Arrangement for a vehicle or part of a vehicle

• US 6,499,796 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Accede B.V.
• Original Assignee: Erik Jeroen Eenhoorn
• Inventors: Eenhoorn, Erik Jeroen
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/868,475
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 296/189, 296/203.03, 293/107, 180/282, 280/43.23, 280/755, 280/767, 280/837, 280/838, 701/36, 701/38
• US Class Current: 296/187.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2285 Warning or prevention means against tilting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0016 Fall in water
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0074 Utility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/138 using external airbags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23504 characterised by material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26023 for filling the bag with foam
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

A shock-absorbing safety apparatus for a vehicle, such as a truck or tanker. The apparatus includes inflatable containers attached to the exterior sides of the vehicle, a plurality of overturning sensors, a controller, and inflation sources corresponding to each inflatable container. The overturning sensors provide a signal indicating an incipient overturning condition to the controller which, upon determination that an overturn is incipient, induces the inflation sources to inflate at least those inflatable Containers disposed on the downward side of the vehicle. The overturning sensors can include pressure sensors detecting pressure between wheels of the vehicle and the road surface as well as tilt or angle sensors detecting the angular orientation of the vehicle with resect to the road. The inflation sources provide gas, which may be a fire-retardant gas. The containers preferably are made of a strong, abrasion resistant material and present a relatively high coefficient of friction.

Claims

1. A shock absorbing apparatus wherein the shock absorbing apparatus is attached to the exterior of a vehicle positioned on a support surface and wherein the apparatus expands in volume upon detection of incipient overturning of the vehicle so provided such that the shock absorbing apparatus is interposed between the overturning vehicle and the support surface so as to cushion the vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing apparatus comprises:

at least one flexible, inflatable container attached to a side of the vehicle;

at least one overturning sensor; and

a control system in communication with the at least one flexible, inflatable container and overturning sensor wherein the control system induces the flexible, inflatable container to inflate upon receiving an indication from the overturning sensor that the vehicle is overturning.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the overturning sensor comprises a pressure sensor attached to the vehicle wherein the pressure sensor produces an overturning signal upon determining that a wheel of the vehicle has lost contact with the support surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the overturning sensor comprises an angle sensor attached to the vehicle and wherein the angle sensor produces an overturning signal upon determining that at least a portion of the vehicle has exceeded a predetermined lean angle with respect to the support surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flexible, inflatable container is provided a volume of gas to inflate the container.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gas is a fire-retardant gas.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fire-retardant gas comprises halon.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the volume of gas is provided by a high pressure gas cylinder arranged in the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flexible, inflatable container is provided a volume of foam to inflate the container.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the foam is fire retardant.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is generally elongate and positioned immediately adjacent the vehicle so as to extend along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and wherein the apparatus is configured to conform to the outer contour of the vehicle so as to minimize air resistance of the vehicle as provided with the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is generally cylindrical.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coefficient of friction of the apparatus is greater than the coefficient of friction of the vehicle adjacent the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus in the expanded volume state increases the buoyancy of the vehicle with the apparatus attached thereto.

15. A vehicle comprising a shock absorbing system wherein at least a portion of the shock absorbing system is attached to the exterior of the vehicle wherein the system detects overturning of the vehicle and induces the portion of the shock absorbing system attached to the exterior of the vehicle to expand in volume so as to cushion the exterior of the vehicle against impact.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the shock absorbing system comprises:

an inflatable container attached to the exterior of the vehicle;

an inflation source in communication with the inflatable container;

an overturning sensor providing a signal indicative of impending roll-over of the vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the overturning sensor and the inflation source wherein the controller induces the inflation source to inflate the inflatable container upon receiving a roll over signal from the overturning sensor.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the inflatable container has a higher coefficient of friction than the vehicle adjacent the inflatable container.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the inflation source comprises a high-pressure gas cylinder arranged inside the inflatable container.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the inflation source provides a gas to inflate the inflatable container.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the gas is fire retardant.

21. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the inflation source provides a foam to the inflatable container.

22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the foam is fire retardant.

23. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the overturning sensor is a pressure sensor attached to the vehicle wherein the pressure sensor provides the roll over signal upon determining that at least a portion of the vehicle has lost contact with a solid surface.

24. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the overturning sensor is a roll sensor attached to the vehicle and wherein the roll sensor provides the roll over signal upon determining that at least a portion of the vehicle has exceeded a certain roll angle.

25. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein an inflatable container is attached to each side of the vehicle and wherein the controller induces the inflation source to inflate only those inflatable containers on the downward side of the vehicle.