Abstract:
A side impact simulator includes a primary sled connected to an actuator. A platform for supporting a vehicle seat and crash test dummy is slidably supported on the primary sled. A support is mounted to the platform, with a plurality of thrust rods slidably mounted therein. The primary sled includes a strike plate for striking an end of the thrust rods.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/831,894, filed Jul. 19, 2006. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to crash simulators. Many types of crash simulators have been developed from front impact testing; however, very little has been developed in the area of side impact simulators. 
         [0003]    Current side impact test methods do not replicate the interior door trim deformation. Nor do they accurately model side impacts with different objects, such as the difference between a side impact with a tree or pole and a side impact with another vehicle. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The test methodology and hardware arrangement disclosed herein provide multiple deformation/intrusion zones to more accurately replicate side impact intrusion into the occupant area. Various types of side impacts, such as trees, poles, vehicles, etc. can be simulated accurately. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of a dynamic instruction simulator according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a test dummy in the simulator of  FIG. 1 , shown with alternate columns and an upper trim plate. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged side sectional view of one of the thrust rods of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the simulator of  FIG. 3  before a simulation. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is the simulator of  FIG. 4  during a simulation. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates one of the catch mechanisms. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates three of the trim plates contacting the dummy  48 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of selected portions of a vehicle test apparatus  10 . The vehicle test apparatus  10  includes a floating interface plate  14  that slides along rails or linear guide bearings  16  that are mounted on a primary sled  17 . The floating interface plate  14  includes a support, such as vertical columns  18  evenly spaced across the plate  14 , each having multiple holes  20 . 
         [0014]    In the disclosed example, there are three columns  18 , each with three through holes  20 . There are nine thrust rods  22 , one for each of the nine through holes  20 . The nine thrust rods  22  represent nine different impact zones within an occupant area, although a different number of thrust rods  22  and holes  20  could be used. 
         [0015]    Thrust rods  22  of various lengths extend through the holes  20 , such that a first end protrudes through the column  18  toward the occupant area. The thrust rods  22  could be solid or hollow and could have any cross-sectional shape. A plurality of door trim plates  28  are provided, one for each thrust rod  22 . Each trim plate  28  can be connected to the first end of the thrust rod  22 . 
         [0016]    The thrust rods  22  each have a collar  35  at a second end, which extends toward a strike plate  40  mounted on the primary sled  17 . The strike plate  40  includes capture mechanisms or capture latches  42  that engage and hold the collars  35  on the second ends of the thrust rods  22  after contact to prevent separation between the strike plate  40  and the thrust rods  22 , even if the primary sled decelerates after the impact. 
         [0017]    A crush tube  43  or aluminum crush block is mounted near the bottom of the strike plate  40 . The crush tube  43  limits travel of the floating interface plate  14  and simulates deformation of the vehicle floor pan. 
         [0018]    The strike plate  40  is mounted on a vertical, laterally mounted fixture  45 . The fixture  45  includes a mounting area  44  for onboard test instrumentation to save weight. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates an assembled view of the vehicle test apparatus  10 , with optionally taller columns  18 ′ and taller strike plate  42 ′. Optionally, an additional interface plate  28 ′ is attached to the columns  18  above the door trim interface plates  28  to simulate a head liner/roof rail intrusion. In the disclosed example, the interface plate  28 ′ includes an airbag  47 , such as a curtain. Additional thrust rods  22  are connected to the optional interface plate  28 ′ and additional capture latches  42  are also provided. 
         [0020]    A crash test dummy  48  (with appropriate sensors) is positioned in a vehicle seat  12  in front of the door trim interface plates  28 . An interior door trim panel  46  (not shown in  FIG. 2 , but shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) is mounted to the door trim interface plates  28  adjacent the dummy  48 . 
         [0021]    As can be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , each thrust rod  22  supports a door trim plate  28  that faces toward the occupant area. In this example, the door trim plates  28  are mounted by ball joints  30  to the thrust rods  22  to provide free angular movement. A larger number of thrust rods  22  with smaller door trim plates  28 , or door trim plates  28  of varying sizes, could also be used. 
         [0022]    Optionally, some or all of the thrust rods  22  may include a threaded end  34  that engages corresponding threads  36  on a pipe  32 . This allows adjustment between the thrust rod  22  and the pipe  32  to a desired length for the crash test. In the disclosed example, the threaded end  34  and threads  36  provide about an inch of adjustment. This fine-tuning would be in addition to the fact that thrust rods  22  of different lengths are provided (as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 ) to provide different intrusion into the occupant area. In the disclosed example, the thrust rods  22  also include a collar  35  so that the collar  35  can be captured by the capture latch  42 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates an interior of one of the capture latches  42  in more detail (with a cover plate removed). The capture latch  42  includes a housing  50  retaining a plurality of latch members  52  biased by springs  54  inward of a hole  56  through the housing  50 . Each of the latch members  52  includes an angled leading surface  53  and protruding peg  58  that engages a triangular opening  60  in an annular release plate  64 . When the thrust rod  22  ( FIG. 3 ) contacts the capture latch  42 , the collar  35  contacts the angled leading surfaces  53  of the latch members  52  to push the latch member  52  outwardly. After the collar  35  moves past the latch members  52 , the latch members  52  spring back behind the collar  35 . This locks the thrust rod  22  to the capture latch  42 . 
         [0024]    The release plate  64  is biased by a spring  66  to permit the latch members  52  to stay in the latched position. Upon rotation of the release plate  64 , the angled edges of the triangular openings  60  contact the pegs  58  to move the latch members  52  to an unlatched position, so that the thrust rod  22  can be removed. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example pre-crash test setup. Initially, the door trim plates  28  are positioned on or near an even plane that provides a surface to mount interior door trim  46 . Although not shown, at least one of the thrust rods  22  may be positioned against the strike plate  40  to reproduce the target pulse. The remaining zones with shorter thrust rods  22  represent the target intrusion displacement. 
         [0026]    In one example, the thrust rod  22  lengths are selected based upon target deformation zone data. Thus, shorter thrust rods  22  are used for less intrusion and longer thrust rods  22  for more intrusion. An actuator  15  (shown schematically) is connected to the primary sled  17  to transmit a large pulse force to the primary sled  17 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates the vehicle test apparatus  10  during a test shot. The primary sled  17  is accelerated/decelerated by the actuator  15  with a target crash pulse. The thrust rods  22  contact the strike plate  40  as the primary sled  17  moves towards the floating interface plate  14 . The timing and displacement of each door trim plate  28  is determined by the length of the corresponding thrust rod  22  and the final position of the floating interface plate  14  relative to the strike plate  40 . The onboard test instrumentation deploys the airbags  47  at a desired time and collects crash force data from the dummy  48 . 
         [0028]    The crush tube  43  limits the movement between the primary sled  17  and the floating interface plate  14 . The interior door trim  46  mounted on the door trim plates  28  deforms as it impacts the dummy  48  and seat  12 . The effects of the airbag  47  can also be measured. 
         [0029]    The actuator  15  may include a deceleration brake option. This provides the proper acceleration/deceleration kinematics that are typical of side impact crashes to the primary sled  17 , which is translated into the interior door trim  46 . The acceleration/deceleration kinematics, as well as the lengths of the thrust rods  22  and number and location of door trim plates  28  can be determined based upon measurements by sensors on a door trim panel during a test crash. With deceleration, the capture latches  42  prevent the thrust rods  22  from separating from the strike plate  42 . 
         [0030]    The vehicle test apparatus  10  and above-described method provide the advantage of repeatability and relatively low cost compared to standard destructive tests using prototype doors. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the dummy  48  impacted by a row of thrust rods  22  and trim plates  28 . As shown, the thrust rods  22  of different lengths cause different amounts of intrusion at different areas. The interior door trim  46  contacts the dummy  48  as the door trim plates  28  tilt and pivot. 
         [0032]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. Alphanumeric identifiers on method steps are for convenient reference in dependent claims and do not signify a required sequence of performance unless otherwise indicated in the claims.