Collision impact attenuation system and method

Abstract

A crash impact attenuation system for placement in front of a structure includes a rail and a plurality of diaphragms initially spaced apart along the length of the rail. The diaphragms each move along the rail, and when the front end of the crash attenuation system receives an impact force from a vehicle, a first diaphragm moves rearward along the rail and strikes a second diaphragm, and both the first and second diaphragms move further rearward along the rail, this process continuing for the other diaphragms until the impact force is completely attenuated. A tearing member of the crash attenuation system engages with material forming a side panel or fender panel of the crash attenuation system, and the tearing member tears the material forming the side panel to attenuate the impact force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a collision buffer, and more particularly, to a collision buffer for a motor vehicle and a guardrail having a fixed system for protecting the leading edge of a bridge abutment and other fixed roadside obstacles.

[0002] Vehicle accidents on public roads are a major global problem and there is no doubt that they are the biggest cause of economic and human losses and damages in today's advanced world. In particular, guardrails, collision buffers, truck-mounted collision attenuators, collision barrels, and the like have been developed to attenuate the impact of vehicles on immovable obstacles such as bridge abutments in order to mitigate human casualties caused by such traffic accidents.

[0003] As described above, the shock absorber must absorb the impact energy of the vehicle so as not to exceed the deceleration limit of the vehicle. Also, it must be compatible with both heavy and lightweight vehicles. The lightest vehicle sets the limit of the maximum force generated by the shock absorber, and the heavier vehicle has a lower deceleration. Considering these, the total impact deformation required is determined. When a frontal collision occurs, the shock absorber / buffer device is designed to control so as to absorb energy and gradually decelerate the vehicle to a stop. Since the force does not exceed the limit of the light vehicle, the initial force and deceleration are low, limiting the absorption of energy. Increasing the collision resistance while "riding down" the vehicle from the impact speed to zero is a very important feature for the collision damping system to meet the strict government safety standards. The collision buffer device is designed to redirect the vehicle back into the lane when the vehicle is collided diagonally from the side and prevent a fatal impact on a hard and pointed obstacle. A general collision buffer device incorporates side rails / panels, an intermediate diaphragm, a track assembly that fixes and guides the intermediate diaphragm, and an energy absorption device. Since the collision safety standards have highly developed and the requirements have increased to better protect the vehicle occupants from injury, it is obvious that the next-generation collision buffer shock absorber or collision buffer device is required to meet high standards in an innovative, inexpensive, simple, and effective way while performing its functions. The present invention meets and further exceeds those high standards.

[0004] The present invention, together with additional features and advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention is particularly innovative in that the side panel arranged also functions as the energy absorption device, eliminating the need for additional internal absorption members. By this method, the complexity of the system is alleviated and the cost is reduced, which is a method that has not been used in prior collision buffer technologies.

[0006] The side panels of the new collision shock attenuation system are designed to slide or fit into each other when the shock attenuation system is compressed such that the ends meet. This is a common feature of collision buffer devices. However, the mounting bolts at the downstream ends of each said panel are designed to tear the side panel / rail as the panel moves to pass through the mounting bolts. This tearing action absorbs energy when the system is compressed and controls the accident vehicle to stop safely before hitting a hard obstacle. The resistance force of the panel is controlled to absorb energy at a predetermined rate when the shock absorber is compressed. The resistance force is designed to be low initially and increase along the entire length of the system. The force can also be varied between panels or within individual panel segments. The change in the resistance force is achieved by several new concepts, for example, by varying the thickness of the panel or by opening various shaped holes in the panel along the tearing path. Using different shapes and varying the spacing between the shapes not only affects the resistance force but also controls the consistency of the tearing path and can be used to achieve different failure modes (e.g., Mode 1 - tensile failure, Mode II - shear failure, Mode III - out-of-plane shear, or a combination of these failure mechanisms). Additionally, some hole shapes can also be used to reduce debris. Perforation can also be used to control the resistance force and the tearing path. For panels with high resistance, the holes or cutouts can also be staggered to mitigate the force spikes during an impact event. Subsequently, the panel can be configured to accommodate multiple forces and multiple impact conditions.

[0007] The structure of the collision buffer device according to the exemplary embodiment is configured as a dual track design having two T-shaped track rails for fixing and guiding the intermediate vibration plate. The track rails are welded to intermittent base plates fixed to the paved road. The intermediate vibration plate and the impact head are assembled from structural steel pipes and have legs that slide along the guide tracks. The legs of the impact head are extended so as to prevent / limit the rotation of the impact head about the vertical axis and the horizontal axis when an off-center / angled impact and a high bumper impact are applied to the nose portion of the device. The legs of the intermediate vibration plate are designed to limit rotation. Both the impact head and the intermediate vibration plate are designed to have sufficient lateral strength to withstand the impact of the vehicle against the side of the collision buffer device. The mounting bolts between the panel and the intermediate vibration plate / impact head are composed of specially designed integral washer plates to make the panels slidable relative to each other, guide the tear path along the panel, and prevent the mounting bolts from being pulled out of the side panel. In addition, the collision buffer device is provided with a crushable energy absorption nose piece for prolonging the momentum transfer and extending the inertia pulse when the impact head and the side panel start to move at the start of an impact event. This feature reduces the peak force applied to the vehicle and its occupants.

