Crash cushion with improved side panel attachment

A crash cushion for absorbing energy when impacted by a vehicle, the crash cushion comprising:

• a plurality of supports;
• a plurality of energy absorbing modules disposed between and supported by the vertical spaced supports;
• at least two side panels that interconnect the supports and envelop the energy-absorbing modules, each side panel including an elongated slider slot and a bolt hole, the side panels positioned in an overlapping orientation with a rear edge of a first one of the side panels overlapping a front edge of a second one of the side panels such that the elongated slider slot in the first side panel is aligned with the bolt hole on the second side panel;
• and
• fastener assemblies for attaching the side panels to the supports and to each other, each fastener assembly comprising:
• a spacer shim placed in the elongated slot of the first side panel, the spacer shim having a bolt hole,
• a slider bolt having a head and a shaft, the shaft inserted through the bolt hole in the spacer shim and through the bolt hole in the second side panel, and
• a nut for threadably engaging the shaft of slider bolt such that when the slider bolt is torqued against the nut, the spacer shim is sandwiched between the head of the slider bolt and the second side panel and creates a gap between the head of the slider bolt and the first side panel so that the first and second side panels telescopically slide relative to one another;
• front anchor structure;
• rear anchor structure spaced from the front anchor structure, the energy absorbing modules and the supports being positioned in front of the rear anchor structure;
• cable guide structures integrally formed in the supports;
• and
• at least one cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending therebetween, and supported by the cable guide structures.

A crash cushion for absorbing energy when impacted by a vehicle, the crash cushion comprising:

• a plurality of supports;
• a plurality of energy absorbing modules disposed between and supported by the vertical spaced supports;
• at least two side panels that interconnect the supports and envelop the energy-absorbing modules, each side panel including an elongated slider slot and a bolt hole, the side panels positioned in an overlapping orientation with a rear edge of a first one of the side panels overlapping a front edge of a second one of the side panels such that the elongated slider slot in the first side panel is aligned with the bolt hole on the second side panel;
• and
• fastener assemblies for attaching the side panels to the supports and to each other, each fastener assembly comprising:
• a spacer shim placed in the elongated slot of the first side panel, the spacer shim having a bolt hole,
• a slider bolt having a head and a shaft,
• a slider flat,
• the shaft of the slider bolt inserted through the slider flat, through the bolt hole in the spacer shim, and through the bolt hole in the second side panel, and
• a nut for threadably engaging the shaft of slider bolt such that when the slider bolt is torqued against the nut, the spacer shim is sandwiched between the slider flat and the second side panel and creates a gap between the slider flat and the first side panel so that the first and second side panels are not compressed together;
• front anchor structure;
• rear anchor structure spaced from the front anchor structure, the energy absorbing modules and the supports being positioned in front of the rear anchor structure;
• cable guide structures integrally formed in the supports;
• and
• at least one cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending therebetween, and supported by the cable guide structures.