Energy absorption, rotation and redirection system for use with racing vehicles and a surrounding barrier

• US 6,416,093 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider, Phillip
• Original Assignee: Schneider, Phillip
• Inventors: Schneider, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ken
• Application Number:
  US09/878,478
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 293/107, 293/134, 293/110, 293/118, 293/180.1, 280/735, 280/229, 404/6, 404/70, 342/126, 342/128, 342/961, 180/169, 180/903, 340/436.1
• US Class Current: 293/107
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0086 Racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23523 Composite

Abstract

An energy absorption, rotation and redirection system for use with a vehicle traveling astride a barrier, the vehicle including a front end with a bumper and first and second sides. The system includes a plurality of air bag actuating units mounted at specified locations along the front end and first and second sides of the vehicle. Preferably three air bag units are located at spaced intervals along the front bumper of the vehicle, with individual and additional air bags being located on the sides of the vehicle. An activator mechanism is associated with one or more of the actuating units for selectively instructing the inflation of an exterior air bag associated with the given bag actuating unit. The activator mechanism includes a reflective target strip applied along the barrier, as well as laser emitter/receptor units associated with each of the air bag actuating units. A computerized processor and memory chip is located in the vehicle and instructs the issuance of a lasing pattern from each of the emitter/receptor units. Upon at least one of the emitter/receptor units receiving a reflection from the target strip, indicative of a given orientation of the vehicle relative to the concrete wall barrier, the activator mechanism directs deployment of the external air bags and prior to the vehicle striking the barrier. The vehicle subsequently rotates and redirects about the barrier concurrent with the barrier absorbing a determined percentage of force associated with the contact.

Claims

1. An energy absorption, rotation and redirection system for use with a vehicle traveling astride a barrier, the vehicle having a front end with a bumper and first and second sides, the barrier including a substantially vertically extending and unmovable surface, said system comprising:

a plurality of air bag actuating units mounted at specified locations along the front end and first and second sides of the vehicle, and

an activator mechanism associated with at least one of said actuating units for selectively instructing the inflation of an exterior air bag associated with said bag actuating unit;

whereupon the front end of the vehicle facing the barrier within a selected distance, said activator mechanism engaging said external air bags and prior to the vehicle striking the barrier, the vehicle subsequently rotating and redirecting concurrent with the barrier absorbing a determined percentage of force associated with the contact.

2. The system as described in claim 1, the barrier further including a concrete wall having a substantially vertically extending surface, the activator mechanism further comprising:

a target strip applied in extending fashion along the concrete wall and approximately at grill height of each vehicle;

an internal and computerized processor mounted within the vehicle, said processor including a memory chip;

each of said forwardly located air bag actuating units further comprising a laser emitter/receptor operatively connected to said computer processor and memory chip;

each of said emitter/receptors issuing a lasing pattern which, upon the vehicle achieving a specified orientation relative to the concrete wall, is reflected off of said target strip and back to at least one of said emitter/receptors; and

said processor and memory chip, upon identifying a closing distance, angle and/or speed of the vehicle relative to the concrete wall as communicated by said at least one emitter/receptor, instructing the actuation of said air bag units and prior to the vehicle contacting the wall.

3. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first, second and third air bag actuating units positioned at spaced intervals along the bumper, a fourth air bag actuating unit being located within a door associated with the first side of the vehicle and a fifth air bag actuating unit being located within a door associated with a second side of the vehicle.

4. The system as described in claim 3, each of said air bag actuating units being recessed a given distance within the associated front and sides of the vehicle.

5. The system as described in claim 4, each of said air bag actuating units further comprising a removable/replaceable cartridge which is installed within an associated pocket defined within the front and sides of the vehicle.

6. The system as described in claim 3, an exteriorly inflatable air bag associated with each of said air bag actuating units further comprising a substantially three dimensional and spherical shape.

7. The system as described in claim 6, an air bag associated with said second actuating unit being positioned between bags associated with said first and third actuating units, said second air bag having a size larger than said first and third bags and in order to encourage said force absorption, rotation and redirecting motion of the vehicle.

8. The system as described in claim 7, said fourth and fifth air bag actuating units being positioned at locations front of center of the vehicle, air bags associated with said fourth and fifth actuating units having a further specified size which, upon side impact of the vehicle against the barrier, further encourages force absorption, rotation and redirecting motion of the vehicle.

9. The system as described in claim 6, each of said air bags further comprising a reinforced nylon material.

10. The system as described in claim 6, each of said exteriorly inflatable air bags further comprising a dual layer construction with an exterior layer and an interior and substantially concentric inner layer.

11. The system as described in claim 2, further comprising a substantially frictionless surface coating applied upon an inwardly facing surface of the concrete barrier in cooperation with said target strip.

12. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising each of said air bags having a specified shape and size which, when fully actuated, does not substantially impair a vehicle operator'"'"'s field of vision.

13. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising deflating means for permitting a vehicle operator to deflate said air bags.

14. The system as described in claim 13, said deflating means further comprising an operator engageable switch for feeding a carbon dioxide charge to each of said inflated bags.

15. The system as described in claim 2, said target strip further being comprised of a highly reflective material.

16. An energy absorption, rotation and redirection system for use with a vehicle having a front end with a bumper and first and second sides, said system comprising:

a plurality of air bag actuating units mounted at specified locations along the front end and first and second sides of the vehicle, and

an activator mechanism associated with at least one of said actuating units for selectively instructing the inflation of an exterior air bag associated with said bag actuating unit; and

whereupon the vehicle approaching any object that impedes, alters, restricts or blocks the speed, force or direction of the vehicle, said activator mechanism engaging said external air bags so that, upon striking the object, the vehicle subsequently rotating and redirecting concurrent with the object absorbing a determined percentage of force associated with the contact.

17. An energy absorption, rotation and redirection system for use with a racing vehicle traveling astride a concrete wall barrier, the vehicle including a front end with a bumper and first and second sides, said system comprising:

a plurality of air bag actuating units mounted at specified locations along the front end and first and second sides of the vehicle, and

an activator mechanism associated with at least one of said actuating units for selectively instructing the inflation of an exterior air bag associated with said bag actuating unit, said activator mechanism including a reflective target strip applied along the concrete barrier;

said activator mechanism further including laser emitter/receptor units associated with selected locations of the vehicle, a computerized processor and memory chip instructing the issuance of a lasing pattern from each of said emitter/receptor units and, upon at least one of said emitter/receptor units receiving a reflection from said target strip associated with a given orientation of the vehicle relative to the concrete wall barrier, directs deployment of said external air bags and prior to the vehicle striking the barrier, the vehicle subsequently rotating and redirecting concurrent with the barrier absorbing a determined percentage of force associated with the contact.