Vehicular tip or rollover protection mechanisms
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorWolfgang Fink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various examples are provided related to tip or rollover protection mechanisms for ground vehicles. In one example, a vehicle includes a vehicle frame and one or more protection mechanism(s) secured to the vehicle frame. The protection mechanism can allow the vehicle to “land” right-side up after tipping or rolling over for continuing operation. This can be beneficial for, but not limited to, autonomous or remotely controlled vehicles. The protection mechanism can include protection mechanisms secured to opposite sides of the vehicle frame. The protection mechanism can be passive, active, actuated or a combination thereof.
Claims20
A vehicle for traversing a surface in an operational orientation, comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- at least two protection mechanisms secured to the vehicle frame, each of the at least two protection mechanisms comprising a structural member extending between front and rear portions of the vehicle frame and curving over the vehicle frame, wherein the structural members comprise actuated protection mechanisms configured to react to surroundings during tip or rollover of the vehicle from the operational orientation, where the reaction aids in restoration of orientation of the vehicle to the operational orientation, wherein the actuated protection mechanisms flex in response to obstacles encountered during tip or rollover of the vehicle, and provide a force aiding in restoration of the operational orientation of the vehicle as the actuated protection mechanisms flex back.
A method for tip or rollover protection of a vehicle, comprising:
- traversing a surface with the vehicle in an operational orientation, the vehicle comprising at least one protection mechanism secured across a frame of the vehicle, the at least one protection mechanism comprising a structural member extending between front and rear portions of the vehicle frame and curving over the vehicle frame;
- sensing vehicle orientation during tip or rollover of the vehicle;
- in response to the at least one protection mechanism encountering an obstacle during the tip or rollover of the vehicle from the operational orientation, flexing the at least one protection mechanism about the obstacle;
- adjusting flexing of the at least one protection mechanism based upon the vehicle orientation;
- and
- providing, by the at least one protection mechanism, a force against the obstacle as the at least one protection mechanism flexes back, the force aiding in restoration of the vehicle to the operational orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.