GB2350824A

GB2350824A - Accident avoidance training system

Info

Publication number: GB2350824A
Application number: GB0013988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Joseph O'conner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-06-11
Filing date: 2000-06-09
Publication date: 2000-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-09
Also published as: GB2350824B; GB0013988D0

Abstract

An accident avoidance training device comprises a chassis 1 surrounded by a peripheral fender 9 e.g. of resilient foam material, and means 2, 3 for propelling the chassis towards or into the path of an oncoming vehicle driven by a trainee whose reactions are monitored. The chassis may be wheeled. A push-rod or motor (mounted on or off the chassis) may be provided for propelling the chassis. The motor may be controlled directly, by cable control or by remote control. Means may be provided for limiting the extent to which said chassis can be propelled, and a towing cable may be provided for propelling said chassis. Such towing cable may be attached to the chassis by means of a connection which will release the cable when the cable is subjected to tensile forces in excess of a predetermined value.

Description

2350824 ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE DEVICE This invention relates to a method and

apparatus for use in teaching motor vehicles drivers certain principles of accident avoidance, and it provides means by the use of which inexperienced drivers may gain greater experience of taking avoiding action when an accident is imminent.

It is accepted by many people in road safety and driver training that while many drivers understand the theory of avoiding accidents many of these same drivers cannot achieve this in practice. Being involved in an accident is costly both in human and financial terms.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for drivers to test and improve their vehicle control, safely and without damage to their vehicle and which may be used in the training or further training of drivers, in particular learner drivers or inexperienced drivers.

According to the present invention there is provided an accident avoidance training device"comprising a chassis surrounded by a peripheral fender and means for propelling the chassis towards or into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The invention also provides a method of training a driver to raise the driver's awareness of accident avoidance techniques comprising causing the driver to drive a vehicle, propelling towards or into the path of that vehicle a training device comprising a chassis surrounded by a peripheral fender and monitoring the driver's reactions.

The invention extends to the use of such an accident avoidance training device in the training of a driver in accident avoidance.

2 The chassis can be wheeled or without wheels, motorised or powered only by human effort. Movement of the device can be controlled by use of a remote control unit or more directly by a cable control means or by switch means mounted on a control box on the chassis. In a non motorised version of chassis, movement of chassis can be achieved by attaching a long sturdy push-rod to the chassis.

The device is protected by attaching a peripheral fender which suitably comprises a thick layer of soft material all the way around the chassis and from the bottom to the top of the chassis. One of the materials tested was foam, it worked well, and the use of a resilient foam material is preferred.

The device can be positioned at an appropriate location, either on private ground, or wherever permission can be obtained. There are many situations and uses for this device. A common situation would be to re- create a junction in an off-road area using cones and any other items needed. A trainee driver would then be instructed to drive along the "main road" between the cones. The device of the invention would be positioned in a "side road". As the motor vehicle with the driver in it approaches the junction the chassis would be propelled, unoccupied, into or towards the path of the oncoming vehicle. This is a situation that happens all too often on the public highway. However in the above training situation the driver's ability can be tested and if found to be weak, advice can be offered by trained driving experts. If the driver makes the mistake of hitting the chassis no damage will occur to either vehicle because of the padding protection afforded by the fender.

Exercises like this can be repeated until a good driving standard is achieved. The chassis can be made to any size to reproduce the size of any vehicle in existence. It can also be made small enough to reproduce 3 the situation of a person crossing the road or a young child running into the road. In this case a dummy could be strapped on top of the chassis and programmed to cross the road at the wrong time in front of an oncoming vehicle which would be too close.

The driver's reactions could be monitored and corrected where needed. Once again if the driver hits the dummy no damage would occur.

In real life when drivers make a mistake and pull out of a side road without proper observation, the amount of encroachment onto the major carriageway will vary from time to time. Preferable therefore, means is provided for limiting the extent to which said chassis can be propelled. For example, to stop the chassis at whichever point is necessary an adjustable chain may be fixed to the chassis and at the other end to ground or an anchor. The chain can then be set to a required length. So if the chassis needs to be stopped at a distance of 2 metres the chain would be set at 2 metres. In all the above exercise the chassis device would always be operated with no person in it or near it. So every type of accident that can happen on public roads or on any other location can be reproduced with the device and no damage would be suffered.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows in perspective, a motorised chassis in accordance with a first embodiment of apparatus for use in the invention, Figure 2 shows in perspective, a non-motorised chassis in accordance with a second embodiment of apparatus for use in the invention, and 4 Figures 3 and 4 illustrate in greater detail how a towing cable may be attached to the chassis of Figure 2.

Turning first to Figure 1, the motorised chassis 1 is specially constructed to have foam padding 9 on all four sides from top to bottom. The unique feature of this device is that it can be used to create every possible situation where a road traffic accident might occur. It can be used to test drivers to see if they can avoid varying types of accidents and to train them in accident avoidance. And if the drivers get it wrong no damage or injury will occur because of the unique design. The chassis may be made to move in various ways, at least some of which are well known per se. In the device illustrated in Figure 1, the chassis 1 is powered by a battery 2 which is connected to a control box 5. The control box 5 is wired to a motor 3 and drives an axle 21, and thus a pair of wheels 6 by means of a belt 4. For remote control a remote control unit 8 is provided. For direct control, a switch box 12 is wired to the control box 5.

