Measuring and testing – Testing by impact or shock
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-25
2003-05-13
Noori, Max (Department: 2855)
Measuring and testing
Testing by impact or shock
C073S856000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561007
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for testing vehicle occupant restraint systems for a side impact, with a target carriage which is provided with a structure in which there are mounted a seat for a test dummy, an imitation of the lower region of a vehicle side structure and the side impact restraint system to be tested, with an impact carriage which is provided with a pushing surface associated with the imitation of the lower region of the vehicle side structure, the impact carriage and the target carriage being movable relative to each other such that an impact of the pushing surface and the imitation of the lower region of the vehicle side structure onto each other can be brought about at a predetermined speed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a device, which is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,758, is shown diagrammatically in FIG.
6
. On the target carriage
10
, the structure
12
is mounted in which are arranged the seat
14
for a test dummy
16
, the imitation
18
of the lower region of a vehicle side structure and the side impact restraint system
20
to be tested. The impact carriage
22
is provided so as to be movable relative to the target carriage
10
, which impact carriage
22
is provided with a pushing surface
24
.
By means of this device, the most varied side impact restraint systems for almost all vehicles can be tested. The imitation
18
of the vehicle side structure is constructed such that it corresponds to the type of vehicle of which the test is to be simulated. In addition, the corresponding side impact restraint system
20
is mounted, which is to come into use in this type of vehicle. If then an impact of the pushing surface
24
onto the imitation
18
of the vehicle side structure is brought about at a predetermined speed, the stresses occurring on the test dummy
16
can be detected in a great variety of ways, for example by transducers or by high speed film recordings. Through evaluation of the detected data, conclusions can be drawn as to the effectiveness of the tested side impact restraint system, without a real test having to be carried out with a vehicle for this purpose.
With this known test device, however, only side impact restraint systems can be tested which, when they are used in the vehicle, extend between the upper body of a vehicle occupant and the lower region of the door. It is not possible to test the side impact restraint systems recently being increasingly used, which provide a restraint effect for the head of a vehicle occupant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a test device with which also side impact restraint systems can be tested which make available a restraint effect for the head of a vehicle occupant. This is made possible in a device of the type initially mentioned in that the structure is additionally provided with an imitation of the upper region of a vehicle side structure and that the impact carriage is provided with an upper pushing surface arranged above the lower pushing surface. In this way, through the cooperation of the imitation of the lower and of the upper region of the vehicle side structure, for example a complete door, the associated A, B, C or D column and the associated roof frame can be simulated, and the behavior of a side impact restraint system which protects either exclusively the head of a vehicle occupant or also his upper body can be tested in combination with the imitation of the entire door.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made that the upper pushing surface is adjustable relative to the lower pushing surface. According to the preferred embodiment, provision is also made that the upper pushing surface is able to be exchanged for a further pushing surface with a different height. Owing to this variability of the impact carriage, the most various objects can be simulated with which a side impact can occur, for example motor vehicles of different sizes, trucks, etc.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, in addition a coupling element is provided which connects the imitation of the upper region of the vehicle side structure with the imitation of the lower region of the vehicle side structure. By means of the coupling element, the type of mounting of the imitation of the upper region of the vehicle side structure to the imitation of the lower region of the vehicle side structure can be embodied individually, so that the deformation behavior of the upper region of the vehicle side structure of the most various vehicles can be simulated, i.e. a comparatively flexible structure of the upper door strut and of the roof frame or a comparatively rigid construction.
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Flankenschutz, Spezial Sicherheit, pp. 56-60, Apr. 1977.
Seitwarts marsch, Spezial, pp. 80-88, Feb. 1996.
Bock Heinz
Herpich Thomas
Hirth Jürgen
Mundal Stein-Helge
Noori Max
Tarolli, Sundheim Covell & Tummino L.L.P.
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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