Abstract:
The present invention relates to a hardtop bus having at least six seats. The bus includes a chassis and a body with a U-shaped roof construction, which covers at least some of the seats of the bus. The roof construction can be retractable over at least some of the at least six seats such that the U-shaped roof construction has an open and closed position. The U-shaped roof construction comprises at least two substantially shape retaining, nestable roof elements having a U-shaped cross-section, which are movable relative to each other and which are positioned at least substantially one behind another, at least in the closed position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This U.S. National Stage Application claims priority from PCT/NL2012/050654 filed on Sep. 17, 2012, which claims priority from NL 2008118 filed on Jan. 13, 2012, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bus of the hardtop type having at least ten seats and comprising a chassis and a body with an at least substantially U-shaped roof construction, which covers at least some of the seats of the bus, which roof construction can be removed, and be replaced again, over at least some of the at least ten seats. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the term “remove” as used herein is understood to mean removing the cover from its original, seat-covering position. Furthermore preferably, the bus has at least thirteen seats, so that the bus will be suitable for group transport or for touristic purposes. 
     Such a bus is known as a cabrio bus. The known cabrio bus has a substantially U-shaped roof construction, which is detachably attached to the bus body. Upon conversion of the known cabrio bus from a closed bus to an open bus, the roof construction is detached and the roof construction, or at least the removable part thereof, is removed from the body and temporarily stored outside the bus. The cabrio bus can now be used with an open roof. When the roof of the cabrio bus is to be closed, the bus is driven to the location where the removable part of the roof construction is temporarily stored. At that location, the roof construction is placed on the body again and attached thereto. 
     A drawback of the known cabrio bus is the fact that the conversion from a closed roof state to and open roof state, and vice versa, is a relatively laborious job. In addition, the removable part of the roof construction is separated from the bus, so that the roof construction is not available for being placed back in the case of a sudden change of the weather. 
     Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide a bus as described in the introduction which is easier to convert between a closed roof state and an open roof state and/or which remains with the bus also in the open position of the roof. 
     This object is achieved by the present invention in that the substantially U-shaped roof construction comprises at least two substantially shape retaining, nestable roof elements of at least substantially U-shaped cross-section, which are movable relative to each other and which are positioned at least substantially one behind another, at least in the covering position, with the legs of the U-shaped cross-section extending downwards the windows present in the roof construction. Usually, such windows will be provided in the downwardly extending side panels that correspond to the legs of the U-shape. The shape of the roof elements distinguishes the cabrio bus according to the present invention from, inter alia, buses of the sliding roof type, in which only a part of the roof located above windows present in the bus can be moved. A sliding roof reduces the structural strength of a bus significantly less than does an open roof, or at least a roof that can be opened. Moreover, a movable roof comprising side panels that extend relatively far downwards makes higher demands on the seal between moving parts than does a sliding roof. 
     The characteristic aspects of the present invention make it possible to store the nestable roof elements in a nested position in or on the bus in the non-covering position, as a result of which one or more roof elements can be removed from their original position by being moved from an original, covering position to a nested position. This is realised without the storage thereof objectionably taking up any space, or at least hardly any space, for any passengers in the bus. Thus, the roof elements that have been removed from their covering position can be carried along by the bus at all times, also in their removed position. The object of the present invention is thus achieved, at least partially so. The term “non-covering position” of a roof element is understood to mean the position of the roof element in which the roof element does not cover the original part of the bus. Nested roof elements may jointly cover another part of the bus, however. 
     Passenger cars of the hardtop convertible type in which the roof elements can be stored in a compact manner in relation to each other in the open position of the roof do exist, to be true, but insofar as the relative position of the roof elements in that state may be regarded as nested, there is this important difference that vehicles comprising fewer seats, as a rule no more than two rows of seats, are concerned in that case. The removable part of the roof construction is relatively small. Because of the relatively small size of such a passenger car, its movable roof construction does not have to meet high requirements. 
     A known convertible of the passenger car type comprises a hinged frame provided with a flexible fabric, wherein the fabric, which functions as a roof, can be folded open by swinging hinging elements of the hinged frame rearwards, seen in the driving direction of the car. The fabric folds onto itself, so that it will take up relatively little space in the open position of the roof. This is not a hardtop convertible type, however. A drawback of such a roof is the fact that the construction is not shape-retaining and that weather influences are relatively easily noticeable by the occupants also in the closed position of the roof construction. In addition, the windows of the removable part of the roof construction are less suitable for looking out therethrough in the closed position of the bus. They are made of a flexible plastic material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the nestable roof elements is immovably connected to the body. The other roof elements can be nested relative to said at least one immovable roof element. It is preferable in that regard if the immovable roof element is larger than the movable roof elements, with the movable roof elements being accommodable within said immovable roof element. The largest (immovable) roof element forms an adequate protection against the influence of the weather on the movable roof elements, in particular while the bus is driving. 