[0008] More specifically, in one aspect of the present invention, a collision impact attenuation system and a fixing structure for mitigating a direct collision of a vehicle are provided, which include an attenuation portion including a plurality of support members. The fixing structure may include, for example, a concrete abutment, a guardrail system, a terminal, and a guardrail end treatment, and the like. In the case of a guardrail, for example, the support member may simply be a support column. The attenuator system further includes a side panel including one of a plurality of side panels arranged along a side surface of the attenuation portion, and the side panel is adapted to slide rearward along the attenuation portion when the side panel slides over an adjacent second side panel of the plurality of side panels in response to a collision of the vehicle when the collision impact attenuation system is collided by the vehicle. Each of the plurality of side panels includes a plurality of holes arranged in the material constituting the specific side panel, and the plurality of holes extend along the length of each of the plurality of side panels and are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0009] As an advantage, the tearing member is arranged in the attenuation portion and is adapted to engage with one of the plurality of holes of the side panel material. Thus, when the collision attenuator is collided by the vehicle, relative movement occurs between the side panel and the tearing member, whereby fragments or cracks of the material forming the side panel extending between the plurality of adjacent holes are torn, and the impact force is attenuated by tearing the side panel material. The side panel material is adjusted to optimize the tearing of the side panel material, and the adjustment of the side panel material is achieved by determining and arranging the sizes of the plurality of holes in a predetermined manner.

[0010] As shown in the figures, embodiments of the present invention further include a rail along which the damping portion extends along the length of the shock absorber system. In this embodiment, the plurality of support members may include a plurality of diaphragms spaced along the length of the rail, each of the plurality of diaphragms having a base end or leg adapted to be movably engaged with the rail. When the shock impact damping system receives an impact force from a colliding vehicle, the first of the plurality of diaphragms moves rearward along the rail and collides with the second of the plurality of diaphragms, and the first and second of the plurality of diaphragms both move further rearward along the rail, and this process continues for the other of the plurality of diaphragms until the impact force is completely damped. In the illustrated embodiment, the side panel is typically also known as a fender panel that constitutes the collision buffer device shown and described above.

[0011] In the illustrated embodiment, the tearing member includes a bolt and is disposed on one of the plurality of diaphragms. The tearing member preferably includes a plurality of tearing members for enhancing the damping effect.

[0012] Another advantageous feature of the present invention is that the side panel is adjustable for optimal attenuation. For example, in certain embodiments, the holes are not evenly spaced along the length of the side panel. Adjacent ones of the plurality of holes proximate to the first or rear (right end in the illustrated embodiment) end of the side panel are spaced closer together than adjacent ones of the plurality of holes proximate to the second or front (left end in the illustrated embodiment) end of the side panel. The plurality of holes are not of uniform size and may differ from each other. The last ones of the plurality of holes may be larger and even longer than the plurality of holes positioned proximate to the front end of the side panel. The material forming the side panel tapers towards the rear end of the side panel and thickens towards the front end of the side panel. In some embodiments, the plurality of holes are arranged to form a first row and a second row of holes spaced from each other along the height of the side panel, and the corresponding holes forming each of the first row and the second row of holes in the side panel are longitudinally aligned with each other. In other embodiments, in this type of multiple row, the corresponding holes forming each of the first row and the second row of holes in the side panel are arranged alternately longitudinally with respect to each other.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, the side panel includes a first-stage attenuation portion, the second side panel includes a second-stage attenuation portion, the first-stage attenuation portion is located in front of the second-stage attenuation portion, and the side panel in the more forward stage is softer than the second side panel in the more rearward stage. The side panel is adjusted to be softer than the second side panel for one or more of the following reasons: a) the side panel has more holes than the second side panel; b) the average size of the holes in the second side panel is smaller than the average size of the holes in the side panel; c) the shape of some or all of the holes in the side panel is different from the shape of some or all of the holes in the second side panel; d) the spacing between the holes in the second side panel is greater than the spacing between the holes in the side panel; and e) the average thickness of the side panel is less than the average thickness of the second side panel.

[0014] As an example, the plurality of side panels further includes third, fourth, and fifth side panels that extend rearward in the longitudinal direction of the second side panel. The third side panel includes a third-stage attenuation portion, the fourth side panel includes a fourth-stage attenuation portion, and the fifth side panel includes a fifth-stage attenuation portion. The third side panel is harder than the second side panel, the fourth side panel is harder than the third side panel, and the fifth side panel is harder than the fourth side panel. Thus, each successive side panel from the first stage to the fifth stage may be adapted or configured such that the side panel in the subsequent stage is harder than the side panel in the previous stage. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the same panel may be used for successive stages, and in such cases, the hardness / resistance of each successive side panel is equal to or higher than that of the side panel in the previous stage in the rearward direction. Of course, the five stages are merely for illustration or demonstration, and any number of stages may be adopted within the parameters of the concept of the present invention. In each of the above-described embodiments, the nose box is usually disposed at the foremost end of the shock absorber. By definition, "soft" means that the panel or material provides less resistance to force or absorbs less energy per unit displacement, and a "hard" panel or material provides more resistance to force or absorbs more energy per unit displacement compared to a soft panel.