In order to control the stopping position, a chain 10 is provided which may be stored on a reel 7 when not required. To use the device without a motor, and a push-rod 11 is provided. To use as a non-wheeled version, wheels 6 are removed and long rod 11 is used to control speed and direction. Sections of padded foam 9 are attached on all sides of chassis 1 for special protection, and to prevent damage to vehicles, and personal injury.

Figures 2 to 4 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which similar or analogous elements are indicated by like reference numerals., In this device, drive means is provided which is not mounted on the chassis. A battery 2 powers a motor 3 controlled by an in-built switch or by remote control 8 which drives a reel 24 onto which may be wound a cable 23 attached to the chassis 1 by means of a hook 22. This has the effect of pulling chassis 1, which can be wheeled or not as desired, across the path of an oncoming vehicle.

As the chassis 1 is pulled towards reel 24 it takes up slack on a second cable or chain not illustrated in Figure 2 but analogous to the chain 10 of Figure 1. When that second cable or chain which is anchored at its free end, is taut, chassis 1 stops. That second cable or chain is adjustable in length, so the distance that the chassis travels can be varied. At the moment cable 2 is taut, power supply to motor 3 is turned off automatically or by using remote control 8 or a manual switch.

As described, this chassis may be hit by vehicles as part of its purpose. If it was hit while it was attached at both ends damage could occur to the device. In order to avoid this, cable 23 is joined to chassis 1 by means which are not permanent.

The arrangement is shown in Figures 3 and 4. A hook 22 is placed between ball bearings 13 and 14. Cable 23 is joined to hook 22 and pulls the chassis 1 towards the motor and reel 24. Ball bearings 13 and 14 are urged together by springs 15 and 16. The springs and the ball bearings are held in and positioned in bores 17 and 17. Adjusting bolts 19 and 20 adjust the spring pressure so the pressure on the ball bearings 13 and 14 is enough to stop hook 22 escaping until the cable 23 is subjected to a sudden jerk, at which point the hook 23 can pull through between the ball bearings 13 and 14.

Such a sudden jerk may be experienced when chassis 1 suddenly stops, that is when the second cable or chain (cf. chain 10 in Figure 1) becomes taut, whereupon hook 22 escapes and squeezes between the ball bearings 13 and 14. The pressure on ball bearings 13 and 14 is much greater at 6 this moment, which the chassis 1 suddenly stops than when the chassis 1 begins to move. This explains why hook 22 does not escape when the chassis first moves but does escape when chassis 1 suddenly stops. A sudden jerk will likewise be experienced if the chassis 1 is hit by a motor 5 vehicle.

Figure 2 also shows a heavy anchor 50 which holds motor 3 and reel 24 in place.

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Claims

1 An accident avoidance training device comprising a chassis surrounded by a peripheral fender and means for propelling the chassis towards or into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

2. The device of Claim 1, wherein said fender is of resilient foam 5 material.

3. The device of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said chassis is wheeled.

4. The device of any preceding claim, wherein a push-rod is provided for propelling said chassis.

5. The device of any preceding claim, wherein a motor is provided for 10 propelling said chassis.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said motor is mounted on said chassis.

7. The device of claim 5 or 6, wherein cable control means is provided for controlling said motor.

8. The device of claim 5 or 6 or 7, wherein remote control means is provided for controlling said motor.

9. The device of any preceding claim, wherein means is provided for limiting the extent to which said chassis can be propelled.

10. Use of a device according to any of Claims 1 to 8 for training a driver in accident avoidance.

10. The device of any preceding claim, wherein a towing cable is 20 provided for propelling said chassis.

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11. The device of claim 10, wherein said towing cable is attached to said chassis by means of a connection which will release the cable when the cable is subjected to tensile forces in excess of a predetermined value.

12. An accident avoidance training device substantially as herein 5 described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of training a driver to raise the driver's awareness of accident avoidance techniques comprising causing the driver to drive a vehicle, propelling towards or into the path of that vehicle a training device comprising a chassis surrounded by a peripheral fender and monitoring the driver's reactions.

14. A method according to Claim 13 wherein said training device is a device according to any of Claims 1 to

12.

15. Use of a device according to any of Claims 1 to 12 for training a driver in accident avoidance.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 An accident avoidance training device comprising a chassis surrounded by a peripheral fender and means for propelling the chassis towards or into the path of an oncoming vehicle, wherein a towing cable for propelling said chassis is attached to said chassis by means of a connection which will release the cable when the cable is subjected to tensile forces in excess of a predetermined value.

2. The device of Claim 1, wherein said fender is of resilient foam material.

3. The device of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said chassis is wheeled.

4. The device of any preceding claim, wherein a motor is provided for propelling said chassis.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein cable control means is provided for controlling said motor.

6. The device of claim 4 or 5, wherein remote control means is 15 provided for controlling said motor.

7. The device of any preceding claim, wherein means is provided for limiting the extent to which said chassis can be propelled.

8. An accident avoidance training device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of training a driver to raise the driver's awareness of accident avoidance techniques comprising causing the driver to drive a vehicle, propelling towards or into the path of that vehicle a training device according to any of Claims 1 to 8 and monitoring the driver's reactions.