U.S. patent application number 14/345885 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-14 for protection member for a protection device and a vehicle with such a device.
This patent application is currently assigned to BAE Systems Hagglunds Aktiebolag. The applicant listed for this patent is Pekka Silvola, Peder Sjolund, Jesper Sundberg. Invention is credited to Pekka Silvola, Peder Sjolund, Jesper Sundberg.
Application Number | 20140224108 14/345885 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47436350 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140224108 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sundberg; Jesper ; et
al. |
August 14, 2014 |
PROTECTION MEMBER FOR A PROTECTION DEVICE AND A VEHICLE WITH SUCH A
DEVICE
Abstract
The present invention relates to a protection device for a
military vehicle comprising in a drapery configuration at least
along the respective vehicle side arranged to a position close to
the ground hanging down discrete protection members for protection
against projectiles, wherein said discrete protection members
comprise a wire element, wherein said wire elements are arranged at
a distance from each other. The present invention also relates to a
protection device and a vehicle.
Inventors: |
Sundberg; Jesper;
(Bonassund, SE) ; Sjolund; Peder; (Ornskoldsvik,
SE) ; Silvola; Pekka; (Ornskoldsvik, SE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sundberg; Jesper
Sjolund; Peder
Silvola; Pekka |
Bonassund
Ornskoldsvik
Ornskoldsvik |
|
SE
SE
SE |
|
|
Assignee: |
BAE Systems Hagglunds
Aktiebolag
Ornskoldsvik
SE
|
Family ID: |
47436350 |
Appl. No.: |
14/345885 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
September 18, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/SE2012/050988 |
371 Date: |
March 19, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
89/36.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H 5/013 20130101;
F41H 5/02 20130101; F41H 7/04 20130101; F41H 5/023 20130101; B62D
55/0845 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
89/36.02 |
International
Class: |
F41H 7/04 20060101
F41H007/04; F41H 5/02 20060101 F41H005/02; F41H 5/013 20060101
F41H005/013 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 21, 2011 |
SE |
1150861-1 |
Claims
1. A protection device for a military vehicle comprising, in a
drapery configuration, at least along a vehicle side, arranged to a
position close to the ground, hanging down discrete protection
members for protection against missiles, wherein said discrete
protection members comprise wire elements arranged at a distance
from each other.
2. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein said drapery
configuration comprises mainly a layer of hanging down wire
elements.
3. A protection device according to claim 2, wherein said hanging
down wire elements are essentially mutually parallel and arranged
at a predetermined distance from each other.
4. A protection device according to claim 2, wherein said hanging
down wire elements are essentially metallic, preferably shaped of
steel.
5. A protection device according to claim 3, wherein said
predetermined distance is adapted to increased IR-signature
influence.
6. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein the respective
hanging down discrete members are suspendedly arranged by a cable
clip configuration.
7. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein the respective
hanging down discrete members are fixedly connectably suspendedely
arranged.
8. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein at least said
wire elements are covered by a casing with thermal inertia.
9. A protection device according to claim 8, wherein said casing
has wing portions arranged to run along the respective wire
elements and project in a direction towards adjacent wire
elements.
10. A protection device according to claim 3, wherein said
predetermined distance lies in the range 20-100 mm, preferably
60-80 mm.
11. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein said wire
elements have a diameter in the range of 10-30 mm, preferably 12-20
mm.
12. A protection member for protection against missiles for
military vehicles, wherein a plurality of the protection members
forms a drapery configuration, the protection members hanging down
at a distance from each other to a position close to the ground,
and said protection members comprise wire elements arranged at a
distance from each other of said drapery configuration.
13. A vehicle comprising a protection device according to claim
1.
14. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said vehicle is
constituted by a tracked vehicle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a protection device for protection
against so called RSV-grenades according to the preamble of claim
1. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Light and heavy armoured military vehicles, non armoured
military vehicles and civilian vehicles and other objects being in
areas subjected to warfare risk being exposed to armoured bulkhead
by means of grenades with directional explosive strength, so called
RSV-grenades or RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades).
