Vehicle fenders – Buffer or bumper type – Bumper having impact force absorbing means directly...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-02
2001-01-23
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Vehicle fenders
Buffer or bumper type
Bumper having impact force absorbing means directly...
C293S129000, C293S146000, C293S155000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176530
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for underrun protection of vehicles. More particularly, the invention is primarily intended to be applied to heavy cargo vehicles, in particular for preventing passenger vehicles from underrunning the cargo vehicle in the event of a head-on collision.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large motor vehicles, such as cargo vehicles, are presently built with a relatively high ground clearance. One of the major reasons for this is the need to use these vehicles on uneven surfaces. At the front of the vehicle, the ground clearance is normally on the order of about 40 to 50 cm.
The fact that a cargo vehicle normally has a relatively high ground clearance, however, poses a serious traffic safety risk. This is due to the fact that in the case of a head-on collision between a cargo vehicle and a passenger car, there is a risk that the front part of the passenger car will slide in under the front of the cargo vehicle and will thus be pinned between the road and the underside of the front of the cargo vehicle. This can cause the front of the cargo vehicle to penetrate into the passenger car with a great deal of force, which in turn can cause serious injuries to those travelling in the vehicle. In unfortunate cases, the cargo vehicle can even continue forward and run over the passenger car, which can, of course, cause even more serious injuries.
Various solutions have been devised in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. The cargo vehicle can be designed with a lowered front, i.e. a front in which the ground clearance is so low that there is no room for a passenger car to slide under the cargo vehicle and be pinned between the cargo vehicle and the road in the event of a collision. Such a solution, however, counteracts the above-mentioned desire for high ground clearance in order to facilitate driving on uneven terrain. A lowering of the ground clearance is thus not possible for many kinds of cargo vehicles.
Another solution to these problems is to provide the cargo vehicle with special underrun protection in the form of a reinforced structure, for example in the form of a horizontally arranged beam element in the front of the cargo vehicle. Using such an element, it is possible to prevent a passenger car from sliding under the front of the cargo vehicle. Additionally, such a reinforced structure can be so arranged that it becomes energy-absorbing, whereby the structure absorbs energy when strained. This further decreases the risk of serious injuries in the case of a possible collision.
A particular problem in connection with energy-absorbing underrun protections is, however, that it is difficult to direct the energy absorption in a controllable manner. Another problem results from expected legislation within the European Union, which defines threshold values for the stresses which an underrun protection must be able to withstand without exceeding a certain high degree of deformation. According to this legislation, such underrun protection must be able to withstand up to 16 tons of pressure without being deformed. In certain types of accidents, there can however be pressures of a considerably higher amplitude. There is thus a need for a device for underrun protection which can withstand higher pressures than these legislative demands.
A known underrun protection for cargo vehicles is shown in German patent document No. 4,103,782. This underrun protection comprises a shock-absorbing element which is arranged under the front bumper of a cargo vehicle. The shock-absorbing element can be arranged at a certain angle relative to the road. In the event of a collision with a passenger car, the bumper will be affected with a certain force, which will cause a link system to move the shock-absorbing element to a position which prevents the passenger car from sliding under the cargo vehicle.
Although this new design in principle provides good protection against underrunning of the passenger car, it has a drawback in that it comprises a large number of moving parts, which makes it unnecessarily complicated, and it creates a risk of degraded function. This solution additionally offers little possibility of directing the energy absorption in a controlled manner in the event of a collision.
Another known underrun protection for a vehicle is shown in Danish patent document No. 259,822. This system exhibits two essentially S-shaped attenuating elements, which are deformable, and which are arranged between a spring attachment of the vehicle and an underrun protection. In the event of a strain the attenuating elements are deformed, and thus absorb force.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide an improved underrun protection for cargo vehicles, which provides a reliable function, and which meets the demands made on energy absorption. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide an underrun protection which provides a controlled energy absorption during stress.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, these and other objects have now been realized by the invention of apparatus for the protection of vehicles having a front and a frame defining a longitudinal direction, the apparatus comprising an impact member and an energy-absorbing member mounting the impact member to the frame at a location corresponding to the expected point of impact of a force generated by a collision, the energy-absorbing member including an upper portion connected to the frame, the upper portion of the energy-absorbing member comprising a hardened portion of the energy-absorbing member, a lower portion comprising a non-hardened portion of the energy-absorbing member, and a boundary area between the upper portion and the lower portion, the boundary area comprising a weakened area of the energy-absorbing member whereby upon the impact the energy-absorbing member is adapted to pivot about the weakened area for deformation of the energy-absorbing member thereabout. Preferably, the weakened area has a predetermined configuration whereby the weakened area deforms only when impacted by a predetermined impact force.
In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the energy-absorbing member is adapted to pivot about the weakened area substantially longitudinally across the vehicle.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the energy-absorbing member comprises a console extending substantially vertically with respect to the vehicle, and the weakened area of the console comprises an aperture extending through the console.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the energy-absorbing member comprises boron steel.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the impact member comprises a crossbeam extending substantially across the front of the vehicle.
In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus includes a counteracting member mounted on the vehicle adjacent to the energy-absorbing member whereby upon a predetermined degree of the deformation the energy-absorbing member contacts the counteracting member. Preferably, the counteracting member comprises a spring attachment to the vehicle.
The present invention is intended for vehicles which comprise a frame structure and an impact element which is arranged on the vehicle in a position which corresponds to an expected force strain in the event of a collision. The present invention also comprises an energy-absorbing element which connects the frame to the impact element. The present invention is based on the energy-absorbing element being shaped with a weakened portion, which essentially constitutes a pivoting joint for deforming or bending of the element during such strain.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energy-absorbing element is shaped so that it is only deformed during energy absorption if it is affected by a force which exceeds a predetermined t
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
Volvo Lastvagnar AB
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