Pivoting Restraint Bar for Vehicle Driver Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driver protection systems for vehicles, such as forklifts, face challenges in cramped spaces where they need to be opened temporarily, often hindering the protective effect or risking damage due to protrusion beyond vehicle contours.
Innovation Solution
A driver protection system with a pivoting restraint bar that can be offset and displaced along its pivot axis, allowing it to be moved into a release position without fully or partially exiting the vehicle contours, combined with a translational movement, enabling the bar to pivot into an upright position for exit while maintaining safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the protective bar is kept relatively short to avoid hitting the upper roof rail when opened, then the protective area for the driver is reduced, but the pivoting movement can be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint bar is given both longitudinal extension capability and lateral pivoting capability, adding dimensional freedom to the system. The bar can extend in the longitudinal direction while also pivoting laterally, allowing it to clear obstacles during opening without sacrificing protective coverage when closed
2Ease of operation
If the protective bar protrudes laterally beyond the vehicle contours to enable pivoting movement, then the pivoting movement can be achieved, but the bar can be damaged or driven off by the driver, especially in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint bar transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with controlled movement capabilities. It can pivot laterally only when needed for opening/closing operations, then return to a fixed position within vehicle contours during normal operation, eliminating the constant damage risk while preserving operational functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint bar is divided into movable and fixed portions through the articulation point. The segment between the articulation point and the outer end can pivot independently to clear obstacles, while the segment from the articulation point to the vehicle body remains constrained within contours, reducing damage risk
3Ease of operation
If the restraint bar is opened completely to allow driver exit in cramped spaces, then the driver can exit, but the restraint bar may obstruct the vehicle's lateral movement
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint bar utilizes longitudinal extension as an additional dimension to achieve driver access in cramped spaces. By extending forward along the vehicle's longitudinal axis, the bar provides exit pathways without requiring lateral protrusion that would interfere with the vehicle's lateral movement capabilities
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
The invention relates to a driver protection system for a vehicle, comprising a restraining frame (7) which can be pivoted about a pivoting axis between a securing position, in which the restraining frame (7) secures a driver from falling out of the vehicle and a release position, in which the restraining frame (7) allows the driver to exit the vehicle. In the release position, the restraining frame (7) is offset in the direction of the pivoting axis in relation to the securing position.