Truck passenger protection system

Abstract

The invention discloses a truck passenger protection system which comprises a tailor-welded frame support installed on a frame and located in front of a cab; a steel cable is arranged on one side of the top end of the tailor-welded frame support, extends from the top end of the tailor-welded frame support to the interior of the vehicle, enters a cab and is fixed to a steering wheel tubular column in the cab. According to the truck passenger protection system disclosed by the invention, the collision energy of the front pendulum bob is guided through the tailor-welded frame support, so that the collision energy is shunted to other parts such as a frame and the like, and the collision energy borne by a cab and a mounting support structure is reduced; the protection effect on personnel in the cab and a cab installation supporting structure is improved in test and actual similar front impact traffic accidents; the steel cable is straightened and tightened in the collision of the front A column, so that the backward falling degree of the steering wheel is reduced, the thighs of a driver are effectively prevented from being extruded by the steering wheel in the collision process, and the injury degree to the driver in the vehicle is reduced in test and actual similar A column collision traffic accidents.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of truck technology, and more specifically, to a truck occupant protection system. Background Technology

[0002] Trucks mostly feature flat-front cabs, whose structural characteristics limit their energy-absorbing space. In a frontal collision, the cab can suffer severe deformation or structural breakage (cab detachment), leading to crush injuries or even death for the occupants. With the increase in such accidents, Europe enacted and implemented the "ECER29-03 Uniform Regulation on Vehicle Certification for Commercial Vehicle Cab Occupant Protection" in 2017, and my country enacted and implemented the "GB26512-2021 Commercial Vehicle Cab Occupant Protection" regulation in 2021. Both regulations include frontal pendulum impact and frontal A-pillar impact tests, which are among the most difficult technical requirements to meet in actual truck product design and development.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a truck occupant protection system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a truck occupant protection system to solve the problems in the prior art, and to achieve better occupant protection in tests and similar actual traffic accidents, thereby improving vehicle passive safety and regulatory compliance.

[0005] The present invention provides a truck occupant protection system, comprising: a welded frame support, mounted on a vehicle frame, and the welded frame support being located in front of the cab; a steel cable is provided on one side of the top end of the welded frame support, and the steel cable extends from the top end of the welded frame support toward the interior of the vehicle, enters the cab, and is fixed to the steering column inside the cab.

[0006] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the welded frame support does not contact the cab when not subjected to an impact.

[0007] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, one end of the steel cable is a loop structure that is fitted onto the top of the welded frame support, and the other end of the steel cable is fixed to the steering column inside the cab.

[0008] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the welded frame support is designed to be contacted and impacted first when the vehicle suffers a frontal pendulum impact or similar traffic accident, absorb the impact energy, and direct most of the impact energy to the vehicle frame.

[0009] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the steel cable is used to be straightened and tightened during the impact when the vehicle suffers a frontal A-pillar impact or similar traffic accident, thereby providing a forward pulling force to the steering column and reducing the degree of steering wheel backing.

[0010] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the welded frame support includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, with a reinforcing rib provided between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion.

[0011] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical portion is located at the upper middle position of the vertical portion.

[0012] In the truck occupant protection system described above, preferably, the intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical portion is located at 2 / 3 of the vertical portion.

[0013] This invention provides a truck occupant protection system that employs a combined approach of blocking and diverting energy. While reinforcing the vehicle body using conventional methods, it diverts the energy from a frontal pendulum impact through a welded frame support structure, distributing it to other parts of the chassis and other components. This absorbs and diverts most of the impact energy, reducing the impact energy borne by the cab and its mounting support structure. This improves the protection of occupants and the cab's mounting support structure in both experimental and real-world frontal collisions. It also reduces the risk of fracture in the cab's bottom mounting support structure, thus preventing the cab from detaching entirely. This significantly reduces the impact energy borne by the cab and its mounting support structure, minimizing cab deformation and compression of the occupant's survival space. Furthermore, the steel cable structure straightens and tightens during a frontal A-pillar impact, reducing the steering wheel's backward tilt and effectively preventing pressure on the driver's thighs during the impact. This reduces the severity of injury to the driver in experimental and real-world A-pillar impact accidents. The system achieves good occupant protection in both experimental and real-world accidents, improving vehicle passive safety and regulatory compliance. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram illustrating the connection relationship between an embodiment of the truck occupant protection system provided by the present invention and the vehicle;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a front view showing the connection relationship between the truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention and the vehicle;

