(51) Int. Cl.5:

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Specification

Technical Field

The invention relates to a hydraulic energy destruction system for short term braking with a predefinable deceleration time function and a method for operating said system.

Background Art

In order to test how motor vehicles and their components behave in the event of an accident, in particular in the event of being rammed from behind, so-called crash tests are conducted. To this end, the vehicle is accelerated to a certain speed and then driven against a wall and/or a solid concrete block. The individual phases of the collision are determined by means of fast action cameras and a plurality of measurement instruments and then analyzed at a later date.

After such a crash test, the vehicle that was used for the test is now merely scrap. Therefore, such a test is very expensive.

In order to test how individual components, such as the steering wheels, the restraining systems, such as safety belts or the so-called air bag, behave in the event of an accident, it is not absolutely necessary to have the vehicle drive against a wall. Rather for testing purposes one can mount on a test carriage, for example, a steering wheel; a seat with a dummy mounted on the seat; and the restraining system that is to be tested. This test carriage is accelerated to a certain speed, for example, by means of a trolley and then abruptly braked after the test carriage is separated from the trolley.

To date the braking process has been carried out in essence according to two different methods.

Thus, a hydraulic cylinder can be mounted in a stationary and stable holder, for example, a heavy concrete block. The extended and pressurized piston of the hydraulic cylinder is pushed into the cylinder by the test carriage that is to be braked. At the same time the cylinder can be divided into a plurality of chambers, which are arranged in succession in the direction of the cylinder axis. Each chamber of the cylinder allows hydraulic oil to flow out of the cylinder by way of a special valve. By adjusting the individual valves in a special way it is possible to achieve a defined deceleration time function of the test carriage.

However, such a system is too expensive, especially for small outside suppliers. The entire "braking distance" of the test carriage that this carriage covers from the time of the initial contact made with the piston until its standstill, ranges from about 500 mm to 1,000 mm. Correspondingly the piston in the hydraulic cylinder has to be displaceable by this length. Since the successive exits out of the cylinder to the, for example, six controlled valves are always at the same position of the cylinder, a specific collision - brake - deceleration cannot be optimally determined for a variety of deceleration time functions.

In another test method the test carriage has a mandrel, which points to the front in the direction of travel. Furthermore, there are transversely to the direction of travel of the test carriage several sheet metal plates, which are held in a fixed position, in order to suppress a displacement in the direction of travel of the test carriage. The sheet metal plates that are used in a test

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are arranged one after the other so as to be spaced at a variable distance from each other and also have, according to a specific embodiment known in the prior art, different shapes. It is also possible to use thicker or thinner sheet metal plates or also two or more sheet metal plates that are arranged so that each plate follows immediately behind the other. During a crash test the mandrel of the test carriage that is to be braked pierces the individual sheet metal plates in succession, so that the result is a defined deceleration time function in conformity with the arrangement and the configuration of the individual sheet metal plates.

During this crash test it is necessary to use time and again a plurality of new sheet metal plates, because sheet metal plates that have been used once cannot be used again. Therefore, this method is relatively expensive to use.

Until an automobile and/or its individual components have been fully checked by means of crash tests, a number of such tests are conducted. Therefore, during the development of the vehicle and/or the individual components crash tests have to be conducted continuously. Furthermore, the automobile industry demands of outside suppliers that they conduct in the interim their own tests so that for example, a manufacturer of safety belts has to test, for example, every 1,000th safety belt of a series production in a crash test, before such a quota is delivered to the automobile manufacturer.

Invention

The invention is based on the problem of providing an energy destruction system for short term braking with a predefinable deceleration time function and a method for operating said method, so that with this system crash tests can be better simulated and at a lower cost.

This problem is solved with an energy destruction system, according to claim 1. The hydraulic energy destruction system of the invention for simulating crash tests by means of short term braking of a moved object exhibits at least one brake, which consists of two brake units. The one brake unit is essentially in a fixed position, and the other brake unit can be moved with the object. The one brake unit is a braking surface; and the other brake unit is a brake lining. The one brake unit can be actuated hydraulically on the other brake unit. The pressure of the one brake unit on the other brake unit can be controlled by means of a control unit.

