Patents Assigned to General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag GmbH
  • Patent number: 9951840
    Abstract: A method and an assembly for absorbing energy during an overload event. An energy absorber reduces loads on an object being transported on a loading unit during a single overload event, which introduces such a high degree of energy that there is an overwhelming likelihood the object would be damaged without an energy absorber. Measurement values on the current state of the loading unit are sensed. A control device determines an overload event and a damping of the energy absorber is set to a high value after the detection of the overload event. The damping is maintained for a specified prolonged time period and controlled dependent on the measurement values during the overload event to increase the load for objects during the specified time period initially to a specified threshold load and after the specified time dependent on the measurement values detected during the overload event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Markus Mayer
  • Patent number: 9841078
    Abstract: An energy absorber is controlled in an overload event to absorb potentially damaging energy. The energy absorber acts between a receiving unit for receiving objects for transporting and a carrier device that connects to a transporter. An absorber force can be influenced by an electrically controlled magnetic field unit. Measurement values of loads acting on the loading unit are captured sequentially and an overload event is determined if a measure derived from the measurement values exceeds a predetermined threshold value. After the onset of an overload event a prognosticated load curve of the loading unit is assessed from a multitude of measurement values captured from the onset of the overload event. A planned power flow curve for the magnetic field unit is determined and the load curve is damped time-dependent so that a planned load curve ensues which remains beneath a predetermined load limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Markus Mayer
  • Patent number: 9835221
    Abstract: An energy absorber reduces an excessive load between an object and an assembly in an overload event. The energy absorber includes an absorber cylinder and a piston device with an absorber piston and a piston rod. A first chamber of an absorber chamber is filled with a field-sensitive absorber fluid. The piston has an absorber valve with an absorber duct extending in an axial direction and being subject to a selective field of a field generating device. A ratio of the outer diameter of the piston rod to an outer diameter of the absorber piston is greater than 0.6 and the first chamber extends in a space around the piston rod. During the relative motion of the fastener and the holding device the field-sensitive absorber fluid is urged through the damping duct of the absorber piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Juergen Poesel