[0017] Figure 3A left view showing the connection relationship between the truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention and the vehicle;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the truck occupant protection system provided by the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a front view of an embodiment of the truck occupant protection system provided by the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 This is a left view of an embodiment of the truck occupant protection system provided by the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 A simplified model diagram of a truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention before the front pendulum impact;

[0022] Figure 8 A simplified model schematic diagram of the truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention at the moment of impact of the front pendulum;

[0023] Figure 9 A simplified model diagram of a truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention after a front pendulum impact;

[0024] Figure 10 A simplified model diagram of a truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention before a frontal A-pillar impact;

[0025] Figure 11 A simplified model diagram of the truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention at the moment of contact during a frontal A-pillar impact;

[0026] Figure 12 A simplified model diagram of a truck occupant protection system embodiment provided by the present invention after a frontal A-pillar impact.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1-Welded frame support, 2-Steel cable, 3-Car frame, 4-Steering column. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The descriptions of the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are in no way intended to limit the present disclosure or its application or use. The present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully express the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the relative arrangement of components and steps, the composition of materials, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as exemplary only and not as limiting.

[0029] The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Terms such as “including” or “contains” mean that the element preceding the term encompasses the element listed after it, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well. Terms such as “above” and “below” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, this relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0030] In this disclosure, when a specific component is described as being located between a first component and a second component, an intermediary component may or may not be present between the specific component and the first or second component. When a specific component is described as connecting to other components, the specific component may be directly connected to the other components without having an intermediary component, or it may not be directly connected to the other components but may have an intermediary component.

[0031] All terms used in this disclosure (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in a general dictionary, such as a dictionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as having an idealized or highly formalized meaning, unless expressly defined herein.

[0032] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0033] Currently, in order to meet the requirements for frontal pendulum impact and frontal A-pillar impact tests, the usual practice is to add longitudinal and transverse beams to the interior of the driver's cab to strengthen the structure, or to upgrade the material to high-strength steel or ultra-high-strength steel.

[0034] Adding a reinforced structure to the cab presents challenges such as complex manufacturing processes and high costs. Most importantly, even with reinforcement of the cab structure and materials using existing technologies, it is still difficult to achieve good occupant protection.

[0035] Impact deformation follows the law of conservation of energy. Directly reinforcing the cab does not reduce the impact energy it absorbs, nor does it increase the vehicle's crumple zone or the initial survival space for occupants. Although the local deformation displacement of the reinforced cab is reduced, energy will be transferred to other vulnerable areas within the cab. Therefore, after a massive impact, the cab may still experience significant and uncontrollable deformation or cracking, making it difficult to achieve the ideal occupant protection effect.

[0036] Extensive CAE analysis and physical impact verification results indicate that: 1. The low impact point of the frontal pendulum impact results in high impact energy, which typically leads to the fracture of the front-mounted support structure located at the bottom of the cab; 2. The high impact point of the frontal A-pillar impact easily causes the A-pillar of the cab to tilt backward, causing the steering wheel to fall backward and crush the occupant's thigh (Note: The upper part of the truck steering column is generally fixed to the A-pillar of the vehicle body along with the dashboard beam and falls backward with the A-pillar). These two points are the key factors causing the poor occupant protection effect of cab-over trucks and the failure of tests.

[0037] Therefore, existing technologies only reinforce the vehicle body. According to the law of conservation of energy, the impact energy absorbed by the cab is not reduced, the energy absorption space due to vehicle deformation and crumpling is not increased, and the initial survival space for occupants is not increased. In other words, by simply using blocking methods, the enormous energy will still be transferred within the cab during an impact, and uncontrollable large deformations or cracks will still occur, making it difficult to achieve the ideal occupant protection effect.

[0038] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the truck occupant protection system provided in this embodiment includes: a welded frame support 1, which is installed on the vehicle frame 3 and is located in front of the cab; a steel cable 2 is provided on one side of the top of the welded frame support 1, and the steel cable 2 extends from the top of the welded frame support 1 toward the vehicle interior, enters the cab, and is fixed to the steering column 4 inside the cab.

