BUS CABIN STRUCTURE

• US 20090195015A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Flyer Industries Canada ULC (NFI Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: New Flyer Industries Canada ULC (NFI Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Egilson, Kristopher, Fast, Jordan, Naylor, Glen, Cantin, Paul, Cychowski, Tomasz, Kerr, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/178
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 31/02 for carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/02 for large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus

Abstract

Bus cabin structures including improved configurations of floors, passenger aisles and steps, interior roofs or ceilings, and door frames.

Claims

1. A bus cabin structure comprising:

a floor with an axially extending central aisle, the floor comprising;

a lower floor section; and

an upper floor section rearward of the lower floor section;

a roof, a forward wall, a rear wall, curbside wall and driverside wall, each of the walls extending between the floor and the roof, the curbside wall including a rear door;

wherein the floor includes a floor transition module rearwardly adjacent the rear door joining the lower floor section and the upper floor section together, a central aisle section of the module including a recessed foot step, the module having an upper surface aligned with the upper floor section and a base aligned with the lower floor section, the module having a front wall having a curbside portion rearward of a driverside portion and an aisle portion between the curbside and driverside portions disposed at a predetermined angle thereto.

2. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

angle is in the range of 30 to 60 degrees.

3. A bus cabin structure according to claim 2 wherein:

angle is 45 degrees.

4. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the base comprises a forwardly extending flange.

5. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the driverside portion of the front wall and the upper surface of the floor transition module define an upper seat mounting surface.

6. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the curbside portion of the front wall of the floor transition module is rearwardly adjacent the rear door.

7. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the floor transition module comprises a molded shell.

8. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

a rear lateral aisle extending between the rear door and the central aisle includes a laterally downwardly sloping rear ramp toward the rear door.

9. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the lower floor section includes laterally spaced apart front wheel wells with the axially extending central aisle therebetween, the lower floor section having a forward portion forward of the front wheel wells and a rearward portion rearward of the front wheel wells; and

the upper floor section includes laterally spaced apart rear wheel wells said central aisle extending therebetween.

10. A bus cabin structure according to claim 9 wherein:

the lower floor section includes a transversely extending raised portion between the front wheel wells having a top surface at a level above the lower floor section, a forward ramp and a rearward ramp extending between the raised portion and the forward portion and the rearward portion of the lower floor section respectively.

11. A bus cabin structure according to claim 10 wherein the forward and rearward ramps are each disposed at angle of between 1 and 5 degrees relative to the lower floor section.

12. A bus cabin structure according to claim 10 wherein the forward and rearward ramps are each disposed at angle of about 2 degrees relative to the lower floor section.

13. A bus cabin structure according to claim 9 wherein:

the forward portion of the lower floor section forward of the front wheel wells includes a front lateral aisle extending between a front door in the curbside wall and the central aisle, the front lateral aisle including a laterally downwardly sloping front ramp toward the front door.

14. A bus cabin structure according to claim 1 wherein:

the roof upward of the upper floor section comprises a rear roof section including a central raised panel having an underside surface disposed at a higher level than an underside surface of a forward roof section.

15. A bus cabin structure according to claim 14 wherein:

the rear roof sections includes an upwardly rearwardly sloped transition panel between the central raised panel and the forward roof section.

16. A bus cabin structure according to claim 14 wherein:

the rear roof sections includes an upwardly rearwardly sloped transition panel between the central raised panel and the forward roof section.

17. A bus cabin structure according to claim 14 wherein:

the roof includes a pair of continuous longitudinal rails spanning the forward roof section and laterally bounding the central raised panel and the transition panel, the longitudinal rails being disposed substantially parallel to at least one floor section of the bus cabin.

18. A bus cabin structure having a curbside wall including at least one door frame comprising a pair of vertical door posts, and a horizontal door header with rounded top corners merging the header and door posts in a continuously formed inverted U-shape.

19. A bus cabin structure according to claim 18 wherein:

the pair of vertical door posts, and a horizontal door header comprise a tubular steel structural section.

20. A bus cabin structure comprising:

a floor with an axially extending central aisle, the floor comprising;

a lower floor section; and

an upper floor section rearward of the lower floor section;

a roof, a forward wall, a rear wall, curbside wall and driverside wall;

wherein

the roof upward of the upper floor section comprises a rear roof section including a central raised panel having an underside surface disposed at a higher level than an underside surface of a forward roof section.

21. A bus cabin structure according to claim 20 wherein:

the rear roof sections includes an upwardly rearwardly sloped transition panel between the central raised panel and the forward roof section.

22. A bus cabin structure according to claim 20 wherein:

the roof includes a pair of continuous longitudinal rails spanning the forward roof section and laterally bounding the central raised panel and the transition panel, the longitudinal rails being disposed substantially parallel to at least one floor section of the bus cabin.

23. A bus cabin structure according to claim 20 wherein:

the lower floor section includes laterally spaced apart front wheel wells and a transversely extending raised portion between the front wheel wells having a top surface at a level above the lower floor section, a forward ramp and a rearward ramp extending between the raised portion and the forward portion and the rearward portion of the lower floor section respectively.

24. A bus cabin structure according to claim 23 wherein:

the forward portion of the lower floor section forward of the front wheel wells includes a front lateral aisle extending between a front door in the curbside wall and the central aisle, the front lateral aisle including a laterally downwardly sloping front ramp toward the front door.

25. A bus cabin structure comprising:

a floor with an axially extending central aisle, the floor comprising;

a lower floor section; and

an upper floor section rearward of the lower floor section;

wherein

the lower floor section includes laterally spaced apart front wheel wells and a transversely extending raised portion between the front wheel wells having a top surface at a level above the lower floor section, a forward ramp and a rearward ramp extending between the raised portion and the forward portion and the rearward portion of the lower floor section respectively.

26. A bus cabin structure according to claim 25 wherein:

the forward portion of the lower floor section forward of the front wheel wells includes a front lateral aisle extending between a front door in the curbside wall and the central aisle, the front lateral aisle including a laterally downwardly sloping front ramp toward the front door.