     A movable roof element is preferably movable along a guide element relative to the chassis. This makes it possible to move a movable roof element to the desired position in a relatively simple and guided manner along a guide. Although a guide is an excellent aid during said movement, the provision of a guide is not necessary, however. The movable roof elements might be simply detached from the bus body, for example, to be subsequently moved to a desired position in or on the bus, for example be carried to the storage location by persons. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body comprises at least one guide element, along which the movable roof element is guided upon being moved. The guide element on the body can cooperate with a guide element on a movable roof element, so that the movable roof element can be guided between a closed position and an open position of the roof in a simple manner through cooperation of the guides. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the at least one guide element is provided on a further roof element, relative to which further roof element the movable roof element is nestable. In such a situation, a guide element on the movable roof element can cooperate with the at least one guide element on the further roof element, for example in the way a drawer cooperates with a cabinet in which the draw is slidably accommodated. 
     The guide element preferably comprises one or more rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the bus so as to make it possible to move a movable roof element in the longitudinal direction of the bus from the open position to the closed position of the roof. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an expandable seal is provided, at least in the closed position of the roof construction, between at least some of the parts of the roof construction that are movable relative to each other. Relative movability and sealing are opposing concepts. To obtain an adequate seal, for example against the passage of air or water, the seal must press firmly against the surfaces of an opening to be sealed, in the case of the bus two roof elements that are movable in parallel directions relative to each other. This, however, causes the resistance against movement of one part or both parts to increase. An expandable seal makes it possible on the one hand to expand the seal so as to obtain a proper abutment against the movable parts, and on the other hand to release the expansion so as to be able to move two mutually movable parts more easily relative to each other. 
     It is preferable in that regard if the expandable seal comprises at least one sealing element of an elastic material, which defines a fluid channel, wherein a fluid is present in the fluid channel, wherein the interior of the sealing element is impermeably sealed from the environment, at least to the fluid in question, and wherein pressure means are provided for increasing and decreasing the pressure of the fluid in said at least one sealing element. Seals between two movable parts often consist of an elongated strip of a resilient material, such as rubber, comprising an elongated hollow chamber. The material slightly adapts to the state of the opening to be sealed. As a result of the resilience of the material, however, the seal can be released in a relatively simple manner in case of an undesirably high load, for example during stormy weather, so that there is a risk of leakage. By increasing the internal pressure in the fluid channel as prescribed by the present invention, the resilience of the seal decreases and thus the quality of the seal increases. 
     The pressure means preferably comprise a compressor. The compressor may be a compressor of the bus engine, but according to another possibility a separate compressor may be provided for realising the seal. When the roof elements are to be moved relative to each other in the closed position, the sealing elements are in their expanded state and the compressor must be operated to release the pressure. Following that, the roof elements can be moved relative to each other. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bus comprises two or more movable roof elements, each provided with an associated guide element. If the number of movable roof elements of the bus is larger, a relatively larger part of the roof construction can be removed, at least if the roof elements are about the same length. When two roof elements are used, one being movable, approximately half the roof construction can be removed by nesting one movable roof element in the immovable roof element (or conversely). If three movable roof elements can be nested in an immovable roof element, approximately three quarters of the roof construction can be removed. Furthermore, relatively small roof elements are relatively easy to move. On the other hand, each next nestable, movable roof element needs to be smaller than the preceding one, and consequently a situation in which the space within the bus, i.e. the space covered by the smallest roof element, is limited by the presence of a (too) large number of roof elements must be prevented. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a roof element comprises a roof part and two window parts, i.e. the base of the inverted U-shape of the roof construction comprises the roof part and the legs of the inverted U-shape comprise the window parts. Thus, the space above and beside the passenger spaces covered by the movable roof element in the closed position thereof can be cleared in one go by moving a movable roof element. Alternatively, the roof part of the roof element is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bus in a manner as described above, and window parts of the roof element are separate from the roof part so that they can be accommodated in the body in vertical direction, for example in a known manner similar to car windows of passenger cars. The presence of vertical guides for the windows above the body must preferably be prevented, not only because said vertical guides are vulnerable in the lowered position of the window parts, but also because passenger safety may be affected by their presence. 
