Shock-limiting interface, compact (SLIC)
First Claim
1. A limiting interface for supporting a payload relative to a structure, the limiting interface comprising:
- a frame assembly attachable to the structure;
a payload interface assembly for receiving the payload;
a suspension assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly; and
an energy dissipating assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly and adapted to dissipate energy transmitted to the structure, so as to limit a parameter of interest transmitted to the payload, wherein a force-displacement profile of the payload interface assembly is substantially a square wave.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A passive/reactive device protests a Payload from injury or damage due to the shock caused by impact or explosion. When the vehicle or structure mounting the Payload receives a shock pulse, the invention limits the acceleration transmitted from the vehicle or structure to the Payload to an acceptably low, user-adjustable level which is substantially constant or is some other user-adjustable force-displacement function. The invention is capable of doing so even when the peak magnitude of the imposed shock is on the order of thousands of G'"'"'s, with a rise time to peak on the order of microseconds. The invention can be embodied to operate passively, without any external source of power, sensor system, or CPU, although they can be added to improve certain usability features. The invention also absorbs or dissipates the shock energy in substantially the minimum distance possible without exceeding the user-defined acceleration limit on the Payload. The invention can also react when a shock-producing impact is imminent by repositioning the Payload away from the impact site.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A limiting interface for supporting a payload relative to a structure, the limiting interface comprising:
-
a frame assembly attachable to the structure; a payload interface assembly for receiving the payload; a suspension assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly; and an energy dissipating assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly and adapted to dissipate energy transmitted to the structure, so as to limit a parameter of interest transmitted to the payload, wherein a force-displacement profile of the payload interface assembly is substantially a square wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20)
-
-
3. A limiting interface for supporting a payload relative to a structure, the limiting interface comprising:
-
a frame assembly attachable to the structure; a payload interface assembly for receiving the payload; a suspension assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly; an energy dissipating assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly and adapted to dissipate energy transmitted to the structure, so as to limit a parameter of interest transmitted to the payload; and an anticipating assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly that repositions the payload interface assembly relative to the structure from a neutral position in anticipation of an event. - View Dependent Claims (4, 19)
-
-
14. A method for supporting a payload relative to a structure, the method comprising the steps of
providing a limiting interface attached to the structure and comprising: -
a frame assembly comprising a first rail and a second rail; a payload interface assembly adapted to receive the payload and travel along the first rail and the second rail; and a suspension assembly disposed between the frame assembly and the payload interface assembly, wherein the suspension assembly comprises; a first actuator having at least one end mounted along the first rail; and a second actuator having at least one end mounted along the second rail; and dissipating energy transmitted to the structure along a predetermined force-displacement profile, so as to limit a parameter of interest transmitted to the payload, wherein the predetermined force-displacement profile comprises substantially a square wave force-displacement profile, wherein a magnitude of the square wave force-displacement profile is substantially constant, and wherein the magnitude of the square wave force-displacement profile is less than a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification