A bumper-supported pedestrian airbag system for trucks

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of airbag technology and provides a bumper-supported pedestrian airbag system for trucks, including a bumper, a main support box, an airbag ejection device, a lateral thrust rod, a central guide rod, a longitudinal thrust rod, a support rod, a coil spring, an airbag, and a drive gear. When a living person is detected in an obstacle ahead, this invention can deploy the airbag within 1 second to mitigate the impact of a collision with a pedestrian. Simultaneously, the movement of the airbag ejection device drives the bumper to move downwards automatically via the lateral thrust rod, central guide rod, and longitudinal thrust rod, effectively supporting the pedestrian's legs and preventing the pedestrian from being dragged under the vehicle after impact. Furthermore, when the airbag deploys and impacts a pedestrian, the membrane tears, exposing and adhering to the adhesive coating on the airbag surface, thus mitigating secondary injuries sustained upon landing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of airbag technology, and particularly relates to a bumper-supported pedestrian airbag system for trucks. Background Technology

[0002] Pedestrian airbags are active safety devices installed on the exterior of vehicles to protect pedestrians in critical moments. When airbag sensors detect the initial impact between a pedestrian and the bumper, the device deploys rapidly, inflating and deploying within seconds. Its wide coverage area covers potentially hazardous hard points such as the bottom of the windshield, the swing arm, and the hood support, significantly reducing the risk of pedestrian injury.

[0003] Large trucks, due to their massive size, high load capacity, long braking distance, high center of gravity, and high visibility, coupled with blind spots that can easily appear when turning right, are more prone to losing control, overturning, or colliding with other vehicles during high-speed turns. More importantly, the high chassis of large trucks creates a momentary vacuum during operation, drawing surrounding airflow under the vehicle. Additionally, many large trucks lack side guardrails, making it easy for non-motorized vehicles or pedestrians to be trapped under the truck when traveling in mixed-traffic lanes.

[0004] Currently, the Volvo V40 is the only mass-produced model equipped with pedestrian airbags. However, existing research mainly focuses on collisions between cars and pedestrians, with relatively little research on collisions between large trucks and pedestrians. Given the significant differences in structure, mass, and collision patterns between large trucks and cars, pedestrians are at higher risk of being run over. Therefore, developing a more effective pedestrian safety protection system for large trucks is particularly urgent. The main shortcomings of existing pedestrian airbags are as follows: 1) Trucks and cars have different front-end designs, lacking dedicated pedestrian airbags for trucks and their installation and deployment methods; 2) Trucks are prone to run-over accidents, lacking a protective device to prevent run-over accidents and assist airbag operation; 3) Trucks are heavy and have long braking distances, lacking a protective device to prevent pedestrians from being thrown into the air and suffering secondary injuries. Therefore, a bumper-supported truck pedestrian airbag system is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bumper-supported pedestrian airbag system for trucks, which aims to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A bumper-supported pedestrian airbag system for trucks includes an airbag, and further includes: a bumper, a main support box, an airbag ejection device, a lateral thrust rod, a central guide rod, a longitudinal thrust rod, a support rod, a coil spring, and a drive gear;

[0008] The bumper includes a bumper body, a force-transmitting slider, a horizontal column, and a fixed hinge; the force-transmitting slider is fixed to the bumper body and rigidly connected to the horizontal column, and the force-transmitting slider is slidably connected to the main support box; the fixed hinge is fixed to the bumper body and hinged to one end of the support rod, and the other end of the support rod is slidably connected to the main support box.

[0009] The main support box is rigidly connected to the frame. The main support box includes a support box body, a middle column, a forward slide rail, and a side slide rail. The drive gear is rotatably mounted on the support box body. The middle column is fixedly connected to the support box body. The forward slide rail and the side slide rail are both mounted on the support box body. The force transmission slider is slidably connected to the forward slide rail. The other end of the support rod is slidably connected to the side slide rail.

[0010] The airbag ejection device includes a force-transmitting push rod, a rack, and an airbag storage chamber; both ends of the force-transmitting push rod are fixedly connected to the rack and the airbag storage chamber, respectively; a helical spring is sleeved on the force-transmitting push rod, one end of which is connected to the airbag storage chamber, and the other end is connected to the support box body; the rack meshes with a drive gear, and the drive gear is connected to a drive motor; a folded safety airbag is stored in the airbag storage chamber; the safety airbag has a pressure relief hole, and the surface of the safety airbag is coated with adhesive and covered with a film;

[0011] One end of the transverse thrust rod is hinged to the end of the airbag storage chamber, and the other end of the transverse thrust rod is hinged to one end of the intermediate guide rod; the middle part of the intermediate guide rod is hinged to the intermediate column, and the other end of the intermediate guide rod is hinged to one end of the longitudinal thrust rod; the other end of the longitudinal thrust rod is hinged to the transverse column.

[0012] Furthermore, both the forward slide rail and the lateral slide rail are fixed grooves machined on the main body of the support box, and the fixed grooves are equipped with slide tracks.

[0013] Furthermore, locking mechanisms are provided at both ends of the forward slide rail and the lateral slide rail.

[0014] Furthermore, a heat dissipation grille is installed at the front end of the bumper.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] 1. This invention improves the traditional fixed bumper into a movable bumper. When it collides with a pedestrian, the bumper can automatically move downwards, thereby effectively supporting the pedestrian's legs and preventing the pedestrian's body from being run over by the truck.

[0017] 2. This invention adopts a double sliding rail structure, with a force-transmitting slider on the front and a support rod on the side. This design not only allows the bumper to move up and down relative to the main support box, but also ensures the support rigidity of the bumper through multi-point force transmission while it moves freely.

[0018] 3. This invention uses a motor to drive a drive gear for transmission, while a helical spring is selected to assist in the transmission. When an accident occurs, the spring is released from its compressed state, and its accumulated elastic potential energy works together with the driving force of the drive gear to ensure that the system functions within 1 second, resulting in a short response time. After an accident, the system automatically closes via the drive gear, allowing for convenient reset and multiple reuses.

[0019] 4. The airbag surface is equipped with a pressure relief vent, which can instantly release pressure when the internal air pressure is too high, preventing excessive impact on the pedestrian's body. Additionally, the airbag surface is coated with adhesive and covered by a thin film. When the airbag deploys and impacts a pedestrian, the film tears, exposing and adhering to the adhesive, mitigating secondary injuries sustained upon landing. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the airbag system in its deployed state.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the closed state of the airbag system.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a top view of the airbag system in its deployed state.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of an airbag system.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the airbag system's workflow.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Bumper body 100, force transmission slider 101, horizontal column 102, fixed hinge 103, main support box 2, support box body 200, middle column 201, forward slide rail 202, side slide rail 203, airbag ejection device 3, force transmission push rod 300, rack 301, airbag storage chamber 302, horizontal thrust rod 4, middle guide rod 5, longitudinal thrust rod 6, support rod 7, airbag 8, coil spring 9, drive gear 10. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0027] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0028] like Figure 1-5 As shown, a bumper-supported truck pedestrian safety airbag system provided in one embodiment of the present invention includes an airbag 8, and further includes: a bumper 1, a main support box 2, an airbag ejection device 3, a lateral thrust rod 4, a middle guide rod 5, a longitudinal thrust rod 6, a support rod 7, a coil spring 9, and a drive gear 10.

[0029] The bumper 1 includes a bumper body 100, a force-transmitting slider 101, a horizontal column 102, and a fixed hinge 103. The force-transmitting slider 101 is fixed to the bumper body 100 and rigidly connected to the horizontal column 102. The force-transmitting slider 101 is slidably connected to the main support box 2. The force-transmitting slider 101 can transmit the impact force of the collision to the main support box 2 and can slide up and down along the main support box 2. The fixed hinge 103 is fixed to the bumper body 100 and hinged to one end of the support rod 7. The other end of the support rod 7 is slidably connected to the main support box 2. The support rod 7 can slide up and down along the main support box 2.

[0030] The main support box 2 is rigidly connected to the vehicle frame. The main support box 2 includes a support box body 200, a central column 201, a forward slide rail 202, and a side slide rail 203. The drive gear 10 is rotatably mounted on the support box body 200. The central column 201 is fixedly connected to the support box body 200. Both the forward slide rail 202 and the side slide rail 203 are mounted on the support box body 200, and both are fixed grooves machined into the support box body 200. These fixed grooves have internal sliding tracks, allowing the connecting parts to slide up and down. Therefore, the force-transmitting slider 101 can slide up and down along the forward slide rail 202, and the other end of the support rod 7 can slide up and down along the side slide rail 203. Thus, the bumper 1 can move up and down relative to the support box 2.

[0031] The airbag ejection device 3 includes a force-transmitting push rod 300, a rack 301, and an airbag storage chamber 302. The rack 301 meshes with a drive gear 10, which is connected to a drive motor to output power. The airbag storage chamber 302 stores a folded airbag 8, which has a pressure relief hole. When the internal air pressure is too high, it can release pressure instantly to prevent excessive impact on the pedestrian. Simultaneously, the surface of the airbag 8 is coated with adhesive and covered by a thin film. When the airbag 8 deploys and impacts a pedestrian, the film tears, exposing and adhering to the adhesive, thus providing protection. The two ends of the force-transmitting push rod 300 are fixedly connected to the rack 301 and the airbag storage chamber 302 respectively, serving to transmit force. In addition, a helical spring 9 is sleeved on the force-transmitting push rod 300. One end of the helical spring 9 is connected to the airbag storage chamber 302, and the other end is connected to the support box body 200. When the system is closed, the helical spring 9 is in a compressed state. When the system is working, the elastic force of the helical spring 9 and the driving force of the drive gear 10 work together to ensure that the opening time of the safety airbag 8 is less than 1 second.

