Safety cage

The body of the Saab 9000 has been created around a cage of rugged steel members. Its design has then been carefully tested for safety under realistic conditions in the Saab laboratories. Large crumple zones at the front and rear smoothly absorb the collision forces and maintain the shape of the interior. Because of the reinforcing door members and the very strong safety cage, you and your passengers are exceptionally well protected in a Saab 9000.

The roof lining of flame-resistant, moulded glass fibre material provides effective impact absorption.

The entire body is designed as a large steel safety cage in which the passengers sit protected from outside forces. The body is built of a network of protective members and reinforcing plates – entirely covered by soft, energy absorbing padding.

The collision process is simulated in computers, so that a number of alternatives can be evaluated before being confirmed through tests on actual cars. The illustrated sequence shows how the Saab 9000 body crumples when it hits a solid barrier at 30 mph (50 km/h). The first picture corresponds to the instant of collision; the second a third show the results 20 and 40 milliseconds later.

Questions:

1) What is a safety steering column?

2) How is the three – section steering column designed?

3) What kind is the upper section of?

4) Where is the steering gear located?

5) How is the safety cage designed?

2. Speak on the topic “Safety Steering Column and Safety Cage” using the following words.

Three – section steering column, frontal collision, sheet metal bellows, engine compartment, rugged steel members, crumple zones, collision forces, reinforcing door members, moulded glass fibre material.

Text D. Effective supplement.

1. Read the text and retell it.

If a frontal collision should occur either head-on across a 60 degree arc in front of the car, and at a speed higher than around 10 mph (with a retardation force of at least 16 g), one or both of the front sensors will trip and apply a signal to the electronic control unit. As the collision progresses, the impact forces will be absorbed by the special “crumple zones” at the front of the car.

The safety sensor inside the control unit will trip at a retardation force of around 2g. So the airbag will inflate within 20 to 30 milliseconds – thus preventing the driver from being thrown against the steering wheel and facia.

At least one of the front impact sensors and the safety sensor must both trip before the Supplemental Restraint System will be activated in a minor frontal collision, a rollover, or a side or rear collision.

In addition to the safety impact sensor, the electronic control unit contains a self-diagnostic unit for the Supplemental Restraint System. The control unit is also equipped with a self-contained capacitor pack, which provides power for the system even if the car’s electrical system should be damaged in the collision.

The Supplemental Restraint System is just that – supplemental. It is not intended to replace the primary restraint system – the seat belts. The seat belt provides restraint in the sequence of events after the initial impact, which the airbag is not designed to inflate.