Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle barrier, and in particular, a vehicle barrier capable of absorbing energy of an impacting vehicle in a non-lethal manner.
Technical Background
Energy absorbing vehicle barriers, such as highway crash cushions, are typically used alongside highways in front of obstructions such as concrete walls, toll booths, tunnel entrances, bridges and the like. One type of crash cushion utilizes a plurality of energy absorbing elements disposed within an array of diaphragms and an array of fender panels extending alongside the diaphragms. In the event of an axial impact, the crash cushion is designed to absorb the kinetic energy of an impacting vehicle as the crash cushion collapses in the axial or longitudinal direction. As the crash cushion collapses, the diaphragms move closer to one another and the fender panels telescope over one another, which causes the energy absorbing elements disposed within the diaphragms to compress and deform, thereby absorbing the kinetic energy of the impacting vehicle. After such a collision, many of the component parts can be reused by repositioning the diaphragms and the fender panels in their original position, and replacing the energy absorbing elements and other damaged components. Typically, the energy absorbing elements are not restrained in the vertical direction for ease of assembly and rehabilitation.
In one aspect, one embodiment of an energy absorbing vehicle barrier includes a frame defining a compartment, an energy absorbing cartridge disposed within the compartment and a retaining device coupled to the frame. The retaining device may be disposed above and extend over at least a portion of an upper surface of the cartridge. The retaining device is adapted to contact and engage the upper surface of the cartridge when the compartment is impacted by a vehicle such that the retaining device substantially prevents movement of the cartridge in at least a vertical direction during impact.
In one embodiment, the frame may include first and second longitudinally extending sides disposed on opposite sides of the compartment and a nose extending between the first and second sides. The retaining device may be configured as a bracket attached to the nose, with the bracket cantilevered over an upper surface of the cartridge in one embodiment.
In another embodiment, the retaining device includes first and second ends coupled to the longitudinally extending sides of the frame, including the nose in one embodiment. The retaining device extends laterally substantially across an entire width of the cartridge. In one embodiment, the retaining device may include a bar releasably coupled to the frame.
In another aspect, a method of arresting an impacting vehicle includes providing an energy absorbing vehicle barrier including at least one frame defining a compartment and an energy absorbing cartridge disposed within the compartment. A retaining device is coupled to the frame and is disposed above and extends over at least a portion of an upper surface of the cartridge. The method may also include impacting the barrier with a vehicle and restraining the cartridge in at least a substantially vertical direction during the impact such that the retaining device and the frame substantially retain the cartridge within the compartment during the impact.
In yet another aspect, a method of assembling an energy absorbing vehicle barrier includes assembling a frame to define at least one compartment, placing a cartridge within the compartment and attaching a retaining device to the frame above an upper surface of the cartridge.
The foregoing paragraphs have been provided by way of general introduction, and are not intended to limit the scope of the following claims. The presently preferred embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The term “lateral,” “laterally,” and variations thereof refer to the widthwise direction Y extending transversely between first and second fender panels 16 of an energy absorbing vehicle barrier 10. The lateral direction is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal or axial direction X that extends from the foremost end 101 to the rearmost end 102 of the vehicle barrier 10. The term “rearward” refers to the position or orientation moving away from the nose fender 24 at one end 101 and toward an opposite end 102 of the vehicle barrier 10 positioned adjacent an obstruction or hazard, such as a bridge post, toll booth, etc. The term “upper” or “above” refers to the vertical direction or orientation towards the top most edge of the energy absorbing vehicle barrier 10, while the term “lower” or “below” refers to the vertical direction or orientation towards the ground. The term “overlapping configuration” may mean overlapping in an inside or outside configuration. Throughout this specification, like reference numbers refer to like elements.
Turning now to the drawings,
The upper plate 28 may be formed of, for example and without limitation, a steel plate having a width of 10 cm and a thickness of 1.3 cm. The side plates 30 may be formed of flat bar having a height of 7.6 cm and a thickness of 0.95 cm. The lower plates 32 may be 1.3 cm in thickness. A hot-rolled steel such as ASTM A-36 or AISM 1020 has been found suitable, and standard welding techniques may be used to secure the various components together. Because the guide rail 12 is segmented, it may be more easily transported and installed than a one-piece guide rail. Furthermore, in the event of damage, only the damaged segment 26 must be replaced, thereby reducing maintenance costs. The sloping lower surface 42 of the central 55 protrusion 40 and the slots in the lower plate 32 near the central protrusion 40 allow the damaged segment 26 to be removed by lifting up the end forming the central recess 38.
Each of the legs 58 supports a respective foot 68. The feet 68 extend downwardly and outwardly from the lower portion 64 of the legs 58. Each of the feet 68 terminates in a 20 lower plate 70 and a pair of side plates 72. The lower plate 70 is shaped to support the diaphragm assembly 14 on a support surface, and to slide freely along the support surface. This support surface can be formed, for example, by a concrete pad. The side plates 72 form ramps extending upwardly from the lower plate 72 to the foot 68. These ramps reduce snagging of the tire or wheel of an impacting vehicle on the lowermost portion of the foot 68. As shown in
In operation, the plates 80 prevent the diaphragm assemblies 14 from moving upwardly with respect to the guide rail 12 during an impact with a vehicle. Because the guides 74 are held in place in the diaphragm assembly 14 by removable fasteners 76, the guides 74 can be replaced if damaged in an impact, without removing the diaphragm assemblies 14. As the vehicle barrier 10 collapses in an axial impact, the diaphragm assemblies 14 slide down the guide rail 12, while the guide rail 12 prevents substantially all lateral movement of the vehicle barrier 10. The guides 74 may have a substantial length, and can for example be 20 cm in length and approximately 1.3 cm in thickness. The guides 74 may be made from, for example, hot-rolled steel, such as ASTM A-36 or AISM 1020. The length of the guides 74 reduces any tendency of the diaphragm assemblies 14 to rock and bind to the guide rail 12 in an axial/longitudinal collapse/compression, thereby insuring a stable, consistent axial collapse of the vehicle barrier 10. Because the lower plates 80 engage the underside of the flanges 29, the lower plates 80 and the flanges 29 prevent the vehicle barrier 10 from overturning or flipping during the impact event. The upper plates 78 of the guides 74 maintain the diaphragm assemblies 14 at the proper height relative to the guide rail 12, in spite of irregularities in the support surface. The guide rail 12 and the guide 74 provide lateral restraint, guided collapse, and resistance to overturning throughout the entire axial stroke of the collapsing vehicle barrier 10. Furthermore, in the event of a side impact against the fender panels 16, the guides 74 tend to lock against the guide rail 12 as they are moved by the impacting vehicle into a position oblique to the guide rail 12. This locking action provides further lateral rigidity to the vehicle barrier 10 in a lateral impact. The wide separation between the feet 68 increases stability of the vehicle barrier 10 and resistance to overturning in a lateral impact. As shown in
Because the cartridges 22 are frangible in one embodiment, it may difficult to permanently affix them in place within the compartments 2, for example in the nose compartment or in one of the bays 4. Moreover, because the cartridges 22 are designed to collapse as the nose compartment and the diaphragms 14 of the bays 4 compress and telescope in the rearward direction, it is preferable that the cartridges 22 do not remain fixed in place during impact and deformation. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the cartridges 22 are placed within the compartments 2, including the nose compartment and the bays 4, such that they are free from attachment to the frame, including the diaphragms and fender panels. In this embodiment, the lower surface of the cartridges 22 simply rests on supports that are disposed in each compartment 2. For example, the forwardmost cartridge 22 may rest on a shelf bracket 203 that is attached to a front surface of the forwardmost diaphragm 14 and on a shelf bracket 201 attached to the nose fender as shown in
Embodiments utilizing cartridges 22 that are free from attachment the vehicle barrier 10 benefit from a simplified assembly process and repair/replacement process following an impact with a vehicle. However, because the cartridges 22 in these embodiments are not actually attached to the vehicle barrier 10, it is possible for the cartridge to shear or break-out of the compartments 2 during an impact. For example, the cartridge in the nose compartment may have a tendency to move in the vertical direction. This type of movement is partially mitigated in the nose compartment by the steel nose fender 24, which tends to crush and bend inward toward the center of the nose compartment, thereby providing a “gripping” effect on the frontal end of the foremost cartridge 22. However, absent the retaining device 3, it may be possible for the cartridge 22 to shift, rotate, or otherwise move in an upward direction during impact, which may cause the cartridge 22 to fracture and or protrude above the fender panels 16. If the entire cartridge 22 is no longer fully contained within the compartment 2, only part of the cartridge is actually exposed to the compressive impact forces and thus, only part of the total potential energy absorption of the cartridge 22 is utilized.
Thus, in such cases, the cartridge 22 is under-utilized during the vehicle impact and additional energy must then be absorbed by the remaining cartridges 22 disposed in the other compartments 2 (e.g., bays 4). In some circumstances, this under utilization of the energy absorption capacity of the cartridge(s) 22, and particularly the foremost cartridge 22 disposed in the nose compartment, may result in an inability of the overall vehicle barrier 10 to absorb an adequate or desired amount of energy. That is, if the foremost cartridge 22 does not absorb substantially its maximum potential amount of energy, the overall system becomes less efficient and the maximum defined energy absorbing capacity of the vehicle barrier 10 may be reduced. Thus, additional bays may have to be added to the vehicle barrier 10 in order to achieve a desired level of energy absorption, which leads to unnecessary cost and wasted resources.
Depending upon the application, the energy absorbing vehicle barrier 10 can have a varying number of compartments 2 defined by the frame. The frame is assembled from a plurality of diaphragm assemblies 14, fender panels 16, a guide rail and a nose fender 24. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the frame may be constructed of different components, which define the compartments. In the example shown in
The nose compartment may include a nose fender 24 that wraps around a cartridge 22 and connects the fender panels disposed on opposite sides of the first bay 4. Alternatively, the nose fender 24 may connect two longitudinally extending fender panels 16 or other frame portions disposed on opposite sides of the cartridge 22. The nose fender 24 may be made from, for example, 14 gauge steel sheet, and may be formed from a single monolithic steel sheet or from two or more sheets connected by mechanical fasteners or the like, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The retaining device 3 may withstand 1000 lbs of static force evenly distributed under the bottom surface, while exhibiting only small areas where permanent deformation may take place. In actual crash tests, the bracket and brace member 252 combination of this embodiment of the retaining device 3 was found to be strong enough to largely avoid deformation during the impact event and was reusable in multiple full system capacity crash tests without being damaged.
As shown in
As shown in
Further, because the cartridge 22 remains contained in the compartment 2, the nose fender 24 is also less likely to bend away from the fender panels and increase torque on the system. Since the nose fender 24 does not bend away during impact, the nose fender 24 helps to guide the front of the vehicle 300 directly into the center of the vehicle barrier 10, thereby maximizing the energy absorption of each of the cartridges 22.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As such, it is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting and that it is the appended claims, including all equivalents thereof, which are intended to define the scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/760,748, filed Apr. 15, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3674115 | Young et al. | Jul 1972 | A |
3944187 | Walker | Mar 1976 | A |
4007917 | Brubaker | Feb 1977 | A |
4321989 | Meinzer | Mar 1982 | A |
4352484 | Gertz et al. | Oct 1982 | A |
4583716 | Stephens et al. | Apr 1986 | A |
4674911 | Gertz | Jun 1987 | A |
4770420 | Gottwald et al. | Sep 1988 | A |
5011326 | Carney, III | Apr 1991 | A |
5052732 | Oplet et al. | Oct 1991 | A |
5248129 | Gertz | Sep 1993 | A |
5642792 | June | Jul 1997 | A |
5700106 | Young et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
5733062 | Oberth et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5868521 | Oberth et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
6076871 | Jarvis et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
6481920 | Leonhardt et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6579034 | Welch et al. | Jun 2003 | B1 |
6623204 | Buehler | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6905281 | Kang | Jun 2005 | B2 |
7396184 | Laturner et al. | Jul 2008 | B2 |
7481600 | Barton | Jan 2009 | B2 |
7484906 | Laturner et al. | Feb 2009 | B2 |
7621510 | Gibbs et al. | Nov 2009 | B2 |
7874572 | Buehler et al. | Jan 2011 | B2 |
8016513 | Shin | Sep 2011 | B2 |
8136830 | Buehler et al. | Mar 2012 | B2 |
20030113160 | Welch et al. | Jun 2003 | A1 |
20030210954 | Kang | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20030215285 | Leonhardt et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20040025451 | Barton | Feb 2004 | A1 |
20040156677 | Gelfand et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
20070235706 | Barton | Oct 2007 | A1 |
20070286675 | Kennedy et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |
20090129860 | Laturner et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
20100080652 | Shin | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20110091273 | Sayre et al. | Apr 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2264203 | Oct 1997 | CN |
201155092 | Nov 2008 | CN |
2147616 | Mar 1972 | DE |
2 083 162 | Mar 1982 | GB |
7186951 | Jul 1995 | JP |
2003-064629 | Mar 2003 | JP |
2005-163267 | Jun 2005 | JP |
WO 03095247 | Nov 2003 | WO |
Entry |
---|
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/US2011/032019, dated Jun. 27, 2011, 4 pages. |
Extended (Supplementary) European Search Report in European Application No. 11 76 9394.5 dated Sep. 13, 2016, 8 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20130266369 A1 | Oct 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 12760748 | Apr 2010 | US |
Child | 13905947 | US |