Magnetic Blast Sensor for Rapid Vehicle Safety Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Military vehicles lack effective sensor systems to detect underbody blasts and deploy safety measures like airbags within the required short time frame, as existing commercial systems are not durable enough, require external power, and are prone to false deployments due to sensitivity issues and environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system with a base, core, and coil, utilizing a magnetic flux change to generate a voltage output without external power, capable of deploying safety systems within half a millisecond of a blast event, and featuring self-diagnostics and energy harvesting capabilities to avoid false activations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If commercial sensor systems are used for blast detection, then the system is easier to manufacture and operate, but the response time is too slow and false deployments occur frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into multiple independent sensor units distributed throughout the vehicle, each capable of autonomous blast detection and safety system activation. This segmentation allows for localized rapid response while reducing false deployments through spatial distribution and cross-validation of detection signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces commercial electronic sensor systems with a passive magnetic sensor system that detects blast events through magnetic field changes rather than electrical signals. This substitution eliminates the need for complex signal processing and power requirements, achieving both rapid response time and high reliability by directly sensing the physical phenomenon of blast-induced magnetic field distortion.
2Reliability
If commercial sensor systems are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the system requires external power and signal conditioning which increases vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic sensor system is self-powered through passive detection of magnetic field changes, eliminating the need for external power sources, signal conditioning circuits, or complex electronic processing. The system serves itself by directly converting magnetic field disturbances into detectable signals, achieving power independence while maintaining simplicity through the elimination of auxiliary subsystems.
3Strength
If commercial safety systems are deployed, then the ease of operation is improved, but the systems are not durable enough for military blast conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from electrical signals (voltage, current) to magnetic field parameters, creating a sensor system that is inherently more resistant to blast conditions. This parameter change enables the system to operate without external power, withstand extreme environmental conditions, and maintain operational simplicity while achieving the required durability for military applications.
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 system provides reliable and timely deployment of safety systems during blasts, resistant to environmental changes and power interruptions, with reduced false deployments, meeting the stringent requirements for military vehicle safety.
Implementation Method 1
When activated, a change in the magnetic flux caused by reluctance change of the air around the gap is converted by a coil to a voltage output
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes at least one sensor, an electronics module, an energy storage, and an energy harvesting module. The sensor includes a base, at least one core assembly body, a coil, and a fixed magnet. The base is displaced in accordance with an acceleration. A sensor body reacts to the acceleration. The sensor includes a magnetic circuit powered by a fixed or permanent magnet. Magnetic flux flows through the core assembly body and out of the sensor body into the base and back into the sensor body through another core assembly body. The sensor system detects the acceleration and deploys safety systems of a vehicle. Safety systems may include airbags, seatbelts, or other safety systems of the vehicle. The sensor and the system have applications in both military and civilian sectors such as landing and take of planes, protection of buildings and bridges, monitoring machinery, and harvesting energy from vibrating structures such as bridges and vehicles.