Modular low floor transport system

Abstract

A modular low-floor transport system comprises at least one drive module and at least one carrier module. The drive module includes a drive base and a drive chassis connected to the drive base. The drive chassis includes at least one driven wheel coupled to a drive. The carrier module includes a carrier base and a carrier chassis connected to the carrier base. The carrier chassis includes at least one non-driven carrier wheel. The drive base and the carrier base are rigidly connected to each other with respect to a stroke direction, and the drive chassis is movably mounted in the stroke direction to the drive base.

Claims

1. A modular low-floor transport system, comprising: at least one drive module, the drive module comprising: a drive base, and a drive chassis connected with the drive base, the drive chassis including at least one drive wheel that is coupled with a drive; and at least one carrier module, the carrier module comprising: a carrier base, and a carrier chassis connected with the carrier base, the carrier chassis including at least one driveless carrier wheel; wherein the drive base and the carrier base are rigidly connected to each other with respect to a stroke direction; and wherein the drive chassis is movably mounted in the stroke direction to the drive base.

2. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein the drive chassis comprises one or two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the drive base.

3. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein the drive chassis is resiliently supported in the stroke direction by a drive force element.

4. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 3, wherein the drive force element is adapted in such a way that a contact force of the drive chassis on a common planar contact area perpendicular to the stroke direction is smaller than a contact force of the carrier chassis for at least a portion of a jounce travel of the drive chassis against the drive base in the stroke direction.

5. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 4, wherein for at least a portion of the jounce travel, a stiffness of the drive force element is less than a stiffness of the carrier module in the stroke direction.

6. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 3, wherein the drive force element comprises at least one of: a spring, wherein the spring is at least one of a mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic spring; or an actuator.

7. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein the carrier chassis is movably mounted to the carrier base in the stroke direction, and resiliently supported by a carrier force element.

8. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 7, wherein the carrier force element comprises at least one of a mechanical spring or an actuator.

9. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the drive module or the carrier module comprises at least two pivot points configured for selectively removably attaching at least one of the drive force element or the carrier force element.

10. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein the drive chassis is adapted for a translational travel in at least one direction of travel and/or for a rotary travel.

11. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 10, wherein at least one drive wheel of the drive chassis comprises rollers that are rotatably mounted such that axes of rotation of the rollers are inclined towards an axis of rotation of the drive wheel.

12. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein the drive chassis is connected to the drive base and/or the carrier chassis is connected to the carrier base via at least one swivel joint and/or at least one sliding joint.

13. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein an outer contour of the drive base and an opposing outer contour of the connected carrier base are in contact with each other or are spaced apart from each other.

14. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the drive base or the carrier base comprises an angular shaped outer contour.

15. A drive module for a low-floor transport system, the drive module comprising: a drive base, the drive base configured to be rigidly connected to a carrier base of the low-floor transport system with respect to a stroke direction; and a drive chassis connected with the drive base, the drive chassis including at least one drive wheel that is coupled with a drive; wherein the drive chassis is movably mounted in the stroke direction to the drive base.

16. A carrier module for a low-floor transport system, the carrier module comprising: a carrier base, the carrier base configured to be rigidly connected to a drive base of the low-floor transport system with respect to a stroke direction; and a carrier chassis connected with the carrier base, the carrier chassis including at least one driveless carrier wheel.

17. A method of assembling a low-floor transport system having a plurality of drive modules and a plurality of carrier modules, each drive module comprising a drive base and a drive chassis connected with the drive base, the drive chassis including at least one drive wheel that is coupled with a drive, each carrier module comprising a carrier base and a carrier chassis connected with the carrier base, the carrier chassis including at least one driveless carrier wheel, the method comprising: selectively connecting at least one drive module with at least one carrier module such that the drive base and the carrier base are rigidly connected to each other with respect to a stroke direction; the drive chassis being movably mounted in the stroke direction to the drive base.

18. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 2, wherein the axes of rotation of the rotational degrees of freedom are perpendicular to at least one of the stroke direction or to each other.

19. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 6, wherein the drive force element comprises and actuator that is electronically controllable.

20. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 8, wherein the carrier force element comprises and actuator that is electronically controllable.

21. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the drive base or carrier base is plate-like in form.

