Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
  • F41H7/00—Armoured or armed vehicles
  • F41H7/02—Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks
  • F41H7/04—Armour construction
  • F41H7/042—Floors or base plates for increased land mine protection

Definitions

• the technical field of the invention is that of protective devices of a vehicle cabin floor and in particular a floor of a military vehicle.
• the aim is to absorb part of the effect of the blast of the mine by the deformation of the armor plate while leaving a free space allowing the deformation of the plate without impact on the floor.
• the deformable connecting means also absorb some of the impact energy.
• the device described by this patent does not sufficiently protect a vehicle floor.
• the energy absorption capacities of the connecting means are in fact insufficient.
• the solutions described by DE19913845 do not allow to use the free space located below the vehicle to house equipment or components of the vehicle itself.
• the patent DE19935573 describes a protection device similar to that proposed by DE19913845.
• This device comprises a deformable plate disposed below the floor of the vehicle and which is connected thereto by longitudinal sections with interposition of a layer of damping material between the profiles and the vehicle.
• the protection capabilities of such a device are also insufficient.
• the deformable plate carries means of mobility that may be projected during the impact against the floor of the vehicle and the profiles are directly in contact with the floor supports and thus communicate to the latter the shock received.
• the aim of the invention is to propose a device which makes it possible, on the one hand, to provide for a minimum mass a reinforced protection of the floor of a vehicle, and secondly to allow the use of the free space disposed under the floor of the vehicle without penalizing the protection performance.
• the subject of the invention is a floor protection device for a vehicle cabin device comprising at least one shielding plate which is arranged at a distance from the floor of the cabin and which is connected thereto by deformable connecting means.
• At least one of the deformable connection means is constituted by a partitioned box, which is fixed to the cabin at a substantially vertical side wall of the latter, the partitioned box comprising at least two walls which are substantially perpendicular to the armor plate and which are integral on the one hand with a lower wall on which the armor plate abuts and on the other hand with an upper wall which bears on the car, the walls having dimensions such that they deform by buckling during impact.
• the walls will be substantially perpendicular to a side wall.
• the protective device may comprise at least two boxes integral with the same bottom wall, the boxes being arranged at a distance from one another and separated by a space.
• the boxes are also attached to the same side plate, the boxes, the side plate and the bottom wall thus forming a housing.
• the side plate may comprise at least one opening giving access to the space separating the boxes.
• the opening may be closed by a hatch or cover, the space forming a storage compartment.
• the floor protection device may comprise at least three boxes delimiting two spaces.
• the side plate may form an angle with respect to the armor plate.
• the housing may also be positioned such that it comprises a plane upper rim which extends towards the outside of the vehicle beyond the side wall, upper plane rim which is parallel or merged with the upper walls of the caissons .
• At least one box is filled with an energy absorbing material.
• FIG. 1 is a side view of a light armored vehicle equipped with a floor protection device according to a first embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2a is a view of the previous one in cross section along the plane; whose track AA is visible in FIG.
• FIG. 2b is a perspective view of the box only
• FIGS. 3a and 3b are partial views of a second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 3b being a perspective view of the box alone,
• FIGS. 4a and 4b are partial views of a third embodiment of the invention, FIG. 4b being a perspective view of the housing alone,
• FIG. 4c is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the housing
• FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a light armored vehicle equipped with a device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of two housings according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
• a light armored vehicle 1 comprises a cabin 2 fixed on a chassis 3 carrying wheels 4.
• the interior of the cabin is accessible through a door 5 and it encloses seats 6 which are suspended from the ceiling of the cabin by a supporting structure 7.
• Such an arrangement is conventional and allows to isolate the seats of the floor 8 of the cabin, which protects the crew from the effects on the floor of the explosion of a mine.
• a floor protection device 9 which comprises a shielding plate 10 (for example of steel) which is arranged at a distance from the floor 8 of the cabin.
• the plate 10 is fixed to the cabin 2 by means of deformable connecting means 11.
• at least one of the deformable connecting means 11 (and preferably all the connecting means 11) is constituted by a box cloisonne. It can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2a that the shielding plate 10 is fixed by three boxes 11 arranged on each side of the vehicle.
• FIG. 2b shows in perspective a box 11 according to this first embodiment of the invention.
• Closing box means a substantially parallelepipedal structure which comprises at least two walls 12a, 12b which will be arranged substantially perpendicular to the shielding plate 10.
• the walls 12a, 12b are integral with a lower wall 14 on which will support the shielding plate 10.
• the walls 12a, 12b are also secured to an upper wall 13 which bears on the cabin 2 and allows the attachment of the device to the latter.
• Each box 11 defines an internal space 15 which is open laterally on both sides of the box.
• the walls 12a, 12b are therefore substantially vertical and they are further dimensioned so that they deform by buckling during an impact transmitted by the armor plate 10 and due to the detonation of an explosive device. This dimensioning will be done in a classical way by calculation according to the material of the walls 12a, 12b and the expected level of impact. The buckling will be all the more important that the height of the wall will be important compared to its section.
