Guardrail terminal barrier
AssigneeOhio University
InventorsMuhammad Ali, Sean R. Jenson, Khairul Alam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A force-absorbing barrier includes a plurality of chambers at least partially filled with fluid. The walls defining the chambers are flexible. Fluid passages in the interior walls between chambers allow fluid flow between the chambers. Alternatively, the chambers are filled with structures instead of or in addition to a fluid. The fluid flow from chamber to chamber and/or the deformation of the structures will absorb energy from the impact a motor vehicle, preventing the vehicle from impacting the terminal of a guardrail.
Claims18
An impact absorbing barrier system, comprising:
- a plurality of impact absorbing barriers;
- a plurality of bridging walls connecting adjacent impact absorbing barriers of the plurality of impact absorbing barriers to each other, the bridging walls forming bridging chambers between connected impact absorbing barriers;
- and
- at least one baffle in the bridging chambers between the impact absorbing barriers and the bridging walls, the baffle connected to the bridging walls,
- wherein the baffle includes at least one fluid passage, the fluid passage permitting fluid flow through the baffle, wherein compression of the barrier system forces a fluid through the fluid passage, thereby absorbing energy.
An impact absorbing barrier system, comprising:
- a plurality of impact absorbing barriers including at least a first impact absorbing barrier and a second impact absorbing barrier;
- and
- at least one baffle positioned between the first impact absorbing barrier and the second impact absorbing barrier,
- wherein the baffle includes at least one fluid passage, the fluid passage permitting fluid flow through the baffle, wherein compression of the barrier system forces a fluid through the fluid passage, thereby absorbing energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.