Mine protection vehicle system

• US 7,594,561 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Hass, Frank, Krutzfeldt, Manfred, Runow, Eitel
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo; Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US11/055,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20050257679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 180/208, 180/299, 180/89.13, 296/190.04, 296/1.03
• US Class Current: 180/299
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/02 Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D ; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/042 Floors or base plates for increased land mine protection
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/048 Vehicles having separate armoured compartments, e.g. modular armoured vehicles

Abstract

A mine protection vehicle system is proposed wherein a military wheeled vehicle is provided with a high degree of mine protection. Preferably the vehicle has a three-sectioned vehicle construction that includes a front building block, a main building block and rear building block. The building blocks are separable from one another. The main building block may be designed to be slanted toward the bottom and double walled. A cabin, serving to provide a crew space, is hung up on support structure of the main building block. Wheel axles and drives are built into the front and/or rear building block; however, no wheel axle is disposed below the main building block.

Claims

1. An armored wheeled vehicle with protection against effects of a land mine, comprising:

(a) a plurality of building blocks separating and dividing the vehicle, wherein the plurality of building blocks include;

i. at least one main building block, wherein the main building block has a V-shaped floor;

ii. a front building block, wherein the front building block comprises a front wheel axle connected to rotate on the front building block, a steering assembly connected to steer wheels connected to the front wheel axle, and a first drive motor operably connected to drive the front wheel axle; and

iii. a rear building block, wherein the rear building block comprises a rear wheel axle connected to rotate on the rear building block and a second drive motor operably connected to drive the rear wheel axle, wherein the front building block is separably connected by a first means for connecting to a front portion of the main building block and the rear building block is separably connected by a second means for connecting to a rear portion of the main building block, wherein the first means for connecting and the second means for connecting each comprise one or more bolts having target break points or one or more exploding bolts, each exploding bolt comprising a built-in charge for igniting and blowing off the bolt; and

(b) a plurality of wheel axles disposed to rotate on one or more of the plurality of building blocks, wherein no wheel axle is disposed below the main building block, wherein the plurality of wheel axles includes the front wheel axle and the rear wheel axle, and wherein after one of the front building block and first drive motor or the rear building block and second drive motor is separated from the main building block, a surviving portion of the armored wheeled vehicle comprising the main building block that remains connected to the second drive motor or the first drive motor, respectively, has substantial mobility provided by the remaining drive motor.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wheels connected to each wheel axle, wherein the vehicle is constructed so a free space is located at 90°

upwards, above the wheels of each wheel axle.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main building block comprises a pan housing, and the pan housing comprises a double walled structure and a thin steel plate.

4. A vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the pan housing further comprises a high profile.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main building block comprises a first cabin hung into, and vibrationally decoupled to, a housing portion by a plurality of elastic hangers.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the housing portion comprises a plastically deformable carrier support structure.

7. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle is reconfigureable by unhanging the first cabin and hanging in a second cabin in place of the first cabin thereby reconfiguring the vehicle.

8. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main building block comprises one or more first doors, wherein each first door is flapped down in an open position to provide a step support.

9. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein while the front building block and the rear building block are connected to the main building block, the first drive motor and the second drive motor are operable at the same time to drive the vehicle.

10. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the substantial mobility provided by the remaining drive motor is sufficient to drive the surviving portion to safety out of a danger zone.

11. An armored wheeled vehicle with protection against effects of a land mine, comprising:

(a) a plurality of building blocks separating and dividing the vehicle, wherein the plurality of building blocks include;

i. at least one main building block, wherein the main building block comprises a first cabin hung into, and vibrationally decoupled to, a housing portion by a plurality of elastic hangers, and the first cabin comprises thick walled soft aluminum material, and a first space for a drive shaft or for cables is constructed inside the main building block, wherein the first space is located between a V-shaped floor of a support structure of the main building block and a flat bottomed portion of the first cabin;

ii. a front building block, wherein the front building block comprises a front wheel axle connected to rotate on the front building block, a steering assembly connected to steer wheels connected to the front wheel axle, and a first drive motor operably connected to drive the front wheel axle; and

iii. a rear building block, wherein the rear building block comprises a rear wheel axle connected to rotate on the rear building block and a second drive motor operably connected to drive the rear wheel axle, wherein the front building block is separably connected by a first means for connecting to a front portion of the main building block and the rear building block is separably connected by a second means for connecting to a rear portion of the main building block, wherein the first means for connecting and the second means for connecting each comprise one or more bolts having target break points or one or more exploding bolts, each exploding bolt comprising a built-in charge for igniting and blowing off the bolt; and

(b) a plurality of wheel axles disposed to rotate on one or more of the plurality of building blocks, wherein no wheel axle is disposed below the main building block, wherein the plurality of wheel axles includes the front wheel axle and the rear wheel axle, and wherein after one of the front building block and first drive motor or the rear building block and second drive motor is separated from the main building block, a portion of the armored wheeled vehicle comprising the main building block that remains connected to the second drive motor or the first drive motor, respectively, has substantial mobility provided by the remaining drive motor.

12. An armored wheeled vehicle with protection against effects of a land mine, comprising:

(a) a plurality of building blocks separating and dividing the vehicle, wherein the plurality of building blocks include;

i. at least one main building block, wherein the main building block comprises a first cabin hung into, and vibrationally decoupled to, a housing portion by a plurality of elastic hangers, and the first cabin comprises thick walled soft aluminum material, wherein the main building block has a V-shaped floor and the housing portion comprises a plastically deformable carrier support structure that includes two thin walled collapsible or contractable supports, and the main building block further comprises a pan housing, and the pan housing comprises a double walled structure and a thin steel plate, and a first space for a drive shaft or for cables is constructed inside the main building block, wherein the first space is located between the V-shaped floor of the main building block and a flat bottomed portion of the first cabin;

ii. a front building block, wherein the front building block comprises a front wheel axle connected to rotate on the front building block, a steering assembly connected to steer wheels connected to the front wheel axle, and a first drive motor operably connected to drive the front wheel axle; and

iii. a rear building block, wherein the rear building block comprises a rear wheel axle connected to rotate on the rear building block and a second drive motor operably connected to drive the rear wheel axle, wherein the front building block is separably connected by a first means for connecting to a front portion of the main building block and the rear building block is separably connected by a second means for connecting to a rear portion of the main building block, wherein the first means for connecting and the second means for connecting each comprise one or more bolts having target break points or one or more exploding bolts, each exploding bolt comprising a built-in charge for igniting and blowing off the bolt; and

(b) a plurality of wheel axles disposed to rotate on one or more of the plurality of building blocks, wherein no wheel axle is disposed below the main building block, wherein the plurality of wheel axles includes the front wheel axle and the rear wheel axle, and wherein after one of the front building block and first drive motor or the rear building block and second drive motor is separated from the main building block, a portion of the armored wheeled vehicle comprising the main building block that remains connected to the second drive motor or the first drive motor, respectively, has substantial mobility provided by the remaining drive motor, wherein the main building block further comprises one or more first doors, wherein each first door is flapped down in an open position to provide a step support.