Vehicle Crash Attenuator Catch Shelf Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crash attenuators often fail to prevent underride during vehicle impacts, leading to increased damage and injury, as the impacting vehicle slides under the attenuator, reducing the effectiveness of the ride-down mechanism and increasing harm to occupants.
Innovation Solution
A crash impact attenuator design featuring a support flange with a horizontally extending portion that underlies at least one-third to one-half of the second impact attenuator module, creating a catch shelf when fully crushed, to prevent underride by capturing the impacting vehicle and distributing impact forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the support flange extends sufficiently rearwardly to underlie at least one-third of the second impact attenuator module, then underride prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support flange extends in the horizontal dimension (rearwardly) rather than only vertically, creating a catch shelf that prevents underride by capturing the impacting vehicle. This dimensional extension transforms the support structure from a simple vertical element to a multi-dimensional feature that addresses the underride problem effectively.
2Reliability
If the axial length of the support flange is increased to create an effective catch shelf, then safety is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies a minimum axial length parameter for the support flange (at least one-third of the second impact attenuator module length) to ensure effective underride prevention. By defining this critical dimension parameter, the design achieves safety requirements while providing clear manufacturing specifications that control costs.
3Force
If the support flange underlies a larger portion of the second impact attenuator module, then impact force distribution is improved, but structural weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support flange is positioned specifically to underlie the rearward portion of the second impact attenuator module (at least one-third of its axial length), concentrating the structural support where it is most needed for underride prevention and impact force distribution, rather than uniformly supporting the entire module.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The enhanced design significantly reduces the likelihood of underride, thereby enhancing safety by ensuring the impacting vehicle remains engaged with the attenuator, minimizing damage and injury to occupants, and meeting evolving government crash test standards.
Implementation Method 1
the crash attenuating material being crushable during a vehicular impact to a minimum effective axial length
Data Source
AI summary
Significant safety advantages are recognized for vehicle-mounted or attached crash attenuators, particularly in the form of structural improvements in the nature of a catch shelf which helps to prevent underride of an impacting vehicle, meaning that the impacting vehicle is less likely to release drop under the attenuator. When an impacting vehicle slides under the crash attenuator, there is an inability to take full advantage of the ride-down afforded by elements of the attenuator as they are crushed by the impact, thus potentially increasing damage to the impacting vehicle and injuries to its occupants.