The invention relates to a rail vehicle for passenger transport, having a plurality of passenger seats which form a seating arrangement and which are secured in the rail vehicle.

In rail traffic for passenger transport, in particular in regional and local rail traffic, the use and type of use of the rail vehicles, both over one day and over the seasons, is subject to significant fluctuations.

On the one hand, the fluctuations are based on peak commuter times in which a maximum number of passengers are intended to be conveyed. An optimum inner space configuration of the rail vehicle for these purposes are passenger compartments with large standing space regions and, depending on the vehicle contour, only few seats or none at all. A seasonal fluctuation in use is based on the fact that, for example, in the summer, or as a result of the weather, there is a demand for a significantly increased carriage of bicycles in the vehicles. An optimum inner space configuration for such purposes is a mixture of bicycle storage regions which are free from seats and seating regions.

Outside of these special instances of use, it is in the interest of the passengers and consequently also the rail operators to provide the greatest possible number of comfortable seats.

For the purposes mentioned, it is known to provide so-called multi-purpose regions in vehicles in which there are provided passenger seats which can be folded away and which are typically mounted on a side wall of the rail vehicle. It is also possible to completely remove the seats but they then have to be accommodated in storage spaces which have to be provided.

It is further known from DE 10 2009 004 987 A1 for aircraft, in the case of passenger seats, to fold the seat face thereof against the rear face in order to then push the passenger seats one into the other. During this procedure, the passenger seats do not have to be disassembled, but can be pushed together in a space-saving manner. However, it is perceived to be disadvantageous that these seats still require a considerable area which cannot be used in any other manner since it serves to store the vehicle seats.

Based on this, an object of the invention is to develop a rail vehicle of the type mentioned in the introduction in such a manner that the seating arrangement of the vehicle inner space can be changed rapidly based on fluctuations in use.

This object is achieved with the rail vehicle in that, for at least one passenger seat, there are provided a guiding device for moving the passenger seat in a vertical direction directly below an inner ceiling of the rail vehicle and a securing device for securing the passenger seat below the inner ceiling.

In this manner, it is possible to make completely available the floor space which is occupied when the passenger seat is in use for a different purpose. The free spatial region below the inner ceiling is used as a â€œstorage spaceâ€ for the passenger seat. In this instance, any relevant provisions relating to required passageway heights of at least 1950 mm are intended to be complied with.

The passenger seat may have a backrest and a seat face, the backrest then being able to be folded onto the seat face of the passenger seat. It is consequently possible to use complete passenger seats which have a backrest for the seating arrangement of the inner space of the rail vehicle. As a result of the foldability of the passenger seat, space-saving storage below the inner ceiling of the rail vehicle is possible.

In particular for passenger seats located in the central portion of the inner space of the rail vehicle, the guiding device can be constructed as a vertical retention rod. If necessary, the passenger seat is pushed upward along the retention rod below the ceiling. In this instance, the retention rod may have at the upper end thereof catch means for securing the passenger seat.

For passenger seats which are adjacent to the side wall of the rail vehicle, it may be advantageous for the guiding device to be constructed as a rail which is fitted vertically to a side wall of the rail vehicle. The vehicle seat is pushed upward vertically along the rail if necessary and secured directly below the inner ceiling. This securing may preferably be carried out in that the passenger seat can be clamped at the upper end of the rail.

The passenger seat may be secured exclusively by means of the guiding device. This would then apply both to the position of use thereof over the floor of the rail vehicle and also to the position thereof below the inner ceiling of the rail vehicle. For both positions, suitable securing means are then intended to be provided. However, it is not impossible for the vehicle seat in the position for use thereof to be further fitted by means of additional, releasable securing means which are accessible from the inner space, for example, to the floor or the side wall of the rail vehicle when an increased fixing system appears to be required.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings. In this instance, components which have the same action are indicated with the same reference numerals. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view from above of a longitudinal portion of a rail vehicle, which is provided with a seating arrangement,

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the longitudinal portion of a rail vehicle of FIG. 1 with vehicle seats in a first position,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the longitudinal portion of FIG. 1 with vehicle seats in a second position,

FIG. 4 is a view in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal portion of FIG. 1 with vehicle seats in a third position, and

FIG. 5 is a view in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal portion of FIG. 1 with vehicle seats in a fourth position.

In FIG. 1, a portion of a seating arrangement of an inner space of a rail vehicle is illustrated. A backrest 1 and a seat face 2 form a vehicle seat 6. In the example of FIG. 1, the illustrated longitudinal portion of the rail vehicle shows a total of 24 vehicle seats which are each arranged in pairs, backrest 1 to backrest 1. External vehicle seats 6 adjoin a side wall 7. At an inner side of the side wall 7, there are provided vertically extending guide rails 4 on which the external vehicle seats 6 are releasably secured in the position for use thereof. Internal vehicle seats 6 are in contrast releasably secured to vertically extending retention rods 5.

Both the guide rails 4 and the retention rods 5 serve to move the vehicle seats 6 from a position for use over the floor of the rail vehicle into a raised position below an inner ceiling 3 of the rail vehicle. In this context, it can be seen from FIG. 2 that the backrests 1, as indicated with arrows, can be folded down in such a manner that they rest on the seat faces 2.

In FIG. 3, centrally arranged vehicle seats 6 are already arranged in the raised position below the inner ceiling 3. To this end, they have been moved along the retention rod 5 or the guide rail 4 vertically upward. In the case of use of one of the retention rods 5, a catch means for securing the passenger seat 6 is provided at the upper end thereof. If the guide rails 4 are used in order to move one of the passenger seats 6 into the raised position, the passenger seat 6 may be able to be clamped to the upper end of the guide rail 4 so that it maintains its raised position. In FIG. 3 at the right-hand side, the folded-in position of the passenger seat 6 still in a state close to the floor, an intermediate position and the raised position are illustrated (the last two with dashed lines).

FIGS. 4 and 5 show other possible arrangements of passenger seats, some in the position for use, some in a raised position. What they have in common is that provisions to be complied with relating to a passageway height of at least 1950 mm are intended to be complied with. Since each individual vehicle seat 6 can be moved individually into the raised position, the longitudinal portion of the rail vehicle as illustrated in FIG. 1 can be released in the manner required in order to accommodate additional passengers or to accommodate bicycles by an appropriate number and arrangement of passenger seats 6 being moved into the raised position.