Impact absorption structure comprising an impact receiving component and an energy dissipation component

Abstract

An impact absorption structure (1) is provided. The impact absorption structure (1) comprises an impact receiving component (3), capable of, after receiving an initial impact shockwave, separating that shockwave into at least a first shockwave (S11) and a second shockwave (S122), time-spaced from the first shockwave (S11). The impact absorption structure (1) also comprises an energy dissipation component (5) adjacent to the impact receiving component (3), such that the time-spaced shockwaves (S11, S122) can be passed across an interface from the impact receiving component (3) to the energy dissipation component (5). The energy dissipation component (5) comprises a chemical element or compound such as calcite exhibiting a first displacive phase change from a first phase to a second phase (52) upon experiencing the first shockwave (S11), a second displacive phase from the second phase (52) to a third phase (53) upon experiencing the second, later shockwave (S122), and a third displacive phase change from the third, or a later, phase (53) to the first phase upon unloading after the second shockwave (S122), the compound thereby exhibiting a hysteresis cycle in which elastic energy is dissipated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.