Two-Legged Spacer for Vehicle Retention Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle restraint systems are structurally complex and costly to produce, requiring high assembly effort and being sensitive to impact parameters due to varying rigidities of posts and crash barriers, which affects their performance and stability.
Innovation Solution
A two-legged spacer design with the first retaining leg connected above the middle plank web to the post and the second retaining leg connected below the middle plank web to the crash barrier, providing increased rigidity and dimensional stability, facilitating easy assembly and maintenance, and allowing for controlled release of mechanical forces during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multi-part spacers with multiple profiles are used to connect the post and crash barrier, then the connection strength is improved, but the structural complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple spacer profiles into a single integrated bracket structure with two retaining legs. Instead of using separate parallel profiles as in the prior art, the invention merges them into one piece with an obtuse angle between the legs, simplifying the structure while maintaining connection strength between the post and crash barrier.
2Manufacturing precision
If multi-part spacers with exact alignment requirements are used, then the connection precision is improved, but the assembly effort and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple retaining legs into a single bracket piece, the invention eliminates the need for precise alignment and assembly of multiple separate profiles. The single-piece structure with predetermined geometry requires only positioning the bracket as a whole, dramatically reducing assembly complexity and time.
3Loss of energy
If brackets with predetermined breaking points are used to control deformation, then the energy dissipation is improved, but the mechanical rigidity varies with impact parameters affecting system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the bracket, specifically using an obtuse angle between the retaining legs. This angular configuration provides controlled deformation characteristics and energy dissipation while maintaining consistent mechanical rigidity across different impact scenarios, improving reliability compared to prior art with predetermined breaking points.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the spacer rigidly connects the post and crash barrier, then the structural stability is improved, but the torsional forces during post deformation transfer to the connecting elements causing potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket provides localized rigid connection at the connection points while the obtuse angle geometry between legs creates mechanical advantage that reduces torsional force transmission. The structure maintains stability where needed while protecting connecting elements from excessive stress during post deformation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle restraint system (1) is shown, comprising at least one post (3), at least one guardrail (4, 5) whose guardrail profile has a central plank web (8) and plank legs (9, 10) adjoining the plank web (8) above and below, and at least one spacer (11) provided between the post (3) and the guardrail (4, 5), which has a first retaining leg (12) rigidly connected to the post (3) and a second retaining leg (13) rigidly connected to the guardrail (4, 5). To achieve particularly high performance at low cost, it is proposed that the spacer (11) be designed as a two-legged retaining bracket (111), the first retaining leg (12) of which is rigidly connected to the post (3) above the plank web (8) and the second retaining leg (13) of which is rigidly connected to the guardrail (4, 5) below the plank web (8).