supported by a support of the supporting structures along which the impact element can slide in a collision. In addition, fixtures of the impact element directly to the supporting structure are also conceivable, however, that break in a predefined manner in a collision. Since the energy required for this process also consumes a portion of the impact energy, such predetermined breaking points can also be regarded as a shock absorber elements. It is however preferred that the mounting of the impact element solely via said at least one shock absorber elements takes place on the supporting structure.

In particular, this can be formed from a reversible and / or irreversible stage at least one shock-absorbing element. Shock absorber elements can be divided into irreversible and reversible, with mixed forms are also possible. In combination of reversible to irreversible shock-absorbing elements are also referred to in two steps executed shock absorption elements. The reversible impact absorption elements absorb at collision impact energy, however, they are not plastically deformed during irreversible shock absorber elements in absorbing impact energy are plastically deformed. Examples of irreversible shock absorber elements are aluminum honeycomb structures. Reversible shock absorber elements are for example formed of a piston / cylinder unit, the cylinder can be filled with a liquid or an elastomer.

In particular, the window cleaning device may be attached to an upwardly facing surface of the impact element with the impact element. This can be achieved in that the device is mounted, for example in the case of a fault in a simple manner as an assembly and dismantled and - can be replaced - if necessary. This can be arranged on the usual rail vehicle height position of the impact element. The windscreen cleaning means is in this case, above the impact element in the height range between the impact element and the windscreen of the vehicle. The attachment to the upward-facing surface has the advantage that the impact surface of the impact element as otherwise may be designed usual and the transmission of impact forces is not impeded to the shock absorber elements.

Advantageously, the window cleaning device is mounted via a one-piece connection element on the impact element. Such a one-piece connecting element saves weight and may be carried out particularly stable in order to ensure that the disk cleaning means is entrained in the movement of the impact element. Further, for the below-described preferred embodiment, in which a part of the wiper bracket is levered away from the windscreen, to ensure that the required forces are transmitted to the disk cleaning means. However, it is to be noted that the same advantages apply also to the attachment of the disk cleaning means on the impact element via a plurality of integral fasteners. If several impact elements are provided, the disk cleaning device can also be attached via a respective connecting element or each plurality of connecting elements in the various impact elements.

It has already been mentioned that when mounting the front-assembly in a vehicle or on a vehicle, a free space is maintained in at least be able to withdraw parts of the disc cleaner if they are taken away by the impact element. In a further development of the vehicle, the windscreen wiper device for a wiper arm, extending from an area in front of the windscreen on an edge of the windscreen of time and moves during the driving by the driving means in the area in front of the windscreen along the windshield. In this case, the vehicle has in the edge region outside of the front window has a projection, so that the wiper arm strikes against impact induced force application on the impact element and a corresponding deflecting movement of the impact element and the drive means on the protrusion, whereby the part of the wiper arm in the area before the front windshield is levered away from the windshield , Otherwise the wiper arm and the windshield may be damaged upon collision and the associated movement of the impact element.

In particular a Weghebeln the wiper arm part to ensure in various positions of the wiper arm movement, the projection preferably as an elongate member (eg. B. bar) is configured, which extends along the edge of the windscreen. In particular, the surface of the protrusion may be formed by an elastomeric material, so that an abutment of the wiper leads to a deformation of the elastomeric material and thus the wiper arm is protected from damage.

Generally may have a wiper arm and an associated wiper blade, the wiper apparatus at least, wherein the wiper arm means (eg. As a drive shaft and / or a transmission) is coupled via which the wiper arm is movable. The wiper arm is driven by the drive device (e.g., as an electric motor) and is mounted to this end pivotable relative to the drive means. In addition, it is common that the wiper arm and wiper blade folded, for example, for repair or cleaning of the windshield or rear window of the vehicle, turned away and / or can be dismantled. For this purpose an appropriate device is provided on the wiper arm. This may be a hinge in the simplest case, with which the wiper arm can pivot away from the disc. In particular, this device facilitates the aforementioned Weghebeln upon collision.

The invention is explained in greater detail using an exemplary embodiment with reference to drawings. Show it<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>a diagram of a window cleaning device for mounting on an impact element via a likewise illustrated fastener,</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>a perspective view of a front portion (vehicle head) of a rail vehicle in accordance with the impact element attached to a plate cleaning means <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> and</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>a side view of the front portion of the arrangement shown opened under <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG. 2</figref>,</dd></dl>

According to <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> comprises a disk cleaning device 10 is a box-shaped unit 11, a drive device 17 (electric motor) and a gear 18 (see <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>) Contains. The gear is on the output side with a wiper device 13 consisting of wiper arm 14 and wiper blade 15, connected, so that the wiper arm 14 is driven by the drive device 11 and to reciprocate along the windshield 41 and can reciprocate. Further, a liquid container 12 is provided which can be filled with a liquid having cleaning means to clean the windshield 41 while driving. The box-shaped unit 11 and the liquid containers 12 are connected to a fastening element 30, which is designed as a one-piece angle profile which is fastened with its horizontally extending lower leg on the upper surface of an impact element (<figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>). His running in the vertical direction upper leg carries a substantial part of the weight of the disc cleaning device 10, such as from<figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> It can be seen, but in particular, the rear portion of the box-shaped unit 11 and the liquid container, the direction of travel further to the rear part of the disk cleaning means 10, ie, 12 may be slidably mounted on a base that is part of the supporting structure of the vehicle or directly to the supporting construction of the connected vehicle.

<figref idrefs="f0002">figure 2</figref> shows the front portion of a rail vehicle. In the upper part of the drawing, a front glass 41 is seen with adjacent blade 15th In the lower part of the drawing, an impact element 20 is shown in the form of a thrust yoke, which extends convexly curved over a substantial part of the width of the vehicle 40 and the head of the rail vehicle. The bumper bar 20 is located in the direction of travel at the front (or in operation in the opposite direction back). The front assembly is configured such that the bumper bar 20 only a short distance A (see<figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>) Ends before the wiper arm 14 of the disc cleaner 10th This distance is z. B. 35 to 45 mm. At collision the bumper bar 20 and hence the disk cleaner 10 z. B. a lead extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction linear motion up to 50 mm from (linear stroke of the bumper bar). This leads to a Weghebeln of the wiper arm of the windshield (see below).

The bumper bar 20 is fixed at its opposite ends respectively to a shock-absorbing element 25, 26th In<figref idrefs="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a shock-absorbing element 25 clearly visible. The shock absorber elements 25, 26 are two stages listed z. B. and arranged in parallel. Take to impact forces in the longitudinal direction (direction of travel) of the vehicle and consume this impact energy. Here, the bumper bar gives way to 20 and towards the rear back. The shock absorber elements 25, 26 are z. B. formed so that a total of (z. B. by reversible and irreversible impact absorption elements) is executed, a linear stroke of 400 mm, while impact energy is consumed.

On an upward-facing surface 20b of the bumper bar 20, the disk cleaning device 10 is the horizontally extending leg of the fastener 30 is attached. Evident is also a located horizontally extending support 21 of the supporting structure of the vehicle, which is commonly referred as a chest harness. It runs the height of the box-shaped unit 11 and the liquid container 12. The carrier 21 forms or carries in the region of the pane cleaning device 10 is a housing-like receptacle for the plate cleaning unit 10, the front side of the receiving space is open. The box-shaped unit 11 and the liquid container 12 partially extend into the receiving space. It allows the receiving space a free space 22 (<figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>) For a retreat of the box-shaped unit 11 and the liquid container 12 towards support 21. Within the free space 22 of the distance between the rear edge 12a of the liquid container 12 is to the surface of the carrier eg. B. 55 to 150 mm and the distance from the trailing edge 11 a the box-shaped unit 11 to the surface of the carrier 21, for. example, between 150 and 250 mm.

In a shock to the surface 20a of the bumper bar 20 is that along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, that is moved in the direction of travel backwards. The parts 11, 12 of the disk cleaning means 10, which are mounted on the fastener 30auf the surface 20b are entrained in the movement and therefore also move back into the free space 22.

<figref idrefs="f0003">figure 3</figref> shows a simplified arrangement of the front region, with parts of the disk cleaning means 10 and supporting parts of the rail vehicle are shown in section. Shown is the state of a collision (crash), ie. prior to the action of impact forces on the impact surface 20a of the bumper bar 20

Be seen that the drive means 17 and the transmission 18, the liquid container 12 and the wiper arm 14 and the wiper blade 15 as parts of the wiper device 13. The wiper blade 15 is located on the windscreen 41. The wiper arm 14 is connected to the drive means eleventh At the lower end of the wiper arm 14 is an articulating device 16 is provided, which allows a pivoting of the wiper arm 14 from the windscreen 41st

Further, a direction of travel through the front window projecting strip 23 is arranged in the lower edge area of ​​the windshield 41, which extends at least over part of the width of the windscreen 41st Upon impact, the wiper arm 14 beats to the bar 23, because he is driven by the bumper bar, and its upper part levered away with the wiper blade 15 from the windshield 41st

As <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shows is formed by the carrier 21 receiving space for the window cleaning device 10 in longitudinal section a U-shape. Below the receiving space a guide with an upper downward facing first sliding surface 27 and a lower, upwardly facing sliding surface 28 is located. The sliding surfaces 27, 28 are supported z. B. from the carrier 21 or other parts of the vehicle body. The sliding surfaces 27, 28 define a second receptacle for receiving portions of the bumper bar 20 and / or coupled to the bumper bar 20 shock-absorbing element 25 causes case of a vehicle collision, the impact forces on the impact surface 20a, so can the bumper bar 20 and the shock-absorbing element 25 through the sliding surfaces 27, 28 retreat and towards the rear.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>10</dt><dd>Disk cleaner</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>box-shaped unit with drive means</dd><dt>11a</dt><dd>Trailing edge of the drive means</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>liquid container</dd><dt>12a</dt><dd>Trailing edge of the liquid container</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>wiper device</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>wiper</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>wiper blade</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>articulated device</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>drive means</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>gear</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>impact element</dd><dt>20a</dt><dd>Impact surface of the impact element</dd><dt>20b</dt><dd>top surface</dd><dt>21</dt><dd>carrier</dd><dt>21a</dt><dd>Edge of the component</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>Blank of the component</dd><dt>23</dt><dd>strip</dd><dt>25</dt><dd>Shock-absorbing element</dd><dt>26</dt><dd>Shock-absorbing element</dd><dt>27</dt><dd>sliding surface</dd><dt>28</dt><dd>sliding surface</dd><dt>30</dt><dd>fastener</dd></dl><dl id="dl0003" compact="compact"><dt>40</dt><dd>vehicle head</dd><dt>41</dt><dd>windscreen</dd></dl><dl id="dl0004" compact="compact"><dt>A</dt><dd>distance</dd></dl>