It is expedient for the braking surface, which forms the one brake unit, to be mounted rigidly on the moved object, whereas the other brake unit forms the brake lining and can be hydraulically actuated.

The object that is to be braked - that is, the test carriage with the components that are necessary for the test - is braked, according to the invention, by means of the friction brakes. Although these friction brakes are also subject to a certain wear, they can be used quite often, before a replacement of the brake linings is necessary.

Preferably the one brake unit - in particular, the brake lining - is hinged on the piston of a hydraulic cylinder.

Since a brake comprising a braking surface and a brake lining is used, the travel distance of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder controlling the brake, compared to the system described in the introductory part, can be kept very short. Owing to the described arrangement of the brake and the resulting shortened travel distance of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder, a

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substantially higher control rate than that of the hydraulic energy destruction systems known in the prior art is reached.

According to a particular embodiment, the brake units enclose with the direction of motion of the object an angle. In this way the braking surface, which is tilted in the direction of motion of the object, exerts pressure on the brake lining during the movement of the object and, in so doing, pushes the piston of the hydraulic cylinder into said hydraulic cylinder, thus increasing the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder.

According to an additional embodiment of the invention, a first brake lining is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder, to its piston rod. A second brake lining, whose active direction runs counter to the active direction of the first brake lining, is mounted by way of a linkage. Thus, this embodiment has only one hydraulic cylinder, which moves, however, two brake linings. At the same time the hydraulic cylinder itself can be moved perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the moved object. That is, the hydraulic cylinder can be moved in the direction of the axis of the moved object and, having made contact with the braking surfaces, arranged on the moved object, with the brake linings, connected to said hydraulic cylinder, is moved away from this axis.

According to an additional basic embodiment of the invention, two opposite brake linings are hinged by means of a connecting element 29, like a rod or the like, to one lever each. Said two levers are mounted in a fixed position, but can be swivelled; and the one lever is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder; and the other lever is hinged to the piston of the hydraulic cylinder.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic cylinder is connected to a hydraulic control unit by way of at least one valve. Before the beginning of the test, the hydraulic control unit pumps hydraulic oil into the hydraulic cylinder, in order to maintain a defined pressure.

If at this point during the motion of the braking surface in relation to the brake lining, the pressure rises, then the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder can be decreased over a controllable valve by draining a defined quantity of hydraulic oil at a defined rate. As a result, the braking action also changes.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the valve is actuated by a stored programmable control unit. Preferably at least one valve can be controlled by the stored programmable control unit, in order to relieve the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder. As known in the prior art, the hydraulic cylinder can be controlled better and faster by lowering the pressure than by increasing the pressure.

At this point the valve can be controlled in such a manner that the braking effect, exerted on the moved object, runs according to a constant deceleration time function. In this case this known deceleration time function is equivalent to that of total crash tests, during which the whole vehicle drives against a wall.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic cylinder has a mandrel mounted on the piston in its axis. This mandrel can be moved by a diaphragm, mounted in the hydraulic cylinder, and exhibits over its length a variety of diameters. If the piston is loaded during the crash test, then the hydraulic fluid must flow through between the mandrel and the diaphragm.

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Owing to the varying diameters of the mandrel, the flow cross section varies as a function of how far the piston is pushed in. Consequently the resistance to the displacement of the piston also changes as a function of the axial displacement of the piston.

Preferably the diaphragm splits the hydraulic cylinder into two cylinder chambers. In particular, one chamber has the piston; and the other chamber has an aperture, which is connected to the hydraulic control unit by way of a line.

According to a particular embodiment, the mandrel and preferably also the diaphragm can be replaced by mandrels and/or diaphragms having different geometric shapes. The geometry of the respective mandrel and the respective diaphragm makes it possible to control in a practical way a predefined deceleration time function.

