Crash Attenuator Backup Frame to Prevent Vehicle Underride
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle-mounted crash attenuators are not optimized for urban and metropolitan environments where space is limited, and they fail to prevent vehicle underride during impacts, posing a danger to occupants.
Innovation Solution
A compact crash attenuator design with a low-pivot backup system and adjustable lockout frame members that reinforce the backup frame to prevent rotation and underride, featuring a cartridge portion that deploys horizontally and stows vertically, using actuators for pivoting and adjustable bolt heads for optimal engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional crash attenuator design is used, then energy absorption capability is provided, but the device occupies excessive space and cannot prevent vehicle underride in limited urban environments
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout frame members are pre-positioned and adjustable to engage with the backup frame before impact occurs, establishing a reinforcement structure that prevents underride. The actuator system is pre-configured to deploy the lockout members at the appropriate moment, ensuring protection is in place before the harmful underride motion can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The lockout frame members extend vertically from the backup frame, utilizing the vertical dimension to create engagement points above the pivot axis. This vertical extension allows the lockout members to prevent underride by engaging the impacting vehicle from above, rather than relying solely on horizontal resistance.
2Reliability
If the backup frame is reinforced to prevent collapse during impact, then underride protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire backup frame, the lockout frame members are strategically positioned to engage at specific critical points above the pivot axis. This localized reinforcement approach provides maximum stability where needed during impact while minimizing the overall complexity and number of components required.
Solution Approach 2:
The lockout frame members are designed to be adjustable and deployable rather than fixed, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs. The actuator system enables dynamic deployment of the lockout members, transforming them from static structural elements to active protection components that engage only when required.
3Manufacturing precision
If the lockout frame member contact surface is made adjustable for optimal engagement, then reinforcement effectiveness is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface of the lockout frame members is made adjustable through threaded bolt heads, allowing the engagement position to be varied along the backup frame. This parameter adjustment capability enables optimization of the engagement point for different impact scenarios and vehicle configurations, maximizing reinforcement effectiveness while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process using standard threaded fasteners.
Data Source
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AI summary
A crash impact attenuator is adapted for deployment on a vehicle, and includes a cartridge portion having at least one energy absorbing module, as well as a backup system having a backup frame, which is adapted to attach the cartridge portion to the vehicle. The backup system includes an actuator configured to pivot the cartridge portion between a deployed orientation and a stored orientation about a pivot axis disposed on a lower half of the backup system. The backup system further includes a lockout frame member having a contact surface on one end thereof, the lockout frame member being actuatable between a deployed orientation wherein the contact surface engages a portion of the backup frame to support the backup frame against vehicular impact forces and a stowed orientation wherein the contact surface is not engaged with the backup frame.