FR3061292A1 - SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOBILE LURE FOR DETECTION BY A VEHICLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

A support structure (1) supports a target (4) to be detected by a vehicle to be tested. The structure comprises a support portion (7) adapted to be secured to a support vehicle (6), and a gantry portion (3) assembled over the support portion (7) and configured to protrude laterally with respect to the support portion ( 6) of a width at least equivalent to the width of the support portion (7). The support portion (7) has in a horizontal direction (Y) a width less than or equal to a body width of the carrier vehicle (6) associated, present in a perpendicular direction a length greater than or equal to the width. The support portion (7) comprises: - an anchoring portion (8), configured to be anchored at a floor of the support vehicle (6), a rigid support portion (9), on which is anchored the gantry portion (3), the support portion (9) occupying a substantially prismatic volume.

Description

Holder (s): folded.

RENAULT S.A.S Joint-stock company simO Extension request (s):

® Agent (s): RENAULT SAS.

® SUPPORT STRUCTURE, FOR MOBILE LURE, TO BE DETECTED BY A VEHICLE.

FR 3 061 292 - A1 (© A support structure (1) supports a target (4) intended to be detected by a vehicle to be tested. The structure comprises a support portion (7) capable of being secured to a support vehicle (6) , and a gantry portion (3) assembled over the support portion (7) and configured to project laterally with respect to the support portion (6) of a width at least equivalent to the width of the support portion (7).

The support portion (7) has in a horizontal direction (Y) a width less than or equal to a body width of the associated support vehicle (6), has in a perpendicular direction a length greater than or equal to the width.

The support portion (7) comprises:

an anchoring portion (8), configured to be anchored at a floor of the support vehicle (6),

a rigid support portion (9), on which the gantry portion (3) is stowed, the support portion (9) occupying a substantially prismatic volume.

SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOBILE LURE TO BE DETECTED BY A VEHICLE

The invention relates to test equipment intended to validate the behavior of motor vehicles, and more particularly intended to validate driving assistance systems using an optical detection device, whether or not coupled to other detection systems. (radar type for example), in order to automatically avoid collisions between vehicles. To test such driving assistance systems, optical decoys are used to simulate the presence of a vehicle - which we will call a fictitious vehicle - in the environment of a vehicle which we will call real vehicle or test vehicle - equipped with the driving assistance system.

The decoy must make it possible to reproduce the optical conditions of the presence of a vehicle, fixed or mobile, in relative motion relative to the test vehicle. The lure must be capable of being struck by the test vehicle without damaging the latter, in order to enable development stages to be overcome during which the driving assistance system is not yet able to avoid a collision.

Lure transport structures are known that can be assembled around a support vehicle, so as to extend laterally thereto by a gantry portion to which a target is suspended, the target being able to pivot under moderate force, reversibly, relative to the gantry. Such structures are bulky, unnecessarily increase the front space requirement of the support vehicle, and generally only allow the transport of a lure of limited dimensions, for example a lure comprising a visual target representing a city car. In addition, the structure surrounding the support vehicle itself risks pivoting relative to the vehicle if it is poorly secured to the body of the support vehicle.

The invention aims to provide a support structure for transporting a wider variety of lures than current structures, and offering improved stability.

To this end, a support structure for mobile vehicle testing equipment is proposed, capable of supporting a target intended to be detected by a vehicle to be tested and capable of being struck by the vehicle to be tested, the structure comprising a support portion. able to be secured to a support vehicle, and a gantry portion assembled over the support portion and configured to project laterally with respect to the support portion with a width at least equivalent to the width of the support portion.

The support portion has, in the horizontal direction, a width less than or equal to a body width of the associated support vehicle, present in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of the width, a dimension greater than or equal to the width.

The support portion includes:

- an anchoring portion, configured to be anchored at a floor of the support vehicle,

- A rigid support portion, capable of being removably assembled - preferably removable as a unit - on the anchoring portion, and on which the gantry portion is stowed, the support portion occupying a substantially prismatic volume, including one underside is assembled to the anchoring portion and an upper face supports a first end of the gantry portion.

