TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention lies in the field of electric buses. More precisely, the invention concerns a seat arrangement within the passenger compartment of an autonomous electric bus. The invention considers the passenger safety of an electric bus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electric bus provides a solution to pollution in cities. It permits to transport passengers without fine particles emissions or carbon dioxide emissions. Its silent engines increase the passengers' comfort and do not produce noise in the environment.

Such an electric bus generally exhibits a seating capacity of about fifty places, and about fifty standing places. More than one hundred places have to be foreseen in the passenger compartment while taking due care of the electric batteries that power the driving wheels. The positioning of the electric battery must also respect compacity requirements in order to maintain a reduced radius of turning curvature. The centre of gravity is also a design constraint.

In order to improve the passenger compartment accessibility, the electric bus exhibits a low platform which remains at the bus dock platform level during passenger boarding. This aspect notably eases the rolling chair entrance. However, during driving conditions the electric bus may be collided by another vehicle. More precisely, a long articulated electric bus may experience a side collision wherein the other vehicle strikes its side wall. Here, the front bumper of the other vehicle intrudes in the passenger compartment, which represents a danger for standing passengers and for sitting passengers.

The document CN 203 832 585 U discloses a bus with seat rows and electric batteries.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 9,561,828 B2 discloses an articulated bus exhibiting longitudinal seat rows and several battery packs.

Technical Problem to be Solved

It is an objective of the invention to present an electric bus which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, it is an objective of the invention to improve the passenger safety in an electric bus. More precisely, the invention intends to increase the passenger protection against side collision from other vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for object an electric bus including: a side wall, a wheel, an electric engine coupled to the wheel in order to drive the electric bus, a seat with a seat base and a leg area which is below the seat base and vertically level with the wheel; and electric energy storing means powering the electric engine and arranged between, notably transversally, the side wall and the leg area of the seat.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a low platform with a top surface, a passenger compartment with a longitudinal passageway; and the wheel includes a rotation axis.

Preferably, the wheel is vertically mobile between at least a driving position in which the rotation axis of the wheel is below the top surface, and a boarding position in which the rotation axis of the wheel is above the top surface of the low platform.

Preferably, the low platform includes a low platform structure bellow the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the low platform includes a top surface projecting longitudinally along the whole length of the side wall, or the majority of the length of the side wall.

Preferably, the top surface is a planar top surface.

Preferably, the electric bus exhibits a rectangular floor, the electric energy storing means are disposed at a corner of the rectangular floor, preferably the electric bus includes electric energy storing means at each corner of the rectangular floor.

Preferably, the wheel includes a hub and a rim, the top surface being vertically level with the hub and/or with the rim, and the electric engine is disposed in the wheel notably in the rim.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a suspension system to which the wheel is mounted, said suspension system being vertically level the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the rotation axis is vertically level with the electric energy storing means, notably in a boarding configuration, and/or vertically distant from the electric energy storing means during a driving configuration.

Preferably, the seat base is over the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the seat includes a backrest parallel to the side wall.

Preferably, the seat is a first seat, the electric bus includes a longitudinal row of seats to which the first seat belongs.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a recess in which the electric energy storing means are disposed, and the side wall preferably includes a flap delimiting the recess.

Preferably, the electric bus includes an inclined bar delimiting the recess, the inclined bar projecting preferably vertically and transversally.

Preferably, the inclined bar is disposed below the seat, or the longitudinal row of seats respectively.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a wheel housing in which the wheel is disposed, said wheel housing delimiting longitudinally the recess.

Preferably, the seat base projects transversally over a majority of the width of the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a longitudinal upper beam to which the electric energy storing means and the seat are fixed.

Preferably, the longitudinal upper beam vertically separates the seat from the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the low platform includes at least one lower longitudinal beam below the electric energy storing means, notably an inner lower longitudinal beam and/or an outer lower longitudinal beam which partially forms the side wall.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means include at least forty modules, the modules forming vertical or longitudinal rows.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means are a first electric energy storing means adjacent to the side wall, and the electric bus includes second electric energy storing means adjacent the side wall; the wheel being disposed between the first electric energy storing means and the second electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the seat base touches and/or overlaps transversally the leg area.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means are disposed transversally between the side wall and the passenger compartment, and/or the longitudinal passageway.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means are vertically thicker than the low platform.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a body or a unit, the low platform extending along the whole length of the body or unit.