Since the adjustment distances in the hydraulic cylinder are substantially shorter than in the above described hydraulic energy destruction system known in the prior art, the energy destruction system of the invention can be used to adjust with high accuracy the deceleration time function.

There are preferably multiple brakes, whose brake units enclose with each other an angle, whose apex is arranged in the front, when viewed in the direction of motion of the object. In this way, the individual pistons, holding the brake linings, are pushed into the hydraulic cylinders; and the forces and/or the pressures are distributed over multiple hydraulic cylinders.

It is practical if one component, which forms a brake unit of the multiple brakes, is formed in the shape of a pyramid or a wedge or in the shape of a truncated pyramid or a truncated cone. In the case of a wedge shaped and/or truncated cone shaped component, there are two flat braking surfaces, which enclose between themselves an angle. In the case of a pyramid shaped or truncated pyramid shaped component there are a number of braking surfaces that correspond to the number of side faces of the pyramid. Since the braking surface and the brake linings are the sole abrasive parts of this energy destruction system, this energy destruction system is very cost effective to operate, because the flat braking surfaces can be easy remachined in the case of wear; planar brake linings can be uniformly loaded and are cheaper than brake linings that are designed as so to be uneven.

Since the brake linings and, thus, also the braking surfaces have to exhibit a certain width transversely to the direction of motion of the object, on the one hand, a wedge shaped, on the other hand, a truncated pyramid shaped component is preferred over a truncated cone shaped or pyramid shaped component.

In the inventive method for operating the energy destruction system, the pressure, exerted on the brake(s), is controlled, according to a programmable deceleration time function, by means of the valves.

If the brake data - that is, the deceleration time function - of actual crash tests with complete vehicles, which were driven against a wall and/or a solid concrete block, are entered into the stored programmable control unit, then the control unit can operate the valves in such a manner that the moved object is braked according to this time function. Since the hydraulic cylinders, operating the brakes, are not arranged in the direction of motion of the object, but rather almost perpendicularly thereto,

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short piston motions are adequate for changing continuously the braking force. Only in this way does it become possible to vary the braking force in a range of milliseconds. As a result of the hydraulic cylinders being arranged almost perpendicularly to the direction of motion, it is necessary in essence only to remove the pressure from the hydraulic cylinders, in order to adjust the braking force, because the object to be braked increasingly loads the hydraulic cylinders by way of the component forming the braking surfaces.

In an additional aspect of the claimed method, the pressure, exerted on the brake(s), is controlled, according to a predefined deceleration time function, by means of the geometric shape of the mandrel. The geometry of the mandrel and the brake, which is used for this purpose, can be calculated from the predefined deceleration time function.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of an energy destruction system.

Figure 2 is a diagram, which presents the acceleration values over the course of time during a crash test.

Figures 3 to 6 depict a variety of embodiments of a braking surface component.

Figure 7 shows a hydraulic cylinder of an embodiment of the invention that deviates from that in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a schematic drawing of an energy destruction system, according to an additional embodiment; and

Figure 9 is a schematic drawing of an energy destruction system, according to a third embodiment.

Description of Embodiments of the Invention

An energy destruction system consists in essence of a test carriage 1, which can be driven and rolled, for example, over rails (not illustrated) in the direction of the arrow 2, and a braking device, which is formed, according to Figure 1, by two brakes.

Each brake exhibits a braking surface 3 and a brake lining 4. In this case the braking surfaces 3 are formed by a component 5, which is configured in the shape of a wedge or a pyramid or in the shape of a truncated cone or a truncated pyramid (Figures 3 to 6). In this case this component 5 is mounted rigidly on the test carriage 1 and is moved with this test carriage in the direction of travel (arrow 2) of the test carriage 1. This component 5 exhibits a longitudinal axis 5'.

In the case of the two brakes (see Figure 1), a wedge (see Figure 3) or a truncated cone is used. The two surfaces, forming the wedge and/or the truncated cone, enclose an angle ranging from 0 deg. to 30 deg. Preferably this angle is in a range between 5 deg. and 20 deg.

