EP2808221A1 - Railway vehicle comprising rows of seats with different heights - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle (1) for rail passenger rolling stock comprising at least one passenger room (10) extending longitudinally from rear to front and having at least one rear row of seats (R1) and a front row of seats (R3) spaced in the longitudinal direction, the rear row (R1) having a vertical height greater than that of the front row (R3).

Description

The present invention relates to the field of passenger rail transport and, more particularly, to the access of any person, including persons with reduced mobility, to a seat of a vehicle of railway rolling stock, for example a train high speed.

In recent years, many administrative standards have been established to facilitate the use of rail transport for persons with reduced mobility (PRM). For people with reduced mobility (PMR), we mean both a person in a wheelchair and a person with a disability (motor, visual, etc.).

These administrative standards are aimed in particular at facilitating the access of persons with reduced mobility to their headquarters in a railway train and at providing information for such persons from their headquarters, for example, by means of information screens placed in the train. rail.

In a conventional manner, a rail passenger transport rolling stock comprises a plurality of vehicles connected to one another. Each vehicle comprises a platform on which is mounted a plurality of rows of seats for the comfort of travelers. To increase the carrying capacity of a vehicle, with reference to the figure 1 , there is known in the prior art a vertically stepped vehicle 100 comprising an upper saloon SH and a lower saloon SB which each comprise several seats grouped in rows R. Such stepped vehicle 100 is known to those skilled in the art under the designation of "duplex" vehicle.

In a known manner, stairs 102 are provided between the lower hall SB and the upper hall SH. The presence of stairs 102 is a major drawback for people with reduced mobility because they are an obstacle to overcome (risk of falling, etc.). In addition, with reference to the figure 1 , the establishment of an information screen 104 at a higher room SH of the vehicle 100 does not allow all travelers to view said screen 104 because of the length of the upper room SH and from its low height. Thus, the display screen 4 can be hidden by the seats of the vehicle 100 located between the display screen 4 and the position of the traveler when the latter is seated away from the display screen 4.

In addition to the standards for persons with reduced mobility, the configuration of a railway vehicle must make it possible to optimize the space available to install passenger seats while taking into account the technical constraints related to the railway sector.

For this purpose, at least one vehicle of the railway train must provide a technical zone to house technical equipment such as an air conditioning unit, a power transformer, an electric converter, etc. For example, always with reference to the figure 1 , a railway train comprises at least one technical vehicle 101 comprising an upper saloon SH and a lower technical zone 103 which limits the number of seats that can be installed in said technical vehicle 101.

Another technical constraint concerns the size of pantographs of the railway train which must be able to be folded, for example, when passing through a railway tunnel. As illustrated in figure 1 , a pantograph 105 is conventionally housed in the upper part of the technical vehicle 101, which reduces the space available for travelers in the upper room SH of a height of about 80 cm. In known manner, as illustrated in figure 1 there are stairs 102 to allow a traveler to pass under the storage area of the pantograph 105 to access the upper room SH above the technical area 103. Such stairs 102 have a disadvantage for people with reduced mobility PMR and limit the space available to place passenger seats which decreases the capacity of a technical car 101.

GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

To eliminate at least some of these drawbacks, the invention relates to a vehicle for railway passenger transport rolling stock comprising at least one passenger room extending longitudinally from rear to front and comprising at least one rear row of seats and one front row of seats spaced in the longitudinal direction.

The vehicle is remarkable in that the rear row has a vertical height greater than that of the front row. Thus, in the manner of a cinema whose rows have different heights, it improves the visibility of the display screens arranged in the passenger room which facilitates the information of people with reduced mobility. In addition, it allows to provide a technical area under the rows of high height and to provide a pantograph storage area above the rows of low height. The volume of the railway vehicle can thus be optimized over its entire length and height.

Preferably, the passenger room having an intermediate row of seats mounted between the rear and front rows in the longitudinal direction, the vertical height of the intermediate row of seats is between the vertical heights of the rear row and the front row.

According to a preferred aspect, the passenger room comprising a plurality of rows of seats mounted consecutively in the longitudinal direction, the vertical height of the rows of seats is decreasing from back to front, preferably, strictly decreasing.

Preferably, the passenger room comprises a longitudinal platform for fixing the seats having at least one longitudinal portion whose vertical height is decreasing from back to front. Thus, a person with reduced mobility can access his seat effortlessly even if the latter has a significant vertical height. In addition, because of the difference in height, the longitudinal platform can reach, in the upper position, an upper room of a staged car from an access located in the lower position. Thus, a traveler can access all the seats of the rail vehicle easily, without crossing stairs.

