Shock-Absorbing Vehicle Windscreen with Flexible Metal Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Construction equipment operating in environments with explosives risks injury from blast shockwaves and flying debris due to inadequate windscreen protection, which is often specific to certain vehicle types and requires costly modifications for installation of safety glass.
Innovation Solution
A shock-absorbing vehicle window arrangement featuring a transparent polycarbonate windscreen with a metal frame and additional outer windscreen for enhanced protection, along with an adaptable module for universal fit across various vehicle types, allowing easy installation and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional windscreens are used in construction equipment, then the equipment can operate normally, but the operator is at risk from blast shockwaves and flying debris
Solution Approach 1:
The windscreen uses a composite structure combining transparent polymer material (for transparency and basic protection) with a metal frame system featuring overlapping inner and outer portions (for structural strength and shock absorption). This composite approach provides both visibility and protection against blast shockwaves and flying debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal frame's inner portion is curved along the surface facing the windscreen to provide beforehand cushioning. When shock occurs, the transparent polymer windscreen can flex and move within the through holes against the curved support of the inner portion, absorbing the shock before it reaches the operator.
2Reliability
If safety glass is installed in construction equipment, then operator protection is improved, but installation requires costly modifications and is specific to certain vehicle types
Solution Approach 1:
The metal frame is designed as a universal adaptor that can be fitted to various vehicle types including excavators, dump trucks, and wheel loaders. The frame's standardized structure with fixation interfaces allows the same windscreen assembly to be installed across different construction equipment models, eliminating the need for vehicle-specific modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The windscreen system is divided into separable components: the transparent polymer windscreen, the metal frame with inner and outer portions, and fixation interfaces. This segmentation allows the protective assembly to be installed as a modular unit on different vehicle types without requiring integration into the vehicle's original structure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the windscreen is tightly fixed to prevent movement, then structural stability is improved, but shock absorption capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system transitions from a static tight fit to a dynamic controlled movement system. The through holes in the metal frame allow the transparent polymer windscreen to move flexibly during shock events, while the overlapping inner and outer portions provide constraints that maintain structural stability during normal operation. This dynamic behavior enables both stability and shock absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fixation parameter from rigid (tightly fixed) to flexible (controlled movement through holes). The through holes provide a clearance fit that allows the windscreen to move during shock events, changing the fixation state from static to dynamic, thereby enabling shock absorption while maintaining overall structural integrity.
4Strength
If through holes with small cross sectional area are used for fixation screws, then structural integrity is improved, but movement capability for shock absorption is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The through hole cross sectional area is specifically designed to be at least 1.5 times larger than the screw cross sectional area. This parameter change creates a clearance fit that enables the windscreen to move within the holes during shock events while still maintaining adequate structural integrity for normal operation. The increased area provides the necessary movement capability without compromising strength.
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 solution provides a versatile, easily installable, and universally compatible windscreen system that effectively absorbs blast shockwaves and protects against debris, extending the life of the windscreen and simplifying maintenance across different vehicle models.
Implementation Method 1
the transparent polymer windscreen flexes in the metal frame and absorbs the shock by moving in the through holes against the support from the overlap of the inner portion of the metal frame
Implementation Method 2
After an explosion, a vacuum arises at the location of the blast which creates a suction exerted on the absorbing window arrangement, causing the transparent polymer windscreen to move in the fixation in the through holes against the support from the overlap of the outer portion of the metal frame
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorbing vehicle window arrangement for a vehicle cab comprising a transparent windscreen having a height. The shock absorbing vehicle window arrangement further comprising a metal frame comprising an inner portion at least partially extending on an inside of the transparent windscreen, and an outer portion, at least partially extending on an outside of the transparent windscreen. The outer portion overlaps the transparent windscreen with at least 1% of the height of the transparent polymer windscreen. The shock absorbing vehicle window arrangement further comprises an additional transparent polymer windscreen which is lighter than the transparent windscreen and comprises a plurality of through holes or recesses for receiving fixation elements for fixating the additional transparent polymer windscreen to the metal frame.