US-12623736-B2 - Cabin, truck comprising the cabin, and associated method

US12623736B2US 12623736 B2US12623736 B2US 12623736B2US-12623736-B2

Abstract

A cabin for a truck, the cabin comprising a cabin door, to provide access for a user to an interior of the cabin; an exterior surface, which is accessible from outside the cabin when the cabin door is closed; a window, positioned at a window height; and a control panel, comprising a plurality of controls, each control being configured to be operated by the user to control an equipment of the truck, wherein the control panel is secured to the exterior surface at a control panel height, equal or inferior to the window height, so that the controls can be operated by the user when the user stands outside of the cabin and with the cabin door closed.

Inventors

Sebastien NALLET
Xavier Dolmazon

Assignees

VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241008
Priority Date: 20231016

Claims (15)

1 . A cabin, for a truck, the cabin comprising: a cabin door, to provide access for a user to an interior of the cabin; an exterior surface, the exterior surface being a surface of the cabin which is accessible from outside the cabin when the cabin door is closed; a window, positioned at a window height relative to a bottom of the cabin; and a control panel, comprising a plurality of controls, each control being configured to be operated by the user to control an equipment of the truck, wherein the control panel is secured to the exterior surface at a control panel height, relative to the bottom of the cabin, equal or inferior to the window height, so that the controls can be operated by the user when the user stands outside of the cabin and with the cabin door closed, each equipment being an equipment among a group comprising: motor equipment of the truck; auxiliary equipment of the truck; and bodybuilder equipment of the truck.
2 . The cabin of claim 1 , wherein the cabin further comprises an exterior compartment comprising: a hollow recess, formed on the exterior surface of the cabin; and a closable lid, configured to move between a closed position, wherein the lid covers the hollow recess, and an open position, wherein the lid leaves at least a portion of the hollow recess uncovered, the lid being configured to move from the closed position to the open position independently from the position of the cabin door; wherein the control panel is secured in the hollow recess.
3 . The cabin of claim 1 : wherein the exterior surface comprises a door side, the cabin door being located on the door side; and wherein the control panel is secured on the door side.
4 . The cabin of claim 1 , wherein the window is a door window equipped on the cabin door.
5 . The cabin of claim 1 , wherein the window height is measured at a bottom frame edge of the window.
6 . The cabin of claim 1 : wherein the cabin door includes a door handle positioned on the exterior surface at a handle height relative to the bottom of the cabin; wherein the door handle is operable from the outside of the cabin for disengaging the cabin door from a closed position, when the cabin door was engaged in the closed position; and wherein the control panel height is equal or inferior to the door handle height.
7 . The cabin of claim 1 , wherein the control panel further comprises a display screen for displaying a state of the equipment controlled by the control or for displaying images acquired by a camera equipped on the truck.
8 . The cabin of claim 1 , wherein the control panel comprises a fixed part, fixedly secured to the exterior surface and including at least one of the controls.
9 . The cabin of claim 1 : wherein the control panel comprises a removable part, removably secured to the exterior surface and including at least one of the controls; wherein the removable part is movable between a secured configuration; wherein the removable part is secured to the exterior surface and a remote configuration; and wherein the removable part is removed from the exterior surface for being held at a distance from the exterior surface by the user to control the equipment of the truck from the distance.
10 . The cabin of claim 9 : wherein the removable part includes an embedded electrical storage; wherein the cabin further comprises a charging station secured to the exterior surface; and wherein the removable part is connected to the charging station when in the secured configuration for the charging station to supply electrical power to the embedded electrical storage and disconnected from the charging station when in the remote configuration.
11 . A truck comprising the cabin of claim 1 .
12 . The truck of claim 11 , further comprising the equipment controlled by the controls of the control panel, the equipment being an equipment among a group comprising: motor equipment of the truck; auxiliary equipment of the truck; and bodybuilder equipment of the truck.
13 . A method, for controlling an equipment of a truck: the equipment being an equipment among a group comprising: motor equipment of the truck; auxiliary equipment of the truck; and bodybuilder equipment of the truck; the truck comprising a cabin, comprising: a cabin door, to provide access for a user to an interior of the cabin; an exterior surface, the exterior surface being a surface of the cabin which is accessible from outside the cabin when the cabin door is closed; a window, positioned at a window height relative to a bottom of the cabin; and a control panel, comprising a plurality of controls, each control being configured to be operated by the user to control the equipment of the truck, wherein the control panel is secured to the exterior surface at a control panel height, relative to the bottom of the cabin, equal or inferior to the window height; the method comprising: while the cabin door is closed and the user is standing outside the cabin, operating, the controls to control the equipment, by the user.
