Damped crash attenuator

• US 6,203,079 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/200,367
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 293/132, 293/134, 293/119, 404/6, 404/10, 188/377, 188/371, 256/13.1, 267/139
• US Class Current: 293/119
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/00 Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions reinforcement elements for side doors B60J5/0412; mudguards B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/20 containing mainly gas or liquid, e.g. inflatable connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/40 in the direction of an obstacle before a collision , or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper inflatable bumpers B60R19/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/005 Crash attenuators, i.e. means added to highway service vehicles for softening high speed impacts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/007 Means for adjusting or regulating the crash absorption capacity of the vehicle, e.g. when detecting an impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/148 mobile arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/662 mounted on vehicles, e.g. service vehicles; Warning vehicles travelling along with road-maintenance, e.g. remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/121 the members having a cellular, e.g. honeycomb, structure
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0472 characterised by comprising a damping device with plastic deformation of members F16F7/12; delay devices or arrangements F15B21/10

Abstract

A crash attenuator for protecting a truck or stationary structure from damage resulting from impact of an object such as a vehicle including a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive an impact from an object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to the frame and interposed between the frame and the bumper and having a first position in which the bumper is relatively distant from the frame and a second position in which the bumper is relatively proximate to the frame, and an energy dissipation system coupled to the displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object into the bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position.

Claims

1. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame,

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, and

deceleration sensing means coupled to said energy dissipation means for sensing the deceleration of the object after impact with said bumper,

said energy dissipation means being arranged to provide an energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

2. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said displacement structure compromises a scissors mechanism.

3. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said displacement structure is a collapsible structure composed of a plurality of members arranged to provide said collapsible structure with a contracted position corresponding to the second position of said displacement structure and an expanded position corresponding to the first position of the displacement structure.

4. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said displacement structure is movable back to the first position from the second position such that the crash attenuator is reusable.

5. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said displacement structure is arranged such that a length thereof in the second position is about 25% of its length in the first position.

6. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means are arranged to regulate movement of said displacement structure from the first position toward the second position such that the energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object is variable.

7. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said bumper is concave to thereby guide a path of the object after impact with said bumper.

8. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said deceleration sensing means continuously sense deceleration of the object after impact into said bumper to determine an instantaneous deceleration of the object and said energy dissipation means are arranged to vary the energy dissipation force based on the instantaneous deceleration of the object.

9. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means comprise at least one hydraulic mechanism mounted on said displacement structure, said at least one hydraulic mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of said housing.

10. The crash attenuator of claim 9, wherein said at least one hydraulic cylinder includes an electronically controlled valve having a variable orifice such that the flow of the fluid out of a space between said piston and said housing is controlled by varying the size of said orifice.

11. The crash attenuator of claim 10, wherein the size of said orifice is adjusted based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

12. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means comprise at least one inflatable airbag arranged between said bumper and said frame, further comprising a pump for inflating said at least one airbag with fluid.

13. The crash attenuator of claim 12, wherein said energy dissipation means further comprise a pneumatic device having a flow line in flow communication with an interior of said at least one airbag, the flow of fluid through said flow line from the interior of said at least one airbag being regulatable based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

14. The crash attenuator of claim 1, further comprising anticipatory sensing means for sensing impending impact of the object with said bumper prior to actual impact of the object with said bumper and determining information about the object, said energy dissipation means being controlled to provide the energy dissipation force based on the determined information about the object.

15. The crash attenuator of claim 14, wherein said energy dissipation means are set to provide an energy dissipation force based on the determined information about the object prior to actual impact of the object with said bumper.

16. The crash attenuator of claim 14, wherein said anticipatory sensor comprises a neural network derived algorithm.

17. The crash attenuator of claim 1, further comprising electronic control means for controlling the energy dissipation force provided said energy dissipation means.

18. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means comprise a hydraulic mechanism mounted on said displacement structure, said hydraulic mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of said housing.

19. The crash attenuator of claim 18, wherein said at least one hydraulic cylinder includes an electronically controlled valve having a variable orifice such that the flow of the fluid out of a space between said piston and said housing is controlled by varying the size of said orifice.

20. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means comprise at least one inflatable airbag arranged between said bumper and said frame, further comprising a pump for inflating said at least one airbag with fluid.

21. The crash attenuator of claim 20, wherein said energy dissipation means further comprise a pneumatic device having a flow line in flow communication with an interior of said at least one airbag, the flow of fluid through said flow line from the interior of said at least one airbag being regulatable to thereby control the outflow of fluid from the interior of said at least one airbag and the energy dissipation force provided by said energy dissipation means.

22. The crash attenuator of claim 20, further comprising anticipatory sensing means for sensing impending impact of the object into said bumper prior to actual impact of the object into said bumper, and means responsive to the sensed impact of the object for injecting additional gas into said at least one airbag prior to the impact of the object.

23. The crash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said energy dissipation means are arranged to regulate resistance of the movement of said displacement structure from the first position toward the second position based on the kinetic energy of the object.

24. The crash attenuator of claim 1, further comprising means for sensing motion of the object after impact with said bumper and controlling said energy dissipation means to provide a variable energy dissipation force in order to decelerate the object at a substantially constant rate.

25. The crash attenuator of claim 24, wherein said motion sensing means comprise a system selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an accelerometer-based sensor, a mechanical seismic device, a string potentiometer and a mechanical probe.

26. The cash attenuator of claim 1, wherein said deceleration sensing means comprise a mechanical sensor for sensing deceleration of the object after impact with said bumper and directing said energy dissipation means for provide the energy dissipation force based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

27. The crash attenuator of claim 1, further comprising guiding means for guiding a path of the object after impact with said bumper, said guiding means comprising a outwardly facing recess in a center region of said bumper.

28. A method for protecting a truck or fixed structure from damage resulting upon impact of a moving object with the truck or structure, comprising the steps of:

mounting a movable displacement structure to the truck or structure, the displacement structure having an expanded position and a contracted position,

arranging a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the moving object on the displacement structure,

expanding the displacement structure to its expanded position,

detecting impact of the moving object with the bumper which is operative to cause the displacement structure to move from the expanded position toward the contracted position, and

dissipating the impact energy of the moving object and reducing the velocity of the moving object by adjusting an energy dissipation force which dissipates the impact energy of the moving object such that the object is optimally brought to rest.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

expanding the displacement structure after the impact energy of the object is dissipated such that the crash attenuator is reusable.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

sensing deceleration of the object after impact into the bumper, and

adjusting the energy dissipation force based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

mounting at least one hydraulic mechanism on the displacement structure, the at least one hydraulic actuating mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of the housing, and

adjusting the energy dissipation force by controlling the flow of a fluid out of a space between the piston and the housing.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one hydraulic cylinder includes a valve having a variable orifice, the flow of the fluid out of the space between the piston and the housing being controlled by varying the size of the orifice.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one hydraulic cylinder includes a valve having a variable orifice, further comprising the steps of:

sensing deceleration of the object after impact into the bumper,

varying the size of the orifice based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

arranging at least one inflatable airbag on the displacement structure,

inflating the at least one airbag with fluid, and

adjusting the energy dissipation force by regulating the flow of the fluid from the at least one airbag.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:

sensing deceleration of the object after impact into the bumper,

regulating the flow of the fluid from the at least one airbag based on the sensed deceleration of the object.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of detecting impact of the object with the bumper comprises the step of sensing impending impact of the object with the bumper prior to actual impact of the object with the bumper and determining information about the object, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the energy dissipation force based on the determined information about the object.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein the energy dissipation force is adjusted based on the kinetic energy of the object.

38. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

sensing motion of the object after impact into the bumper, and

adjusting the energy dissipation force in order to decelerate the object at a substantially constant rate.

39. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame,

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, and

anticipatory sensing means coupled to said energy dissipation means for sensing impending impact of the object with said bumper prior to actual impact of the object with said bumper and determining information about the object,

said energy dissipation means being controlled to provide an energy dissipation force based on the determined information about the object.

40. The crash attenuator of claim 39, wherein said energy dissipation means are set to provide an energy dissipation force based on the determined information about the object prior to actual impact of the object with said bumper.

41. The crash attenuator of claim 39, wherein said anticipatory sensor comprises a neural network derived algorithm.

42. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame,

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, and

electronic control means for controlling an energy dissipation force provided by said energy dissipation means.

43. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame, and

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object,

said energy dissipation means comprise a hydraulic mechanism mounted on said displacement structure, said hydraulic mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of said housing, the flow of a fluid out of a space between said piston and said housing being controlled in order to vary the energy dissipation force.

44. The crash attenuator of claim 43, wherein said at least one hydraulic cylinder includes an electronically controlled valve having a variable orifice such that the flow of the fluid is controlled by varying the size of said orifice.

45. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame,

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, and

means for sensing motion of the object after impact with said bumper and controlling said energy dissipation means to provide a variable energy dissipation force in order to decelerate the object at a substantially constant rate.

46. The crash attenuator of claim 45, wherein said motion sensing means comprise a system selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an accelerometer-based sensor, a mechanical seismic device, a string potentiometer and a mechanical probe.

47. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object and optimally bring the object to rest, comprising

a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure,

a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash,

a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame,

energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, said energy dissipation means being arranged to provide an energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object,

control means for controlling the energy dissipation force.

48. The crash attenuator of claim 47, wherein said energy dissipation means comprise at least one hydraulic mechanism mounted on said displacement structure, said at least one hydraulic mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of said housing, the flow of a fluid out of a space between said piston and said housing being controlled in order to vary the energy dissipation force,

said control means comprising a valve having a variable orifice such that the flow of the fluid out of a space between said piston and said housing is controlled by varying the size of said orifice.