By rigid support portion is meant that the support portion is configured to resist deformations that can move or tilt the faces of the Tune prism relative to each other, in particular under the effect of the stresses intended to be transmitted by the gantry. The faces of the prism are preferably substantially parallel to the floor of the support vehicle. Advantageously, the gantry portion is adapted to support a pivoting frame articulated in rotation relative to the gantry portion. The frame is held by the gantry next to the support portion, spaced therefrom, the frame comprising the target or being able to carry the target. The gantry itself must be kept sufficiently rotated about a vertical axis relative to the support vehicle, hence a minimum length recommended for the support portion.

The support portion may comprise in the upper part, at least three vertical pillars intercepting substantially the same horizontal geometric plane. The horizontal plane can thus correspond to the plane of a roof of the support vehicle

Each vertical pillar can be surmounted by a platform enlarged relative to the section of the pillar.

Advantageously, the support portion may comprise, in the lower part, a three-dimensional base frame capable of being anchored to the floor of a support vehicle, and may comprise at least three vertical pillars assembled in a removable manner on the base frame, each of lower height. or equal to the height of the base frame.

The prismatic support portion is preferably connected at the level of its lower face, to the anchoring portion, by at least three removable connecting elements. The removable connecting elements are preferably arranged at substantially the same height. The prismatic support portion is preferably connected at its lower face, to the anchoring portion, only by removable connecting elements.

The removable connecting elements may include flanges integral with the platforms.

The prismatic support portion may include a structure with triangulated beams. The assembly of triangles formed by the beams thus ensures the rigidity of the prismatic portion.

Each of the flanges secured to a platform can be designed to encircle a beam forming the triangular beam structure of the support portion, and thus keep it fixed in longitudinal support against the platform.

The gantry portion may comprise at least two transverse beams, each formed of a set of triangulated beams, the two transverse beams being spaced apart from one another and extending parallel to one another in the direction of the width of the support portion, which also corresponds to the direction transverse to the support vehicle when the support structure is assembled on the support vehicle.

The two transverse beams can be assembled; independently of each other, to the support portion, each by a group of strapping elements, in which the two transverse beams are further connected to each other by rigid spacers, and can be each supported by at least one oblique spacer connecting them to a point on the underside of the holding portion.

The oblique spacers further limit rotation of the gantry around the longitudinal direction of the support structure.

The pivoting frame erasable by pivoting, can typically be a frame made of tubular structure. The beams of the triangulated structures of the support portion and of the gantry can typically be tubular beams. The swivel frame can be designed to pivot about a horizontal axis or be designed to pivot around a vertical axis. The frame can be stabilized in the vertical test position by return springs. The return springs can be positioned to prevent or slow the return of the frame to its target presentation position, in order to facilitate the passage of the test vehicle along the support vehicle after impact.

The target has sufficient thickness and resistance to be able to be repeatedly impacted by the real vehicle, for example during tests of fictitious vehicle movements detectable by a driving assistance system

Some aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and made with reference to the appended figures in which:

Figure 1 is a simplified representation of a portion of support vehicle, equipped with a support structure according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lower support structure according to the invention, intended to be assembled inside a passenger compartment of a support vehicle;

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a portion of support structure according to the invention, at the height where this support structure is intended to pass through a roof of an associated support vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view, seen from the rear, of a support structure mounted on a support vehicle, showing a lower portion of the support structure, as well as an upper portion of the support structure joining the lower portion through the roof of the vehicle.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, equipment for simulating a fictitious vehicle, in particular comprises a support vehicle 6, transporting a support structure 1 secured to the vehicle 6, and in particular comprising a gantry 3 projecting laterally from the vehicle 6 to maintain above the roadway, a support frame 2 -defined here by a tubular structure- supporting a visual target 4. The frame can also carry a metal target 5 intended for radar detection of the position of the fictitious vehicle represented on the target .

The support frame 2 is mounted so that it can pivot under the gantry 3, around a horizontal axis positioned in the upper part of the frame (in the upper half of the frame when the frame is assembled on the structure 1 in the operating position, providing a target 4 on detection).