[0015] An advantageous feature of the present invention is that the bolt is assembled together with a bent washer plate. The bent washer plate has a flared front wing. By restricting the forward extension of the bent washer plate, the bending of the side panel is allowed, and it is prevented that the side panel is torn by the bolt and deposited.

[0016] The plurality of holes extend along the length of each of the plurality of side panels and are vertically spaced from each other. As an advantage, each of the plurality of side panels includes a row of holes that extends along the length direction of each of the plurality of side panels and ends before reaching the front end of each of the plurality of side panels. By the end of the row of holes in each of the plurality of side panels, the start of shearing of the next adjacent one of the plurality of side panels is facilitated, thereby reducing a spike in the attenuation of the impact force when the collision impact attenuation system is compressed.

[0017] Other advantageous features of the present invention include first and second rails arranged parallel to each other and extending along the length of the damping portion, each of the first and second rails having a T-shaped configuration consisting of a top flange arranged horizontally and extending along the length of each rail. Each of the base ends or legs of the plurality of diaphragms includes first and second base ends or legs, the first leg being configured to surround the top flange of the first rail and the second leg being configured to surround the top flange of the second rail. Thereby, the lateral load from an impact in an oblique direction on the collision attenuation system is dispersed to each of the first and second rails.

[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a collision attenuation system that unfolds in front of a fixed structure is provided. The system includes a base portion, the base portion including a first outer rail extending along the length of the base portion, a second outer rail spaced from the first outer rail and extending along the length of the base portion, and a plurality of spaced cross members or brace tubes extending across the width of the base portion and connecting the first outer rail to the second outer rail. The system further includes an upper attenuation portion consisting of a plurality of diaphragm plates initially spaced along the length of the base portion. Each of the plurality of diaphragm plates has a base end adapted to be movably engaged with each of the first outer rail and the second outer rail. When the front end of the upper attenuation portion receives an impact force from a vehicle involved in an accident, the first of the plurality of diaphragm plates moves rearward along the first and second outer rails and collides with the second of the plurality of diaphragm plates, causing both the first and second of the plurality of diaphragm plates to move further rearward along the first and second outer rails. This process continues for the other of the plurality of diaphragm plates until the impact force is completely attenuated. A side panel is disposed on the upper attenuation portion, the side panel having holes therein adapted to engage a tearing member disposed on the upper attenuation portion. The tearing member and the side panel are relatively movable when an impact force is applied to the collision attenuation system, so that the tearing member tears the side panel and increases the attenuation of the impact force.

[0019] In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for attenuating the impact force applied from a damaged vehicle that may collide with a stationary object is provided. The method includes receiving an impact force at a front end of a collision impact attenuator having a base portion and an upper attenuation portion, one or more members of the upper attenuation portion moving rearward along the base portion in response to the impact force, and when one or more members of the upper attenuation portion move in response to the impact force, a tearing member disposed in the collision impact attenuator tearing a material including a side panel disposed in the collision impact attenuator, and the impact force being attenuated by tearing the side panel material.

[0020] In one embodiment, the tearing member is a protrusion disposed on one or more members of the upper attenuation portion and is initially engaged with a hole formed in the side panel material. The side panel material has a plurality of holes that are spaced apart and arranged vertically, and the tearing step includes tearing the side panel material between the initially engaged hole and an adjacent one of the plurality of holes to form fragments or cracks in the side panel. The tearing member may include a bolt and may include other members such as a rod, a plate, a wedge, or the like as shown in the figures.

[0021] As described above, the simplest embodiment of the present invention comprises the tearing member passing through a base material having a continuous cross-section in order to break the base material so as to dissipate energy. However, in order to control the breakage and the associated dissipation of energy, various modifications can be made to the cross-section of the base material. Holes of various shapes can be formed in the cross-section of the base material in the path of the tearing member. These shapes change the mode of fracture and the number of fracture surfaces, and contribute to controlling the propagation of fractures or cracks. For example, a single-mode I (tensile) fracture surface can be formed in the base material by continuous triangular cutouts. Alternatively, a fracture surface combining mode II and mode III can also be formed in the base material by continuous trapezoidal cutouts. By having a plurality of the fracture surfaces, fragments are formed from the base material, but if only a single fracture surface is formed along the path of the tearing member, no fragments are formed. Other possible shapes include, but are not limited to, quadrilateral, rhombus, rectangle, groove, circle, semi-circle, crescent, etc.

[0022] The longitudinal perforations of the base material can be used independently or in combination with the shape of the holes in the base material. The longitudinal perforations modify the forces and energy generated by the breakage of the base material by removing a portion of the base material. Furthermore, the longitudinal perforations can also control the propagation of the fracture surface. A single row forms a single fracture line, and multiple rows can assist in the removal of the material.

[0023] Grooves, scratches, or other stress concentration features in the base material that do not completely penetrate the cross-section of the base material can also be used independently or in combination with the shape of the holes or perforations in the base material. These features provide other mechanisms for controlling the forces and dissipation of energy that break the material, and also contribute to controlling the propagation of the breakage of the base material.

