Patent Publication Number: US-6658984-B2

Title: Anti-mine floor for an armored vehicle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLCIATION 
     This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 101 34 394.9 filed Jul. 14, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus for protecting against the effects of land mines. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting the crew of an armored vehicle, and the vehicle body in general, against the effects of the explosion of mines located in or on the ground against the effects of mines using protective elements mounted to the vehicle floor. 
     The chassis of these vehicles typically has a smooth underbody and the highest possible clearance between the underbody and the ground, which is assured by a wheel or chain moving gear of appropriate design that allows the vehicle to travel unimpeded, even off-road. 
     The explosive pressure effect of a mine exploding beneath the vehicle deforms and damages the relatively large surface area of the vehicle underbody or hull floor, and can cause considerable damage inside the vehicle. 
     To this point, the following apparatuses and principles have been implemented in mine protection. The simplest measure is to make the hull floor thick enough to withstand a predetermined mine detonation. 
     Another option is to construct the hull floor plate from a multi-layer or sandwich plate that comprises different superposed materials and can withstand a predetermined mine detonation. 
     Finally, the floor structure can be constructed from superposed plates and hollow layers, such as air layers, so the uppermost plate does not bulge, or bulges very little, in the event of a predetermined mine detonation. 
     According to the prior art, numerous proposals for avoiding damage have been made. 
     It is known from German patent document number DE 3119786 to mount planar armored elements to the vehicle underside for anti-mine protection. 
     In German patent document number DE 19631715, the vehicle floor is equipped with a deflector that is wedge-shaped relative to the floor. The deflector can also be provided with a gas generator for internal protection and to counteract the explosion. 
     In German patent document number DE 19653283, a cabin is suspended, as the crew compartment, elastically and separately in the vehicle housing for also eliminating shock effects acting externally on the vehicle that could affect the vehicle passengers. 
     In further applications, deformation bodies are mounted to the vehicle floor for reducing the pressure effect of mines on the vehicle. 
     In German patent document number DE 19941928, damping elements that are intended to reduce and absorb the mine effect are provided in an intermediate floor beneath the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a generic protection system to ensure sufficient protection for the crew of an armored vehicle, with the system possessing a simple, robust design. 
     This object generally is accomplished according to the present invention by an apparatus for protecting the crew of an armored vehicle against the effects of mines, comprising a concave, homogeneous protective floor plate having a large radius, and means connecting the floor plate to at least an outer hull of the vehicle to form the vehicle floor and the mine protection for the vehicle, with the center of the circle with the large radius being located beneath the floor plate. 
     In accordance with the invention, the hull floor beneath the vehicle is produced from a concave preferably sandwich type plate having a suitable thickness and a suitable surface weight to provide and maintain a required ground clearance. Structures that are built in above the hull, such as the spring bars of a running gear suspension, are installed such that a dynamic bulge in the floor plate caused by a mine explosion would not reach these bars, and therefore would cause no damage. The side flange plate for receiving the support-arm bearing housings for the vehicle drive are additionally provided as a support element, and for increasing the stability of the vehicle floor, in the form of an angled sheet that extends beneath the sandwich floor plate. The advantages of the embodiment of the vehicle floor in accordance with the invention lie in the savings of space and weight. Damages inflicted by a mine detonation are more easily remedied. The side flange plates stabilize the vehicle floor and increase the strength of the overall floor construction. Further advantages ensue from the discussion below. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawings and described in detail below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a vehicle having floor protection according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a detail view of the side view of the flange plate. 
     FIG. 3 is a detail view of a connection between a flange plate and the floor plate, in a cross-section. 
     FIG. 4 is another detail view of a connection between a flange plate and the floor plate, in a cross-section. 
     FIG. 5 is a further detail view of a connection between a flange plate and the floor plate, in a cross-section. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The armored vehicle  20  shown in a cross-section in FIG. 1 has a running gear  21  and is provided on its underside as a vehicle floor with a concave plate  1  of a thickness  15 . The plate  1  extends over the entire underside of the vehicle and is connected on the left and right side edges to the respective side flange plates  4 . The concave embodiment of the floor plate  1  is expressed as a radius  7  of a circle whose center is beneath the vehicle and preferably is below the ground surface on which the vehicle stands or rests. With respect to the running gear  21 , the structure of the floor plate  1  and flange plates  4  is provided for creating a clearance  3  between the plate  1  and the ground. Spring bars or support arms  2  for the running gear suspension are located at a distance  14  from the floor plate  1 , and extend transversely through the floor space, starting from the support-arm bearing housings  5  which are fastened to the flange plate  4 . 
     FIG. 2 shows one of the side flange plate  4  with a receiving bore  16  for the carrier-arm bearing housing  5 , and a welded connection  17  to the floor plate  1 . 
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  are detailed views of the connection between the flange plate  4  and the floor plate  1 . 
     The outer hull side wall  8  preferably is angled and bent inwardly at its lower region  9  which is welded to the upper or inner surface  12  of the floor plate  1 . The flange plate  4  is likewise angled or inwardly curved in its lower region  6 , and is welded to the floor plate  1 . The angled flange plate  4  receives the support-arm bearing housing  5  with the spring bar or support arm  2 . A distance  14  exists between the support arm  2  and the floor plate  1 . This distance is sufficient to prevent damage to the support arm  2  in the event of a dynamic bulge in the floor plate as a result of a mine explosion beneath the vehicle. 
     The inwardly directed angled region  6  of the flange plates  4  surround the left and right side edges of the floor plate  1  and are welded to the bottom or outer surface floor plate and thus tend to support the floor plate  1 . The inwardly directed angled regions of the hull side wall  8  preferably extend over the upper or inner surface of the floor plate  1  and are welded to the floor plate. If the hull side wall has a double or multi wall construction  10 , then while both side walls preferably are connected to the floor plate  1  by welds  11 , only the lower end of the inner wall  8 ′ need be provided with the inwardly directed lower end which is connected to the upper surface  12  of the floor plate  1  by welding. 
     The connection between the lower ends of the flange plates  4  and the floor plate  1  may take many forms. Preferably, as shown, at least one side edge of the floor plate  1  is provided with a plurality of grooves and the tongues  18  formed between the grooves extend through corresponding slots  19  in the slide plates, in a type of toothing or tongue and groove arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 2-5, and are welded to the plates  4  at a number of locations. With this arrangement and with the addition of the angled regions  6 , the floor plate  1  is strongly supported on the vehicle. However, it should be noted that other types of connections between the side flanges  4  and the floor plate  1  may be utilized. For example, a simple welding connection or a standard tongue and groove arrangement, with or without the angles regions  6  on the flange plates  4  may be utilized. 
     The invention now being fully described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth herein.