According to a preferred embodiment, the attachment platform is decreasing over at least 30% of its longitudinal length, preferably at least 75% of its longitudinal length.

Preferably, the attachment platform comprises at least one longitudinal portion inclined downward from rear to front. More preferably, the attachment platform comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions inclined downward from back to front. The presence of one or more inclined portions advantageously allows access to the vehicle by a person in a wheelchair.

Preferably, the inclination of the inclined portion or portions is less than 12% in order to allow easy ascension by a person in a wheelchair and, preferably, between 3% and 6%. Such inclination ensures a compromise between the size of the inclined portion and difficulty climbing.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the attachment platform comprises a plurality of horizontal portions staggered so as to allow attachment of a seat on a horizontal portion. Preferably, the attachment platform comprises an inclined traffic corridor so as to access the seats of the different stepped horizontal portions.

Preferably, the room for travelers comprises a corridor of circulation, preferably central, devoid of stairs.

According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle comprises, under the passenger room, a technical area adapted to receive technical equipment of the railway vehicle. Thus, it optimizes the available space to meet the technical needs of said vehicle. Advantage is taken of the height variation of the attachment platform to house bulky technical equipment under the rows of the highest seats.

Preferably, the technical area occupies between 30% and 45% of the volume of the rail vehicle to ensure a compromise between the space available to travelers and the space available for technical equipment.

Preferably, the vehicle comprises display means, preferably visually accessible from each seat of the passenger room. More preferably, the display means are arranged in a front part of the passenger room. Thus, we take advantage of the low vertical height of the front part of the vehicle to install display means in the high position visible from the seats of different heights. Such display means have a small footprint allowing the passage of travelers without them having to lower their head or adopt a low posture.

According to one aspect of the invention, the vehicle comprises at least one pantograph disposed in a front part of the vehicle, that is to say, in a part of the passenger room with a low platform. Thus, a traveler is not likely to hit the storage area of the pantograph while traveling in the room for travelers.

The invention further relates to a railway rolling stock comprising a vehicle as presented above and a staged car comprising an upper room and a lower room, the upper room of the staged car being connected to a rear portion of said vehicle so as to allow a person with reduced mobility to access the upper room of the staged car from said vehicle.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique de deux véhicules ferroviaires selon l'art antérieur (déjà commentée) ;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique d'un véhicule ferroviaire selon une forme de réalisation de l'invention avec une plateforme inclinée de fixation de sièges sur toute sa longueur ;
• la figure 3 est une représentation schématique d'un véhicule ferroviaire selon une forme de réalisation de l'invention avec une plateforme comportant une portion horizontale et une portion inclinée ;
• la figure 4 est une représentation schématique d'un véhicule ferroviaire selon une forme de réalisation de l'invention avec une plateforme comportant une pluralité de portions horizontales et inclinées ;
• la figure 5 est une représentation schématique d'un véhicule ferroviaire selon une forme de réalisation de l'invention avec une plateforme étagée en forme de gradin ;
• les figures 6a et 6b représentent schématiquement de côté et de dessus une salle pour voyageurs selon une configuration ayant une forte densité de sièges ;
• les figures 7a et 7b représentent schématiquement de côté et de dessus une salle pour voyageurs selon une configuration ayant une faible densité de sièges ;
• la figure 8 est une représentation schématique d'un matériel roulant ferroviaire comportant deux voitures étagées et deux véhicules avec des plateformes inclinées reliées ensemble au niveau d'une zone de jonction basse ; et
• la figure 9 est une représentation schématique d'un matériel roulant ferroviaire comportant deux véhicules avec des plateformes inclinées reliées ensemble au niveau d'une zone de jonction haute.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will follow, given solely by way of example, and referring to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic representation of two railway vehicles according to the prior art (already commented);
• the figure 2 is a schematic representation of a railway vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention with an inclined platform for fixing seats throughout its length;
• the figure 3 is a schematic representation of a railway vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention with a platform comprising a horizontal portion and an inclined portion;
• the figure 4 is a schematic representation of a railway vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention with a platform having a plurality of horizontal and inclined portions;
• the figure 5 is a schematic representation of a railway vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention with a tiered stepped platform;
• the Figures 6a and 6b schematically show side and top a passenger room in a configuration having a high density of seats;
• the Figures 7a and 7b schematically show side and top a passenger room in a configuration having a low density of seats;
• the figure 8 is a schematic representation of a railway rolling stock comprising two stepped cars and two vehicles with inclined platforms connected together at a low junction area; and
• the figure 9 is a schematic representation of a railway rolling stock comprising two vehicles with inclined platforms connected together at a high junction area.

