With the aid of air suspension and specially designed electronics, buses and other passenger transport vehicles can be adapted to the requirements for vertical adjustment in accordance with the new EU directive (2001/85/EC). The Swedish development company Airlink reports that this can now be achieved in a simpler, safer and more efficient manner than has previously been possible.

The new directive regulates e.g. the entrance height, which may not be above 250 mm, i.e. the height of a normal step. It also places demands on safety functions. For example, it should not be possible for the vehicle to be driven off if the level regulation is in the lowered position.
The design of the level regulation system means that a vehicle can be raised, lowered or tipped. An example might be a bus, which is lowered to allow passengers to board more easily. Another example might be a distribution lorry which is lowered or raised in order to adapt the cargo height to a loading platform, states Peter Kvoch, MD of Airlink. Raising a vehicle to the driving level from the lowest position is reported to take between 5 and 10 seconds, depending on the choice of air bellows and compressor. There is no upper limit as regards the size of the vehicle - it depends on the size of the chosen air bellows.

At the heart of the system is an electronics unit developed in-house, based on a microprocessor with a total of 96 inputs and outputs, which is reported to hold sufficient power also to control other functions such as automatic doors, air conditioning, etc., which do not need to be linked to the actual level regulation system.
"The electronics can measure speed and accept signals from an open door and activate the parking brake, for example. There are a large number of functions, all of which can be used to create a safer and more efficient system," explains Peter Kvoch.

Captions:
1. With the aid of electronics developed in-house combined with level regulation, the Swedish company Airlink can ensure that buses are adapted to the new EU directive (2001/85/EC), which limits e.g. the entrance height to 250 mm.

2. The new EU directive (2001/85/EC) stipulates demands that e.g. disabled people should not need to use special ramps in order to board and alight from public transport vehicles. Level regulation systems from the Swedish company Airlink are reported to adapt the vehicles in question in accordance with the new directive.


For further information, please contact:
Peter Kvoch, Airlink AB
Gårdsfogdevägen 12-14, SE-168 66 Bromma, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0) 8-28 42 40, Fax: +46 (0)8-446 63 19
Mobile: +46 (0)70-324 39 99, e-mail: info@airlink.se
Website: www.airlink.se