22. The modular low-floor transport system of claim 14, wherein the angular shaped outer contour is triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively the drive module with the carrier module comprises selectively removably connecting the drive module with the carrier module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Additional advantages and features are found in the dependent claims and the exemplary embodiments, wherein, in partially schematic views:

(2) FIG. 1A: shows a drive module of a low-floor transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention, in a front view thereof;

(3) FIG. 1B: shows a cutaway view along the line B-B in FIG. 1A;

(4) FIG. 2: shows a transport module of the low-floor transport system in FIG. 1A with a corresponding view thereof;

(5) FIG. 3A-3E: shows a top view of a low-floor transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 4: shows a sketch which explains a low-floor transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

(7) FIG. 5: shows a transport module of a low-floor transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 3A shows a modular low-floor transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention, in a top view looking down from above onto a transport plane. The low-floor transport system has, by way of example, two drive modules with plate-like drive bases 100 and two transport modules with transport (carrier) bases 200, each having equilateral and rectangular outer contours and being bolted to each other on the end faces thereof which are opposite each other, and/or being bolted to a shared support structure which is not illustrated.

(9) FIG. 3B shows, in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3A, a modular low-floor transport system according to a further design of the present invention, wherein the drive bases 100 and transport bases 200 are connected to each other with a space between by beam-like bars 400.

(10) FIG. 3C shows, in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3A, 3B, a modular low-floor transport system according to a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the drive bases 100 and transport bases 200 each have equilateral and triangular outer contours and are joined and/or connected to each other like the pieces of a pie, by way of example on the end faces thereof which are opposite each other, and/or are bolted to a shared support structure which is not illustrated.

(11) FIG. 3D shows, in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3A-3C, a modular low-floor transport system according to a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the drive bases 100 and transport bases 200 each have equilateral and hexagonal outer contours and are joined and/or connected to each other in a honeycomb pattern, by way of example on the end faces thereof which are opposite each other, and/or are bolted to a shared support structure which is not illustrated.

(12) FIG. 3E shows, in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3A-3D, a modular low-floor transport system according to a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein a central, plate-like drive base 100 is connected to and spaced apart from a concentric, frame-like transport base 200 by bars 400.

(13) Taken together, FIGS. 3A-3E make clear that a selective connection of drive modules and transport (carrier) modules in different numbers and/or arrangements provides a modular low-floor transport system which can very easily, and variably, be modified and in particular extended by exchanging, removing, and/or adding individual modules.

(14) A drive module of identical construction to that of the drive module shown in a top view in FIGS. 3A-3E is described below in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, wherein the cutaway view in FIG. 1B corresponds to this top view with the drive basis 100 removed; a transport module with a construction which is identical to that shown in FIGS. 3A-3E is described with reference to FIG. 2.

(15) Each drive module has the drive basis 100 named above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3E, and an omnidirectional drive chassis connected thereto, which has four driven Mecanum wheels 101 in this exemplary embodiment, each of which is coupled to the drive (not illustrated) and therefore is designed and/or configured for a translational travel movement in a forward and/or reverse direction of travel (vertically in FIG. 1B) perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the driven wheels, for a translational travel movement in a lateral and/or leftward and/or rightward direction of travel (horizontal in FIG. 1B) parallel to the axis of rotation of the driven wheels, and for a rotational yaw movement perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the driven wheels and to the forward and/or reverse direction of travel.

(16) Each drive module has the transport basis 200 named above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3E, and a transport chassis, with three non-driven transport wheels 201 connected thereto.

(17) Bore holes 102 and/or 202 are indicated in the front view shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, via which the bases 100, 200 are bolted to each other, thereby forming couplings which are configured to connect the bases 100, 200 to each other in an axially-fixed and torque-proof and/or rigid manner.

(18) The drive chassis 101 is mounted on the drive basis 100 in a manner allowing movement in a direction of lift H between retracted and extended positions which are defined and/or limited by limit stops (not illustrated). For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment the drive chassis 101 and the drive base 100 are connected to each other in a manner allowing articulation via a first swivel joint 111, which compensates for a pitch angle of the chassis against the base, two second swivel joints 112 which are aligned with each other, the rotation angles of which are indicated by , and two third swivel joints 113, which are aligned with each other, which compensate for a roll angle of the chassis against the base, wherein the axes of the second and third swivel joints 112, 113 are parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the first swivel joint 111.

(19) The second swivel joints 112, and the third swivel joints 113 connected thereto via connecting rods 114 define the translational mobility and/or a possible compression of the drive chassis 101 in the direction of lift (stroke) H against the drive base 100 in the conventional, known manner using longitudinal control arms. The pitch angle and roll angle form two rotational degrees of freedom, the axes of rotation of which are perpendicular to the direction of lift and to each other.