[0024] By varying the longitudinal spacing of the cross-section of the base material, the destruction and energy dissipation of the present invention can also be controlled. These modifications to the longitudinal spacing control the fracture mode and change the amount of material broken by the tearing member, thereby increasing or decreasing the force level and increasing or decreasing the energy dissipation.

[0025] When multiple tearing members and fracture lines are used in one section of the base material, the patterns resulting from a given combination of hole shape, perforation, groove, scratch, and longitudinal spacing are staggered or longitudinally offset, and the patterns are not synchronized with each other. These staggered patterns limit large force spikes and provide a more consistent force level by causing intermittent fractures along the tearing path at different times.

[0026] The above-described modifications to the cross-section of the base material can be used within one section of the base material to form the required energy dissipation. The modified pattern varies the energy dissipation rate along the length of the base material, forming a stepped energy absorber within a single base material section.

[0027] To control energy dissipation, two parameters of the base material can be modified. The first parameter is to change the base material itself to adjust the forces and energy associated with fracture. For example, the material grade of a steel panel with a specific yield strength and ductility can be selected to form the force and energy dissipation rate required during fracture. Additionally, different materials such as plastic, steel, or aluminum can be selected to generate the required fracture behavior.

[0028] The second parameter can modify the thickness of the base material to control the fracture and energy dissipation of the material. The thickness of the material can be used to control the fracture mode and the magnitude of the energy dissipated by the fracture. By combining multiple material layers at predetermined positions, for example, stacking and welding metal layers, the resistance and energy dissipation can be changed. Different thickness materials can also be installed from end to end to vary the force level and energy dissipation at any position.

[0029] The energy dissipation mechanism described above was developed for use in the valleys of continuous three-beam panels. However, this methodology is applicable to various members and various locations within the cross-section of the members. Furthermore, this technology is applicable not only to collision buffer systems, but also to various energy dissipation systems used in roadside hardware and other shock-absorbing structures.

[0030] The present invention will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which additional features and advantages will be apparent.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0032] Looking at the drawings in more detail, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate the fixed collision shock absorber or collision buffer system 10 according to the above-described exemplary embodiment, which is sacrificially designed to be repairable or replaceable after a collision. Therefore, while being an inexpensive and simple design and configuration, it is an effective design for protecting the occupants of a vehicle that has collided directly or obliquely with the shock absorber.

[0033] The energy dissipation mechanism of the present invention achieves energy dissipation by the tearing member passing through the base material and breaking the base material. The system of the present invention uses several parameters including the use of different types of tearing members, changes in the cross-section of the base material due to various forms of holes, cuts, and stress concentrations, and variations in the base material itself to control and modify the force level and energy dissipation for breaking the base material. These aspects of the energy dissipation mechanism allow for changes in the force level and energy dissipation caused by the breaking of the material by changing the fracture mode, the quantity of the fracture surface, and the length of the fracture of the material. In its simplest form, energy dissipation occurs when the tearing member passes through a certain cross-section of the base material to form a single fracture line. Also, in order to make the energy dissipation more sophisticated, by introducing various modifications mentioned herein, it is possible to provide multiple fracture modes along multiple fracture lines.

[0034] The points to be considered in the design of the system 10 are that it is designed and tested to meet the TL (Test Level)-3 crash attenuation standard of the United States, has a narrow outer shape, is bidirectional, complies with MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware), is inexpensive, and is self-standing (it does not need to be attached to a rigid article but can be attached). The system can be easily manufactured with a simple design (the materials are of standard sizes and shapes, the side panels are of a standard three-beam type, e.g., AASHTO M-180 profile), can be easily assembled, and a complete assembled product can be exported. The base is a drill template, and anchor holes can be drilled in the assembled state of the unit 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the length of the unit is designed to be about 20 - 24 ft. Its width is 32 in or less, enabling the transportation of three widths of the unit 10 on one truck. The height in an exemplary embodiment ranges between 31 - 36 in. The unit 10 can be fixed to concrete, asphalt, or their hybrids, and may be fixed using standard anchors and adhesives. It is suitable for use in a temperature range of -40°F or less to 150°F or more.

[0035] As particularly shown in FIG. 2, the system 10 includes a base portion or truck assembly 12 having a ladder frame design, a plurality of intermediate base plates 14 that respectively support a first outer rail 16 and a second outer rail 18, and large end base plates 15 at each end. The intermediate base plates 14 and the end base plates 15 each have anchor holes 20 for fixing the base to the ground using bolt anchors 22 or other suitable mechanical fixtures. In some embodiments, adhesives may be used as an alternative. In the illustrated embodiment, the anchor holes 20 may be spaced along the lengths of the respective base plates 14 and 15 on the outer and inner sides of the first outer rail 16 and the second outer rail 18.

[0036] The system 10 further includes an upper damping portion 24 composed of a plurality of intermediate diaphragms 28 including a shock head assembly 26, intermediate diaphragm assemblies extending between the shock head assembly and the backup structure assembly, and a plurality of side panels 30. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the shock head assembly 26 includes an object marker such as a warning stripe or the like at the front end, and a crushable nose box or energy absorber 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the crushable box 32 is filled with a honeycomb material adapted to attenuate the impact force by being broken and compressed (in FIGS. 9-11, the honeycomb is omitted for clarity). Of course, if necessary, other suitable damping materials other than honeycomb may be used. The shock head 26 supports the loads from impacts biased from the front, side, and angled noses.