It should be noted that the figures disclose the invention in detail to implement the invention, said figures can of course be used to better define the invention where appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE OR MORE MODES OF REALIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

According to one embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figure 2 , there is shown a railway vehicle 1 having a single passenger room 10 extending longitudinally from back to front. Subsequently, the terms "back" and "front" are defined with respect to the horizontal direction X of the figure 2 oriented from the back to the front.

In this example, the railway vehicle 1 comprises a plurality of rows of seats R1, R2, R3 spaced in the longitudinal direction X.

For the sake of clarity, it will be presented a rail vehicle 1 having a rear row of seats R1, an intermediate row of seats R2 and a front row of seats R3. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that the invention applies to any vehicle 1 having at least two rows of seats.

With reference to the figure 2 , the vertical height of the rear row Ru is greater than the vertical height of the intermediate row of seats R2 which is itself greater than the vertical height of the front row of seats R3. In other words, the Vertical height of the rows of seats R1, R2, R3 decreases from the back to the front of the passenger room 10.

Still referring to the figure 2 , the passenger room 10 comprises a fixing platform 2 on which are mounted said rows of seats R 1, R2, R3. More preferably, each room for travelers 10 comprises a corridor of circulation, preferably central, devoid of stairs.

According to a first embodiment, the attachment platform 2 is inclined downwards from back to front along its entire length as illustrated in FIG. figure 2 .

Nevertheless, the attachment platform 2 could comprise only a longitudinal portion 21 ( Figure 3 ) or a plurality of longitudinal portions 21 ( Figure 4 ) tilted down from back to front. Preferably, the attachment platform 2 alternately alternates an inclined longitudinal portion 21 with a horizontal longitudinal portion 22. Alternatively, the attachment platform 2 comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions 21 whose inclinations are different.

Preferably, the attachment platform 2 is inclined at least 75% of its total longitudinal length to limit its inclination to 12% so as to allow it to be crossed by people with reduced mobility PMR. Preferably, in order to obtain a compromise between ease of crossing and space saving, the inclination is between 3% and 6%.

According to a second embodiment, with reference to the figure 5 , the passenger room 10 comprises a fixing platform 2 having a plurality of horizontal portions 23 staggered vertically to form steps. The greater the number of horizontal portions 23 is important and the height between each bearing 23 is low. The use of horizontal portions 23 advantageously provides a horizontal surface for fixing the seats. In addition, an inclined traffic lane, for example a circulation lane 24, can be provided between the row seats to facilitate the passage of people with reduced mobility, including wheelchair.

Advantageously, thanks to the vertical height variations of the attachment platform 2, rows of seats can be fixed so that the seats have different vertical heights.

As illustrated in figure 5 , the circulation corridor is preferably in the form of an inclined slope but it goes without saying that it could include a plurality of alternating inclined portions with planar portions and / or portions of different inclination.

Preferably, with reference to Figures 2 to 4 , the railway vehicle 1 has under the passenger room 10, a technical area 3 adapted to receive technical equipment such as an air conditioning unit, a power transformer, an electrical converter, etc.. In other words, the volume of the railway vehicle 1 is thus optimized to allow access to persons with reduced mobility PMR while allowing to house the technical equipment. In order to ensure a good compromise between the needs of the passengers and the technical needs, the technical zone 3 occupies between 30% and 45% of the volume of the vehicle 1. Preferably, the height of the technical zone 3 is greater at the same time. rear of the vehicle 1.

Preferably, with reference to the figure 2 , the front part of the vehicle 1 comprises a pantograph 5 which limits the size since the seats have in front part a low vertical height. In other words, the ceiling height is important in the front part. Thus, a traveler can move freely under the pantograph 5 without risk of hitting his head. Such positioning of the pantograph 5 is further advantageous since it is located near the technical zone 3 to which the pantograph 5 is connected.

With reference to the figure 2 , the railway vehicle 1 comprises display means 4 visually accessible from each seat of a row R of seats of the passenger room 10, preferably a display screen.

Preferably, the display means 4 are arranged in a front part of the passenger room 10, that is to say, the side of the vehicle 1 whose rows of seats are the lowest. Like a movie theater, each traveler can, regardless of his position in the vehicle, visually access displayed information (next station, security announcement, etc.) Such positioning of the display means 4 reduces the number and thus lower the cost of manufacturing a vehicle.

With reference to FIGS. 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b , several rail vehicle configurations 1 are represented according to the number of rows of seats R that the vehicle 1 comprises. Figures 6a and 6b represent a dense configuration with 11 rows of 4 seats, the Figures 7a and 7b representing a sparse configuration with 10 rows of 3 seats. Advantageously, such configurations allow the installation of WC toilets and baggage spaces B.