[0003] There are different ways of protecting oneself against
RSV-grenades. One way of protecting oneself against RSV-grenades is
to provide such vehicles with protection devices comprising a grid
configuration with profile element arranged to affect the electric
detonation release arrangement of such a grenade by means of
short-circuiting. A problem is that the lower portion of the
vehicle in connection to tracks/wheels remains unprotected.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,859 shows a protection device for an
armoured car consisting of a number of cylinders suspended in a
frame around the entire armoured car, the cylinders covering the
area between the ground and the track skirts and protects the lower
portion of the vehicle against incoming missiles.
[0005] Such a solution is relatively clumsy and heavy and risks
obstructing accessibility of the vehicle due to the heavy and rigid
cylinders, which also risk colliding with each other. This type of
solution also gives stresses in joints and these will thus to a
greater extent be torn off during drive in difficult terrain and
therefore causes damages to the remaining protection.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a
protection device for protection against missiles and splinter
which improves protection performance and facilitates good
accessibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] These and other objects, apparent from the following
description, are achieved by a protection device, a protection
member and a motor vehicle which are of the type stated by way of
introduction and which in addition exhibits the features recited in
the characterising clause of the appended claims 1, 12 and 13.
Preferred embodiments of the protection device are defined in
appended dependent claims 2-11 and 14.
[0008] Specifically an object of the invention is achieved by a
protection device for a military vehicle comprising, in a drapery
configuration, at least along the respective vehicle side, arranged
to a position close to the ground, hanging down discrete protection
members for protection against missiles, wherein said discrete
protection members comprise a wire element, wherein said wire
elements are arranged at a distance from each other.
[0009] Hereby is facilitated both damping of IR-signature and
protection against incoming missiles at the same time as the
traction ability of the vehicle is not affected to any appreciable
extent. Further it is facilitated to reduce distribution out from
the vehicle of dust torn up from the ground by means the vehicle
during drive. Consequently protection performance is hereby
improved at the same time as the risk of being detected is
decreased.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
drapery configuration comprises mainly a layer of hanging down wire
elements. Hereby the risk of the wire elements getting entangled in
each other or in another way affecting each other is reduced.
Further assembly becomes easier and the device lighter than if more
than one layer would be used.
[0011] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
hanging down wire elements are essentially mutually parallel and
arranged at a predetermined distance from each other. Hereby
prevention of incoming missiles is facilitated when the distance is
the same and adapted for the like.
[0012] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
hanging down wire elements are essentially metallic, preferably
shaped of steel. Hereby a sufficient rigidness for preventing
incoming missiles is obtained at the same time as a certain
flexibility is facilitated due to the wire construction such that
accessibility is facilitated.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
predetermined distance is adapted to increased IR-signature
influence. Hereby is facilitated to damp the IR-signature which
results in detection of IR-searching missiles or corresponding
IR-detecting members being rendered more difficult.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the protection device the
respective hanging down discrete member is suspendedly arranged by
means of a cable clip configuration. Hereby simple and efficient
suspension and attachment is facilitated. According to a variant
the cable clip configuration is arranged to be attached by means of
a screw joint at a rail arranged at the vehicle.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the protection device the
respective hanging down discrete members are fixedly connectably
suspendedely arranged. Hereby the members, i.e. the respective wire
element is not allowed to swing in any direction, but are kept
rigid in the upper portion where it is attached such that
protection against incoming missiles is further improved.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the protection device at least
said wire element is arranged to be covered by means of a casing.
Hereby damping of the IR-signature is further improved as the
casing having a thermal inertia is affected to a lesser extent by
e.g. sun beams, such that IR-damping is optimized. The casing may
also be arranged such that it covers the lower portion and thus
prevents the wires from fraying during drive in e.g. rocky
terrain.
[0017] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
casing has wing portions arranged to run along the respective wire
element and project in a direction towards adjacent wire element.
Hereby is facilitated to essentially cover the space formed between
the wire elements 30 by means of said wing portions 42, 44 such
that the IR-signature is further damped wherein thermal signature
adaptation may be optimized at the same time as
[0018] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
predetermined distance lies in the range 20-100 mm, preferably
60-80 mm. hereby protection against incoming missiles is optimized
such that e.g. so called RSV-grenades may be squeezed between two
adjacent wires and affect the electric detonation release
arrangement of such a grenade by means of short-circuiting.
[0019] According to an embodiment of the protection device said
wire element has a diameter in the range of 10-30 mm, preferably
12-20 mm. Hereby a sufficiently rigid wire for preventing incoming
missiles is obtained at the same time as certain flexibility is
obtained for good accessibility and damping of thrown up dust.
[0020] According to the invention the object is obtained with a
member for protection against missiles for military vehicles
intended to be comprised by a drapery configuration comprising a
number of such members hanging down at a distance from each other
to a position close to the ground, wherein said members comprise a
wire element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] A better understanding of the present invention will be had
upon the reference to the following detailed description when read
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several
views, and in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a side view of a protection
member according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 1b schematically illustrates a front view of the
protection member in FIG. 1a;
[0024] FIG. 1c schematically illustrates a cress sectional view A-A
of the protection member in FIG. 1b;
[0025] FIG. 1d schematically illustrates a perspective view of the
protection member in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 2a schematically illustrates a side view of a set of
the protection members according to FIG. 1a forming a protection
device according to the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 2b schematically illustrates a protection view of the
set of protection member in FIG. 2a;
[0028] FIG. 3a schematically illustrates a side view of a set of
protection members of the present invention forming a protection
device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 3b schematically illustrates a perspective view of the
set of protection member in FIG. 3a;
[0030] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the
protection members in FIG. 3a attached to a fastening device;
and
[0031] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a
motor vehicle with a protection device according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] FIG. 1a-d schematically show different view of a protection
device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] The protection member 1 is intended to be comprised in a
drapery configuration of a protection device for protection against
missiles, which drapery configuration is constituted by a set of
protection member 1 arranged in connection to the lower portion of
the vehicle at least along the respective vehicle side to a
position close to the ground at a distance from each other hanging
down.
[0034] The protection member 1 has an elongated rod-like
configuration with an upper end 10 and a lower end 12.
[0035] In the upper end 10 of the protection member 1 a fastening
member 20 in the shape of a cable clip 20 is arranged for attaching
the protection member 1 in connection to the vehicle. According to
a variant the cable clip configuration 20 is arranged to be
attached to a rail arranged along the lower portion of the
respective side of the vehicle, wherein the protection member 1 is
fixedly locked by means of a screw joint, which is illustrated in
FIG. 4 for an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] The protection member 1 comprises a wire element 30. The
wire element 30 is essentially metallic: The wire element 30 is
preferably shaped of steel which is rigid and resistant to
missiles. The wire element 30 is preferably composed of twisted
metallic thread.
[0037] The wire element 30 is dimensioned such that an against the
vehicle incoming missile may be prevented at least by being
squeezed between two adjacent wire elements 30, wherein the wire
element 30 has a certain thickness and rigidity.
[0038] The wire element 30 is further dimensioned such that drive
of the vehicle also in terrain is not jeopardized/obstructed,
wherein the wire element 30 has a certain flexibility/bending
stiffness and is of a certain length, the wire element 30 being
intended to protect the lower portion of the vehicle, of a tracked
vehicle, the lower portion of the track assembly.
[0039] Further the wire element 30 is according to a variant
dimensioned and intended to be arranged such that a certain
IR-damping effect is obtained.
[0040] Further the wire element 30 is according to a variant
dimensioned and intended to be arranged to damp thrown up dust
caused during drive of the vehicle.
[0041] According to an embodiment said wire element 30 has a
diameter D in the range of 10-30 mm, preferably 12-20 mm. The
length of the wire element 30 is adapted to the dimensions of the
vehicle. According to an embodiment said wire element 30 has a
length in the range of 30-70 cm. The wire element 30 may be of any
suitable length depending on size and shape of the vehicle.
[0042] The protection device 1 further comprises a casing 30
arranged to cover said wire element 30. Said casing 40 has
IR-damping properties. Said casing 40 has a thermal inertia. Said
casing 40 has a composition with material properties resulting in
thermal inertia. With thermal inertia is intended IR-damping
properties in that the casing 40 is affected to a lesser extent by
e.g. sun beams and consequently does not change temperature
depending on e.g. sun beams and/or heat generated from the vehicle
but maintains to a greater extent the temperature of the
surrounding. According to a variant the casing 40 is composed of a
rubber material.
[0043] Said casing 40 has opposing wing portion 42, 44 projecting
from and being arrange to run along the side of the wire element
30. The casing 40 consequently comprises a first wing portion 42
arranged project radially from one side of the wire element 30 and
a second 44 arranged to project radially from the opposing side.