[0032] One end of the transverse thrust rod 4 is hinged to the end of the airbag storage chamber 302 in the airbag ejection device 3, and the other end is hinged to one end of the intermediate guide rod 5. The middle part of the intermediate guide rod 5 is hinged to the intermediate column 201, and the other end is hinged to one end of the longitudinal thrust rod 6. The other end of the longitudinal thrust rod 6 is hinged to the transverse column 102. The length and arrangement of the transverse thrust rod 4, the intermediate guide rod 5, and the longitudinal thrust rod 6 have been mechanically designed and calculated to not only meet the working requirements of the airbag, but also ensure smooth transmission, small space occupation, and no motion interference with other parts.

[0033] In this embodiment of the invention, when the airbag system starts working, the motor drives the drive gear 10 to rotate, and the coil spring 9 gradually returns to its original length from a compressed state. Under the combined action of the driving force of the drive gear 10 and the elastic force of the coil spring 9, the rack 301 moves outward, and the entire airbag ejection device 3 also moves outward at the same time. The lateral movement of the airbag ejection device 3 will drive the lateral thrust rod 4 to move, thereby driving the intermediate guide rod 5 clockwise (see...). Figure 4 The intermediate guide rod 5 rotates around the central pillar 201. This rotation drives the longitudinal thrust rod 6, which in turn drives the bumper 1 downwards along the forward slide rail 202 and the lateral slide rail 203. During a collision, the airbag 8 first contacts the pedestrian's upper body. The thin film on the surface of the airbag 8 is torn by the enormous impact force, and the adhesive coating on the surface of the airbag 8 firmly bonds the pedestrian and the airbag 8 together. Because the pedestrian's upper body is the first to be impacted, their legs tend to tilt towards the bottom of the vehicle. At this time, the lowered bumper 1 supports the pedestrian's legs, preventing the pedestrian from being sucked under the vehicle after falling and thus avoiding a crushing accident.

[0034] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, locking mechanisms are provided at both ends of the forward slide rail 202 and the side slide rail 203 in the main support box 2 to prevent the bumper 1 from falling off. The locking mechanism includes an electromagnetic lock at the beginning and a locking block at the end. The former fixes the connecting parts (specifically, the force transmission slider 101 and the support rod 7) with an electromagnet, while the latter uses a wedge mechanism to lock the end of the connecting parts. The ECU controls the on / off state of the electromagnetic lock and the movement of the locking block to ensure the stability of the connecting parts in both static and working states. The system is also equipped with overload protection and emergency stop functions, as well as sensors to monitor the status of the connecting rods. The entire system is made of high-strength materials and precision-machined. The specific settings of the locking mechanism described above are all prior art, and the present invention does not improve upon the above-mentioned prior art, therefore they are not shown in the figure.

[0035] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation grille 11 is installed at the front end of the bumper 1, serving the purpose of heat dissipation or auxiliary decoration.

[0036] like Figure 1-5 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the truck is equipped with an electronic control unit (ECU). Signal acquisition devices, including but not limited to speed sensors, acceleration sensors, biosensors, millimeter-wave radar, and cameras, are installed on the truck bumper 1 and the front of the cab. The speed and acceleration sensors are used to collect the truck's real-time speed and acceleration, respectively; the biosensors are used to detect whether nearby obstacles possess vital signs; the millimeter-wave radar and camera are used to collect data for identifying driving behavior characteristics and to detect changes in road conditions in front of and around the truck. When there are road conditions ahead or the vehicle brakes suddenly, the ECU detects abnormal changes in these data. Using an interactive multi-model algorithm based on Kalman filtering, the data acquired by individual sensors is Kalman filtered and then input into the interactive multi-model algorithm, achieving data fusion from multiple sensors. This more accurately reflects the latest state of the vehicle and the environment, and provides corresponding feedback. Furthermore, the driver can also manually control the ECU to directly command the airbag system to operate.

[0037] When the electronic control unit determines that the obstacle ahead is not a pedestrian, the airbag system will not activate. The truck's front bumper will then collide directly with the obstacle. At this time, the forward force transmission slider 101 and the lateral support rod 7 transmit the impact force to the main support box 2, thereby absorbing and mitigating the external impact force and protecting the front and rear of the vehicle.

[0038] The airbag system will deploy when the electronic control unit determines that the obstacle ahead is a pedestrian, or when the driver directly activates the airbag system.

[0039] The working principle of this invention is:

[0040] In this bumper-supported truck pedestrian airbag system, the electronic control unit starts the motor to rotate the drive gear 10, and the coil spring 9 gradually returns to its original length from a compressed state. Under the combined action of the driving force of the drive gear 10 and the elastic force of the coil spring 9, the rack 301 moves outward, and the entire airbag ejection device 3 also moves outward at the same time. The lateral movement of the airbag ejection device 3 drives the lateral thrust rod 4 to move, thereby driving the intermediate guide rod 5 clockwise (see...). Figure 4 The airbag 8 rotates around the central pillar 201, causing the central guide rod 5 to move the longitudinal thrust rod 6, which in turn drives the bumper 1 to move downwards along the forward slide rail 202 and the lateral slide rail 203. Simultaneously, the electronic control unit controls the drive circuit to precisely send a start signal to the gas generator within the airbag assembly. Upon receiving the signal, the gas generator immediately ignites the gas generator, producing a large amount of gas. All of these gas generating devices are installed in the airbag storage chamber 302. After passing through a filtration and cooling system, this gas efficiently enters the airbag 8, causing it to break through the liner in a very short time, achieving rapid and safe deployment. During a collision, the airbag 8 first contacts the pedestrian's upper body. The thin film on the surface of the airbag 8 is torn under the enormous impact force, and the adhesive coating on the surface of the airbag 8 firmly adheres the pedestrian and the airbag 8 together. Because the pedestrian's upper body is the first to bear the force, their legs tend to tilt towards the bottom of the vehicle. At this time, the lowered bumper 1 supports the pedestrian's legs, preventing the pedestrian from being sucked into the bottom of the vehicle after falling.

[0041] After an accident, the driver replaces the airbag 8 and then controls the electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU sends a command to the motor, causing the drive gear 10 to reverse. The drive gear 10 then moves the airbag ejection device 3 inward. This process continues, with all mechanisms moving in the opposite direction, thus returning the system to its original position.

[0042] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. These modifications and improvements will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of the present invention or the practicality of the patent.

Claims

1. A bumper-supported pedestrian safety airbag system for trucks, comprising an airbag, characterized in that, Also includes: Bumper, main support box, airbag ejection device, lateral thrust rod, intermediate guide rod, longitudinal thrust rod, support rod, coil spring and drive gear; The bumper includes a bumper body, a force-transmitting slider, a horizontal column, and a fixed hinge; the force-transmitting slider is fixed to the bumper body and rigidly connected to the horizontal column, and the force-transmitting slider is slidably connected to the main support box; the fixed hinge is fixed to the bumper body and hinged to one end of the support rod, and the other end of the support rod is slidably connected to the main support box. The main support box is rigidly connected to the frame. The main support box includes a support box body, a central column, a forward slide rail, and a side slide rail. The drive gear is rotatably mounted on the support box body. The central column is fixedly connected to the support box body. Both the forward slide rail and the side slide rail are mounted on the support box body. The force transmission slider is slidably connected to the forward slide rail, and the other end of the support rod is slidably connected to the side slide rail. The force transmission slider can slide up and down along the forward slide rail, and the other end of the support rod can slide up and down along the side slide rail. The airbag ejection device includes a force-transmitting push rod, a rack, and an airbag storage chamber; both ends of the force-transmitting push rod are fixedly connected to the rack and the airbag storage chamber, respectively; a helical spring is sleeved on the force-transmitting push rod, one end of which is connected to the airbag storage chamber, and the other end is connected to the support box body; the rack meshes with a drive gear, and the drive gear is connected to a drive motor; a folded safety airbag is stored in the airbag storage chamber; the safety airbag has a pressure relief hole, and the surface of the safety airbag is coated with adhesive and covered with a film; One end of the transverse thrust rod is hinged to the end of the airbag storage chamber, and the other end of the transverse thrust rod is hinged to one end of the intermediate guide rod; the middle part of the intermediate guide rod is hinged to the intermediate column, and the other end of the intermediate guide rod is hinged to one end of the longitudinal thrust rod; the other end of the longitudinal thrust rod is hinged to the transverse column.

2. The bumper-supported truck pedestrian airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the forward slide rail and the side slide rail are fixed grooves machined on the main body of the support box, and the fixed grooves are equipped with slide tracks.

3. The bumper-supported truck pedestrian safety airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both ends of the forward slide rail and the lateral slide rail are equipped with locking mechanisms.

4. The bumper-supported truck pedestrian airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the bumper is equipped with a heat dissipation grille.

Images