• the walls 12a, 12b delimiting the internal space 15 of the box, these walls are moreover also substantially perpendicular to the wall 2a, 2b considered of the cabin 2.
• the upper wall 13 will carry bores for fixing the box 11 to the floor 8 or the cabin 2.
• the lower wall 14 will also have holes for fixing the armor plate 10 to the box 11.
• the boxes 11 are made of steel (they could according to the desired level of protection be made of another material, for example aluminum or composite).
• the walls 12a, 12b provide the rigidity of the box.
• an explosive device or a mine explodes below the vehicle 1, the armor plate 10 is deformed by the effect of the blast.
• the free space 16 between the plate 10 and the floor 8 allows such deformation without the shock is transmitted to the floor 8.
• the forces are communicated by the plate to the boxes 11 which retransmit the walls 2a, 2b of the cabin.
• the walls 12a, 12b will also deform by buckling. This deformation will consume some of the energy received but especially mitigate the violence of the shock. Indeed, the energy of the explosion will be transmitted over a shorter period which will reduce the constraints received by the vehicle and mitigate the destructive effects on the cabin. It is possible to give the caissons 11 different forms.
• FIGS. 3a and 3b show another exemplary embodiment in which there is disposed on either side of the vehicle a single box 11 but having a length substantially equal to that of the armor plate 10.
• the box 11 To give the box 11 its rigidity / deformability characteristics enabling it to perform its function of attenuation of shocks, it has inside it walls 17 parallel to the walls 12a, 12b (here four partitions).
• the partitions 17 will for example be welded to the upper walls 13 and lower 14 of the box.
• FIGS. 4a and 4b show another embodiment in which three boxes 11 are used which are all integral with the same lower wall 18.
• the boxes 11 are arranged at a distance from one another. Two adjacent boxes 11 are thus separated by a space 19.
• These spaces 19 can be used to form storage areas used by the vehicle crew. These spaces 19 can also be used to house the vehicle components, for example an exhaust silencer or batteries.
• FIG. 4c differs from FIG. 4b in that the boxes 11 are also attached to the same side plate 20 which is here perpendicular to the bottom wall 18.
• the boxes 11, the side plate 20 and the bottom wall 18 form a housing 21.
• the vehicle thus has a housing 21 on each side.
• Each housing constitutes a compact assembly incorporating the caissons 11 ensuring the damping of the shock wave transmitted by the shielding plate 10.
• the side plate 20 constitutes another deformable element which completes the caissons 11. It also makes it possible to provide a closure housing that isolates the internal spaces 19 from the outside of the housing. Advantageously, openings in the side plate 20 will be provided, which will carry closure covers allowing access to the internal storage spaces 19.
• FIG. 5 differs from the preceding embodiment in that the boxes 11, grouped in housings 21, comprise a lateral plate 20 which forms an angle with respect to the shielding plate 10.
• baffle device 9 Such an arrangement gives an overall shape of baffle device 9, form ensuring a deflection of the breath received from a mine when the latter is close to one of the edges of the armor plate 10.
• each housing 21 is positioned such that it comprises a plane upper rim 22 which extends towards the outside of the vehicle beyond the lateral partition 2a, 2b.
• This flange 22 is here formed by a portion of the upper wall 13. It constitutes a step to facilitate access to the vehicle.
• FIG 6 shows another embodiment of the housings 21 according to the invention.
• the side plate 20 of each housing is again inclined with respect to the shielding plate 10.
• the bottom wall 18 carries two rows of holes to allow the shielding plate (not shown in FIG. 6) to be fixed.
• the upper walls 13 (13a, 13b and 13c) of the boxes have holes for the passage of the fixing screws of the device on the cabin.
• the boxes 11 do not all have the same shape.
• the end boxes 11a and 11c have side walls 12a, 12b which are not parallel. At least one wall (12a) is, however, always perpendicular to the bottom wall 18 (and to the armor plate).
• the other wall 12b is slightly inclined with respect to the lower wall 18. Such an arrangement is intended to adapt the external forms of the boxes before lie and rear lia (and thus the housing 21) to the vehicle structure.
• the walls 12a and 12b nevertheless provide resistance to deformation for the boxes considered.
• each housing 21 here comprises an upper rim 22 which completes the closing of the spaces 19.
• This rim 22 is parallel to the upper walls 13 of the caissons and situated at a plane slightly below the plane of the upper walls 13. The rim thus forms a step giving access to the cab of the vehicle.
• the boxes 11 are empty. It is possible as an alternative to have inside one or more boxes a deformable material that can complete the absorption of the impact energy. For example, it will be possible to dispose in the boxes a deformable foam, for example a metal foam (such as an aluminum foam). We can also arranging in the boxes 11 sand or a honeycomb structure metal or composite material, such as a honeycomb. It is also possible to have a damping material between the protection plate 10 and the bottom wall 14 and / or between the upper wall 13 and the floor of the cell 8.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=40445253

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (35)

Family Cites Families (39)

• 2008
  • 2008-06-12 FR FR0803278A patent/FR2932556B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2009
  • 2009-06-10 PL PL09766004T patent/PL2304380T5/pl unknown
  • 2009-06-10 ES ES09766004.7T patent/ES2435432T5/es active Active
  • 2009-06-10 WO PCT/FR2009/000684 patent/WO2009153442A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2009-06-10 EP EP09766004.7A patent/EP2304380B2/de active Active
  • 2009-06-10 CA CA2726643A patent/CA2726643C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-06-10 US US12/737,096 patent/US8960068B2/en active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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