[0037] The intermediate diaphragms 28 are spaced behind the shock head 26. They are manufactured in standard shapes and sizes and have cross braces or brace tubes sized to correspond to the loads. Each cross brace is arranged to facilitate the assembly of the side panels 30. As shown in the figure, each intermediate diaphragm 28 is slidably mounted on the lateral base ends or legs 34 of the side rails 16 and 18. The rails 16 and 18 are in a T-shape, and the legs 34 of the diaphragm 28 are configured as "T-grooves" that completely surround and cover the upper flange portion of the "T" of the T-shaped rail. This is best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. As shown in the figure, this unique configuration distributes the lateral load from an impact in an oblique direction to the rails 16 and 18, while prior art collision buffer devices typically use "C-shaped" rails and only allow the lateral load on the adjacent track rails.

[0038] The side panel 30 has a standard structure, and the illustrated collision buffer includes a corrugated beam such as a standard three-beam or W-beam panel, and is preferably manufactured from 10 or 12 gauge steel. Plates or tubes may be used. When the vehicle collides and the shock absorber is compressed, the intermediate diaphragm moves sequentially rearwardly towards the rear of the shock absorber 10 and slides along the rails 16 and 18. When the sliding operation of the intermediate diaphragm 28 occurs, the side panel 30 is advantageously designed to move rearwardly together with the intermediate diaphragm to which it is attached and to be incorporated or overlapped with each other in a sliding pattern. This mechanism will be described in detail later.

[0039] The length of the side panel 30 is determined by the load of impact in the side or diagonal direction, and may be determined at least to some extent based on the diaphragm. The panel is preferably designed to be a popular and replaceable one as much as possible. Of course, it is only replaceable with other panels of the damping system designed in a stepped manner as well. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the bolt and bent washer plate assembly 36 fixes each side panel 30 to the respective intermediate diaphragm 28, and fixes the adjacent side panel 30 to the impact head 26 or the backup structure assembly 44. Each bolt assembly may include a wing-shaped and bent washer plate 38 fixed by a bolt 40 having a bolt head 42. This shape of the washer plate configuration has the advantage that the fracture path and the operation of the panel can be more advantageously controlled. The steel material forming the side panel may be zinc-plated, for example, A36, A513, or A517. FIGS. 4A to 4G respectively show isometric views of the bolt and bent washer plate assembly 36, and the bent washer plate 38 has bent wings 38a and a central portion 38b. By adopting a flare-shaped front wing 38a on the washer plate 38 and positioning the bolt 40 forward, the distance to the handle surface is shortened, thereby restricting the deposition in front of the tearing member (bolt) 40 and below the washer. This shape of the washer plate has a function of assisting in controlling the fracture path and the operation of the panel when performing the tearing process. FIG. 4B is a side view showing the assembly of FIG. 4A, FIG. 4C is an elevation view, FIG. 4D illustrates the flat pattern of the bent washer plate 38, FIG. 4E is a side view showing the flat pattern of the bent washer plate shown in FIG. 4D, FIG. 4F is an elevation view showing the bent washer plate 38, and FIG. 4G is a side view showing the bent washer plate 38. The central portion 38b of the bent washer plate 38 is provided with a hole 39 for inserting the bolt 40.

[0040] As shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 9-11, the impact head assembly 26 includes an upright support 46 in addition to the crushable box 32, has a base end 47 that is similar to but longer than the base end or leg 34 of the intermediate diaphragm 28, and is adapted to slide along the rails 16 and 18.

[0041] FIGS. 6 and 15-18B illustrate the backup structure assembly 44, which includes a vertical column 48 and an angled support brace 50 (FIGS. 1-3 and 15-17). The vertical column 48 and the angled support brace 50 include the end base plate 15 that is fixed to the ground using bolt anchors 22. It should be noted that the specific structural features of the backup structure assembly 44 may be modified based on the required application, and if desired, the shock absorber 10 may be fixed to the fixed structure that is protected using end treatment hardware of a known design.

[0042] FIGS. 7-8 and 12-14 illustrate the intermediate diaphragm 28, and more specifically, the intermediate diaphragm 28 includes the intermediate diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm 28 includes an upright support 54, the lower end of which is disposed at the base end or leg 34. The supports 54 are fixed together by a cross member 56, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0043] FIGS. 18-23 illustrate the truck assembly 12 according to an exemplary embodiment in particular detail, which includes the first side rail 16 and the second side rail 18 that are respectively fixed to the longitudinally spaced intermediate base plates 14. At both ends of the shock absorber 10, the rails 16 and 18 extend along and are fixed to the length direction of the large end base plate 15 to support each impact head at one end and the backup structure assembly at the second end.

[0044] Particularly as shown in FIG. 2, the colliding vehicle in a frontal collision applies an impact to the nose piece or impact head 26 in the direction from left to right as indicated by arrow 58. The system can also attenuate the impact of a vehicle colliding from the side or at an angle. In order to adjust and control the damping characteristics of the shock absorber 10, the upper damping portion is divided into a plurality of stages. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the upper damping portion 24 is composed of a stage 1 rail assembly 60, a stage 2 rail assembly 62, a stage 3 rail assembly 64, a stage 4 rail assembly 66, and a stage 5 rail assembly 68, each of which is provided with a uniquely designed panel that smoothly transitions between panels / stages. The resulting extension of the inertial pulse reduces the force peak and improves the safety of the occupants of the colliding vehicle.

