Inventors:
Raymond V. Yazejian - Bloomfield Hills MI
International Classification:
B62D 2115
Abstract:
A safety vehicle is provided for absorbing energy during a front impact or collision and utilizes excess energy from the impact to upwardly displace a forward portion of an occupant compartment of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the safety vehicle includes a chassis having a two-part construction, including a front chassis member and a rear chassis member. The front chassis member is fixedly interconnected to the rear chassis member with securing elements preferably in the form of shear bolts or exploding bolts. Upon a vehicle collision at a predetermined speed, the shear bolts are intended to fail and thereby permit the rear chassis member to translate forwardly relative to the front chassis member. The rear chassis member is preferably formed to include a longitudinally extending series of alternating webs and slots. As the rear chassis member is translated forwardly relative to the front chassis member, a portion of the front chassis member extends through the slots and operates to shear the webs between the slots, thereby absorbing energy of the impact slowly and finally arresting the translation of the rear chassis member.