US20100003078A1

US20100003078A1 - Anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20100003078A1
Application number: US12/168,408
Authority: US
Inventors: Chih-Hong Huang; Yu-Chou Wu
Original assignee: National Taipei University of Technology
Current assignee: National Taipei University of Technology
Priority date: 2008-07-07
Filing date: 2008-07-07
Publication date: 2010-01-07

Abstract

A car-attack defending apparatus includes a pressure-sensitive reaction module, an emergent airbag-inflation module, a crash barrier module, and an integral exterior unit module, wherein the pressure-sensitive reaction module has a pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism, the emergent inflation airbag module has an emergent airbag expansion mechanism, and the crash barrier module has a crash-resistant steel plate. The car-attack defending apparatus can be disposed at entrances of specific buildings or restricted areas, so that at the moment a suspected car ignores warning and attempts to access the site, the emergent airbag expansion mechanism will be triggered, by the weight of the car, so as to expand the airbag simultaneously, and to stretch the crash-resistant steel plate to form a barrier. As such, the suspected car can be prevented from moving further, allowing checkpoint personnel a safe standoff distance from car bombs.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a car-attack defending apparatus, more particularly, to an anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus incorporating modular pressure-sensitivity, emergent airbag-inflation, and crash-barrier structures, such that a car-barrier steel plate can be raised upon expansion of an airbag triggered by a suspected car so as to prevent the same from moving further.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, vehicle entrance control or security safeguard may rely on, among others, fences to keep suspected cars from invasion. However, so long as the cars are powerful enough or driven at high speed, the fences may not be able to stop the cars. On the other hand, Jersey barriers, having a prefabricated concrete structure, though perfectly obstructive, are bulky and inflexible for movement, resulting in inconvenience for traffic when not in restricted occasions.
The problems, as mentioned above, need to be solved urgently, particularly in those areas where terrorism attacks or car bombs are imminent, so that security and traffic can both be taken care of.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus, equipped with modules acting, among others, for pressure-sensitivity, emergent airbag inflation, and crash barrier, so that a hostile car can be stopped from invasion when triggering the emergent air-bag inflation module and raising the crash barrier module.
According to the present invention, the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus includes a pressure-sensitive reaction module, an emergent airbag-inflation module, a crash barrier module, and an integral exterior unit module, wherein the pressure-sensitive reaction module includes a pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism, the emergent inflation airbag module includes an emergent airbag expansion mechanism, and the crash barrier module includes a crash-resistant steel plate. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus can be disposed at entrances of specific buildings or restricted areas, so that at the moment a hostile car ignores warning and attempts to access the site, the emergent airbag expansion mechanism will be triggered, by the weight of the car, so as to expand the airbag simultaneously and raise the crash-resistant steel plate to form a barrier. As such, the hostile car can be prevented from moving further, allowing checkpoint personnel a safe standoff distance from car bombs.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus prior to triggering an emergent airbag-inflation module by a suspected car;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus at the moment the suspected car triggers the emergent airbag-inflation module and a crash-resistant steel plate is raised; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus at the moment the suspected car crashes, and is prevented from moving further by, the crash-resistant steel plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a schematic view and an exploded view illustrating an anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus according to the present invention, the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus comprises a pressure-sensitive reaction module A, an emergent airbag-inflation module B, a crash barrier module C, and an integral exterior unit module D.
The pressure-sensitive reaction module A includes a pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism 1, a pressure-sensitive triggering panel 2, and a signal-transmission cord 3. The emergent airbag-inflation module B includes an airbag body 11, an emergent explosion and air-producing mechanism 12, and an electronic detonator triggering mechanism 13. The crash barrier module C includes a crash-resistant steel plate 21 and a linkage assembly 22. The integral exterior unit module D includes a reinforced housing 31, a drainage device 32, and an exterior warning loop 33. The reinforced housing 31 accommodates, among others, the airbag body 11, the electronic detonator triggering mechanism 13, the crash-resistant steel plate 21, and the linkage assembly 22. The reinforced housing 31 may be constructed with metal or prefabricated concrete, so that industrialization can be applied to finish or embed the reinforced housing 31 speedily.
According to the present invention, the pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism 1 may be of electronic or mechanical type. The pressure-sensitive triggering panel 2 may be made of metal, fiber glass, or other materials, and can be embedded in advance or arranged flexibly, as necessary, at appropriate locations.
Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic view illustrating the anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus prior to triggering the emergent airbag-inflation module B by a suspected car E, normally, the airbag body 11 maintains at a flat status, that the linkage assembly 22 is not stretched, and that the crash-resistant steel plate 21 lies horizontally.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the suspected car E steps on the pressure-sensitive triggering panel 2 and the weight of the car E is sensed, a signal will be transmitted to the pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism 1 which will immediately send, wirely or wirelessly, a triggering signal to the electronic detonator triggering mechanism 13 of the emergent airbag-inflation module B. Thereafter, the emergent explosion and air-producing mechanism 12 is actuated and the airbag body 11 is inflated rapidly, such that the linkage assembly 22 stretches and holds the crash-resistant steel plate 21 of the crash barrier module C at a certain angle, forming a structure body of higher rigidity. As such, the suspected car E eventually crashes the crash-resistant steel plate 21 and is prevented from moving further. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus, according to the present invention, can be controlled by an electric power switch so as to turn on or off the apparatus for a thorough function.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. An anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus, comprising:

a pressure-sensitive reaction module, including a pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism, a pressure-sensitive triggering panel, and a signal-transmission cord;

an emergent airbag-inflation module, including an airbag body, an emergent explosion and air-producing mechanism, and an electronic detonator triggering mechanism;

a crash barrier module, including a crash-resistant steel plate and a linkage assembly; and

an integral exterior unit module, including a reinforced housing, a drainage device, and an exterior warning loop;

wherein the pressure-sensitive triggering panel is triggered by a suspected car moving on a surface in a movement direction, with a triggering signal transmitted to the pressure-sensitive setting and triggering mechanism which actuates the emergent explosion and air-producing mechanism to inflate rapidly the airbag body, such that the linkage assembly stretches and holds the crash-resistant steel plate at a certain angle to form a barrier so as to prevent the car from moving further.

2. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein prior to triggering the pressure-sensitive triggering panel by the car, the airbag body maintains at a flat status, and the linkage assembly is not stretched and the crash-resistant steel plate lies horizontally.

3. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive triggering panel is made of metal.

4. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive triggering panel is made of fiber glass.

5. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the reinforced housing is constructed with metal.

6. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforced housing is constructed with prefabricated concrete.

7. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is controlled by an electric power switch so as to turn on or off the apparatus for a thorough function.

8. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crash-resistant steel plate, after inflation of the airbag body, is held at an acute angle to the surface in which said acute angle faces in a direction opposite to the movement direction of the suspected car.

9. The anti-terror car-attack defending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforced housing of the integral exterior unit module accommodates the airbag body, the electronic detonator triggering mechanism, the crash-resistant steel plate, and the linkage assembly.