As illustrated in Figures 2 to 7b , the orientation of the seats of a row R is indifferent, the seats can all be oriented forwards or backwards. Similarly, the seats can be oriented differently for the same vehicle 1 as illustrated in FIGS. Figures 6a and 7a .

Advantageously, one or more vehicles 1 according to the invention can be associated with a set of conventional cars, that is to say single-stage and / or stepped, to form a railway train.

With reference to the figure 8 two vehicles according to the invention are associated together with different orientations. Indeed, the first vehicle 1A has a decreasing slope 2D from rear to front while the second vehicle 1 B has an increasing slope 2C from rear to front so that the junction JB of the two vehicles 1A, 1B is located at low level.

According to this embodiment, the first vehicle 1 A and the second vehicle 1 B are respectively connected to a first stepped car 11A and a second stepped car 1 1 B as illustrated in FIG. figure 8 . Advantageously, the junction of the first vehicle 1 A with the first stepped car 11A is performed at the high level. Similarly, the junction of the second vehicle 1B with the second stepped car 1 1 B is performed at the high level. Thus, a person with reduced mobility PMR can access each seat of the train.

Indeed, if the seat of the person with reduced mobility PMR is located in the first vehicle 1A, it is sufficient for said person to access the JB low junction zone of said first vehicle 1A and then to travel on the inclined traffic platform 2D in order to access his seat.

If the seat of the person with reduced mobility PMR is located in the first stepped car 11A, it can easily access its seat if the latter is located in the SB lower room. Indeed, it is sufficient for said person to use an ordinary low access of the first stepped car 11A.

On the contrary, if the seat is located in the upper room SH of the first stepped car 11A, it suffices for said PMR person to first access the first vehicle 1A whose 2D platform is inclined to reach the upper room SH of the first staged car 11A. In other words, thanks to the invention, the person with reduced mobility PMR can avoid climbing stairs, which is advantageous.

In addition, thanks to the invention, it is not necessary to modify all the cars 11A, 11B of a rail train to make it accessible, as a whole, to people with reduced mobility PMR.

As an alternative, with reference to figure 8 , the first vehicle 1A may comprise an increasing slope 2C from rear to front while the second vehicle 1B has a decreasing slope 2D from rear to front so that the junction zone JH of the two vehicles 1A, 1B is located at the top level.

The invention has been presented with reference to the figure 8 for a vehicle of an articulated railway train of the TGV type for which two consecutive vehicles 1A, 1B share the same bogie, but it goes without saying that the invention applies to any type of railway train, in particular a train of which each vehicle has its own bogies as shown in figure 9 .

The invention has been presented for a railway vehicle 1 comprising a single passenger room 10 but it goes without saying that it also applies to a vehicle having more than one room, in particular two rooms. According to this embodiment, one or more rooms may include rows of seats of different heights.

Claims (11)

Vehicle (1) for rail passenger rolling stock comprising at least one passenger room (10) extending longitudinally from rear to front and having a longitudinal platform (2) for fixing the seats comprising at least one longitudinal portion of which the vertical height is decreasing from rear to front by at least 30% of its longitudinal length, and at least one rear row of seats (R1) and one front row of seats (R3) spaced in the longitudinal direction, the rear row ( R1) having a vertical height greater than that of the front row (R3), the vehicle comprising, under the passenger room (10), a technical area (3) adapted to receive technical equipment of the railway vehicle (1). Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the passenger room (10) having an intermediate row of seats (R2) mounted longitudinally between the rear rows (R1) and before (R3), the vertical height of the intermediate row of seats (R2 ) is between the vertical heights of the back row (R1) and the front row (R3). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the attachment platform (20) comprises at least one longitudinal portion (21) inclined downwards from back to front. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the attachment platform (2) comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions (21) inclined downwards from rear to front. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the attachment platform (2) comprises a plurality of stepped horizontal portions (23). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle (1) comprises display means (4) disposed in a front portion of the passenger room (10). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle (1) comprises at least one pantograph (4) disposed in a front portion of the vehicle (1). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the technical area (3) occupies between 30% and 45% of the volume of the railway vehicle (1). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the longitudinal platform (2) is decreasing over at least 75% of its longitudinal length. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the room for travelers comprises a corridor of circulation, preferably central, without stairs. Railway rolling stock comprising a vehicle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and a staged car comprising an upper room and a lower room, the upper room of the staged car being connected to a rear portion of said vehicle (1) of to allow a person with reduced mobility to access the upper room of the staged car from said vehicle (1).

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