Armored vehicle protected from explosive devices

• US 8,844,970 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexter Systems (KNDS NV)
• Original Assignee: Nexter Systems (KNDS NV)
• Inventors: Gras, Philippe, Desormiere, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): FRISBY, KEITH J
• Application Number:
  US13/715,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130264808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 280/784, 280/124.1, 180/312, 180/311, 180/89.1, 89/360.9, 89/360.8, 899/29, 296/187.03, 296/187.07, 296/187.08, 296/193.07
• US Class Current: 280/784
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/00 Armoured or armed vehicles general vehicle aspects B60; armoured or armed ships B63G; armoured or armed aircraft B64D; mounting guns, e.g. machine guns, on vehicles F41A23/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/042 Floors or base plates for increased land mine protection

Abstract

The subject-matter of the invention is an armored vehicle comprising a vehicle body forming a passenger compartment which is connected to mobility means comprising at least two axles. The axles of the vehicle are connected to the vehicle body by at least one axle support which has the shape of a U-shaped profile arranged above an axle and comprising a middle plate attached to the axle and extended by side edges which extend substantially vertically between the axle and the vehicle body, wherein each side edge bears at least one connecting tab which is attached by its end to the vehicle body at an attachment point.

Claims

1. An armored vehicle comprising a vehicle body forming a passenger compartment connected to mobility means comprising at least two axles, wherein the axles are connected to the vehicle body by at least one axle support which has the shape of a U-shaped profile arranged above an axle and comprising a middle plate attached to the axle and extended by side edges which extend substantially vertically between the axle and the vehicle body, each side edge bearing at an upper end at least one connecting tab which extends laterally with respect to the middle plate and only the end of the at least one connecting tab is attached to the vehicle body at an attachment point with a substantially horizontal part of the at least one connecting tab between the attachment point and the side edge, the connecting tabs being arranged below and spaced from the bottom of the vehicle body, thereby allowing a displacement of the axle support and the axle upwards through a deformation of the substantially horizontal part of the connecting tabs without impacting the axle support on the bottom of the vehicle body.

2. An armored vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the side edges are rigidified with respect to the middle plate by welded reinforcements.

3. An armored vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped profile is formed as a folded sheet forming the middle plate, the side edges and the connecting tabs.

4. An armored vehicle according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an axle support at each axle.

5. An armored vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each axle support comprises a lower stirrup which is arranged between the U-shaped profile and the axle, the lower stirrup being secured to the connecting tabs at the attachment points and a portion of the lower stirrup being arranged below beams of the chassis.

6. An armored vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the beams of the chassis are arranged between the lower stirrup and the U-shaped profile, a gap being provided between the lower stirrup and each beam to allow a deformation of the lower stirrup.

7. An armored vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the middle plate of the U-shaped profile is applied against a middle wall of the lower stirrup.