2. Prior Art In general, a vehicle is roughly divided into tow parts, a body and a chassis. The body is the part forming a contour of the vehicle and can be subdivided into an engine room for containing an engine, a passenger room for providing a boarding space for the passenger, and a trunk for accommodating luggage. The chassis is constructed with a drive system, a steering system, a braking system, and a suspension system except the body so as to enable to drive the vehicle. Generally, most vehicles are constructed with the body and the frame supporting and being integrated with the body. In other words, the bodies of the engine room, the passenger room and the trunk are integrated and supported by single frame.

Meanwhile, the accident of the vehicle crash is one kind of an unexpected accident in modern life that and none of available prevention and solution is provided. In the physical view of the vehicle crash, a moving object has a momentum (to be caused from the mass and the velocity of the moving object), and the passenger in the moving vehicle is regarded as an object having its momentum. Hence, the passenger remains the movement during the vehicle's movement at any velocity even the vehicle's stop due to the crash.

For removing the passenger's momentum, it needs a force exerts for a certain time. An object of an impulse-restraining (or a momentum-restraining) system helps to stop the passenger while being suffered as lightly as possible. An airbag operated in front of the driver and the passenger by being inflated at a very high speed by a sensor when the vehicle crash and a seat belt can be an example of a recent-developed restraining system.

In order to activate the airbag, there are a remarkably narrow space (hereinafter referred to a'buffer space when the vehicle crash') between the passenger and the steering wheel or the instrument panel and an extremely short time. Namely, under the above situation, it is next to impossible for protecting the passenger from the accident ; instead the malfunction of the airbag can cause more serious accident. Such apparatuses must be a protecting means against the vehicle crash for the time occurred by the buffer space when the vehicle crash, and it can be assumed that the passenger would be damaged much more than the situation without the protecting apparatus. However, the apparatus would be a very weak means in the view of guaranteeing the

passenger's safe from the vehicle accident. In other words, if a more expanded buffer space, a sufficient time, and a less reduced impulse can be secured before the vehicle crash, the above-described problem can be easily solved.

Summary of the Invention Therefore, the present invention is made to solve such the problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle having a buffer space expanded prior to the vehicle crash by retreating and escaping a part of a body of the vehicle constructing a passenger room rearward prior to the front collision of the vehicle so as to able to minimize the impulse between the vehicle and the passenger by securing a sufficient expanded buffer space and a sufficient buffer time when the vehicle crash.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle having a buffer space expanded prior to the vehicle crash, the vehicle being added with a buffer device between a moving body (or frame) so as to maximize the impulse buffering effect due to the expanded buffer space and the time allowance.

In order to accomplish the object, the present invention provides a vehicle having a buffer space expanded prior to the vehicle crash, the vehicle including a body being divided with an engine room where an engine is mounted, a passenger room in which a driver's seat and a passenger's seat are provided, and a trunk, a body frame supporting the body, and an escaping

means mounted on the body for escaping the passenger room and the trunk of the body rearward prior to the vehicle crash so that the vehicle has an expanded buffer space.

Brief Description of the Drawings These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which like components are referred to by like reference numerals. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the construction of a vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of an escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a brake and an injection switch of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a connection-restoring device of a connecting device of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a view showing an operation state before the rearward escape of an escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B is a view showing an operation state that the escaping frame is escaped rearward by an injection by an pneumatic injection device of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5C is a view showing an operation state that the escaped escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is separated from the trunk so that rushes frontward due to, its inertia and is buffered by an impulse buffering device; FIG. 5D is a view showing a state that the escaping frame is restored to the original position when the vehicle crash is not happened by the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a view showing an operation state of a winding device for restoring the escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an operation state of a connecting device restoring device of the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a view showing an operation state of the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9A is a schematic view showing the buffering space when usual vehicle crash is occurred; and FIG. 9B is a schematic view showing the expanded buffering space when the vehicle crash is occurred by the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Hereinafter a vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the construction of a vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of an escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred

embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a brake and an injection switch of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a connection-restoring device of a connecting device of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As showing in FIGs. 1 and 2, the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to a vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes a body being divided with an engine room (11) in which an engine is mounted, a passenger room (12) in which a driver's seat and a passenger's seat (17) are provided, and a trunk (13; the trunk is installed to be perfectly separated from the body), a body frame (20) supporting the body; and an escaping means, mounted on the body, for escaping the passenger room (12) and the trunk (13) of the body rearward prior to the vehicle crash so that the vehicle has an expanded buffer space.

The escaping means is roughly constructed with an escaping frame 110, an escaping frame guides 120 and 120', a pneumatic injection device 130, a connecting device 140 (or an escaping frame connecting device), and a locking device 160 (or an escaping frame locking device). Hereinafter, the means will be described in detail.

The escaping frame 110 is formed with a ladder-shape constructed with a pair of transverse members 111 and 112 being spaced in forward and rearward

on the body frame 20, and a pair of longitudinal members 113 and 114 connected in longitudinal direction to the transverse members 111 and 112.

The escaping frame 110 is installed in a passenger room 12 (Here, the passenger room means a box-shaped space where seats are placed).

The connecting device 140 includes a pair of escaping frame guides 120 and 120'for guiding in which the transverse members 111 and 112 are movably inserted. The escaping frame guides 120 and 120'are fixedly installed on the body frame 20. The connecting device 140 is installed to connecting the escaping frame 110 with a frame 200 of the trunk 13 located at a rear side of th body frame 20 and separated from (to be designed to separate) the escaping frame 110. Such connecting device 140 is described in detail. As shown in FIGs. 2 and 4, the hinge shaft 151 is fixed at the trunk 13 (See FIG.

1). The connecting device is formed with a front hook 141 which is installed an end portion of the hinge shaft 151 (fixed on the shaft) and an end of the front hook 141 is hooked on a rear transverse member 112 of the escaping frame 110, a pair of rear hooks 142 and 143 at a rear portion thereof, and provided with a locking segment 144 fixed on a rear portion of the body frame 20 corresponds to the rear hooks 142 and 143 formed at other end (rear side).

A connecting hook-restoring device is provided with a spring 155, a latchet gear 156, and a weight 154 installed on the hinge shaft 151 facing the front and rear hooks. One end of the spring is fixed on the hinge shaft 151 and the other end is fixed on a body of the connecting hook restoring device 150. The latchet gear 156 (or latchet wheel ; FIG. 7) is fixed on the hinge shaft 151

facing the spring 155. The weight 154 is installed around the latchet gear 156.

The weight 154 has a circular shape and a protrusion 158 at an upper side on which the latchet 157 (See FIG. 7) is installed. The protrusion 158 is electrically grounded through the vehicle so that is connected with a timer switch 159 (See FIG. 7) to be described after for a rotation in releasing direction. Especially, the weight 154 is installed not to be fixed on the hinge shaft 151 while being spaced at a distance. The weight 154 has a load less than the elastic restoring force of the spring 155 and electrically connected with the timer switch 159 of the connecting device 140 and the winding device 190.

The locking device 160 is formed with a hinge in front of the body frame 20 and installed to lock and release the rear transverse member 111. The locking device 160 is provided with a locking plate 161 for locking the front transverse member 111 of the escaping frame 110 which is installed on the hinge shaft 163 installed at a front side of the body frame 20, and a magnetic switch 162 which is vertically installed on a front side of the body frame under the locking plate 161 and switches the locking plate 161. In addition, it is preferably that a later-described pneumatic injection device 130 and the locking device 160 are electrically connected with the magnetic switch 162.

The pneumatic injection device 130 is installed to face the front side of the front transverse member 111 of the escaping frame 110 so as to inject the compressed air. The pneumatic injection device 130 can be utilized from one usually used in the hydraulic or pneumatic field. As shown in FIG. 3, an injection switch 170 for activating the locking device 160 and the pneumatic

injection device 130 is installed at a lower surface of a brake pedal 18 installed on the escaping frame 110. Since the brake 15 moved together the escaping frame 110, it is preferable that an oil line 19'communicated with an oil tank 19 has a length sufficient as long as an expected length and an sufficient elasticity.

Moreover, the vehicle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a winding device 190 for restoring an impulse-buffering device to buffer the impulse and the escaping frame 110 when the vehicle crash is not occurred in addition to the escaping means. The impulse-buffering device 180 (or buffering cutter) is fixed between the longitudinal members 113 and 114 of the escaping frame 110 by a hinge and provided with a spring 181 (See FIG. 6) at an upper side thereof. A plurality of buffering protrusions 185 are formed at an upper side of the body frame 20 and the buffering cutter 180. The winding device 190 is installed by a body being fixed at a front side of the body frame. Wires 191 and 192 (See FIG. 6) are inserted into at lest one the longitudinal members 113 or 114. More preferably, the wire is divided into two branches, one is a cutter side wire 191 and is attached on the buffering cutter 180 and the other is a frame side wire 192 and is attached just to the longitudinal members 113 and 114 of the escaping frame 110.

Hereinafter, the operation of the vehicle 1 having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention by referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5A is a view showing an operation state before the rearward escape of an escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5B is a view showing an operation state that the escaping frame is escaped rearward by an injection by an pneumatic injection device of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5C is a view showing an operation state that the escaped escaping frame of the vehicle having an expanded buffer space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is separated from the trunk so that rushes frontward due to its inertia and is buffered by an impulse buffering device, and FIG. 5D is a view showing a state that the escaping frame is restored to the original position when the vehicle crash is not happened by the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5A shows a state (normal state) before the escaping frame 110 moved rearward. Namely, the front transverse member 111 of the escaping frame 110 is fixed by the locking plate 161 of the connecting device 140, and the rear transverse member 112 is connected to a trunk frame 200 (See FIG. 1) by the front hook 141 of the connecting device 140. The buffering cutter 180 is located at the foremost front of the plurality of the buffering protrusions 185 and is located at a lower side by the buffer spring 181 (or a compression spring).

As shown in FIG. 5B, the escaping frame 110 is separated before the vehicle crash. If the driver abruptly puts the brake pedal (See FIG. 3) as soon as finds an suddenly appeared object in front of the vehicle when the vehicle is running at a high speed, the brake pedal 18 at a normal position moves downward to the lowest position 18'so that the brake pedal 18 presses the injection switch 170 (See FIG. 3) located at a lower surface of the brake pedal 18'. Then the locking plate 161 locking the front transverse member 111 of the escaping frame 110 releases the front transverse 111 locked at a state of being lifted upward by the operation of the micro-switch 162 connected to the injection switch 170, simultaneously the compressed air is injected toward the rear side of the vehicle through the pneumatic injection device 130 electrically connected thereto, so that the front transverse member 111 of the escaping frame 110 retreats at a high speed rearward. At that time, the buffering cutter 180 retreats while being moved upward and downward along a inclined surface of the buffering protrusions. This movement of the buffering cutter 180 is realized by the buffering spring 181 (See FIG. 6). The retreated escaping frame 110 pushes the separated trunk frame 200 (See FIG. 2) that had been connected to the connecting device 140 rearward, and the rear hooks 142 and 143 of the connecting device 140 is hooked in lifted state by meeting the locking segment 144 attached on the body frame when the escaping frame 110 approaches about a maximum position. Hence, the escaping frame 110 is separated from the trunk 13 (See FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 5C, the vehicle crash occurs after the separation of the separated escaping frame 110 from the trunk 13 (See FIG. 1), and the inertia of the vehicle makes the movement of the vehicle forward while the kinetic energy due to the vehicle crash is reduced or buffered by the impulse buffering device. In other words, the escaping frame 110 is separated from the trunk 13 by the connecting device 140 locked on the locking segment 14 so that the kinetic momentum (impulse) is decreased while the escaping frame 110 dashes forward by the guide of the escaping frame guides 120 and 120'and with the inertia. Namely, the buffering cutter 180 installed on the escaping frame 110 is collided with the buffering protrusions 185 formed on the frame 20 of the vehicle in turn so that the impulse energy dissipates into fracture energy to get a buffer effect.

