Vehicle Rollover Test Fixture
First Claim
1. A test fixture for rollover crash testing of a test vehicle onto a moving surface said fixture comprising:
- a cradle to support and rotate a test vehicle;
a structure to position and releasably hold the cradle;
a moving sled having a contact surface and carried by a guide extending beneath the structure and the cradle;
means for releasing the cradle and test vehicle from the structure responsive to a sensing means for contact within a drop impact zone on the contact surface of the moving sled;
means for rotating the cradle; and
means for arresting vertical motion of the cradle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test fixture for rollover crash testing of a test vehicle onto a moving surface employs a cradle to support and rotate the test vehicle. A vertical support structure to positions and releasably holds the cradle. A moving sled having a contact surface is carried by a guide extending beneath the structure and the cradle fixture. The cradle is rotated and released from the structure responsive to a sensor for contact within a drop impact zone on the contact surface of the moving sled. Vertical motion of the cradle is then arrested to prevent further damage to the test vehicle or the test structure.
16 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A test fixture for rollover crash testing of a test vehicle onto a moving surface said fixture comprising:
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a cradle to support and rotate a test vehicle;
a structure to position and releasably hold the cradle;
a moving sled having a contact surface and carried by a guide extending beneath the structure and the cradle;
means for releasing the cradle and test vehicle from the structure responsive to a sensing means for contact within a drop impact zone on the contact surface of the moving sled;
means for rotating the cradle; and
means for arresting vertical motion of the cradle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for crash testing of a test vehicle or representation thereof onto a moving surface comprising the steps of:
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providing a structure to support and position a test vehicle component above a moving sled path;
providing a moving sled on the path onto which the test vehicle is dropped in synchronous coordination with simulated roadway obstacles within an impact zone;
rotating the support structure to position the test vehicle for impact onto the impact zone on the moving sled;
triggering the drop of the test vehicle at a specific time with respect to the position of the moving sled; and
, isolating the test vehicle from additional impacts after the desired impact or impacts as the moving roadway proceeds beyond the impact zone after impact. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification