Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02786168 2016-11-15
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WO 2011/085487 PCT/CA2011/000046
W-SHAPED HULL
Field of Invention
[0002] The present embodiments relate, generally, to armored
vehicles. More
particularly, the present embodiments relate to armored vehicles having a
double-vertex
shaped hull.
Background
[0003] Anti-tank mines and improvised explosives are designed to
damage or destroy
vehicles, including tanks and armored vehicles. Several advances have been
made in the
development of modern anti-tank mines and improvised explosive devices,
increasing the
threat these weapons pose to land-fighting forces. The explosives can be
hidden anywhere:
in potholes, in trash piles, underground, inside of humans and animals. In
addition to
disguisability, the devices have, over time, become more and more
sophisticated with designs
enabling them to have more effective explosive payloads, anti-detection and
anti-handling
features, and more sophisticated fuses.
[0004] Many explosive devices are detonated directly underneath or in
proximity to
armored vehicles. Existing vehicles manufactured with a flat or nearly flat
under belly suffer
severe damage from such blasts. With flat-bottomed vehicles, the blast effect
from an
explosive device frequently proves fatal to the vehicle's occupants because of
the vertical
deflection caused by the blasts. Moreover, sharp angles in the structure of
flat-bottomed
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vehicles such as at the edges of plates result in bending about a localized
pivot point during
an explosion.
[0005] Recognizing these and other problems, manufactures have attempted
to develop
alternative blast-protection schemes. Many of those alternative schemes have,
unfortunately,
proven inefficient and unworkable. For example, increasing the thickness of
the hull or
raising the hull height can improve a vehicle's performance when an explosion
occurs.
However, these design changes¨increasing thickness and raising height¨create
other
problems: they reduce a vehicle's mobility and payload and reduce the
available stroke for
mitigating the black shock which affects occupant survivability.
[0006] These are just a few known problems with existing vehicle designs.
Summary of the Embodiments
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, a structure for the hull of a vehicle
is disclosed.
The structure comprises a base, two vertex structures, each vertex structure
being defined by
an inside and outside wall, and a concave structure having at least one
substantially flat
surface, wherein the concave structure is defined in part by the inside wall
of each vertex
structure.
[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, a structure for a vehicle is
disclosed. The
structure comprises a first wall being designed to deflect in a direction away
from the bottom
of the structure, a second wall being designed to deflect in a direction away
from the bottom
of the structure, and a third wall being designed to deflect in a direction
towards the bottom
of the structure as a result of the first and second wall deflecting away from
the bottom of the
structure.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0009] Advantages of the exemplary embodiments will be apparent to those
of ordinary
skill in the art from the following detailed description and the accompanying
drawings, in
which like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements:
[0010] Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of a hull for a vehicle,
according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an inverted hull for a vehicle,
according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a hull for a vehicle, according
to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] Figures 4 is a bottom perspective view of a hull for a vehicle,
according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] Figures 5 is a front view of a hull for a vehicle, according to
one embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0015] Figure 6 and 6a are perspective views of a hull for a vehicle,
according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0016] Figure 7 is an illustration of the Lee Effect for a hull for a
vehicle, according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0017] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a body for a vehicle, according
to one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
Description
[0018] The following description conveys an understanding of embodiments
that relate
generally to vehicles, such as armored vehicles, and more particularly to
armored vehicles
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having blast-resistant features. Blast-resistant features are those that
enable a vehicle to
mitigate the effects of an explosion. Numerous exemplary embodiments of
vehicles having
one or more blast-resistant features are described below. Armored vehicles,
and other
vehicles, described by the exemplary embodiments that have these features are
not limited to
only those embodiments, however. For example, exemplary embodiments may be
used for
other types of vehicles or machines outside of the defense industry. The
exemplary
embodiments may be sized or shaped differently, in any suitable manner, and
may be adapted
to add components not described, or to remove components that are. One
possessing
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the use of the exemplary embodiments
for purposes
and benefits in alternative forms and industries, depending upon specific
design needs and
other considerations.
[0019] When a blast occurs, an armored vehicle should manage and absorb
the energy
and impulse generated from a blast and soil ejecta in an effective way. When a
blast is
managed, a vehicle will adequately mitigate the mine or TED explosion by
minimizing
excessive damage to the vehicle and substantial injury to the crew. To
accomplish this, three
primary ways exist to manage the blast energy and impulse that a vehicle
experiences during
an explosion. First, a vehicle's design should minimize the blast pressure it
receives.
Second, a vehicle's design should minimize its response to the blast,
including minimizing a
deflection or rupture response. Third, a vehicle's design should minimize the
threat to crew
survivability by reducing acceleration and reduce the potential injury of the
crew due to the
hull's deflection. Figures 1 ¨ 8 illustrate embodiments for vehicles,
particularly armored
vehicles, that are efficient in mitigating mine or TED blasts in that these
embodiments may
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satisfy one or more of three above-mentioned ways to manage the energy and
impulse
generated from a blast.
[0020] With reference to Figures 1-6a, a hull 100 for a vehicle,
according to an
exemplary embodiment, is shown and will be discussed in more detail. Figure 1
illustrates
an exemplary hull 100 for a vehicle, such as an armored vehicle. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the hull 100 may generally be W-shaped, or alternatively referred
to as double-
V shaped or double-vertex shaped. In an exemplary embodiment, the hull 100 may
comprise
two vertex structures 110. Each vertex structure 110 may comprise an inside-
inclined wall
114, and an outside-inclined wall 116. In an exemplary embodiment, the inside
inclined wall
114 and outside inclined wall 116 may be welded together. Overlaying the weld
between
walls 114 and walls 116¨i.e., covering each vertex structures 110 apex 120¨may
be a cap
that extends run axially along the entire length of each vertex structure 110.
If used, the cap
may protect the weld to reduce the likelihood the hull 100 may breach at that
juncture. A cap
may furthermore facilitate proper manufacturing of the hull.
[0021] Each vertex structure 110 may extend axially and substantially
parallel to the
centerline of the hull 100 from the rear of the hull 100 to the front of the
hull 100. The two
vertex structures 110 may be directed downward such that the apex 120 of each
vertex
structure 110 will be the lowest point relative to the ground. It should be
noted that the hull
100 shown in Figure 1 may extend axially along the entire length of a vehicle
or extend
axially along a part of the entire length of a vehicle. In other words, the
hull 100 may be
used on any vehicle configuration, and one of ordinary of skill in the art can
readily
determine the appropriate axial length for the hull 100.
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100221 The angle a of each vertex structure 110 may be determined based
on a particular
vehicle configuration and the intended purpose of that vehicle. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the angle a of each vertex structure 110 may be within a range of
30 to 100
but preferably within 45 to 90 . While these values for angle a are
preferable, a double-
vertexed hull may be fabricated with any suitable angle a and still maintain
the desired
structure and function as described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the
angel a for
each vertex structure 110 may be substantially equal. Of course, in
alternative embodiments,
angel a for each vertex structure 110 may be dissimilar.
[0023] The angle a for each vertex structure 110 may influence the
maneuverability and
blast protection capabilities of a vehicle. For example, a vehicle having a W-
shaped hull
designed with a narrower angle a will have a higher center of gravity and/or
smaller standoff
but will better counteract the blast impulse from an explosion. Whereas, a
vehicle having a
W-shaped hull designed with a wider angel a will have a lower center of
gravity and/or
higher standoff but will have diminished capabilities to counteract the blast
impulse from an
explosion. This description is meant only to describe the countervailing
factors for W-
shaped hulls. However, as stated above, depending on the type of vehicle
configuration and
its intended purpose, any suitable angle a for each vertex structure 110 may
be used.
100241 It should further be noted that designing the hull 100 to have two
vertex structures
110, compared to a hull with a single vertex structure, will reduce the vertex
angle a by half
for a given hull width. This, in turn, will increase the angles of the
inclined-inside walls 116
relatively to the hull's vertical axis. These features may result in
advantageously increasing
the angle of attack between a blast wave and the hull 100, thereby causing a
lower received
pressure load while simultaneously creating space at the center of the hull
100 (described
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below) to incorporate the driveshaft and the differentials, which are shown in
Figure 1. The
angle of attack between a blast wave and the hull 100 depends on the location
of an
explosion. For example, if an explosion occurs away from the outside inclined
wall 116¨
between the outside inclined wall 116 and a wheel, for example¨the hull 100
still provides
advantageous features because it provides for a larger distance between the
explosion and the
hull 100, which further mitigates the impact of the blast. These and other
advantageous
features of the W-shaped hull 100 during a blast event will be further
explained below.
[0025] The W-shaped hull 100, as shown in Figures 1-6a, may also have a
high moment
of inertia about the longitudinal axis, and the bending stiffness of the hull
100 may be
improved relative to non-W-shaped hull. Specifically, the bending stiffness
may be high
across the lower structure of the hull 100, resulting in the hull 100 being
able to mitigate any
localized deformation after an explosion when the blast wave propagates
throughout the
entire structure of a vehicle. In other words, the W-shaped hull 100 may
provide a high-
bending stiffness during an explosion about its y-axis. This stiffness may
allow for the W-
shaped hull 100 to transfer localized deformation energy and momentum from the
blast into a
global response, thereby reducing localized damage. Quickly and effectively
transferring
blast energy from a localized area, which is of low mass, to the entire
vehicle structure,
which is of high mass, may lower the velocity of local plates, thereby
reducing damage to the
hull 100 while conserving the momentum.