The frame 2 is shown here in a first position 2 making it possible to visually simulate the presence of a fictitious vehicle, and in a second position 2 ′, retracted upwards by pivoting the frame after the target 4 has been impacted by a vehicle test.

The tilting of the frame 2 towards the retracted position makes it possible to limit the impact energy collected by a target 4 mounted on the frame 2 during an impact by test vehicle.

The structure 1 notably comprises a support portion 7, forming a three-dimensional metallic structure, intended to be anchored at the level of a floor of the support vehicle 6, inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle 6, and intended to extend vertically up to the roof 16 of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 6 or near this roof 16.

Advantageously, the support portion 7 comprises in particular an anchoring portion 8 disposed inside the vehicle 6, visible in more detail in FIG. 2, and comprises a support portion 9 forming a rigid structure extending above the roof of the vehicle 6. The support portion 9 keeps the gantry 3 substantially stationary relative to the body of the vehicle 6. Advantageously, the support portion 9 may have a substantially prismatic outer contour. The support portion 9 can be assembled, at a lower face of the prism thus defined, to the support portion, or to a group of connecting elements rigidly connecting the prismatic support portion 9 and the support portion 7 comprising the anchoring portion 8. The anchoring portion 8 comprises in particular a three-dimensional base frame 15, and feet 18 projecting downward from the frame 15, or forming reliefs towards the bottom of the frame 15, so to allow the anchoring portion 8 to be anchored in the vehicle floor. It is possible to envisage alternative embodiments (not shown) in which the anchoring portion does not include feet 18 in relief but for example comprises planar lower docking zones, drilled so as to be able to be screwed with a base plate from the vehicle floor 6.

The underside of the support portion 9 can advantageously be assembled with a group of support platform 10 (visible in FIGS. 1 and 3) held above the roof 16, near the roof 16, by portions of vertical pillars 13 each passing through an opening in the roof 16 for this purpose. The portions 13 of vertical pillars can be part of the support portion 7, or link the support portion 7 and the prismatic support portion 9.

The portions 13 of vertical pillars can be assembled on the base frame 15 of the anchoring portion 8, so as to be removable with respect to this base frame 15.

Each pillar portion 13 can for example be screwed by an enlarged foot 23 onto a substantially horizontal plate 14, integral with an upper part of the anchoring portion 8.

The anchoring portion 8 can thus be brought inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle 6 independently of the rest of the structure 1, and in particular of the pillars 13. It can then be anchored to the floor of the vehicle 6, and possibly be anchored relative to the side walls of the vehicle 6.

The support plates 14 can be secured to the anchoring portion 8 before the latter is mounted in the support vehicle, for example by welding. The support plates 14 can be provided with holes suitable for subsequent screwing on the plates 14, portions 13 of vertical pillars.

Portions of vertical pillars 13, provided with assembly platforms 10 can be mounted on the plates 14, so as to make the platforms 10, above the roof of the vehicle 6, protrude above the portions of pillars 13.

A prismatic support portion 9 can then be put in place, by securing the support portion 9 with the platforms

10, for example by rapid assembly means, such as flanges 17 illustrated for example in FIG. 3.

The prismatic support portion 9 can advantageously be produced in the form of an assembly of triangulated beams (assembled together so as to form triangles, the rigidity of the structure arising from the rigidity of each triangle in its plane), and the gantry 3 itself can also be obtained from an assembly of triangulated beams, as for example in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, these beams are tubes, but one can imagine beams with other sections.

The flanges 17 can thus make it possible to grasp each at least one tube among the reinforcing tubes meshing a first face 11 of the prism formed by the support portion 9. At its upper face 12, the prism formed by the triangulated structure of the support portion, can be secured with tubes forming part of the triangulated structure defining the gantry 3. Dedicated assembly elements, making it possible to dismountable parallel tubes or preferably tubes crossed with respect to the others are known for this purpose.

