Fixing arrangement for vehicle roof mounting of an air conditioning module

• US 7,401,757 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KONVEKTA AG
• Original Assignee: KONVEKTA AG
• Inventors: Lomp, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterling; Amy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Tan
• Application Number:
  US11/080,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 248680-681, 248/222.13, 248/222.14, 248/222.52, 248/225.11, 224/319, 224/321, 224/329
• US Class Current: 248/681
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00535 Mounting or fastening of the housing to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 27/00 Heating, cooling, ventilating, or air-conditioning heating, cooling or ventilating devices for vehicles in general B60H1/00; devices for moistening air in vehicles B60H3/02; devices for filtering air in vehicles B60H3/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/09 Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot

Abstract

Described is a fixing arrangement for releasably fixing an air conditioning module to the roof of a vehicle such as a rail vehicle. The module has opposite side surfaces from which first fixing projections project. The vehicle roof supports positioning rail members in mutually parallel relationship at a spacing from each other corresponding to the spacing between the side surfaces of the module. The positioning rail members have upwardly open first openings. Second fixing projections project from the positioning rail members at the outside thereof laterally beside the first openings. Locking rail members are adapted to co-operate with the positioning rail members, for which purpose the locking rail members have slots operatively associated with the second fixing projections and second upwardly open openings which are associated with the first openings and which have a portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the respective locking rail member for lockingly receiving the first projections on the positioning rail members.

Claims

1. A releasable fixing arrangement, comprising:

a vehicle roof;

an air conditioning installation having mutually opposite side surfaces comprising and having first fixing projections projecting from the mutually opposite side surfaces of the air conditioning installation;

first and second positioning rail members comprising first openings which are open substantially upwardly in a mounted position of the positioning rail members, and, second fixing projections projecting from said positioning rail members outwardly thereof and located laterally beside said first openings;

means for mounting the positioning rail members on the vehicle roof in mutually parallel relationship at a spacing from each other adapted to the spacing between said side surfaces of said air conditioning installation;

first and second locking rail members adapted to co-operate with respective ones of said positioning rail members, said locking rail members each having slots adapted to be operatively associated with said second fixing projections; and

, second openings adapted to be respectively associated with the first openings and which in the mounted position are open upwardly and which extend in an L-shaped configuration; and

,

fixing means on the positioning rail members and the locking rail members, operable for releasably securing said first fixing projections in said first openings in said positioning rail members and in said second openings in said locking rail members.

2. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 1 and comprising at least two said first fixing projections respectively projecting from each of said mutually opposite side surfaces of the air conditioning installation.

3. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein in the mounted position the positioning rail members are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle roof-and are of a length adapted to the length of said side surfaces of the air conditioning installation.

4. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 3 wherein each respective positioning rail member comprises at least two said first openings.

5. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 4 including at least one second fixing projection provided laterally beside each respective first opening.

6. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 5 wherein the respective first opening is provided between two associated second fixing projections.

7. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 6 wherein each respective locking rail member has at least two said second openings.

8. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 7 wherein at least one said slot is disposed laterally beside each respective second opening.

9. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 8 wherein each respective second opening is disposed between two said slots.

10. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second fixing projections each have a distal end providing a respective enlarged head portion and wherein the slots comprise a keyhole edge contour having an enlarged end portion adapted to the respective head portion of the respective said second fixing projection.

11. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 10 wherein each positioning rail member has first and second ends and at the first end a transverse flange, and wherein said fixing means comprise a transverse flange at an end of each respective positioning rail member, a screw extending through said transverse flange in the longitudinal direction of the respective positioning rail element, and a screw nut co-operable with said screw at the end of the respectively associated locking rail member, the arrangement being such that the screw nut and the screw co-operate with each other for fixing the positioning rail member and the operatively associated locking rail member with respect to each other.

12. A fixing arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second openings are each of a generally L-shaped configuration comprising a first portion which in the mounted position extends substantially vertically and a second portion extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the respective locking rail member.