[0045] The present invention employs an energy absorption mechanism in the collision damping system, and the element tearing mode of the damper system that absorbs the force energized by the colliding vehicle is designed. In the illustrated embodiment, the energy absorption method tears the side panel or fender panel 30 and uses the panel connection hardware, including the bolt assembly 36 as the tearing hardware. Naturally, other system members can be used as the item to be torn, and other tearing members, such as independent washer plates / assemblies and other through elements like rods, plates, wedges, and the like, are also included within the scope of the present invention. The form of the tearing member is used to determine the fracture mode and the number of fracture surfaces developing within the base material, and to control the propagation of the fracture path through the base material. The plurality of tearing members used in the section of the base material form additional fracture surfaces, improving the force level and energy dissipation.

[0046] Particularly innovative is the design in which the system adjusts tearing and shearing in a controlled manner to maximize impact attenuation ability, minimize the risk of injury to vehicle occupants, and substantially reduce the ride-down forces experienced by the vehicle occupants to levels below the allowable levels specified in US collision standards. The method of adjusting the tearing level involves adjusting the thickness of the member to vary according to each stage of the damper, controlling the tearing process using the cutouts of the member to be torn, and including a range from various configurations and spaced-apart continuous holes such as grooved, triangular including isosceles and equilateral triangles, trapezoidal, semi-circular / crescent-shaped, perforated, rectangular, and similar shapes, formed in a member made of solid material, but not limited thereto. As described above, the size of the cutout is modifiable, as is the spacing between the holes. Multiple rows of holes are employed in each member, and the holes may be aligned with the holes in adjacent rows or staggered. The purpose of this adjustment is to enable one, two, or three different types of tearing modes, including Mode 1 (tensile failure), Mode 2 (shearing failure), Mode III (out-of-plane shearing), and combinations of modes, based on the shape / pattern of the holes, their spacing, and the thickness of the member. The control of tearing is designed to provide a consistent and predictable path formed by the planned use of perforations, pattern spacing, grooves or scratches, and the design of the tearing pattern, and in an exemplary embodiment, includes the innovative washer plate design used with the bolt assembly 36, where the wing washer 38 allows for the curvature of the fender panel and limits forward extension to prevent accumulation. The member to be torn (e.g., the fender panel 30 according to the exemplary embodiment) can be made of various materials such as various steels, aluminum, plastic, and FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic). The staggered pattern is employed, as described above, to limit the peak of the force and cause tearing to occur at the valleys or peaks of the rails, or somewhere on the panel.

[0047] Incidentally, herein, the terms "tear", "tearing", "tearable", and similar terms used in this specification and the appended claims are substituted with any of the terms described above as terms for forming slits in a shock-absorbing member for attenuating longitudinal breakage or shock energy, and the scope of the present invention is broad enough to include any of these terms.

[0048] In view of the above, FIGS. 24-25 illustrate an exemplary first stage (Stage 1) of the shock absorber 10, which includes a first fender panel 30 disposed to face each other along both sides of the shock absorber system 10 and extends rearward from the impact head 26, particularly as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in the figures, the panel 30 of Stage 1 includes two columns 74 and 76 of vertically disposed and spaced holes 78, which are triangular in shape, and more specifically, isosceles triangles in a particular embodiment. Each of the columns 74 and 76 is aligned with its respective bolt hole 70 to receive the bolt 40 of the panel bolt assembly 36. Location 72 houses a gusset welded to the back of the three-beam fender panel 30. This gusset strengthens the panel through which the shear bolt 40 passes, thereby causing the downstream bolt to be pushed out by the panel. The wing washer 38 is welded to each shear bolt 40. As shown in FIG. 24, the shape of the extension groove 80 may be circular, elliptical, or other shapes and is disposed at the rear ends of each of the columns 74 and 76. The purpose of the groove 80 is to receive the bolt 40 of the bolt assembly that fixes the front end of the next overlapping panel 30 to the second intermediate diaphragm 28 in the initial deployment state of the shock absorber 10. Using groove shapes, water droplet shapes, and other special shapes promotes stress concentration at the starting point of the panel and the initiation of fracture. The first panel has its front portion attached to the impact head 26, spans the first intermediate diaphragm 28, and is screwed to the second intermediate diaphragm 28 by bolts. Due to the impact from a vehicle applying an impact force in the direction of arrow 58 (FIG. 2), as shown in the figure, the first panel 30 is accelerated from left to right, rides with the impact head 26 to which its respective front end is attached, and the elliptical groove 80 becomes the point where the tear bolt 40 starts the tearing process, and the bolt moves forward relative to the panel until the bolt reaches the front end of the panel 30 at the leftmost end of each of the columns 74 and 76.Even if the panel moves rearward in response to the impact force 58 of the vehicle, as described above, the rearmost end of the panel is softer or more uniform than the foremost end of the panel. Therefore, in the material of the panel 30, the tearing operation is initiated by the bolt 40, forming fragments or cracks that expand forward along the panel.

