Method and apparatus for simulating vehicle side impacts
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
- a door structure for simulating a vehicle door;
a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired relationship with said door structure;
sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; and
connector means for connecting said door structure with said sled means upon impacting of said sled means against said door structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (20) for use in simulating vehicle side impacts includes a target sled (24) and a bullet sled (26). A door structure (46) is disposed on the target sled (24). A seat (44) is disposed on the target sled (24) adjacent to an inner side (58) of the door structure (46) to support a test dummy (22) in a desired relationship with the door structure. A safety apparatus (178) with an air bag (182) is supported adjacent to the door structure (46) and the seat (44). Upon impacting of the bullet sled (26) against an outer side (60) of the door structure (46), the air bag (182) is inflated and the door structure is moved relative to the seat (44). As this occurs, a connector assembly (238) interconnects the door structure (46) and the bullet sled. Continued movement of the bullet sled (26) and door structure (46) relative to the target sled (24) moves the seat (44) along tracks (154 and 156) disposed on the target sled (24). After the bullet sled (26) has moved the door structure (46) to a predetermined position relative to the target sled (24), the bullet sled engages the target sled and moves the target sled and the deceleration of the bullet sled and target sled are controlled.
70 Citations
64 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a door structure for simulating a vehicle door; a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired relationship with said door structure; sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; and connector means for connecting said door structure with said sled means upon impacting of said sled means against said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a door structure for simulating a vehicle door; a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired spatial relationship with said door structure; sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; means for guiding movement of said sled means along a first path extending transversely to the outer side of said door structure; and means for guiding movement of said seat along a second path which is parallel with the first path. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of simulating a vehicle side impact, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a test dummy on a seat in a selected relationship with a door structure; moving a sled toward the door structure with the test dummy disposed on the seat in the selected relationship with the door structure; impacting the sled against the door structure; and interconnecting the sled and the door structure. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a door structure for simulating a vehicle door; a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired relationship with said door structure; sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; means for supporting a vehicle occupant restraint adjacent to said door structure and said seat, said vehicle occupant restraint comprises an air bag and means for effecting inflation of said air bag from a folded condition to an expanded condition upon impacting of said sled means against said door structure; and connector means for connecting said door structure with said sled means upon impacting of said sled means against said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a door structure for simulating a vehicle door; a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired spatial relationship with said door structure; sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; means for guiding movement of said sled means along a first path extending transversely to the outer side of said door structure; drive means for moving said sled means towards said door structure along the first path while said door structure is stationary and for moving said sled means and door structure together along the first path after impacting of said sled means against the outer side surface of said door structure; means for guiding movement of said seat along a second path which is parallel with the first path; and connector means for connecting said door structure with said sled means for movement therewith along said first path after impacting of said sled means with the outer side surface of said door structure.
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32. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a first sled; a door structure disposed in a first position on said first sled; a seat disposed on said first sled adjacent to an inner side of said door structure to support the test dummy; a second sled; drive means for impacting said second sled against an outer side of said door structure, for moving said door structure relative to said first sled from the first position to a second position, and for moving said first sled upon movement of said door structure to the second position; and connector means for connecting said door structure with said second sled for movement of said door structure from the first position to the second position with said second sled.
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33. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a first sled; a door structure disposed in a first position on said first sled; a seat disposed on said first sled adjacent to an inner side of said door structure to support the test dummy; a second sled; drive means for impacting said second sled against an outer side of said door structure, for moving said door structure relative to said first sled from the first position to a second position, and for moving said first sled upon movement of said door structure to the second position; and connector means for connecting said door structure with said second sled upon impacting of said second sled against said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method of simulating a vehicle side impact, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a test dummy on a seat in a selected relationship with a door structure and a retracted air bag; moving a sled toward the door structure with the test dummy disposed on the seat in the selected relationship with the door structure and the retracted air bag; impacting the sled against the door structure;
thereafter,connecting the door structure with the sled upon impacting of the sled against the door structure; and inflating the air bag. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of simulating a vehicle side impact, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a test dummy and a seat disposed on a first sled adjacent to an inner side of a door structure; impacting a second sled against an outer side of the door structure; moving the door structure relative to the first sled; interconnecting the second sled and the door structure, said step of moving the door structure relative to the first sled being at least partially performed with the second sled and door structure interconnected; impacting the second sled against the first sled; and moving the first sled.
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43. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a door structure for simulating a vehicle door; a seat disposed adjacent to an inner side of said door structure for supporting the test dummy in a desired relationship with said door structure; sled means for impacting against an outer side of said door structure to move said door structure relative to said seat; and alignment means connected with said door structure and said sled means for aligning said door structure with said sled means prior to impacting of said sled means against said door structure, said alignment means including a plurality of projections extending into space between said door structure and sled means prior to impacting of said sled means against said door structure and a plurality of surface means for defining a plurality of recesses which at least partially receive said projections prior to impacting of said sled means against said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a first sled; first track means for supporting said first sled and for guiding movement of said first sled; a door structure disposed in a first position on said first sled; a seat disposed on said first sled adjacent to an inner side of said door structure to support the test dummy; second track means for guiding movement of said seat relative to said first sled;
said second track means being disposed on said first sled and extending parallel to said first track means;a second sled; and drive means for impacting said second sled against an outer side of said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An apparatus for use with a test dummy to simulate vehicle side impacts, said apparatus comprising:
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a first sled; a door structure disposed in a first position on said first sled; a seat disposed on said first sled adjacent to an inner side of said door structure to support the test dummy; a second sled; a plurality of projections extending outwardly from a first one of said first and second sleds; drive means for impacting said second sled against an outer side of said door structure, for moving said door structure relative to said first sled from the first position to a second position, and for moving said first sled upon movement of said door structure to the second position; and surface means connected with a second one of said first and second sleds for defining a plurality of recesses which at least partially receive said projections prior to impacting of said second sled against said door structure. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method of simulating a vehicle side impact, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a test dummy in a selected relationship with a door structure with the test dummy on a seat disposed on a first track which is disposed on a first sled and which extends transversely to the door structure; moving a second sled in a first direction toward the door structure with the test dummy on the seat in the selected relationship with the door structure; impacting the second sled against the door structure; moving the seat in the first direction along the first track on the first sled under the influence of force transmitted from the second sled; and moving the first sled in the first direction along a second track under the influence of force transmitted from the first sled.
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64. A method of simulating a vehicle side impact, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a test dummy on a seat in a selected relationship with a door structure; moving a sled toward the door structure with the test dummy disposed on the seat in the selected relationship with the door structure; aligning the door structure with the sled while performing said step of moving the sled toward the door structure, said step of aligning the door structure with the sled includes moving surfaces connected with the sled into sliding engagement with surfaces connected with the door structure; and impacting the sled against the door structure, said step of moving surfaces connected with the sled into sliding engagement with surfaces connected with the door structure being performed prior to impacting of the sled against the door structure.
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Specification