The first and second wing portion 42, 44 are consequently aligned
with each other in a plane.
[0044] According to this embodiment said casing 40 is formed by a
first casing part 40a and a second casing part 40b. The first and
second casing part 40a, 40b have an intermediate portion 43a, 43b
and side portions 42a, 42b, 44a, 44b running along the respective
long side of the intermediate portion.
[0045] The intermediate portion 43a of the first casing portion 40a
is arranged to surround half the circumference of the wire element
30 forming a semicircle, wherein the side portions 42a, 44a are
arranged to project from the semicircular intermediate portion 43a
surrounding half the circumference of the wire element 30.
[0046] Correspondingly the intermediate portion 43b of the second
casing portion 40b is arranged to surround half the circumference
of the opposing half of the wire element 40 forming a semicircle,
wherein the side portion 42b 44b are arranged to project from the
intermediate portion 43b and abut the projecting side portions 42a,
44a of the first casing portions 40a.
[0047] Hereby the side portions 42a, 42b, 44a, 44b of the first and
second casing part 40a, 40b of the casing 40 said wing portions 42,
44, 42, 44. This results in a simple and cost efficient way of
constructing casings 40 with wing portions 42, 44 about the wire
element of protection members 1. According to a variant each
opposing side portion 42a, 42b, 44a, 44b is adhered with suitable
adhesive.
[0048] The protection member 1 has an upper area 14 I which the
cable clip configuration 20 is arranged to be attached. The
protection member 1 further has a lower area 16.
[0049] FIGS. 2a and 2b schematically illustrate different views of
a set of protection members 1 according to FIG. 1a forming a
protection device II/part of a protection device according to the
present invention.
[0050] The set of protection members 1 forms a drapery
configuration of a protection device II for protection against
missiles, which drapery configuration is intended to be arranged in
connection to the lower portion of the vehicle at least along the
respective vehicle side. The set of protection members are intended
to be arranged hanging down to a position close to the ground such
that the wire elements 30 are hanging down at a distance from each
other.
[0051] By said wing portions 42, 44 of the respective casing 40 it
is facilitated with maintained distance between the wire elements
30, facilitating optimal prevention of incoming missiles, to
essentially cover the side of the vehicle along which the set of
protection members 1 is arranged such that IR-damping is
optimized.
[0052] By said wing portions 42, 44 of the respective casing 40 is
facilitated to cover the side of the vehicle along which the set of
protection is arranged such that throwing up of dust is damped
substantially.
[0053] The first wing portion 42 of a casing 40 of a protection
member 1 is arranged to be adjacent to the second wing portion 4 of
a casing of an adjacently hanging protection member 1, wherein the
distance X1 between the adjacent protection members 1, i.e. the
distance X1 between the end of the first wing portion 42 facing the
adjacently hanging protection member 1 and the end portion of end
of the second wing portion 44 facing the first wing portion 42 is
substantially smaller than the distance X2 between the respective
wire element 30 arranged in the respective casing 40.
[0054] FIGS. 3a and 3b schematically illustrate different views of
a set of protection members 2 of the present invention forming a
protection device II according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0055] The protection member according to the embodiment in FIGS.
3a and 3b differs from the protection member 1 according to the
embodiment in FIG. 1a-d and 2a-b among other in that the casing 140
is arranged to surround the wire element 30 by means of a fully
covering tubular casing 140 without wing portions.
[0056] The casing 140 according to this embodiment has I accordance
with the casing 40 according to the embodiment described in
connection to FIG. 1a-d a thermal inertia for improved damping of
IR-signature.
[0057] The cable clip configuration 20 comprises a sleeve 50
arranged externally in the upper portion.
[0058] The protection member 2 comprises a hat configuration 60
surroundingly arranged externally to the casing 140 in the lower
portion arranged to cover also the lower end in order to thus
prevent fraying of the wire element 30 during drive in e.g. rocky
terrain. According to a variant the hat configuration 60 is
arranged to surround the lower end and the end area of the
protection member 2 attached by means of clamping joint.
