Granted Patent B2

US 12,728,681 · App. 17/924,864 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventor: Jason Fowler (Allestree, GB)

Assignee: DELLNER COUPLERS AB

B60D5/003B61D17/22B62D47/025

Abstract

Claims (62)

1 . A convolute for a bellows for a gangway, the convolute having:

an outer layer that extends from

a first rim that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute,

via a curved section,

to a second rim, that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute, but is arranged on the same side relative to these further parts of the convolute than the first rim is,

wherein the outer layer has an inward facing surface that extends from the first rim via the inward facing surface of the curved section to the second rim; and

an inner layer having a first piece and a second piece, wherein,

the first piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in a region of the first rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in a region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

the second piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in a region of the second rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

wherein the second end of the first piece overlaps the second piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section, and the second end of the second piece overlaps the first piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section;

wherein the first piece is independent from the second piece and that there is no additional material that is connected to the first piece and to the second piece.

2 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein,

the second end of the first piece is independent from the second piece and no additional material is provided that is connected to the second end of the first piece and connected to the second piece; and/or

the second end of the second piece is independent from the first piece and no additional material is provided that is connected to the second end of the second piece and connected to the first piece.

3 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first piece and the second piece is unpadded.

4 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein the inward facing surface of the curved section has a crest, and wherein,

the second end of the first piece is an edge of the first piece that extends parallel to the crest; and/or

the second end of the second piece is an edge of the second piece that extends parallel to the crest.

5 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

a) the first piece has cuts that extend from the second end into the material of the first piece; and

b) the second piece has cuts that extend from the second end into the material of the second piece.

6 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are made of different materials.

7 . A convolute according to claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises:

a. a longitudinal first side piece;

b. a longitudinal top piece;

c. a longitudinal second side piece;

d. a first corner piece that connects the first side piece to the top piece;

e. a second corner piece that connects the top piece to the second side piece; and

wherein the inner layer is arranged inside the first side piece and/or inside the top piece and/or inside the second side piece and/or inside the first corner piece and/or inside the second corner piece.

8 . A convolute according to claim 7 , wherein the inner layer is made up of at least a first inner layer section and a second inner layer section, and wherein

a. the first piece has a first section that forms part of the first inner layer section;

b. the first piece has a second section that forms part of the second inner layer;

c. the second piece has a first section that forms part of the first inner layer section;

d. the second piece has a second section that forms part of the second inner layer section;

and wherein the first section of the first piece is not connected to the second section of the first piece and/or the first section of the second piece is not connected to the second section of the second piece.

9 . A bellows for a gangway comprising:

at least two convolutes connected to one another, each convolute comprising:

an outer layer that extends from

a. a first rim that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute,

b. via a curved section,

c. to a second rim, that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute, but is arranged on the same side relative to these further parts of the convolute than the first rim is,

wherein the outer layer has an inward facing surface that extends from the first rim via the inward facing surface of the curved section to the second rim; and

an inner layer having a first piece and a second piece, wherein

d. the first piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in a region of the first rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in a region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

e. the second piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in a region of the second rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

wherein the second end of the first piece overlaps the second piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section, and the second end of the second piece overlaps the first piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section;

wherein the first piece is independent from the second piece and that there is no additional material that is connected to the first piece and to the second piece.

10 . A bellows according to claim 9 , wherein a first convolute of said at least two convolutes is arranged next to the second convolute, and wherein the first rim of the first convolute is connected to the second rim of the second convolute.

11 . A bellows according to claim 10 , wherein the first end of the first piece of the inner layer of the first convolute is connected to the first rim by the same connection that connects the first rim of the first convolute to the second rim of the second convolute.

12 . A bellows according to claim 11 , wherein the at least two convolutes comprises three to twenty convolutes, and wherein each convolute is physically connected to a neighboring convolute.

13 . A multi-car vehicle having a first car connected to a second car, and a bellows arranged between the first car and the second car, wherein the bellows comprises at least two convolutes connected to one another, each convolute comprising:

an outer layer that extends from

a. a first rim that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute,

b. via a curved section,

c. to a second rim, that is either arranged inwardly of further parts of the convolute or is arranged outwardly from further parts of the convolute, but is arranged on the same side relative to these further parts of the convolute than the first rim is,

wherein the outer layer has an inward facing surface that extends from the first rim via the inward facing surface of the curved section to the second rim; and

an inner layer having a first piece and a second piece, wherein

d. the first piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in a region of the first rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in a region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

e. the second piece has a first end that is attached to the outer layer in the region of the second rim and has a second end that is opposite to the first end and that is arranged in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; and

wherein the second end of the first piece overlaps the second piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section, and the second end of the second piece overlaps the first piece in the region of the inward facing surface of the curved section; wherein the first piece is independent from the second piece and that there is no additional material that is connected to the first piece and to the second piece.

14 . A multi-car vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the at least two convolutes comprises three to twenty convolutes, wherein each convolute is physically connected to a neighboring convolute, and wherein the first rim of one convolute is connected to the second rim of the neighboring convolute.

15 . A multi-car vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the first end of the first piece of the inner layer of the one convolute is connected to the first rim by the same connection that connects the first rim of the one convolute to the second rim of the neighboring convolute.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (31)