[0026] Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the vertex structures 110 may
be located
approximately at the quarter-line of the hull 100 relative to its width. In
some existing
vehicles, a hull's quarter-line may be a particularly vulnerable area for a
vehicle during an
explosion because, typically, there may be a flat horizontal or non-angled
plate covering this
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area of a vehicle. A flat plate may collect a high impulse from the blast and
result in high
deflection. However, it should be understood that the vertex structures 110
are not limited to
being located at the quarter-line of the hull 100 relative to its width. One
of ordinary skill in
the art can adjust the placement of each vertex structure 110 as necessary
and/or desired.
That is, in other embodiments, the vertex structures 110 may be located at
other places
relative to a hull's width and may or may not be symmetric.
[0027] In one embodiment, the apex 120 of the vertex structures 110 may
generally be
between dimensioned and positioned such that a vehicle manufactured or
retrofitted with the
hull 100 may be able to adeptly traverse and maneuver over terrains likely to
be encountered
by a vehicle. To achieve this, a vehicle equipped with the W-shaped hull 100
may therefore
maintain any suitable ground clearance depending on a vehicle's configuration
and intended
purpose.
[0028] Still referring to Figures 1-6a, each outside inclined wall 116
extends upwardly
from the apex 120 and into a sponson 112. The sponson 112 may form the top
portion of the
W-shaped hull 110. A transition angle 13 may be formed between each outside
inclined wall
116 and each sponson 112. The transition angle 13 may be of any suitable
dimension
depending on the vehicle configuration. In an exemplary embodiment, transition
angle
between the outside inclined wall 116 and the sponson 112 may provide for
lower deflection.
The outside inclined wall 116 and the sponson 112 may be formed from a one-
piece
construction in an exemplary embodiment but is not limited thereto. That is, a
single sheet or
plate will be bent to form this lower part of the hull 100, thereby
eliminating the potentially
vulnerable area between the sponson 112 and the outside inclined walls 116.
This type of
construction may result in a geometric transition between the sponson 112 and
the outside
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inclined walls 116 potentially able to minimize the stiffness gradient at this
location in the
hull 100. When the stiffness gradient is minimized, the deformation of the
hull 100 may be
more uniform and evenly distributed across the area.
[0029] In an alternative embodiment, the W-shaped hull 100 may not
comprise a sponson
112 while still maintaining the double-vertex shape. Other embodiments for the
double-
vertex shaped hull 100 are also contemplated herein. For example, the outside
inclined wall
116 may be replaced with an entirely vertical wall or be constructed from two
or more panels
where those panels could be straight, angled, or a combination of both. In
other words, the
present description contemplates any hull configuration that uses double-
vertex shape
notwithstanding what the precise dimensions of the panels to form the
vertexes.
[0030] To complete the W-shaped hull structure, the hull 100 may comprise
a concave
structure 118. The concave structure 118 may be located between the two vertex
structures
110. Still referring to Figures 1-6a, which illustrates an inverted W-shaped
hull, the concave
structure 118 may be formed by the two inside-inclined walls 114 and have a
substantially
flat surface 122. The concave structure 118, like the two vertex structures
110, may extend
axially from a front portion of the hull 100 to a back portion, with the
centerline of the
concave structure 118 being coplanar with the centerline of the hull 100, in
one embodiment.
In alternative embodiments, the concave structure 118 may extend along the
entire axial
length of a vehicle or only along a portion of the axial length. In an
exemplary embodiment,
the concave structure 118 may maintain a necessary ground clearance depending
on the
vehicles configuration and its intended purpose.
[0031] As discussed above and as shown in Figure 1, the concave structure
118 may
create a space for other vehicles components, including the driveshaft and
differentials.
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Creating a space for vehicles components may also provide desired access to a
vehicle's
mechanical components for desired maintenance. In addition, these mechanical
components
may be designed not to impact the hull 100 during a blast event. In an
alternative
embodiment, the concave structure 118 may comprise multi-part piece having one
or more
panels, although a single piece construction is preferred. The concave
structure 118 may also
be layered with another protective panel or other blast-resistant features.