The prismatic support portion 9 can typically comprise a first complex beam 19 formed by a triangulated structure, and extending along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 6 once assembled on the support vehicle 6 using the platforms 10.

The prismatic support portion 9 may also include a second beam with a triangulated structure 19 ’, for example identical to the beam 19, and arranged parallel to the first beam 19, side by side with the latter. The common height of the triangulated beams 19 and 19 ′ then defines the distance between the first face 11 of the prism and the second face 12 (arranged in the upper part) of the prism 9.

The rigidity of the triangulated structures forming the beams 19 and 19 'ensures the rigidity in deformation of the prismatic support portion 9. In this way, good angular support of the cantilever beam formed by the gantry is obtained. the variations in the deflection of the gantry 3, thus limiting unwanted movements of the target 4 when the target 4 is carried by the tubular structure 2 suspended from the gantry 3.

The gantry 3 can itself comprise two complex beams 20 and 20 ′ of triangulated structure, the beams 20 and 20 'being assembled parallel and one next to the other. The beams 20 and 20 ′ can advantageously be secured to the second face 12 of the prism 9.

The triangulated beams 20 and 20 'constituting the gantry 3, can be placed apart from one another in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle 6.

The beams 20 and 20 ’can be connected by spacers 21 maintaining a constant gap between the beams 20 and 20 '. Each beam 20 and / or 20 '- and / or a spacer connecting the beams 20 and 20' - can be connected by an oblique spacer 22 to a point on the first face 11 (lower) of the support prism 9, in order to further improve the resistance to deflection of the gantry 3 towards the roadway it overlooks.

FIG. 2 illustrates an anchoring portion 8 adapted for the installation in a vehicle 6, of a support portion 7 according to the invention. Such an anchoring structure 8 comprises in particular feet 18 able to be inserted into wedging recesses formed in the thickness of a floor of the vehicle 6, and comprises a three-dimensional base frame 15 ensuring stability in space by relative to the base 18. The anchoring structure 8 may comprise one or more assembly plates 14, distributed for example in the same plane, and supported by the three-dimensional base frame 15, inside the passenger compartment of the support vehicle, near the roof of the latter.

FIG. 3 illustrates assembly portions comprising portions of vertical pillars 13 making it possible to link the anchoring portion 8 to the upper assembly platforms 10 intended to be disposed above the roof 16 of the vehicle 6. The pillar portions 13 can for example be screwed onto the assembly plates 14 inside the vehicle, once the base frame 15 has been properly secured in the vehicle 6.

The upper platforms 10 protrude outside the vehicle 6, and are preferably arranged in the same geometrical plane allow then come to assemble on this plane, using flanges 17, the support portion 9, for example by tightening the flanges 17 around tubes (not shown in FIG. 3) belonging to a triangulated structure forming the support portion 9.

The support portion 7 has a width 1 transversely to the vehicle 69 which corresponds to the width of the frame 15, optionally increased by lateral overhangs of the plates 10 relative to the frame 15. The support portion 7 has a length L in the direction longitudinal of the vehicle 6, which corresponds to the length of the frame 15, optionally increased by overhangs in the longitudinal direction of the plates 10 relative to the frame 15. The width 1 remains less than or equal to the width of the vehicle body 6. The length L is greater than the width 1, so as to effectively keep the gantry in rotation with respect to the vehicle 6 about a vertical axis.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in perspective, the arrangement of the successive connections making it possible to link with satisfactory rigidity the floor of the vehicle 6, to the prismatic support portion 9 (itself supporting the gantry 3, not shown in FIG. 4) .

As visible in FIG. 4, the three-dimensional base frame 15 inside the vehicle 6, stowed on the floor and possibly stowed on the walls of the vehicle, carries the assembly plates 14 -also designated by support plate 14- arranged thereby inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle 6. Above the support plates 14 are formed openings in the roof 16 of the vehicle, these openings being traversed by the pillar portions 13 surmounted by the platforms 10. The platforms 10 allow their turn to assemble over the roof 16 of the vehicle, the prismatic support portion 9.

The support structure according to the invention makes it possible to ensure, with good dimensional stability, the support of a gantry carrying targets of various sizes.

In addition to its good rigidity, the structure according to the invention has a modular character which makes it easier to transport, and makes it possible to adapt the dimensions of the gantry according to the target to be supported.

A support structure according to the invention can be designed and built to measure and according to the support vehicle available, in a fairly short time from standard construction elements.

Three-dimensional structures are thus commonly found on the market, making it possible to be completed with a structure 15 having the rigidity, the anchoring feet, and the platforms 14 as described above. Triangular structure beam mounting elements are also available to build from pre-existing elements, the prismatic support portion 9, as well as the beams 20 and 20 'intended to form the gantry 3. It is also possible to find on the market for spacers making it possible to stabilize the relative positions of the triangulated beams 5 thus constructed.

The support structure according to the invention makes it possible to transport lures representing vehicles of several sizes. The structure according to the invention does not affect the maneuverability of the support vehicle, which retains its original width. The structure also has improved stability compared to existing structures and which are assembled externally to the support vehicles. The structure according to the invention is modular, which facilitates partial disassembly of the structure for transport to a test circuit, for example.

Claims (10)

Claims 1. Support structure (1) for mobile vehicle test equipment, capable of supporting a target (4) intended to be detected by a vehicle to be tested and capable of being struck by the vehicle to be tested, the structure comprising a support portion (7) able to be secured to a support vehicle (6), and a gantry portion (3) assembled over the support portion (7) and configured to project laterally with respect to the support portion (6) by a width at least equivalent to the width of the support portion (7), characterized in that the support portion (7) has in a horizontal direction (Y) a width (1) less than or equal to a body width of the support vehicle (6 ) associated, present in a longitudinal direction (X) perpendicular to the direction (Y) of the width, a dimension (L) greater than or equal to the width, and in that the support portion (7) comprises: - an anchoring portion (8), configured to be anchored at a floor of the support vehicle (6), - a rigid support portion (9), capable of being removably assembled on the anchoring portion (8), and on which the gantry portion (3) is stowed, the support portion (9) occupying a volume substantially prismatic, a lower face (11) of which is assembled with the anchoring portion (8) and an upper face 12) supports a first end of the gantry portion (3). 2. Support structure according to claim 1, wherein the support portion (7) comprises in the upper part, at least three vertical pillars (13) intercepting substantially the same horizontal geometric plane. 3. Support structure according to claim 2, wherein each vertical pillar (13) is surmounted by a platform (10) enlarged relative to the section of the pillar (13). 4. Support structure according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the support portion (7) comprises in the lower part a base frame (15) three-dimensional capable of being anchored to the floor of a support vehicle (13), and comprises at least three vertical pillars (13) removably assembled on the base frame (15), each of height less than or equal to the height of the base frame (15). 5. Support structure according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the prismatic support portion (9) is connected at its lower face (11), to the anchoring portion (8), by at least three elements removable links (17). 6. Support structure according to claims 3 and 5 combined, wherein the removable connecting elements (17) comprise flanges (17) integral with the platforms (10). 7. Support structure according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the prismatic support portion (9) comprises at least one structure (19, 19 ') with triangulated beams. 8. Structure according to claims 6 and 7 combined, wherein each flange (17) is designed to encircle a beam forming the structure or structures with triangular beams (19, 19 ') of the support portion (9). 9. Support structure according to the preceding claim, in which the gantry portion (3) comprises at least two transverse beams (20, 20 ') each formed by a set of triangulated beams, the two transverse beams (20, 20') being spaced from each other and extending parallel to each other in the direction of the width (Y) of the support portion (7). 10. Support structure according to the preceding claim, in which the two transverse beams (20, 20 ′) are assembled, independently of one another, to the support portion (9), each by a group of elements. strapping, and wherein the two transverse beams (20,20 ') are further connected to one another by rigid spacers (21), and are each supported by at least one oblique spacer (22) connecting them at a point on the lower face (11) of the holding portion (9). 306 ^ - ²⁹² 113 2/3 3/3