     The bus is preferably suitable and approved for passenger transport on public roads. It is also conceivable to use a roof construction as described above with another type of passenger vehicle comprising ten or more seats for passenger transport, for example a railroad carriage, an amphibious vehicle or the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be explained with reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a bus according to the present invention in a closed state thereof; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bus of  FIG. 1 , in this case in an open state thereof; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a bus according to the present invention in a closed state thereof; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a perspective view of the bus of  FIG. 3 a   , in this case in an open state thereof; 
         FIG. 4 a    is a schematic, cutaway side view of the bus with a guide mechanism for the roof elements of the bus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4 b    is a schematic, partially cutaway top view of the bus with the guide mechanism of  FIG. 4   a;    
         FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b    show an alternative embodiment of the seal as shown in the encircled, larger-scale detail of  FIG. 4 b    in two different states thereof; 
         FIG. 6 a    shows the bus of  FIG. 4 a    with the roof open; 
         FIG. 6 b    shows the bus of  FIG. 4 b    with the roof closed; 
         FIGS. 7 a  and 7 b    are perspective views of a guide arrangement for use in the bus of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7 c    is a perspective view of a guide arrangement for use in a bus as shown in  FIGS. 3 a   ,  3   b.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a passenger bus  1  having a body  2  comprising a front wall  3 , two side walls  4  and a rear wall (not shown in the figures). The body has two A-pillars  5 , two B-pillars  6 , two C-pillars  7  and two Z-pillars  8 . Present between the right-hand A-pillar  5  and B-pillar  6  is a door  9  via which passengers can get on and off. Disposed between the B-pillar  6  and the C-pillar  7  on each side is a conventional window  10 . The bus  1  is provided with rows of seats  11   a - f  for passengers. The bus  1  further comprises the usual means known to the skilled person that enable the bus  1  to function, of course. Above the driver&#39;s seat  11  and the first row of seats  11   a , near the window  10 , part of a conventional roof  12  extends. The (part of a) conventional roof  12  is provided with a skylight  12   a . The body  2  is further provided with guides  13   a ,  13   b . The bus  1  has one immovable roof element, which is provided with a skylight  12   a  of a transparent plastic, and two movable roof elements  15   a ,  15   b , which are made of a frame  14  with transparent plastic. At the rear end of the roof  12 , seen in the driving direction, the roof  12  overlaps the roof element  15   a  over a short distance. Provided between the roof  12  and the roof element  15   a  is a seal (not shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), such that the roof element  15   a  is capable of sliding movement in part of the roof  12  and that a seal against weather influences, such as precipitation and wind, is provided in the closed position of the roof  12  and the roof elements  14 ,  15   a  as shown in  FIG. 1 . A comparable construction is provided between the roof element  15   a  and the roof element  15   b . At the rear side, the roof element  15   b  sealingly abuts against the Z-pillars  8  and the roof part  16  present therebetween. 
       FIG. 2  shows the bus  1  of  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , corresponding parts of the bus  1  are indicated by the same numerals as in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , the bus  1  is shown with its roof construction in the open position. The roof element  15   b  has to that end been moved over the guide rail  13   b  from its original position (see  FIG. 1 ) to a position under the roof element  15   a . Subsequently, the two roof elements  15   a ,  15   b  have jointly been moved to a position under part of the roof  12 . The seat rows  11   c - 11   f  are thus no longer covered. The seat rows  11   a  and  11   b  are covered by the roof  12  and the stored roof elements  15   a  and  15   b . This position of the roof elements  15   a  and  15   b  is referred to as a non-covering position or state herein. After all, the seats  11   a  and  11   b  and the roof elements  15   a  and  15   b  are covered by the roof  12 . Since the roof element  15   b  is smaller than the roof element  15   a , and the roof element  15   a  is in turn smaller than the roof  12 , the roof elements  15   a  and  15   b  do not experience any hindrance from the wind or the like while driving in the thus stored position shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3 a    shows an alternative embodiment of a bus  61  according to the present invention. The bus  61  exhibits a great deal of similarity to the bus  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 a , 1 b   . The body  62  is comparable to that of the bus  1  of  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   , with this difference that the bus  61  has rear side wall parts  64   a  and a roof part  72   a  at the rear.  FIG. 3 a    shows the bus  51  in the closed state, whilst  FIG. 3 b    shows the bus  61  with its open roof construction in an open state. As  FIG. 3 b    shows, the guides  73   a ,  73   b  are positioned higher than the guides of the bus  1 . Furthermore, two movable roof elements  75   a ,  75   b  are provided, which roof elements are made of an opaque plastic. In this embodiment, the roof elements  75   a  and  75   b  can be accommodated practically in their entirety, because the roof elements  75   a ,  75   b  have no side wall, or at least practically no side wall, so that they can be moved to a position under the roof  72  in the front of the bus  1  without obstructing access through the door  69  to the passengers. With the bus  1 , on the contrary, such would be the case. As a result, one additional row of seats, i.e. the row of seats  71   b , can be cleared by the movable roof elements  75   a ,  75   b  in the bus  61  in comparison with the bus  1 , in which the roof elements cannot move beyond the B-pillar  6 . The windows  70   b ,  70   c ,  70   d  and  70   e  can be accommodated in the spaces in the side wall  64  that are intended for that purpose, as is known with conventional passenger cars, in particular of the convertible type. 
       FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b    show a schematic and partially cutaway side view and top view, respectively, of the bus  1  of  FIG. 1  (in the closed state), by way of illustration of the way the roof elements  15   a ,  15   b  are guided relative to the body  2 . The roof elements  15   a  and  15   b  are supported in guides  13   a ,  13   b , which extend in the longitudinal direction of the bus  1 . Under said joint guides  13 , an endless conveyor  17  extends, which is driven by an electric motor  19  via a drive shaft  18 . Said conveyor  17  is connected to a pillar  20  of the rear roof element  15   b  and as such keeps the roof elements  15   a  and  15   b  in their locked position. The encircled detail view of  FIG. 4 a    shows that the conveyor  17  is clamped down by two fixing elements  29  connected to bolts  30 , which fixing elements are attached to the rear pillar  20  of the rear roof element  15   b . When the drive shaft  18  is driven in clockwise direction by the electric motor  19  in  FIG. 4 a   , the upper part of the conveyor  17  moves to the right in  FIG. 4 a   , carrying along the pillar  20  connected thereto. The rear roof element  15   b  thus moves toward the front of the bus  1 . The roof element  15   a  remains in the position shown in  FIG. 1 a    for the time being until the pillar  20  comes into contact with the pillar  21  of the roof element  15   a , thus pushing the roof element  14  toward the front of the bus  1  as well. The roof element  15   b , which has entirely or substantially entirely moved under the roof element  15   a , thus moves under the roof  12  together with the roof element  15   a . When the two roof elements  15   a ,  15   b  have thus moved entirely or substantially entirely under the roof  12 , the electric motor  19  is stopped and the conveyor  17  keeps the pillar  20 , and thus the roof elements  15   a  and  15   b , positioned under the roof  12 . 
     The rear wall  22  of the body  2  of the bus  1  extends with its flank parts  23  from the rear of the bus to the front over a small distance on two sides. Each flank part  23  slightly overlaps the roof element  15   b , so that the pillars  20  are positioned beside the flank parts  23 . At its front end, the flank part  23  is provided with a recess  24 , in which a sealing element  25  as known per se for sliding panels is provided. A comparable interaction takes place between the element  15   a  with the pillar  21  and the roof element  15   b  with the pillar  26 , beside which pillar  21  a sealing element  25  is provided. A sealing element  25  is also provided between the pillar  27  of the roof element  15   a  and the pillar  28  that connects the rear part of the roof  12  to the part of the body  2  of the bus  1  that is located thereunder. 
       FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b    show an alternative seal between two adjacent roof elements to the seal shown in  FIG. 4 b   . A wall part  31  of an outer roof element, in this case a rear roof element that is fixedly connected to the body, overlaps a movable wall part  32  of an inner roof element in  FIGS. 5 a , 5 b   . Of the wall part  31 , a pillar  33  is shown, which pillar is located near an end section  34  of the movable wall part  32 . In this state, the roof of the bus is closed. In  FIG. 5 a   , an expandable sealing element  35  formed by a rubber wall  36  that forms a non-air permeable envelope of the hollow air channel  37  is in an expanded state. The air pressure in the hollow chamber ranges between 1.25 and 2.5 bar, preferably 2.0 bar. The rubber wall  36  firmly presses against the end section of the movable wall part  32  on the side remote from the pillar  33 . Thus the sealing element  35  not only seals the space between the two wall parts  31 ,  32 , but it also offers resistance against movement of the movable wall part  32  with respect to the fixed wall part  31 . 