(20) In the direction of lift, the drive chassis 101 is elastically supported on the drive base 100 by a drive force element in the form of a gas (pressure) spring 103, which is illustrated in a cutaway view in FIG. 1A for simplification. The base-fixed direction of lift H creates an angle of approximately 90 degrees with the transport plane (at top in FIG. 1A) of the bases 100, 200 connected to each other, for the purpose of accepting working loads, and form an angle of approximately 0 degrees with the gravitational vector (from top to bottom in FIG. 1A) when the low-floor transport system is under no load and stationary on a flat, horizontal contact surface 300, as shown in FIG. 1A.

(21) The drive base 100 and connecting rod 114 each have multiple pivot points 104 which are included and/or configured for the purpose of optional detachable attachment of the gas spring 103.

(22) The transport base 200 and transport chassis 201 are connected to each other with the same construction, such that the transport module and drive module only differ by the force elements and chassis. As such, with respect to FIG. 2, attention is hereby directed to the above description, wherein the reference number of corresponding elements in FIG. 2, and/or for the transport module, are greater by 100.

(23) In contrast to the gas spring 103 of the drive module, the transport chassis and the transport basis are supported in the direction of lift by a transport force element in the form of a mechanical spring 203, which has a significantly steeper characteristic curve and/or exerts a significantly greater contact force at the same compression travel in the direction of lift H.

(24) In addition, the non-driven transport wheels 201 have a passive rotational degree of freedom above an axis of rotation which is parallel to the direction of lift H.

(25) The gas and mechanical springs 103, 203 are designed in such a manner that, for a compression travel a of the drive chassis 101 against the drive base 100 in the direction of lift H, a contact force of this drive chassis 101 on the shared, flat contact surface 300 is less than a contact force of the transport chassis 201. In the exemplary embodiment, as explained schematically above with reference to FIG. 4, this results from the significantly steeper characteristic curve of the mechanical spring 203: the same exerts a greater contact force on the shared, flat contact surface 300 at the same compression travel in the direction of lift than the gas spring 103, as a result of its greater rigidity, said gas spring 103 providing a nearly constant contact force over a wide range of the maximum possible compression travel, and therefore protecting the driven Mecanum wheels 101 and their drive(s) from excessive loads. On the other hand, this contact force nonetheless provides an advantageous friction for the omnidirectional movement of the drive chassis on the contact surface.

(26) Although exemplary embodiments have been explained in the above description, it is hereby noted that a number of modifications is possible.

(27) As such, in particular in an embodiment which is not illustrated, the transport wheels 201 can also be mounted on the transport base 200 in the direction of lift in rigid manner and/or a manner not allowing movement.

(28) As such, FIG. 5 shows, in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 2, such a transport module, which can in particular be used in a low-floor transport system in place of a transport module as explained above with reference to FIG. 2, as in particular explained above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3E. Features which correspond to each other are identified by the same reference numbers, such that reference is hereby made to the description for FIG. 2.

(29) In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the single, non-driven transport wheel 201, indicated by the angle , is mounted on the transport base 200 by a swivel joint in a manner allowing movement about an axis of rotation which is parallel to the direction of lift H, but is itself connected rigidly to the transport base 200 in the direction of lift.

(30) In addition, it is hereby noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples which are not intended to in any way restrict the scope of protection, the uses, and the construction. Rather, the preceding description gives a person skilled in the art a guideline for the implementation of at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various modifications, in particular with respect to the function and arrangement of the components described, can be undertaken without departing from the scope of protection as indicated by the claims and the equivalent combinations of features.

(31) While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of specific embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. The various features discussed herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of the general inventive concept.

List of Reference Numbers

(32) 100 drive base 101 driven (Mecanum) wheel (drive chassis) 102 bore hole (coupling) 103 gas spring (drive force element) 104 pivot point 111 first swivel joint () 112 second swivel joint () 113 third swivel joint () 114 connecting rod 200 transport base 201 transport wheel (transport chassis) 202 bore hole (coupling) 203 coil spring (transport force element) 204 pivot point 211 first swivel joint () 212 second swivel joint () 213 third swivel joint () 214 connecting rod 300 contact surface 400 bar H direction of lift a compression travel C.sub.A, C.sub.T spring rigidity