Turret Rollover Bracing for Crew Hatch Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Protected vehicles, such as infantry fighting vehicles, often have confusing geometry requiring crew members to drive over hatches, exposing them to fatal risks during rollovers.
Innovation Solution
A rollover protection system with a turret that detects vehicle tilt and moves into a protective state before or during a rollover, bracing itself on the ground to prevent injury by acting as a barrier for crew members partially inside and outside the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle geometry is designed for crew members to drive over hatches, then operational control capability is improved, but safety during rollover deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The turret is moved to a protective position before the rollover occurs, based on sensor detection of vehicle tilt. This preliminary action creates a safety barrier in advance, preventing the harmful effect of rollover on crew members who need to be positioned outside for operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The turret acts as an intermediary protective element between the rolling vehicle and the crew member. By positioning the turret between the vehicle body and the hatch area, it creates a physical barrier that prevents direct contact between the crew member and the vehicle during rollover.
2Reliability
If the turret is moved to protective state before rollover, then crew member safety is improved, but vehicle operational capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective position is established before rollover occurs, allowing the turret to be repositioned in advance when time permits. This enables the system to maintain operational capability during normal conditions while providing protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The turret positioning is dynamic rather than fixed. The system can switch between operational position and protective position based on real-time sensor input, allowing the vehicle to maintain full operational capability during normal operation while providing protection when rollover is detected.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the turret acts as a protective barrier, then injury prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turret serves dual functions: it acts as both the vehicle's armament system and a protective barrier during rollover. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective injury prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing turret structure is utilized for protection rather than requiring additional dedicated protective equipment. The system uses its own components (the turret) to provide protection, avoiding the need for extra devices and simplifying the overall system architecture.
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 effectively prevents crew members from being crushed by the vehicle during rollovers by using the turret as a protective barrier, reducing the risk of fatal injuries.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor system configured to detect a tilt of the protected vehicle about at least one spatial direction
Data Source
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AI summary
Rollover protection system (19) for a protected vehicle (1), comprising a turret (15) carrying armament (16), a sensor system (39) configured to detect a tilting of the protected vehicle (1) about at least one spatial direction (x, y, z), and a control and regulation unit (34) configured to move the turret (15) from an initial state (Z1) to a protection state (Z2) immediately before or during a rollover of the protected vehicle (1), the turret (15) being configured to brace itself in the protection state (Z2) on a surface (18) on which the protected vehicle (1) is moving, so that a crew member (29) who is partly inside and partly outside the protected vehicle (1) is protected during the rollover of the protected vehicle (1).