[0032] Referring to Figure 1, the hull 100 may comprise one or more
notches 130,
depending on the number of wheels a particularly vehicle might have. In an
exemplary
embodiment, each of the vertex structures 110 may have a plurality of notches
130 to
accommodate the wheel axles 132. Wheels may be mounted onto a single axle that
extends
across the full width of the hull 100 and through the notches 130 in the
vertex structures 110.
An axle may be any suitable shape and mounted in any suitable way. Further,
one of
ordinary skill in the art can determine the appropriate suspension system to
use based on the
vehicle configuration.
[0033] Various materials can be used for the hull 100 and its components,
depending on
system requirements on space claim, weight impact, budget-cost constraints,
and
manufacturing techniques and equipment. Possible, non-limiting materials that
can be used
for the hull 100 and its components include steel, aluminum, titanium,
ballistic steel, ballistic
aluminum, ballistic titanium, composites, and so on, or a combination of
materials.
Moreover, the thickness of the hull 100 can vary as necessary and/or desired.
[0034] Furthermore, the hull 100 can be designed and dimensioned for a
variety of
wheeled vehicles, including High Speed, Agile Light Vehicles; Wheeled Combat
and
Derivative Vehicles; Medium Transport & Support Vehicles; Heavy Transport
Vehicles; and
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Tank Transporters. These vehicles may be 4x4, 6x6, or 8x8 wheeled vehicles, or
have any
other wheel configuration. The hull 100 may also be used for vehicles driven
by tracks, or a
combination of wheels and tracks. Figure 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of a
vehicle
having a W-shaped hull. The depicted vehicle may be a full-time four-wheel
drive,
selectively eight-wheel drive, light-armored vehicle. The vehicle may provide
for armored
protection of the crew. The W-shaped hull 100 may extend along the entire
length of a
vehicle or only along an intermediate length, which will be described in more
detail below.
The hull 100 may generally be symmetric about the longitudinal centerline of
the vehicle.
[0035] It will be understood, of course, that the foregoing hull
arrangement may be
modified or altered in any number of ways, and various parts may be omitted or
added in
other embodiments.
[0036] As mentioned above, the W-shaped hull 100 may provide efficient
mine-blast
protection for a vehicle, without significantly impacting the vehicle's
weight. Referring to
Figure 7, the W-shaped hull 100 may create a controlled directional
deformation at a specific
location on the hull 100 due to the hull's geometric attributes. Specifically,
when an
explosion occurs underneath a vehicle, a downward force may be produced on the
surface
122 of the concave structure 118, which may be a critical area for a vehicle
because a
vehicle's crew may sit directly above that location¨i.e., the crew's feet may
be positioned
close to the hull's floor at that location. This downward force may counteract
any upward
deformation induced by the blast pressure. By counteracting upward
deformation, the hull
100 may be able to mitigate vertical deflection.
[0037] This phenomenon exhibited by the hull 100 during a blast may be
referred to as
the Lee Effect. Generally, the Lee Effect is a blast-deformation technique
that relies on a
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structure's geometric properties. The W-shaped hull is an example of one such
structure that
uses the Lee Effect. Overall, the Lee Effect describes a structure using its
own geometric
attributes to create a downward force by depending on the lateral deformation
induced by a
blast on a connected part of the structure to counteract any vertical upward
deflection caused
by a blast-type load.
[0038] Explained in more detail, when a blast even occurs at or near the
center of the hull
100, the blast shockwave and debris will first impact the inclined-inside
walls 114 of the hull
100 structure first, pushing the inclined-inside walls 114 away in a direction
that is normal to
the plate. The shockwave and debris will next impact the substantially flat
surface 122 of the
concave structure 118 because of its distance from the explosive device.
Predictably, the
surface 122 of the concave structure 118 will receive an upward force induced
by the
pressure, debris, and shockwave. But, as the inclined-inside walls 114 of the
hull 100 begin
to deform at a direction normal to their surfaces, a horizontal deformation
component may be
created. This horizontal deformation component may create a downward force on
the
substantially flat surface 122 of the concave structure 118¨in part because
these structures
are connected structures and have a tendency to conserve volume¨pulling the
substantially
flat surface 122 downward. This downward action caused by the horizontal
deformation
component counteracts the upward force being exhibited on the surface 122 of
the concave
structure 118. This counteraction mitigates any vertical deflection of the
concave structure
118, reducing the injury to a crew when a blast event occurs. In addition, as
the inclined-
inside walls 114 deform, kinetic energy from the blast is transformed into
strain energy of the
material in the hull 100, thus reducing any energy that is available to deform
the plate and
accelerate the hull 100. It should be noted that some elastic recovery occurs
at the deformed
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surfaces, which causes the inclined-inside walls 114 and the concave structure
118 to vibrate
in a cyclic, synchronized manner.
100391 As mentioned in the preceding paragraph and as illustrated in
Figure 7, the hull
100 initially deforms at the inclined-inside walls 114 of the hull 100. This
deformation,
however, occurs underneath the crew floor and generally consists of lateral
deformation and
not vertical deformation. Therefore, the impact to the crew floor or the crew
may be
minimized. In addition, as the inclined-inside walls 114 are deforming, the
blast energy
received by the hull 100 may be transferred into strain energy, thus reducing
the available
energy for global vehicle motion. As a result, the available energy associated
with the
acceleration of the vehicle and its crews is minimized. This will
significantly reduce the
Dynamic Response Index (DRI) value, hence improving crew survivability.
100401 The W-shaped hull is also designed to mitigate a blast if an
explosive device is
detonated between the centerline of the hull 100 and one of the outside
inclined walls 116.
Most current vehicles, that do not have a W-shaped hull, are vulnerable when a
blast occurs
at or near the quarter-line of the hull 100. As discussed above, the vertex
structures 110 of
the W-shaped hull are located at or near the quarter-line of the hull 100.
Thus, if an
explosion occurs underneath this quarter-line location, the average angle of
attack between
the shock wave and the hull 100 may be maximized, which will reduce the
pressure load on
all surfaces of the hull 100. In addition to the sharp angle of the vertex
structures 110, the
hull 100 may have a heightened stiffness at the vertex structures 110, further
mitigating
vertical deformation.
[0041] Referring back to Figures 1-6a, a crew floor (not shown) will be
mounted inside
of a vehicle and above the hull 100. The floor may run horizontal to the
concave structure
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118 of the hull 100. The floor may comprise any additional blast-resistant
features, which
further protect a crew during an explosion. Such additional blast-resistant
features are known
in the art. The floor may be mounted inside of the hull 100 in suitable way,
as is known in
the art. Having the floor install above and inside of the hull 100, it may
impede any
secondary projectiles that penetrate the hull 100 during an explosion. An
exemplary floor
may comprise a multi-part structure having a frame and one or more layers.
100421 The figures and description depict and describe exemplary
embodiments of a
vehicle with features capable of better protecting a vehicle when subjected to
an explosion.
As used throughout this description, the term "vehicle" or "armored vehicle"
or other like
terms is meant to encompass any vessel designed with the features described
herein. For
example, it is meant to encompass any type of military vehicle regardless of
its weight
classification. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiments may also be used for
any vehicle or
machine, regardless of whether they are specifically designed for military
use. The vehicles
are not limited to any specific embodiment or detail that is disclosed.
[0043] The terminology used in this description is for describing
particular embodiments
only. It is not intended to limit the scope of an exemplary embodiment. As
used throughout
this disclosure, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural,
unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "an axle"
includes a plurality of
axles, or other equivalents or variations known to those skilled in the art.
Furthermore, if in
describing some embodiments or features permissive language (e.g., "may") is
used, that
does not suggest that embodiments or features described using other language
(e.g., "is,"
"are") are required. Unless defined otherwise, all terms have the same
commonly understood
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meaning that one of ordinary skill in the art to which these embodiments
belong would
expect them to have.
[0044] With regard to the exemplary embodiments of the vehicle described
above, any
part that fastens, joins, attaches, or connects any component to or from the
vehicle is not
limited to any particular type and is instead intended to encompass all known
and
conventional fasteners, like screws, nut and bolt connectors, threaded
connectors, snap rings,
detent arrangements, clamps, rivets, toggles, and so on. Fastening may also be
accomplished
by other known fitments, like welding, bolting, or sealing devices. Components
may also be
connected by adhesives, polymers, copolymers, glues, ultrasonic welding,
friction stir
welding, and friction fitting or deformation. Any combination of these fitment
systems can
be used.
[0045] Unless otherwise specifically disclosed, materials for making
components of the
present embodiments may be selected from appropriate materials, such as metal,
metal
alloys, ballistic metals, ballistic metal alloys, composites, plastics, and so
on. Any and all
appropriate manufacturing or production methods, such as casting, pressing,
extruding,
molding, machining, may be used to construct the exemplary embodiments or
their
components.
[0046] When describing exemplary embodiments, any reference to relative
position¨
front and back, or rear, top and bottom, right and left, upper and lower, and
so on¨is
intended to conveniently describe those embodiments only. Positional and
spacial references
do not limit the exemplary embodiments or its components to any specific
position or
orientation.
