Mine protection device, particularly for wheeled vehicles

A vehicle comprising:

• (a) a vehicle frame;
• (b) a plurality of wheels rotatingly connected to the vehicle frame, wherein each wheel is connected to the frame by a wheel suspension;
• and
• (c) a mine protection device associated with the vehicle frame, the device comprising:
• (i) a sensor associated with at least one wheel, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect a proximate exploding mine;
• (ii) an ignition and analysis unit operably connected to receive signal input from the sensor, wherein the ignition and analysis unit processes sensor signal input and generates an activation signal output in response thereto, and
• (iii) a separation means associated with the at least one wheel, wherein the separation means is connected to receive activation signal input from the ignition and analysis unit.

A vehicle comprising:

• (a) a structural unit separable from a remainder of the vehicle;
• (b) an explosion protection device associated with the structural unit, the device comprising:
• (i) a sensor disposed on the vehicle so as to detect a light flash or a blast wave of an exploding device;
• (ii) a ignition and analysis unit connected to receive a sensor signal from the sensor;
• and
• (iii) separation means connected to receive an activation signal from the ignition and analysis unit.

A method for protecting a vehicle from an exploding device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a vehicle having a separable structural unit, and an explosion protection device associated with the structural unit, the mine protection device comprising:
• (i) a sensor;
• (ii) an ignition and analysis unit operably connected to receive a sensor signal from the sensor;
• and (iii) a separation means for separating the structural unit from the remainder of the vehicle, wherein the separation means is operably connected to receive an activation signal from the ignition and analysis unit;
• (b) when the sensor detects a light flash or blast wave from the exploding device, generating a sensor signal using the sensor;
• (c) using the ignition and analysis unit to receive the sensor signal, and in response thereto, generating an activation signal;
• and
• (d) activating the separation means using the activation signal so the separation means separates the structural unit from the remainder of the vehicle.