If a pyramid shaped or a truncated pyramid shaped braking surface component 5 is used (Figures 4 to 6), then the number of brake linings is equal to the number of side faces of the pyramid - that is, in the case of a truncated pyramid shaped component 5 with six. The side faces, which form the braking surfaces 3, are also assigned six brake linings.

In each case one brake lining 4 is arranged in such a manner that it can rest on a braking surface 3. That is, the surface of the brake lining is tilted in relation to the direction of travel (arrow 2) of the test carriage 1 as a function of the angle of the assigned braking surface 3,

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so that the surface of the brake lining 4 lies parallel to the surface of the assigned braking surface 3.

The individual brake lining 4 is connected to the one end of a piston 6 of a hydraulic cylinder 7. In this case the direction of motion of the piston 6 in the hydraulic cylinder 7 is perpendicular on the surface of the brake lining 4. Furthermore, the brake lining 4 is held in a fixed position against displacement in the direction of the arrow 2 by means of a joint connection 8.

The individual hydraulic cylinders 7 are also held in a fixed position, so that their position is determined in that when the piston 6 is totally pushed into the hydraulic cylinder 7, the brake linings 4 are positioned at a maximum distance from each other, and when the piston 6 is totally extended, the brake linings are positioned at a minimum distance from each other.

The length of the braking surface component 5 has to be somewhat longer than the maximally achievable braking distance of the test carriage 1. The opening angle of the braking surface component 5 should not be too large, since, otherwise, the travel distance of the piston 6 in the hydraulic cylinder 7 will become too large. An opening angle (angle between two braking surfaces 3, which lie opposite each other in relation to the longitudinal axis 5' of the braking surface component 5) should amount to a maximum of 30 deg.

According to the embodiment, which is also shown in Figure 1, at least the chambers of the hydraulic cylinders 7 that are to be loaded when the pistons 6 are extended - thus, the chambers, which are at a distance from the brake linings 4 -, are connected to a hydraulic control unit 11 by means of a valve 9 and the lines 10. This hydraulic control unit 11 is used in essence for the purpose of driving the piston(s) 6 of the hydraulic cylinder(s) 7 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 5' of the braking surface component 5.

The hydraulic control unit 11 is controlled by a stored programmable control unit 12, with which said hydraulic control unit is connected by means of electronic lines 13. Even the very fast acting valves 9 are connected to the stored programmable control unit by way of the electronic lines 14.

Prior to the start of the simulation of a crash test, the pistons 6 of the hydraulic cylinders 7 are driven in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the braking surface component 5, which is located parallel to the direction of motion (arrow 2) of the test carriage 1, so that the brake linings 4 are positioned at a minimum distance from each other. The desired value curve - for example, the curve in Figure 2 - is entered as the input into the stored programmable control unit 12.

If at this point the test carriage 1 with the braking surface component 5 and the objects to be tested moves in the direction of the brake linings 4, and if the braking surfaces 3 of the braking surface component 5 touch the brake linings 4, then the brake linings 4 are moved in the direction of the hydraulic cylinders 7; and the pistons 6 are pushed into the hydraulic cylinders 7. As a result, the pressure is increased in the loaded rear chambers of the hydraulic cylinders 7; and the braking effect, exerted on the test carriage by way of the braking surface component 5, rises. By controlling the opening of the valves 9, it is possible to reduce the pressure in the rear chambers, as a result of which the braking effect declines.

If thereafter the valves 9 are totally closed again, then the pressure begins to build up again in the rear chambers of the hydraulic cylinders 7; and then the braking effect increases again, because the braking surface component 5, which continues to be moved, in the abutment area of the brake linings 4 owing to the particular embodiment of the component 5 exhibits an enlarging cross section.

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Through a suitable choice of the opening angle of the braking surface component 5 and the corresponding control of the opening of the valves, it is possible to readjust each deceleration time function that is known from complete crash tests. In this case the valves 9, controlled by the stored programmable control unit 12, are opened, if desired, only somewhat - thus throttled.