[0059] The hat configuration has according to an embodiment a
diameter D1 exceeding the space of protrusion s being formed in
tracked vehicles with tracks having track plates being attached by
means of bolt causing said protrusions along the track. Hereby is
avoided by the dimension of the hat configuration during spring
action when the protection members risk to touch that the
protection member ends up between said protrusions.
[0060] The wire element 30 of the respective protection member has
the same properties as the wire element 30 according to FIG. 1a-d
and 2a-b and consequently improved protection against missiles,
damping of IR-signature and damping of dust thrown up during
drive.
[0061] The protection device II according to this embodiment thus
facilitates improved protection against missiles, damping of
IR-signature and damping of dust thrown up during drive.
[0062] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the
protection member in FIG. 3a attached to a fastening device. The
fastening device comprises a rail 70 intended to be arranged
essentially horizontally along a lower portion of the respective
side of a vehicle. The rail 70 has a track 72 in which protection
members 2 are intended to be attached. Hereby the fastening member
20 in the shape of the cable clip configuration 20 of the
respective protection member 20 is arranged to be attached in the
rail 70, wherein the respective protection member 2 is arranged to
be locked by means of a screw joint 74. The protection members I
according to the embodiment in FIG. 1a-2, 2a-b are according to an
embodiment attached in a corresponding way to a rail 70.
[0063] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a vehicle 100 according to
an embodiment of the present invention. The exemplified vehicle 100
is constituted by a heavy armoured tracked vehicle in the form of
an armoured car. The vehicle 100 may also be constituted by a
wheeled vehicle. The vehicle 100 may be constituted by an
articulated vehicle. The vehicle 100 may be constituted by a heavy
armoured military vehicle, a light armoured military vehicle, a
non-armoured vehicle or a civil vehicle.
[0064] The vehicle 100 according to FIG. 5 has a vehicle body 110
and tracks 120 for propulsion of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100
comprises a protection device I; II according to the present
invention.
[0065] The protection device I; II according to the embodiments
mentioned above for protection against missiles, e.g. so called
RSV-grenades, comprises a drapery configuration with a set of
essentially mutually parallel, at a distance from each other along
the respective vehicle side arranged to a position close to the
ground hanging down discrete protection members comprising wire
elements as is apparent from the embodiment described with
reference to FIG. 1a-d, 2a-b, 3a-b.
[0066] Said discrete member are also according to a variant
arranged mutually parallel, at a distance from each other along the
front side and/or rear side of the vehicle 100.
[0067] Said hanging down wire elements according to the embodiments
above are according to an embodiment arranged to affect the
electric detonation release arrangement of an RSV-grenade by means
of short-circuiting, i.e. prevent initiation of the directional
explosive strength of impacting RSV-grenades. Said wire elements 30
are according to this embodiment arranged at a distance from the
vehicle 100 such that the detonation release arrangement of the
RSV-grenade gets to be short-circuited before the grenade impacts
with the vehicle 100.
[0068] As is apparent from FIG. 2a and FIG. 3a adjacent wire
elements 30 of said protection device I; II according to an
embodiment forms a minimum space X2 which is smaller than the
largest thickness of the grenade at said the electric detonation
release arrangement.
[0069] The protection device I; II by the set of hanging down
protection members 1, 2 forms a drapery configuration or a veil
configuration or a curtain configuration.
[0070] Instead of a hat configuration surroundingly arranged in the
lower area of the protection device for preventing fraying of the
wire element 30 during drive in e.g. rocky terrain the sleeve
itself could be arranged to surround and cover also the lower end
portion of the wire element 30 in order to thus prevent fraying of
the wire element 30.
[0071] Instead of cable clip configuration for attachment and
locking of the respective protection member at the vehicle any
suitable fastening member for attaching the respective protection
member could be used.
[0072] Above fastening of respective protection members has been
described wherein the protection member is arranged to be fixedly
connected/locked in connection to the vehicle. According to an
alternative variant the respective protection member is turnably
fixedly arranged to its upper portion such that it is allowed to be
turned about an axle transverse to the longitudinal direction of
the vehicle with desired inertia but is locked form movement
transversal to the longitudinal direction for constituting obstacle
to incoming missiles.
[0073] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of
the present invention has been provided for the purposes of
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive
or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.
Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to
practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and
described in order to best explain the principles of the invention
and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in
the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and
with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated.
* * * * *