METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONDUCTING CRASH-SLED TESTS

• US 20100288013A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Hofinger, Manfred, Moser, Andreas, Steffan, Hermann
• Application Number:
  US12/676,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/12.04
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0078 Shock-testing of vehicles

Abstract

Method for conducting crash sled tests, in particular for simulating the impact of a motor vehicle on an obstacle, whereby the deceleration forces of a real collision are simulated by accelerating a crash sled in a manner corresponding to the real deceleration curve, and whereby, for an improved simulation of the movement of the test object upon impact, the pitching motion in a collision is additionally simulated by moving the test object in the vertical direction. Also, a device for applying said method.

Claims

1. Method for conducting crash sled tests, in particular for simulating the impact of a motor vehicle on an obstacle, whereby the deceleration forces of a real collision are simulated by accelerating a crash sled in a manner corresponding to the real deceleration curve, characterized in that, additionally, the pitching motion upon impact is simulated by moving the test object in the vertical direction.

2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that the test object is moved at its front and/or rear end.

3. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that the test object is raised and/or lowered.

4. Method as in claim 2, characterized in that the movement of the front end of the test object is controlled independently of the movement of its rear end.

5. Method as in claim 1 characterized in that, during the test, the test object is subjected to an acceleration force in the pitching direction which force is greater than the force needed for an acceleration corresponding to the real pitching motion, and that for achieving the desired pitching motion a braking power is applied that counteracts the acceleration and is strong enough for the resulting force to lead to the desired pitching motion.

6. Method as in claim 5, characterized in that the braking power is controlled as a function of the measured real pitching motion.

7. Device for applying the method according to claim 1, with a sled (1) on which the test object can be mounted and with means for accelerating sled (1) in a manner corresponding to the real deceleration curve, characterized in that sled (1) is provided with additional elements (4, 5) by means of which the test object can be moved in the vertical direction.

8. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that the front and/or rear end of the test object can be moved in the vertical direction.

9. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that the test object can be raised and/or lowered.

10. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that the front-end and rear-end motion of the test object can be individually controlled independently of each other.

11. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that for the movement of the test object relative to sled (1), sled (1) is provided with actuators (4, 5).

12. Device as in claim 11, characterized in that the actuators (4, 5) act on swivel levers (8, 9) by way of which a movement in the longitudinal direction (III) of sled (1) is translated into a movement in the vertical direction (V).

13. Device as in claim 11, characterized in that the actuator (4) for the front-end up and down movement is bracket-mounted in the rear of sled (1), and the actuator for the rear-end up and down movement is bracket-mounted in the front of sled (1).

14. Device as in claim 11, characterized in that each actuator (4, 5) acts on a length-adjustable rod (11).

15. Device as in claim 11, characterized in that each actuator (4, 5) comprises a compression chamber whose volume is delimited by a piston which, by way of a push rod (6), acts on the test object, as well as a compressor for generating the necessary pressure in the compression chamber, and a braking system (7) that acts on the test object or on the push rod (6).

16. Device as in claim 15, characterized in that elements are provided by means of which the braking power can be controlled as a function of the measured real pitching motion.

17. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that mounted on sled (1), is an auxiliary platform (2) that is height-adjustable relative to sled (1) and on which the test object can be mounted.

18. Device as in claim 17, characterized in that platform (2) is linked to sled (1) via a swivel lever (3) that is pivot-mounted on sled (1) and on platform (2), respectively, via horizontal transverse swivel pins (I, II) which are axially offset in the longitudinal direction (III) of the sled.