Preferably, the flat surface and/or the top surface is adjacent and/or longitudinally level with the seat.

Preferably, the flat surface and/or the top surface projects transversally along the majority of the width of the electric bus.

Preferably, the whole electric energy storing means of the electric bus have a capacity of at least 500 kW·h.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a roof free of electric battery and/or of power accumulator.

Preferably, the wheel includes a rim and a hub, the rim and/or the hub being vertically level with the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the backrest is fixed to the side wall.

Preferably, the low platform is a passenger low platform.

Preferably, the recess is adjacent to the wheel housing.

Preferably, the low platform includes a central beam including a smaller cross section than the lower longitudinal beam.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means separate transversally the leg area from the side wall.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a vertical plate separating transversally the leg area from the electric energy storing means and/or from the side wall.

Preferably, the vertical plate delimits the recess.

Preferably, the electric bus includes a lower half and an upper half, at least one, or a majority, or all the electric energy storing means being enclosed in said lower half.

Preferably, the electric energy storing means project transversally over a majority of the seat base.

Preferably, the seat, notably the longitudinal row of seats, is longitudinally level with the low platform, preferably level with the top surface.

Preferably, the seat(s) is/are (a) transversal seat(s).

Preferably, the ground clearance of the electric bus ranges from the half of the radius of the wheel to the radius of the wheel.

Preferably, the horizontal beam is vertically level with the leg area.

Preferably, the horizontal beam forms a separation vertically between the electric energy storing means and the seat, optionally and the seat base.

Preferably, the horizontal beam forms a vertical link joining the electric energy storing means and the seat, optionally and the seat base.

Preferably, the electric energy storing device is an electric power supply.

The leg area is not an essential aspect of the invention. The low platform is not an essential aspect of the invention. The electric engine is not necessarily in the wheel. The fixation interface is not an essential aspect of the invention.

It is another aspect of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a side wall,a wheelan electric engine coupled to the wheel in order to drive the electric bus,a seat with a seat base and a leg area which is below the seat base and vertically level with the wheel; andelectric energy storing means powering the electric engine and arranged between the side wall and the leg area of the seat;a horizontal beam fixed to the seat and/or the electric energy storing means, the horizontal beam optionally being a longitudinal beam.

It is another aspect of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a side wall,a wheel;an electric engine coupled to the wheel in order to drive the electric bus;a seat with a seat base and a leg area which is below the seat base and vertically level with the wheel; andelectric energy storing means powering the electric engine and arranged between the side wall and the leg area of the seat;a recess in which the electric energy storing means are disposed;a wheel housing in which the wheel is disposed, said wheel housing delimiting longitudinally the recess.

It is another aspect of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a side wall,a wheel with a rotation axis;an electric engine coupled to the wheel in order to drive the electric bus;a seat with a seat base and a leg area which is below the seat base and vertically level with the wheel;electric energy storing means powering the electric engine, and optionally arranged between the side wall and the leg area of the seat;the rotation axis is vertically level with the electric energy storing means, optionally in a boarding configuration and/or vertically distant from the electric energy storing means during a driving configuration which the wheel is disposed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a wheel coupled to an electric engine,a low platform vertically level with the wheel, said low platform being notably adapted for standing passengers,a longitudinal row of seatselectric energy storing means powering the electric engine, said electric energy storing means being disposed between the low platform and the longitudinal row of seats.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a wheel housing,a side wall delimiting the wheel housing,a low platform vertically level with the wheel housing,electric energy storing means disposed above the low platform,a longitudinal row of seats with at least one seat over the electric energy storing means,and/or a seat astride the wheel housing and the electric energy storing means.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a planar low platform notably adapted for standing passengers,a passenger compartment on the planar low platform,electric energy storing means arranged above the planar low platform,a longitudinal row of seats projecting along the whole length of the electric energy storing means,a wheel with a rotation axis vertically level with the passenger compartment and the electric energy storing means.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a low platform with a top surface,an electric engine,a wheel with and a rotation axis over the top surface, said wheel being notably coupled to the electric engine,a seat with a seat base which exhibits a lower surface vertically distant from the top surface, andelectric energy storing means arranged vertically between the top surface of the low platform and the lower surface of the seat base, and/or, the rotation axis is disposed vertically between the lower surface of a seat and the top surface of the low platform.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electric bus including:a seat,a recess with electric energy storing means,a wheel housing with a wheel comprising an electric engine electrically connected to the electric energy storing means,an inclined bar below the seat and forming an interface between the wheel housing and the recess.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bus, such as an articulated bus, including:a wheel arrangement comprising at least: eight wheels or sixteen wheels;and at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes.

Preferably, the centres of the wheels of the wheel arrangement are disposed in accordance with the at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes.

Preferably, the at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes are vertical symmetry planes.

Preferably, the at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes comprise at least; six or seven transversal and vertical symmetry planes, and one longitudinal and vertical symmetry plane.

Preferably, the sixteen wheels are disposed in eight separate and distinct wheel housings.

Preferably, each wheel housing receives two wheels facing each other longitudinally.

Preferably, each wheel of the eight wheels or sixteen wheels is adapted from rotating independently form the other wheels.

Preferably, each wheel of the eight wheels or sixteen wheels is a steering wheel and/or a driving wheel, and/or associated with a respective damping system, and/or associated with a respective vertical actuator.

Preferably, the bus comprises electric energy storing means disposed in at least: four or eight or sixteen recesses which are arranged in accordance with three or four or seven symmetry planes of the at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes.

Preferably, the bus comprises a seat arrangement with seats which are arranged in accordance with three or four symmetry planes of the at least: six or seven or height symmetry planes, the seat notably forming longitudinal seat rows.

Preferably, the seats are above the wheels.

Preferably, the seats are above the wheel housings and/or the recesses, respectively the electric energy storing means.

Preferably, the recesses are longitudinally adjacent to the wheel housings.

Preferably the bus comprises at least two units, each unit receiving at least three symmetry planes of the wheel arrangement.

Preferably, said symmetry planes are considered in a top view of the bus.

Preferably, the symmetry planes are at distance from the wheels.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bus, such as an articulated bus, including:a wheel arrangement comprising at least: eight wheels or sixteen wheels;and a set of symmetry planes with:a primary symmetry plane,two secondary symmetry planes which are symmetric with respect to the primary symmetry plane,four tertiary symmetry planes which are symmetric with respect to the primary symmetry plane,and optionally a quaternary symmetry plan perpendicular to the primary, secondary and tertiary symmetry planes, tertiary symmetry planes exhibiting a symmetry with respect to at least one secondary symmetry plane.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bus, such as an articulated bus, including:a seat arrangement comprising at least: eight seats or sixteen seats;and at least: three or four symmetry planes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bus, such as an articulated electric bus, including:recesses;electric energy storing means disposed in the recesses,said recesses being disposed in accordance with at least: three or four symmetry planes.

It may be understood that the symmetries are considered when the units of the articulated bus are aligned, namely when the inclination between the units is of 0°. Symmetry may allow slight variations of a few centimeters, for instance a variation of at most: 20 cm or 10 cm.

The different objects of the invention may be combined to each other. In addition, the preferable options of each object of the invention may be combined with the other objects of the invention, unless the contrary is explicitly mentioned.

Technical Advantages and Effects of the Invention

The present invention provides an electric bus architecture in which the electric energy storing means are involved in side collision safety. Indeed, the electric energy storing means form a safety block behind the side wall. There, their strength is used to protect the passengers, and notably their legs. More precisely, the legs and the backs of passengers sitting against the side wall are more protected. When the electric energy storing means are disposed at corners of the platform, they also provide protection against corner collisions, and substantially a protection against rear collisions from other vehicles.

The solid aspect of the electric energy storing means adds another barrier against physical intrusion. Moreover, the electric energy storing means are fixed to the structure of the electric bus.

Since they are fixed to the beam(s) to which the wheels are fixed, the electric energy storing means benefit from a robust anchorage.

In the context of a collision with a personal car, the front bumper is generally at the low platform level, and/or at the electric energy storing means level. Consequently, during a side collision the front bumper intrusion is blocked or reduced. In addition, the supporting structure and the brackets enabling the electric energy storing means fixation increase the collision energy absorption potential.

