ADAPTIVE ENERGY ABSORBING FLOORING SYSTEM

摘要

A protective flooring system for a vehicle having a base structure such as a hull or frame and a floor, using a plurality of controllable fluid energy absorbers connected between the floor and base structure for attenuating forces transmitted there between as a function of a control signal applied to the energy absorber. The floor may be suspended or supported above the body, and in either case the energy absorber may be pre-biased by a spring or means of activating the controllable fluid. The energy absorbers may be attached in the manner of a Stewart platform: along the perimeter of the floor by ball-and-socket-joints to provide multi-axis damping. In another embodiment, the protective flooring system comprises a plurality of resilient bladders sandwiched between the floor and overlying tiles, each bladder being filled with controllable fluid in fluid communication with one or more flow valve(s) which can activate the controllable fluid to provide a controllable fluid damping characteristic.

主权项

1. A protective system for attenuating loads transmitted from a base structure to a payload supported by said base structure, comprising:
a payload interface attached to said payload; and a plurality of adaptive energy absorbers each connected between said payload interface and said base structure, each adaptive energy absorber further comprising,
a housing defining a sealed interior,a controllable fluid within the interior of said housing,means for activating said controllable fluid to affect performance of at least one of said adaptive energy absorbers;whereby forces transmitted from the base structure to the payload interface and payload may be selectively attenuated as a function of control signals applied to said adaptive energy absorbers.