     When the cover of the bus is to be opened, air is sucked from the hollow air chamber  37  by a compressor (not shown) until the prevailing pressure in the air channel  37  is lower than 1 bar, so that the part of the rubber wall  36  remote from the pillar  33  is pushed inwards by the higher ambient pressure. Thus, the contact between the wall parts  31  and  32  is released, and the movable roof element, of which the wall part  32  forms part, can be removed in a simple manner. A separate locking arrangement for the movable roof element may be provided, for example in a conveyor for the roof elements, with the sealing element  35  providing additional locking. While the operation of the seal in  FIGS. 5 a , 5 b    is shown for a fixed and a movable roof element, it is equally well possible to use such a seal with two movable roof elements. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b   , there is again shown a schematic and partially cutaway side view and top view, respectively, of the bus  1  of  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , in this case with an open roof, however, i.e. with the roof elements  15   a ,  15   b  in the stored position. The fixing element  29  is still positioned under the pillar  20 , of course, which pillar is connected to the conveyor  17  via the fixing element  29 . In the insets of  FIG. 6 b   , the position of the sealing elements  25  relative to the pillars  26 ,  27  and  20 ,  21 ,  28 , respectively, is shown. When the bus  1  is to be converted again from the state shown in  FIGS. 6 a , 6 b    to the closed state, the electric motor,  19  is driven in the reverse direction so as to rotate the drive shaft  18  (in  FIG. 4 ) in anticlockwise direction. Thus, the upper part of the conveyor  17  will move rearwards, carrying along the pillar  20  via the fixing element  29 , and the roof element  15   b  will move to the rear, whilst initially, the roof element  15   a  will remain stored under the roof  12 . At some point the pillar  26  will come into contact with the pillar  21 , and the pillar  21 , and thus the roof element  15   a , will be carried along with the pillar  26 . When finally, the pillar  20  has returned to the position shown in  FIGS. 4 a , 4 b   , the roof of the bus  1  will be closed and the electric motor  19  will be deactivated. The roof elements  15   a ,  15   b  are now locked in the covering position. 
       FIGS. 7 a  and 7 b    show the above-described movements of the roof elements  15   a ,  15   b , whilst the body of the bus is not shown. In  FIGS. 7 a  and 7 b    corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals as in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . Since the discussion of  FIGS. 4 and 6  is sufficiently clear, it will not be repeated with regard to  FIGS. 7 a    and  7   b.    
       FIG. 7 c    shows an alternative embodiment of a driving mechanism for roof elements  45   a ,  45   b  of a bus comparable to the bus shown in  FIG. 2 , which roof elements  45   a ,  45   b , in contrast to the roof elements of the bus  61  shown in  FIG. 3 , comprise window elements. The driving mechanism of the roof elements  45   a ,  45   b  is positioned at the top of a bus, however, so that the roof elements  45   a ,  45   b  are, at least partially, supported on the endless conveyor belts  47 , which are driven by the electric motor  49  via the drive shaft  48 . The roof elements  45   a ,  45   b  comprise guide elements (not shown) at the bottom side, which guide elements cooperate with a guide on the body of a bus or other vehicle. Instead of providing the two conveyors  47 , it is also possible to provide one central conveyor in or near the centre of the roof elements  45   a ,  45   b , so that the roof elements  45   a ,  45   b  are supported on a conveyor and the body of a bus. 
     In the figures and the description the present invention has been shown and described on the basis of a few embodiments thereof. It will be understood, however, that many variants, which may or may not be obvious to the skilled person, are conceivable within the scope as defined in the following claims. Thus, guides of a different type may be provided at different positions. The roof elements need not be driven, or be movable via guides, but they may also be carried by hand between a covering and a non-covering position or be moved otherwise. The roof elements may also be nestable at the rear of the bus or even in the middle of the bus rather than in the front of the bus. The number of movable roof elements may alternatively be 1, 3, 4 or even more. The roof elements may be entirely or partially made of a material other than a plastic material, for example of glass or another transparent of even non-transparent material. Locking the roof elements can be done in many different ways with or without interaction with any guides. Instead of being guided in separate guides, the roof elements may also be guided in a common guide, etc.