Trailer underride crash guard

• US 6,116,667 A
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert Torcomian
• Original Assignee: Albert Torcomian
• Inventors: Torcomian, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHENEVERT, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US09/227,703
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 293/118, 293/132, 293/135, 293/133, 293/155, 293/131
• US Class Current: 293/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/56 Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers; Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/266 using friction sufaces

Abstract

A vehicle bumper and underride crash guard protection device to prevent other vehicles underriding the protected vehicle. The bumper or guard system uses pre-tensioned brake plates which absorb energy by moving at a predeterimined force. The bumper structure has a pivoting arrangement such that upon contact of the main bumper guard by a vehicle, the pivoting member transmits the horizontal force of the moving vehicle to the pre-tensioned energy absorption devices usually located under the vehicle. The bumper system allows large, load-carrying vehicles to comply with certain vehicle regulatory requirements for a crash guard bumper with the capability of deforming, moving or absorbing crash forces at predetermined impact points in a predetermined and regulated fashion.

Claims

1. An crash bumper comprising:

a.) a first horizontal member;

b.) a vertical member attached to said first horizontal member in a substantially vertical direction to support said first horizontal member;

c.) a knee joint apparatus for supporting said vertical member to a frame;

d.) a second horizontal member operatively connected between said knee joint and a brake plate such that rotation of the knee joint from movement of the first horizontal member transfers the movement to said brake plate through said knee joint;

e.) and a brake plate housing affixed to said brake plate in a fashion to provide resistance to movement of said brake plate.

2. An underride protection bumper comprising:

a) A bumper extending horizontally across and below the vehicle body;

b) at least one vertically extending bumper support, said at least one vertically extending bumper support being disposed to support the said bumper and provide for attachment of said bumper to a horizontal member, a first end of said at least one vertically extending bumper support is attached to said safety bumper, said at least one vertically extending bumper support maintaining the bumper above a road surface at a height sufficient to intercept or contact any automobile or vehicle traveling into and under said vehicle body;

c) a second horizontal member with a first end rotatably attached to said at least one vertically extending bumper support to rotate about the same axis as the corresponding second end of the at least one vertically extending bumper support;

d) wherein said horizontal member is attached to a brake plate attached to the said frame;

e) wherein said brake plate is operatively connected to a brake plate housing, said brake plate housing being permanently affixed to the vehicle frame;

f) wherein said brake plate is operatively connected to said brake plate housing with a fastening means that provides for the compression of said brake plate housing on said brake plate.