It is known that if a construction is subjected to sudden external forces, such as those caused when an outer surface of the construction is impacted by an explosion, damage to objects and injury to occupants within the construction can likely occur.
A common explosive threat used against a vehicle, such as an armored personnel carrier having a lower hull, is a mine planted on a ground surface, above which the vehicle is likely to pass. When the vehicle passes over the mine, the mine detonates causing extremely high forces and shrapnel to be projected on the lower hull of the vehicle. The forces applied on the lower hull can cause at least a part of it which is closest to the source of the explosion to be violently projected in a direction towards a compartment in the vehicle, for example towards a passenger compartment containing passengers. Motion of the lower hull can cause it to impact vehicle components intermediate the lower hull and the compartment, such as the gearbox, drivetrain or even a floor of the compartment, which in turn are caused to enter the compartment at speeds which can injure or kill passengers within the compartment and damage objects therein.
Descriptions of vehicles designed in various ways to attempt to withstand explosive threats can be found in the following publications: US 2007/0234896, WO 2008/127272, U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,062, WO 03/102489, AU 703896, WO 02/39048, U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,520, US 2007/0186762, US 2007/0084337, U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,984 and US 2005/0257679.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds