LINEAR AIR DIFFUSER MODULE COMPRISING A MULTIFUNCTIONAL SUPPORT MEMBER FOR A CAR BODY OF A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE

Abstract

 A linear air diffuser module (12), comprises an elongated support member (18) and a diffuser plate (20). The support member (18) including two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) facing one another and laterally enclosing a longitudinal air channel (28) provided with at least one upper opening and at least one elongated lower opening (31). The air diffuser plate (20) extends between the two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) to cover the lower opening (31) and is provided with diffusion openings (32) to direct a flow of air from the air channel (28) to an interior space (16) of a vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle. The support member (18) is a multifunctional structural member of the vehicle body provided with at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails (40) for attaching the linear air diffuser module (12) to the ceiling structure (10) and one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails (42) for attaching interior fitments (14) of the interior space (16) of the vehicle body to the support member (18).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an air diffuser module in a public transportation vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A linear air diffuser for the delivery of conditioned air to the interior of a passenger vehicle such as a bus, railcar or the like is disclosed in US 4,354,323. The diffuser consists of a frame structure with a pair of open ended longitudinally extending delivery channels situated in a generally parallel side-by-side relationship. Each of the channels is turned to extend laterally outwardly in opposite directions and is provided with a curved interior surface on one wall to intercept input air so as to induce eddy current turbulence in the flow characteristics of the delivered air. The input openings to the channels are partially closed by a common longitudinal plate releasably affixed to the frame structure. The lateral peripheral edges of the plate serve to determine the width of a narrow longitudinal input orifice for each of the channels.

[0003] A linear air diffuser for the ventilation of a vehicle is disclosed in DE202012009059U1. The air diffuser includes a U-shaped extruded profile, and air guide elements formed as extruded profiles, which are clipped into the U-shaped profile. The air guide elements can be clipped in two positions to direct the air flow in two opposite directions. The structure of the linear air diffuser is modular in that the number of air guide elements in each direction can be varied when the air diffuser is assembled. This modularity, however, is limited insofar as the shape of the air guide elements is always the same. Moreover, the linear air diffuser is not a structural member of the vehicle, i.e. it is not possible to attach interior fitments of the vehicle e.g. grab poles or rails, to the air diffuser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention aims to provide an improved linear air diffuser, which has a greater versatility and modularity and can be used in various configurations in different rail vehicles and, once installed, can be easily adapted in case of refurbishing or retrofitting.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a linear air diffuser module, comprising:

• an elongated support member having a longitudinal direction, a lower face intended to face an interior space of a vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle and an upper face intended to face a ceiling structure of the vehicle body, the support member including two longitudinal upright wall portions facing one another and laterally enclosing a longitudinal air channel provided with at least one upper opening and at least one elongated lower opening;
• a diffuser plate extending between the two longitudinal upright wall portions to cover the lower opening, the diffuser plate being provided with diffusion openings to direct a flow of air from the air channel to the interior space;

[0006] The support member is a multifunctional structural member of the vehicle body provided with at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails for attaching the linear air diffuser module to the ceiling structure and one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails for attaching interior fitments of the interior space of the vehicle body to the support member, wherein the air channel is located between the two upper C-shaped attachment rails.

[0007] Because the support member is dimensioned as a structural member of the vehicle body, it can be used as interface for fixing various interior fitments, which may include grab poles, grab rails, display screens or partition walls. Because the diffuser plate is separate from the support member, its design can be postponed or altered until the final stage of the design process without having to redesign other parts of the car body or interior trim, in particular the support member or the interior fitments interfaced via the support member to the ceiling structure.

[0008] Preferably, at least one, and preferably each of one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails has a common bottom wall with a respective one of the at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails. The lower C-shaped attachment rail and the respective upper C-shaped attachment rail form together a particularly rigid H-shaped rail, which contributes to the rigidity of the structural member and constitutes an interface to direct forces from the interior fitments directly to the ceiling structure.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one of the two longitudinal upright wall portions is provided with a protruding and/or recessed attachment profile and the diffuser plate is provided with a matched attachment portion for attaching the diffuser plate to the support member. Advantageously, the matched attachment portion of the diffuser plate is in sliding engagement with protruding and/or recessed attachment profile. Alternatively, the matched attachment portion of the diffuser plate is clipped into or onto the protruding and/or recessed attachment profile. These embodiments enable a delayed differentiation during the design and the assembly process, i.e. the actual shape of the diffuser plate can be defined at the last minute without involving a complex redesign of the structural member or surrounding parts.

[0010] Other attachment means can be envisaged. In particular, the diffuser plate can be fixed to the support member by means of one or more bolts or screws.

[0011] According to various embodiments:

• The support member can be an extruded profile.
• The air channel can be provided with only one elongated lower opening.
• The support member can include one or more lighting openings for inserting one or more lighting modules.
• The two longitudinal upright wall portions can have diverging lower end portions defining at least one lower opening, and parallel upper end portions leading to at least one upper opening.
• The one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails can include at least two lower C-shaped attachment rails, in which case the air channel is preferably located between the two lower C-shaped attachment rails.
• The diffusion openings can include perforated holes and elongate slots.
• The diffuser plate is preferably an extruded profile.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the support member includes at least one flat portion extending between the air channel and one of the upper C-shaped attachment rails. Advantageously, the diffuser plate is flush with the flat portion of the support member. Alternatively, the diffuser plate can be recessed with respect to the flat portion of the support member.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the support member is made of aluminium. Alternatively, the support member can be made of a glass reinforced plastic or a high-pressure laminate.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle, comprising a ceiling structure and the linear air diffuser module as described above, wherein the linear air diffuser module is located between the ceiling structure and an interior space of the vehicle body, a lower face of the support member of the linear air diffuser module faces the interior space of the vehicle body, the upper face of the support member faces the ceiling structure, the linear air diffuser module is attached to the ceiling structure via mounting brackets inserted in the at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails and at least one interior fitment of the interior space of the vehicle body inserted in and secured to the at least one of the one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails. In particular, the interior fitment can be a grab pole, a grab rail, a draught screen, a partition wall or a passenger counter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] Other advantages and features of the invention will then become more clearly apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an isometric view of a ceiling region of a car body of a public transportation vehicle including a linear air diffuser module according to one embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 is an isometric view of a linear air diffuser module according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 3 is an isometric view of a linear air diffuser module according to a third embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 4 is an isometric view of a linear air diffuser module according to a third embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 5 is across-sectional view of a linear air diffuser module according to a third embodiment of the invention;

[0016] Corresponding reference numerals refer to the same or corresponding parts in each of the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] With reference to Figure 1, a vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle comprises a ceiling structure 10, a linear air diffuser module 12 fixed to the ceiling structure 10 and an interior fitment 14 such as a grab pole, a grab rail, a draught screen, a partition wall or a passenger counter located in an interior space 16 of the vehicle body and fixed to the air diffuser module 12.

[0018] The linear air diffuser module 12 comprises an elongated support member 18 and a diffuser plate 20. The elongated support member 18 is an extruded profile made of aluminium and has a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1, which can be aligned with or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The elongated support member 18 has a lower face 22 that faces the interior space 16 of the vehicle body and an upper face 24 that faces the ceiling structure 10. The support member 18 includes two longitudinal upright wall portions 26 facing one another, which laterally enclose a longitudinal air channel 28 provided with a plurality of upper openings 30 towards the ceiling structure 10 and a single elongated lower opening 31 towards the interior space 16. The two longitudinal upright wall portions 26 have diverging lower end portions, which form the lower opening 31, and parallel upper end portions, which lead to the upper openings 30.

[0019] The diffuser plate 20 is an extruded profile, which extends between the two longitudinal upright wall portions 26 to cover the lower opening 31. The diffuser plate 20 is provided with diffusion openings 32. A secondary air duct 34 derived from a main air duct (not shown) of the vehicle body extends directly on top of the support member 18 and is connected to the longitudinal air channel 28 to direct an air flow from the secondary air duct 34 to the longitudinal air channel 28 and from there to the interior space 16 through the diffusion openings 32 of the diffuser plate 20.

[0020] In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the longitudinal upright wall portions 26 can each be provided with a longitudinal slot 36 that forms an attachment profile for an attachment portion 38 of matching shape of the diffuser plate 20, for attaching the diffuser plate 20 to the support member 18. The diffuser plate 20 is inserted at one end of the elongated support member 18 and can slide into place.

[0021] In the alternative embodiment of Figure 4, the longitudinal upright portions can be provided each with a continuous longitudinal rib 136 and the diffuser plate 20 is provided with a projecting elastic tab 138 of matching shape for holding the diffuser plate 20 in place. This clip attachment can be reversible or not.

[0022] According to another alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the diffuser plate 20 is provided with an angled mounting bracket 238 fixed to the one of the longitudinal upright wall portions 26 via a bolt or screw 236.

[0023] The support member 18 is a multifunctional structural member of the vehicle body provided with at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails 40 and one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails 42 for attaching interior fitments 14 of the interior space 16 of the vehicle body to the support member 18. In the illustrated embodiments, two lower C-shaped attachment rails 42 are provided and the air channel 28 is located between the two lower C-shaped attachment rails 42 and between the upper C-shaped attachment rails 40. Each lower C-shaped attachment rail 42 has a common bottom wall 43 with a respective one of the upper C-shaped attachment rails 40, to form a stiffened H-shaped profile portion 44, which provides a high strength to the support member 18.

[0024] The linear air diffuser module 12 is attached to the ceiling structure 10 via mounting bolts 46 inserted in the two upper C-shaped attachment rails 40. The lower C-shaped attachment rails 42 can be used to attach an upper end of an interior fitment 14 of the interior space 16 of the vehicle body. The upper C-shaped attachment rails 40 or lower C-shaped attachment rails 42 can be used to secure mounting brackets 48 (see Fig. 1) for mounting suspended ceiling panels 50. Alternatively, an angled profile section 52 can protrude from the H-shaped profile portion 44 as shown in Fig. 4 to support the suspended ceiling panels 50.

[0025] The support member 18 may include a flat portion 54 extending between the air channel 28 and one of the upper C-shaped attachment rails 40. This flat portion 54 can be provided with lighting openings 56 for inserting lighting modules 58. The diffuser plate 20 can be flush with the flat portion 54 of the support member 18 as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and 5 or recessed into the longitudinal air channel 28 as shown in Fig. 4. The diffusion openings 32 can be elongated slots formed between orientation blades as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 or perforated holes as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

[0026] As a variant, the support member 18 can be made of a glass reinforced plastic or a high-pressure laminate.

Claims

1. A linear air diffuser module (12), comprising:

- an elongated support member (18) having a longitudinal direction, a lower face (22) intended to face an interior space (16) of a vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle and an upper face (24) intended to face a ceiling structure (10) of the vehicle body, the support member (18) including two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) facing one another and laterally enclosing a longitudinal air channel (28) provided with at least one upper opening and at least one elongated lower opening (31);

- a diffuser plate (20) extending between the two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) to cover the lower opening (31), the diffuser plate (20) being provided with diffusion openings (32) to direct a flow of air from the air channel (28) to the interior space (16);

characterised in that the support member (18) is a multifunctional structural member of the vehicle body provided with at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails (40) for attaching the linear air diffuser module (12) to the ceiling structure (10) and one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails (42) for attaching interior fitments (14) of the interior space (16) of the vehicle body to the support member (18), wherein the air channel (28) is located between the two upper C-shaped attachment rails (40).

2. The linear air diffuser module (12) of claim 1, characterised in that at least one, and preferably each of the one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails (42) has a common bottom wall (43) with a respective one of the at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails (40).

3. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of the two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) is provided with a protruding and/or recessed attachment profile (36) and the diffuser plate (20) is provided with a matched attachment portion (38) for attaching the diffuser plate (20) to the support member (18).

4. The linear air diffuser module (12) of claim 3, characterised in that the matched attachment portion (38) of the diffuser plate (20) is in sliding engagement with protruding and/or recessed attachment profile (36).

5. The linear air diffuser module (12) of claim 3, characterised in that the matched attachment portion (38) of the diffuser plate (20) is clipped into or onto the protruding and/or recessed attachment profile (36).

6. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the diffuser plate (20) is fixed to the support member (18) by means of one or more bolts or screws (238).

7. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support member (18) is an extruded profile.

8. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air channel (28) is provided with only one elongated lower opening (31).

9. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support member (18) includes one or more lighting openings (56) for inserting one or more lighting modules (58).

10. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support member (18) includes at least one flat portion (54) extending between the air channel (28) and one of the upper C-shaped attachment rails (40).

11. The linear air diffuser module (12) of claim 10, characterised in that the diffuser plate (20) is flush with the flat portion (54) of the support member (18).

12. The linear air diffuser module (12) of claim 10, characterised in that the diffuser plate (20) is recessed with respect to the flat portion (54) of the support member (18).

13. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two longitudinal upright wall portions (26) have diverging lower end portions defining the at least one lower opening (31), and parallel upper end portions leading to the at least one upper opening.

14. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails (42) include at least two lower C-shaped attachment rails (42), wherein the air channel (28) is located between the two lower C-shaped attachment rails (42).

15. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the support member (18) is made of aluminium.

16. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the support member (18) is made of a glass reinforced plastic or a high-pressure laminate.

17. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the diffusion openings (32) are selected in a group consisting of perforated holes and elongate slots.

18. The linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the diffuser plate (20) is an extruded profile.

19. A vehicle body of a public transportation vehicle, comprising a ceiling structure (10) and the linear air diffuser module (12) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear air diffuser module (12) is located between the ceiling structure (10) and an interior space (16) of the vehicle body, a lower face (22) of the support member (18) of the linear air diffuser module (12) faces the interior space (16) of the vehicle body, the upper face (24) of the support member (18) faces the ceiling structure (10), the linear air diffuser module (12) is attached to the ceiling structure (10) via mounting brackets (36) inserted in the at least two upper C-shaped attachment rails (40) and at least one interior fitment (14) of the interior space (16) of the vehicle body inserted in and secured to the at least one of the one or more lower C-shaped attachment rails (42).

20. The vehicle body of claim 19, wherein the interior fitment (14) is selected in a group consisting of a grab pole, a grab rail, a draught screen, a partition wall or a passenger counter.

Drawing