As shown in FIG. 5D, the escaping frame 110 is restored to the initial position when the vehicle crash does not occur. In other words, as described above, if the driver abruptly puts the brake pedal (See FIG. 3) as soon as finds an suddenly appeared object in front of the vehicle when the vehicle is running at a high speed, the escaping frame 110 retreats rearward. At a state that all the locking device 160 and the connecting device 140 is released, the escaping frame 110 cannot be not moved forward by the buffering protrusions 180 so as to be located at the retreated position. Hence, for moving the vehicle again, the escaping frame 110 should be returned to the initial position. This operation is described by referring to FIG. 7. As described above, the connecting device 140 is lifted upward with being rotated clockwise by

meeting the locking segment 144. At that time, the spring 150 installed on a same hinge shaft 151 (See FIG. 4) is wound. The wound spring 155 rotates the hinge shaft 151 with a elastic restoring force when the a predetermined time (about 10 seconds) comes so that the connecting device 140 rotates counterclockwise while being hooked by the rear transverse member 112 of the escaping frame 110 then connects the trunk frame 200 (See FIG. 2) or the trunk 13 (See FIG. 1) again. Simultaneously, the connecting device 140 is contacted with the winding device 190 by the latchet gear 156 installed on the same hinge shaft 151 and the weight 154 so that the escaping frame 110 is restored to the initial position. Described in detail, the latchet gear fixed on the hinge shaft 151 or the latchet wheel 156 is associated with the connecting device 140 so as to be rotated counterclockwise (when restoration to the initial position), at that time, meets with resistance by the latchet 157 installed on the weight 152, and finally is rotated together the weight 150 to overcome the rotation resistance while lifting the weight 150. Therefore, the rotation of the hinge shaft 151 by the spring 155 is delayed by a predetermined time (about 10 seconds). After the predetermined time lapsed, the protrusions 158 contact the timer switch 159 (See FIG. 7) so that the winding device 190 is operated.

The delay time is reason for avoiding the later-described operational coherence of the winding device 190. Namely, if the winding device 190 is just operated without the delay time, only the escaping frame 110 is restored before the connecting device 140 for connecting the retreated trunk 13 is locked. The winding device 190 includes wires 191 and 192 having different

lengths. One of the wires 191 and 192 is a cutter-side wire 191 that pulls to lift buffer cutter 190 locked by the buffer protrusions 185 first. After this, the frame-side loosen wire 192 pulls the escaping frame 110 to complete the restoration of the escaping frame 110.

As described above, the vehicle 1 having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash according to the present invention, secures much more sufficient buffering space than the vehicle crash by which a part of the body retreats rearward prior to the vehicle crash as shown in FIG. 8 according to the construction and operation as described above. In other words, compared with the buffering space in a conventional vehicle construction as shown in FIG. 9A, the expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash can secure more expanded buffering space (according to a predetermined length) in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIG. 9B.

Therefore, as described above, the vehicle having an expanded buffering space prior to the vehicle crash secures a sufficient expanded buffering space by retreating a part of the body frame constructing the passenger room prior to the front collision of a vehicle so that since the minimum impact between the vehicle and the passenger as well as the allowance of a sufficient time can be achieved, the maximum safe of the passenger can be guaranteed from the vehicle crash.

In addition, in a case that the vehicle crash does not occur, the separated body can be restored to the initial position.

The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.