14 . The method of claim 13 : wherein the method further comprises moving a closable lid from a closed position, wherein the lid covers a hollow recess formed on the exterior surface of the cabin, to an open position wherein the lid leaves at least a portion of the hollow recess uncovered, wherein the control panel is secured in the hollow recess; and wherein operating the controls includes that the lid is in the open position, in addition to the cabin door being closed and the user standing outside the cabin.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the control panel comprises a fixed part, fixedly secured to the exterior surface and including at least one of the controls, the cabin further comprising a removable part, removably secured to the exterior surface and including at least one of the controls, the removable part comprising at least one of the controls, wherein the method further comprises: removing the removable part from the exterior surface by the user; holding the removable part at a distance from the exterior surface by the user; and while the cabin door is closed and the user is standing outside the cabin, operating the at least one of the controls included on the removable part, to control the equipment of the truck, by the user.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 23203822.4, filed on Oct. 16, 2023, and entitled “CABIN, TRUCK COMPRISING THE CABIN, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to trucks. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a cabin for a truck, a truck comprising the cabin, and an associated method. The disclosure can be applied to commercial vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND It is well-known that a user of a commercial vehicle may need to operate equipment of the truck outside a truck cabin, and be able to see the equipment, or surroundings of the truck while operating the equipment. Controls to operate the equipment are usually inside the cabin, on a dashboard of the cabin. In this case, the user needs to get in and out of the cabin in order to operate the equipment and to see the equipment or the surroundings of the truck. To facilitate entry and exit of the cabin, the user generally keeps a door of the cabin open during operation of the equipment. As a result, the field of vision of the user is obstructed by the door, and the maneuverability of the truck is decreased. Furthermore, repeatedly entering and exiting the cabin is time-consuming and tiresome for the user. Further, there is a risk of work related accident. It is also known to include commands in the door panel, however this means that the equipment is operated while keeping the door open. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, the invention relates to a cabin, for a truck, the cabin comprising: a cabin door, to provide access for a user to an interior of the cabin;an exterior surface, the exterior surface being a surface of the cabin which is accessible from outside the cabin when the cabin door is closed;a window, positioned at a window height relative to a bottom of the cabin; anda control panel, comprising a plurality of controls, each control being configured to be operated by the user to control an equipment of the truck, wherein the control panel is secured to the exterior surface at a control panel height, relative to the bottom of the cabin, equal or inferior to the window height, so that the controls can be operated by the user when the user stands outside of the cabin and with the cabin door closed, each equipment being an equipment among a group comprising: motor equipment of the truck;auxiliary equipment of the truck; andbodybuilder equipment of the truck. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to make the operation of the equipment of the truck more efficient for the user. A technical benefit may include improved visibility, safety and quicker operation of the equipment. Indeed, thanks to the invention, it is possible to control equipment of the truck without the user otherwise being in contact with the cabin nor the truck, such as standing on the cabin or the truck, sitting on or inside the cabin or the truck, climbing on the cabin or the truck. As the operator does not need to continuously climb into or on the cabin to control the equipment and outside of the cabin to check the correct operation of the equipment, operating the equipment is quicker. Improved visibility, because of the closed door, while operating the equipment is also achieved. Finally, keeping the door closed while operating the equipment also improves safety, as other people cannot enter the cabin and there is no risk of collision of exterior elements such as cars, or people, with the open door, and improved maneuverability of the truck, as the closed door decreases a volume occupied by the truck. In some examples, the control panel is secured next to said door, or at least on a cabin side of the cabin where said cabin door is also positioned. In some examples, when the cabin includes several cabin doors to give access to the interior of the cabin to the user when open, the control panel is secured to the exterior surface, so that the controls can be operated by the user when the user stands outside of the cabin and with all the cabin doors closed. In some examples, including in at least one preferred example, optionally the cabin further comprises an exterior compartment comprising: a hollow recess, formed on the exterior surface of the cabin; anda closable lid, configured to move between a closed position, wherein the lid covers the hollow recess, and an open position, wherein the lid leaves at least a portion of the hollow recess uncovered, the lid being configured to move from the closed position to the open position independently from the position of the cabin door,and wherein the control panel is secured in the hollow recess. A technical benefit may include providing a storage sp