[0049] Stage 1 is the first stage that receives and attenuates the impact force and is designed to be the softest. Each successive stage is designed such that the next stage is harder than the previous stage. In Stage 1, as described above, the hole 78 may exhibit a triangular shape, and more specifically, an isosceles triangle in a particular embodiment. The triangular shape is particularly suitable for single mode 1, which performs destruction without fragments. As described above, during the impact, the tearing bolt 40 moves from right to left in a direction opposite to that of the panel through the panel 30. When the tearing bolt 40 is inserted into the triangular hole 78, the bolt collides with the two diverging sides of the triangle, forming a tensile load at the left point of the triangle. As described above, tensile failure in mode 1 is initiated in the material ahead of the tearing bolt, and often shear in mode II also occurs, especially at the start of the tearing process.

[0050] As described above, as shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, stage 2 is the next stage, and the next fender panel 30 is subjected to an impact. Although it is designed harder than stage 1, since the impact force is still high even if it is attenuated only by the impact head and the panel of stage 1, stage 2 is still soft. In stage 2, the panel 30 has two rows 74 and 76 along the position of the same holes 82 as in stage 1. These holes 82 are depicted as triangles, but are smaller and more closely spaced than the holes in stage 1. The triangle may be an isosceles triangle, or as shown in the figure, an equilateral triangle, but other alternative shapes such as circular, trapezoidal, rectangular, and similar shapes may also be used. In the illustrated embodiment, there are 33 holes 82 along the 32 in length of each of the rows 74 and 76. Of course, this is merely an exemplary quantity, and the actual number and spacing of the holes can be modified in consideration of the design. Large elongated holes 84 are disposed at the downstream (far right) ends of each of the rows 74 and 76 to accommodate the bolts 40 for fixing the panel 30 to the corresponding intermediate diaphragm 28. As the impact force continues, the panel 30 moves to the right, whereby the tearing bolts 40 move (relatively) leftward (forward) along each of the rows 74 and 76.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 29 to 31, the next panel 30 includes stage 3. This stage appears in the same manner as stage 2 and the shape of the holes is also the same, but in this exemplary embodiment, there are 29 holes 85 along the 31 1 / 2 in length of each of the rows 74 and 76. Therefore, since the number of holes 85 is smaller and more widely spaced than the holes 82 in the stage 2 panel, the stage 3 panel 30 is "harder" than the stage 2 panel 30.

[0052] Stages 4 and 5, as shown in FIGS. 32 - 35, also have two columns of holes 74 and 76 in the fourth and fifth stage fender panels 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the same panel 30 is used for both stages 4 and 5, and the panel uses trapezoidal holes 86. The circular holes 90 function to initiate tearing at this stage. It should be noted that in stages 4 and 5, the relative axial positions of the trapezoidal holes 86 in each column 74 and 76 are staggered rather than aligned. The purpose of staggering is to make the force attenuation more uniform and smooth the peaks and valleys of the force deflection curve. The trapezoid is more suitable for fracture in the double mode of Mode II / Mode III.

[0053] If necessary, the subsequent panel 30 may be made of a thicker material than the previous one, and the subsequent stage may be made harder than the previous one.

[0054] As described above, the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary, and different quantities of columns of holes, different shapes of holes, different spacings, staggering, and the like can be employed to achieve the required attenuation characteristics. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, for example, isosceles triangles are used in stage 1, equilateral triangles of various sizes and spacings are used in stages 2 and 3, and trapezoids of various sizes and spacings are used in stages 4 and 5. Rectangles with or without perforations can be used for double Mode II / Mode III fracture. Incidentally, the exemplary embodiment mainly includes stages related to the transition of the panel. Instead of transitioning from one panel to the next, within the scope of a single panel, changing the material thickness, hole size, hole spacing, or other features, so as to divide a single panel into multiple stages, is suitable within the scope of the present invention.

[0055] As an advantage, the present invention contemplates the use of a plurality of said fracture surfaces within a single panel, an alternating pattern of fractures staggered in the vertical direction, and an alternative to the spacing of shaped holes within a panel segment. In particular, the change in the pattern of (holes) in each said panel ends earlier than full stroke, as shown in the figure, prior to the end of the panel and the plate 72, increasing the force to bottom the current panel as the inertial force decreases and smoothly transitioning to the start of the fracture of the next panel.

