Torsional under-ride guard

• US 6,176,529 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lakin Manufactoring Corporation
• Original Assignee: Henschen Div. Of Qds Components
• Inventors: Campbell, Terry D., Kitzmiller, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/233,588
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 293/102, 293/103, 293/132, 293/135, 293/136, 293/137, 293/143, 293/144, 293/145, 293/146, 293/118, 293/120, 293/121
• US Class Current: 293/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/30 Elastomeric material B60R19/34 takes precedence
• 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 2019/268 with rebound preventing means, e.g. ratchets
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2236/126 Neidhart-type rubber springs

Abstract

An energy absorption device designed to be mounted on the rear of a high elevation vehicle (e.g. a truck, cargo carrier, trailer or semi-trailer). More particularly, a torsional under-ride guard for use with a high elevation vehicle, which torsional under-ride guard reduces the likelihood that another vehicle will under-ride the high elevation vehicle and absorbs some of the impact energy created when another vehicle collides with the torsional under-ride guard.

Claims

1. A torsional under-ride guard, comprising:

(a) at least one torsional elastic joint, adapted to be mounted to a high elevation vehicle;

(b) a bumper member connected to the torsional joint and moveable between an at-rest position and a retracted position; and

(c) at least one return stop block adapted to prevent the bumper member from automatically returning to the at-rest position from the retracted position;

wherein the return stop block comprises a guide having a bore passing therethrough, and a moveable bar which slideably extends through the bore.

2. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the

moveable bar has a first end and a second end with a head at the first end, which head is configured so that the head cannot pass through the bore.

3. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 2, wherein the moveable bar is a bolt.

4. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 2, wherein the moveable bar further comprises a follower at the second end.

5. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 2, wherein the return block further comprises a spring biasing element.

6. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 5, wherein the spring biasing element comprises a compression spring.

7. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the bumper member further comprises a pair of levers connecting the bumper member and the torsional elastic joint.

8. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 7, wherein the levers are spaced apart from one another and wherein the bumper member extends between the levers.

9. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 8, wherein the bumper member extends beyond the levers.

10. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 7, wherein the movement of the bumper member from the at-rest position to the retracted position defines an angle β

and a displacement D.

11. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 10, wherein the displacement D is 5 inches.

12. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 10, wherein the angle β

is 21°

.

13. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the torsional elastic joint comprises:

(a) an outer tubular member;

(b) an inner member disposed generally concentrically within and spaced from the outer member for rotation relative thereto about a common axis; and

(c) at least one yieldable restraint disposed within the outer member and interacting between it and the inner member to effect a resistance against the relative rotation of the outer and inner members about the common axis.

14. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the torsional elastic joint comprises:

(a) an outer tubular member having a plurality of annularly symmetrically arranged internal surfaces defining an opening therethrough;

(b) an inner member generally concentrically disposed within the opening through the outer member and spaced from the outer member for rotation relative thereto about a common axis, the inner member having a plurality of annularly symmetrically-arranged external surfaces each of which is normally oriented to face radially outwardly toward a pocket formed by the juncture between two of the internal surfaces on the outer member, and

(c) a plurality of elastic, cushioning elements normally disposed under radial compression between the external surfaces on the inner member and the internal surfaces of the outer member.

15. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the torsional elastic joint comprises:

(a) an outer tubular member;

(b) an inner member disposed generally concentrically within and spaced from the outer member for rotation relative thereto about a common axis; and

(c) a plurality of elastic cushioning members disposed between the interior of the outer member and the exterior of the inner member for yieldingly holding the inner and outer members generally concentric to one another and yieldingly restraining relative rotation thereof.

16. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the torsional elastic joint comprises:

(a) an outer tubular member;

(b) an inner member disposed generally concentrically within the outer member and spaced therefrom for rotation relative thereto about a common axis; and

(c) a plurality of elastic rollers disposed between the interior of the outer member and the exterior of the inner member in substantially uniformly spaced relationship about the inner member, the outer member having a regular polygonal inner profile in a transverse plane providing substantially flat, roller-engaging surfaces having axially-extending junctions, the sides of the inner member, in transverse section, substantially defining a symmetrical, closed, polygonal figure and the number of roller-engaging sides of which correspond to the number on the outer member and having protuberances at the junctions of adjacent sides, the protuberances providing roller-engaging extensions of the sides of the inner member beyond the sides of a regular polygonal figure in the same peripheral direction with respect to the common axis.

17. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, further comprising a bearing arrangement,

wherein the torsional elastic joint comprises an outer tubular member, at least one inner member, and at least one yieldable restraint disposed within the outer member and interacting between it and the inner member to effect a resistance against the relative rotation of the outer and inner members about a common axis;

and

wherein the bearing arrangement positively maintains the inner and outer members concentric with respect to the common axis.

18. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 17, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a housing member rigidly secured to the inner member for rotation therewith relative to the outer member and a bearing element adapted to maintain the inner and outer members concentric with respect to the common axis;

wherein the housing member together with the outer member defines a bearing race about the outer member; and

wherein the bearing element is disposed within the bearing race.

19. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 17, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a bearing recess defined by portions of the inner and outer members, the bearing recess being open at one end, a bearing element disposed within the bearing recess to maintain concentricity of the inner and outer members, and a releasable element retaining the bearing element in the recess against endwise removal.

20. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 17, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a housing member secured to the inner member and overlying a portion of the exterior of the outer member to define a bearing recess surrounding the outer member, a longitudinally split bearing element disposed within the bearing recess and provided with a cylindrical outer peripheral surface and a central opening therethrough having a non-circular configuration generally corresponding to and closely embracing the outer member, whereby the bearing element slidably engages the housing member and nonrotatably engages the outer member, and a releasable element retaining the bearing element in the bearing recess against endwise removal.

21. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, wherein the bumper member has a stepping surface.

22. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 21, wherein the stepping surface comprises an anti-slip material applied.

23. The torsional under-ride guard of claim 1, further comprising at least one stop block adapted to provide a positive mechanical stop for the bumper member when in the retracted position.