| 摘要 |
<p>There is described an underrun protector (2) for a heavy vehicle (1). The underrun protector (2) can be implemented as a front underrun protector (FUP) and/or as a rear underrun protector (RUP). The protector (2) includes two beam elements (304) mutually pivotally joined together and supported in relation to a frame (5) of the vehicle (1); the beam elements (304) are also known as shanks. Moreover, the two beam elements (304) are also mutually coupled together by one or more locking elements (302) which are operable to rupture when forces applied thereto during an impact of an object onto the protector (2) exceed one or more threshold magnitudes. Rupturing of the one or more locking elements (302) during an impact event of the object causes the two beam elements (304) to at least partially conform to a contact profile of the object to the protector (2) for more uniformly distributing impact forces arising in the impact event. Damage to the object, for example a smaller vehicle, is thereby capable of being reduced, for example mitigating injury to people enclosed within the smaller vehicle.</p> |