[0039] The welded frame support 1 does not contact the cab when not impacted. The welded frame support 1 is designed to be the first to contact and impact the vehicle in the event of a frontal pendulum impact or similar traffic accident, absorbing the impact energy and directing most of it to the frame 3. A buffer space exists between the welded frame support 1 and the cab, significantly reducing the impact energy borne by the cab and its mounting support structure. A simplified model of the deformation and principle of the truck occupant protection system of this invention before, during, and after a frontal pendulum impact is shown below. Figures 7-9 As shown. Figures 7-9 As shown, the welded frame support 1 of the present invention absorbs and diverts most of the impact energy of the front pendulum, which can effectively reduce the risk of breakage of the support structure installed at the bottom of the cab; at the same time, the steel cable 2 at the top will not transmit the collision pressure to the steering wheel, that is, it will not increase the degree of backing of the steering wheel.

[0040] Specifically, the welded frame support 1 includes a vertical part and a horizontal part, and a reinforcing rib is provided between the vertical part and the horizontal part.

[0041] Furthermore, the intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical portion is located at the upper middle position of the vertical portion. For example, the intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical portion is located at approximately 2 / 3 of the distance from the top of the vertical portion. It should be noted that the present invention does not specifically limit the position of the reinforcing rib.

[0042] Furthermore, one end of the steel cable 2 is a loop structure, which is fitted onto the top of the welded frame support 1, and the other end of the steel cable 2 is fixed to the steering column 4 inside the cab. The steel cable 2 is used to straighten and tighten during a frontal A-pillar impact or similar traffic accident, thereby providing forward tension to the steering column 4, reducing the degree of steering wheel backward movement, and effectively preventing the steering wheel from squeezing the driver's thighs during an impact, thus reducing the degree of injury to the driver in both tests and actual traffic accidents. A simplified model of the deformation and principle of the truck occupant protection system of this invention before, during, and after a frontal A-pillar impact is shown below. Figures 10-12 As shown. Figures 10-12 As shown, the steel cable 2 of the present invention is straightened and tightened during a frontal A-pillar impact, which will generate a forward pulling force on the steering wheel and its mounting structure, reducing the degree of "backward" steering wheel and effectively avoiding squeezing injury to the driver's thighs by the steering wheel.

[0043] The truck occupant protection system provided in this invention, based on the law of conservation of energy in collisions, adopts a combined approach of blocking and diverting energy. While strengthening the vehicle body using conventional methods, it diverts the frontal pendulum impact energy to other parts such as the chassis through a welded frame support structure. This absorbs and diverts most of the impact energy, reducing the impact energy borne by the cab and its mounting support structure. Consequently, in tests and similar real-world frontal collisions, this improves the protection of occupants and the cab's mounting support structure, while also reducing the risk of fracture of the cab's bottom mounting support structure. This design mitigates the risk of the cab detaching entirely, significantly reducing the impact energy borne by the cab and its supporting structure, minimizing cab deformation and compression of the occupants' survival space. The steel cable structure straightens and tightens the A-pillar during a frontal A-pillar impact, reducing the steering wheel's backward tilt and effectively preventing pressure on the driver's thighs during a collision. This reduces the severity of injury to the driver in both experimental and real-world A-pillar impact accidents. Ultimately, this design achieves superior occupant protection in both experimental and real-world accidents, enhancing vehicle passive safety and regulatory compliance.

[0044] The embodiments of this disclosure have now been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0045] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A truck occupant protection system, characterized in that, include: A welded frame support is mounted on the vehicle frame, and the welded frame support is located in front of the cab; A steel cable is provided on one side of the top of the welded frame support, and the steel cable extends from the top of the welded frame support toward the vehicle interior, enters the driver's cab, and is fixed to the steering column inside the driver's cab.

2. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welded frame support does not come into contact with the cab when not subjected to impact.

3. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the steel cable is a loop structure that is fitted onto the top of the welded frame support, and the other end of the steel cable is fixed to the steering column inside the driver's cab.

4. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welded frame support is designed to be contacted and impacted first when the vehicle is subjected to a frontal pendulum impact or similar traffic accident, to absorb the impact energy, and to guide most of the impact energy to the vehicle frame.

5. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steel cable is used to straighten and tighten during a frontal A-pillar impact or similar traffic accident, thereby providing forward tension to the steering column and reducing the degree of steering wheel backlash.

6. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welded frame support includes a vertical part and a horizontal part, and a reinforcing rib is provided between the vertical part and the horizontal part.

7. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical part is located in the upper middle position of the vertical part.

8. The truck occupant protection system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The intersection of the reinforcing rib and the vertical part is located at 2 / 3 of the vertical part.

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