In another embodiment of the invention, in which the hydraulic energy destruction system is configured in an analogous manner at least with respect to the brakes, a differently designed hydraulic cylinder 7 is used. This hydraulic cylinder consists in essence of two halves 15 and 16. The two halves 15 and 16 produce a chamber 17 and/or 18 respectively. These two chambers 17 and 18 are separated by a diaphragm with a diaphragm aperture 19. The diaphragm may be made as one piece with that half 16 of the cylinder that envelops the chamber 18, but it can also be configured, as shown here, as a separate component and can be connected to corresponding end flanges of the two halves with screw connections 23. Then the hydraulic cylinder 7 can be dissected approximately in the middle.

A piston 6 can be axially displaced in the one, somewhat larger chamber 18 of the hydraulic cylinder 7. This piston chamber 18 exhibits an axial length, which is longer by approximately the thickness of the piston 6 than the other chamber 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 7. A piston rod 20 is fastened to the piston and issues axially from the hydraulic cylinder 7 on this side of the hydraulic cylinder 7.

A mandrel 21 is fastened in a detachable manner on the other side of the piston 6 in its axis. The mandrel exhibits a variety of diameters over its length and pushes through the diaphragm 19. The sum of the axial length of this mandrel 21 and the axial thickness of the diaphragm 19 is equal to approximately the axial length of the other chamber 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 7. The attachment of the mandrel 21 on the piston 6 is maintained preferably by screwing the mandrel 21 into the piston 6. For this purpose - here - a square is mounted on the free end of the mandrel 21.

The diameter of the diaphragm 19 corresponds to the maximum diameter of the mandrel 21.

The hydraulic cylinder 7 exhibits - here - on the end, at which the piston rod 20 emerges, a flange 24, with which the hydraulic cylinder 7 is fastened in a fixed position.

On its other end the hydraulic cylinder 7 exhibits an aperture 22, at which a line 10 (see Figure 1) is terminated. In this embodiment said line is connected directly to a hydraulic control unit 11.

The piston rod 20 acts just like the piston rod 6 of the above described embodiment on each brake lining 4 (see Figure 1).

Even in this embodiment the hydraulic control unit 11 pumps hydraulic oil into the hydraulic cylinder 7 over the line 10 and the aperture 22 before the beginning of the simulation of a crash test, so that the piston 6 is displaced in such a manner that the piston rod is moved out of the hydraulic cylinder 7. In so doing, the mandrel 21, which is secured on the piston 6, also pushes through the diaphragm 19. The brake linings, which are hinged to the piston rod, are moved in the direction of the braking surface component 5 (see Figure 1). At the same time the mandrel 21 is located almost totally in the compression chamber 18, in which the piston 6 is disposed.

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If at this point the test carriage 1 with the braking surface component 5 and the objects to be tested moves in the direction of the brake linings 4 and if the braking surfaces 3 of the braking surface component 5 touch the brake linings 4, then the brake linings 4 are moved in the direction of the hydraulic cylinders 7 and the pistons 6 are pushed into the hydraulic cylinders. In this way the pressure in the compression chamber 18 increases, and the braking effect, which is exerted on the braking surface component 5 on the test carriage, increases. In this respect what takes place here is identical to what was described above in the context of the other embodiment.

At this point the hydraulic oil is now pressed out of the compression chamber 18 into the "injection" chamber 16. However, at this stage the volume change of the hydraulic oil in the two chambers is not just a function of the existing pressure, but also a function of the remaining aperture cross section between the surface of the mandrel 21 and the diaphragm aperture. Depending on which cross sectional section of the mandrel 21 is momentarily in the area of the diaphragm 19, the hydraulic oil can drain more or less quickly and, as a result, the pressure in the compression chamber 18 changes, on the one hand, and between the braking surfaces and the brake linings.

In addition, the pressure change can also be influenced by the hydraulic control unit allowing the oil to drain freely and unrestrained over the aperture 22 and the line 10 or by preventing this flow, for example, by means of an especially uniform throttling.

The embodiment, according to Figure 8, provides only one single hydraulic cylinder 7, which, however, can be moved, as compared to the embodiment in Figure 1, perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 5' of the braking surface component 5. The hydraulic cylinder 7 is held by a guide, which is not illustrated. The piston 6 of the hydraulic cylinder 7 has a first brake lining 4, which acts - in Figure 8 - from the top on the braking surface 3. Opposite this first brake lining 4 there lies on the other side of the braking surface component 5 a second brake lining 4', which has a flange 25, with which engages a linkage 26, which is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder 7. The hydraulic cylinder 7 and the second brake lining 4' are moved synchronously in relation to each other by means of the linkage. The linkage 26 can be formed by two traverses, which are connected together. The one traverse is attached to the hydraulic cylinder 7; and the other traverse is attached to the flange 25 of the second brake lining 4'.

Before the simulation of a crash test begins, the hydraulic cylinder 7 and, thus, the second brake lining 4' are moved - in Figure 8 - upwards; and the piston 6 of the hydraulic cylinder 7 is pushed out of said hydraulic cylinder by hydraulic means. As a result, the first brake lining is moved - here - downwards; and the two brake linings 4 and 4' make contact and/or almost make contact with each other on their end, which is on the left in Figure 8.

If at this point the test carriage 1 with the braking surface component 5 and the objects to be tested is moved in the direction of the brake linings 4 and 4', and if the braking surfaces 3 of the braking surface component 5 touch the brake linings 4 and 4', then the brake linings are moved perpendicularly to the axis 5' away from this axis. Since the second brake lining 4' is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder 7 by means of the linkage 26, this hydraulic cylinder is moved - here - downwards, whereas the first brake lining 4 pushes the piston 6 against the hydraulic pressure into the hydraulic cylinder 7. The result is an increase in the pressure in the compression chamber 18 and an increase in the braking effect, exerted on the braking surface component 5 on the test carriage.

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In this respect what happens here is identical to what is described in the context of the other embodiment.

Preferably the hydraulic cylinder, described in the context of Figure 7 (see above), can be used here as the hydraulic cylinder 7. However, one of the two hydraulic cylinders, described in the context of the description of Figure 1, can also be used.

Moreover, the embodiment in Figure 9 provides only one single hydraulic cylinder 7. Furthermore, in this case the "lever laws" are also employed. In this context two levers 28, which exhibit - in particular - the same length, are mounted approximately in the center so as to be fixed in position, but swivelable. Thus, the bearing points of the two levers are at a fixed distance from each other, a feature that is indicated by the line 27. A brake lining 4 is hinged to each of the two free ends (shown on the right in this figure) of the two levers 28 by means of a connecting element 29, like a rod or the like. Said brake lining can act on each of the two braking surfaces 3 of the braking surface component 5.

On the other end of the - here upper - lever 28' is hinged a hydraulic cylinder 7, whereas on the corresponding end of the other - here bottom - lever 28” is hinged the piston 6 of the hydraulic cylinder 7.

If at this point during the simulation of a crash test the braking surface component 5 with its two braking surfaces 3 pushes between the two brake linings 4, which were brought into contact beforehand by pushing the piston 6 out of the hydraulic cylinder 7, then these brake linings are forced away from each other, as a result of which the piston 6 is pushed into the hydraulic cylinder 7 by means of the levers 28.

In this case, too, the hydraulic cylinder, described in the context of Figure 7, can also be used, although the hydraulic cylinder, described in the context of Figure 1, can also be used.

At this point the configuration with the levers 28 also makes it possible to change the swivel point of the levers 28 - the hinge connection of the levers 28 to the fixed points. That is, the swivel points of the levers 28 can also be provided outside the middle, so that the forces, acting on the hydraulic cylinder 7 and the piston 6, according to the lever laws (force x distance), can be different from the forces, acting on the brake linings and/or their connecting elements 29, like a rod or the like.

The only crucial factor is that the levers 28 exhibit a rigidity that prevents a substantial deformation of the same.

List of Reference Numerals

1 test carriage

2 arrow (direction of travel)

3 braking surface

4 brake lining

5 braking surface component

5' longitudinal axis of the braking surface component

6 piston of 7

7 hydraulic cylinder

8 joint connection

9 valve

10 hydraulic line

11 hydraulic control unit

12 stored programmable control unit

13 electronic line

14 hydraulic line

15 fist cylinder half

16 second cylinder half

17 first cylinder chamber

18 second cylinder chamber

19 diaphragm

20 piston rod

21 mandrel

22 aperture

23 screw connection

24 flange of the hydraulic cylinder 7

25 flange on the brake lining 4'

26 linkage

27 line (= stationary bearing points)

28 lever

29 connecting element

Patent Claims

1. Hydraulic energy destruction system for the simulation of crash tests by means of a short term braking of a moved object (1) with at least one brake, comprising two brake units, of which the one brake unit is essentially in a fixed position, and the other can be moved with the object, whereby the one brake unit is a braking surface (3); and the other brake unit is a brake lining (4); the one brake unit can be actuated hydraulically on the other brake unit; and the pressure of the one brake unit on the other brake unit can be controlled by means of a control unit (12).

2. Energy destruction system, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the brake units enclose with the direction of motion (arrow 2) of the object (1) an angle.

3. Energy destruction system, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the one brake unit, preferably the brake lining (4), is hinged to the piston (6) of a hydraulic cylinder (7).

4. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first brake lining (4) is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder (7), to its piston rod; and a second brake lining (4'), whose active direction runs counter to the active direction of the first brake lining, is mounted by way of a linkage (26).

5. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that two opposite brake linings (4) are hinged by means of a connecting element (29), like a rod or the like, to one lever (28) each; said two levers (28) being mounted in a fixed position (line 27), but swivelable; and the one lever (28') is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder (7); and the other lever (28”) is hinged to the piston (6) of the hydraulic cylinder (7).

6. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (7) is connected to a hydraulic control unit (11) by way of at least one valve (9).

7. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve (9) is actuated by a stored programmable control unit (12).

8. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that at least one valve (9) can be controlled by the stored programmable control unit (12), in order to relieve the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder (7).

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9. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (15) has a mandrel (21), mounted on the piston (6) in its axis; and said mandrel can be moved by a diaphragm (19), mounted in the hydraulic cylinder (7), and exhibits over its length a variety of diameters.

10. Energy destruction system, as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the diaphragm (19) splits the hydraulic cylinder (7) into two cylinder chambers (17, 18), so that, in particular, its one chamber (18) has the piston (6); and its other chamber (17) has an aperture (22), which is connected to the hydraulic control unit (11) by way of a line (10).

11. Energy destruction system, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the mandrel (21) and preferably also the diaphragm (19) can be replaced by mandrels (21) and/or diaphragms (19) having different geometric shapes.

12. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are a number of brakes, whose brake units (3, 4) enclose with each other an angle, whose apex is arranged in the front, when viewed in the direction of motion (arrow 2) of the object.

13. Energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a component (5), which forms a brake unit (3) of multiple brakes, is configured in the shape of a pyramid or wedge or in the shape of a truncated pyramid or a truncated cone.

14. Method for operating the energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, in which the pressure, exerted on the brake(s), is controlled, according to a programmable deceleration time function, by means of the valves.

15. Method for operating the energy destruction system, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5 or 9 to 11, in which the pressure, exerted on the brake(s), is controlled, according to a predefined deceleration time function, by means of the geometric shape of the mandrel.

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4 sheet(s) of drawings

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- Blank Sheet -

Drawing Sheet

Number: DE 43 30 122 A1

Int. Cl.⁵: G 01 M 7/08

Disclosure date: March 10, 1994