[0056] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above examples. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that such changes or improvements can be made. It is also apparent from the description of the claims that forms incorporating such changes or improvements can also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0057] 10 unit 10 shock absorber 10 collision buffer system 12 track assembly 14 intermediate base plate 15 end base plate 16 first outer rail 16 first side rail 18 second outer rail 18 second side rail 18A insertion area 20 anchor hole 22 bolt anchor 24 upper damping portion 26 impact head assembly 28 intermediate diaphragm 30 side panel 30 fender panel 32 crushable nose box 32 energy absorber 32 crushable box 34 Foot 36 Bent Washer Plate Assembly 36 Bolt Assembly 38 Bent Washer Plate 38 Wing Washer 38a Flare Front Wing 38a Bent Wing 38b Central Portion 40 Bolt 42 Bolt Head 44 Backup Structure Assembly 46 Upright Support 48 Straight Post 50 Angled Support Brace 54 Upright Support 56 Cross Member 58 Arrow 58 Vehicle Impact Force 60 Stage 1 Rail Assembly 62 Stage 2 Rail Assembly 64 Stage 3 Rail Assembly 66 Stage 4 Rail Assembly 68 Stage 5 Rail Assembly 70 Bolt Hole 72 Position 72 Plate 74 Column 76 Column 78 Hole 80 Extension Groove 82 Hole 84 Extension Hole 85 Hole 86 Trapezoidal Hole 90 Circular Hole

Claims

1. 1. A crash impact attenuation system for mitigating a direct vehicle crash into a structure, comprising: a damping portion comprising: a rail extending a length of the crash impact attenuation system; a plurality of support members including a plurality of diaphragms spaced apart from one another along the rail and having base ends or legs movably engaged with the rail; and a plurality of side panels disposed along a pair of sides surrounding the plurality of diaphragms, When the collision impact attenuation system is hit by a vehicle, The vibration plates are arranged such that an upstream vibration plate in a collision direction moves along the attenuation portion and collides with a downstream vibration plate in the collision direction, and both the upstream and downstream vibration plates move further downstream, The plurality of side panels are arranged such that, along the attenuation portion, the upstream side panel slides on the downstream side panel until the upstream and downstream diaphragms collide with each other, and from the collision between the upstream and downstream diaphragms, the downstream side panel slides on the further downstream side panel, The process is continued for the other diaphragm and other side panels until the impact force from the vehicle is completely attenuated. each of the side panels includes a plurality of spaced apart holes extending along its length; The attenuation portion, a tearing member as a bolt projecting outward from a side of the diaphragm so as to engage with one of the holes of an upstream side panel among adjacent side panels of the side panels and to be fixed to the side of the diaphragm through one of the holes of a downstream side panel, wherein when the collision impact attenuation system is hit by a vehicle, relative motion occurs between the upstream side panel and the tearing member to tear the holes and the gaps in the side panel material extending between adjacent holes, thereby attenuating the impact force from the vehicle; and Equipped with the holes include a first row of holes and a second row of holes, the first row and the second row of holes being spaced apart from each other along the height of the side panel, and the holes in each row being aligned along the length of the side panel and staggered along the height of the side panel; The shape, size, and arrangement of the holes and the side panel material are When the side panel on the upstream side in the collision direction among the plurality of side panels is softer than the side panel on the downstream side in the collision direction and the collision impact attenuation system is collided with a vehicle, the ratio of a tensile failure mode (Mode I) in which the plurality of holes in each row in the side panel material of a side panel fixed to the tearing member on the side of the diaphragm are expanded in the height direction of each hole in sequence in the direction opposite to the collision direction by the tearing member on the side of another diaphragm downstream of the diaphragm, decreases for each side panel from the upstream to the downstream in the collision direction; The proportion of shear fracture modes (mode II) in which the plurality of gaps in each row of the side panel material of a side panel fixed to the tearing member on the side of the diaphragm are torn along the length of each gap in sequence in the direction opposite to the collision direction by the tearing member on the side of another diaphragm downstream of the diaphragm increases for each side panel from the upstream to the downstream of the collision direction. So that a tear like this occurs It is set A collision impact attenuation system comprising:

2. The crash attenuation system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of side panels comprises a plurality of fender panels.

3. 2. The collision impact attenuation system according to claim 1, wherein the holes in the side panel located upstream in the collision direction are triangular, and the holes in the side panel located downstream in the collision direction are trapezoidal.

4. 4. The collision impact attenuation system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of side panels include first to fifth side panels arranged from upstream to downstream in the collision direction, the first to fourth side panels being harder in that order, and the fifth side panel being harder than or the same hardness as the fourth side panel.

5. 2. The collision impact attenuation system according to claim 1, further comprising a nose box disposed at the most upstream end in the collision direction.

6. 2. The crash attenuation system of claim 1, wherein said bolt is assembled with a bent washer plate.

7. 7. The crash attenuation system of claim 6, wherein said folded washer plate includes a flared front wing.

8. 8. The collision impact attenuation system according to claim 7, wherein the bent washer plate has a shape that limits its extension upstream in the collision direction, and allows bending of one of the side panels that engages with the bent washer plate, thereby preventing the side panel from being torn apart by the bolt and piled up.

9. the holes are in a plurality of spaced apart rows extending along the length of each side panel; The plurality of holes in each row are configured to: Before the corresponding tearing member reaches the upstream end of each side panel in the collision direction, the tearing member starts tearing the adjacent side panel downstream in the collision direction.

2. The crash attenuation system of claim 1, configured to reduce spikes in impact force attenuation when the crash attenuation system is compressed.

10. 2. The impact attenuation system of claim 1, wherein the rails include a pair of horizontal, parallel rails, each of the pair of rails having a T-shaped cross section and a pair of top flanges extending the length of the rail, and the base ends or feet are configured in pairs to correspond to the pair of rails and surround the pair of top flanges, such that lateral loads from an oblique impact to the impact attenuation system are distributed to each of the pair of rails.

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