Vehicle crash attenuator apparatus
AssigneeBarrier Systems, Inc.
InventorsGerrit Dyke, Alvaro E. Morales Flores
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Crash attenuator guardrail apparatus includes an impact head and a backstop having a cable and guardrails supported by guardrail supports located between the impact head and the backstop. Frictional forces are applied to the cable to control and resist movement of the impact head toward the backstop and provide lateral resistance. The guardrail supports include a base having break away structure and brace members having bends and which shorten or lengthen to absorb energy resulting from vehicle impact.
Claims9
Crash attenuator apparatus including at least one guardrail support extending upwardly from said ground, said guardrail support including a guardrail support base, a guardrail support post extending upwardly from said guardrail support base and guardrail support brace structure bracing said guardrail support post to resist sideways tilting movement of said guardrail support post caused by vehicular impact on the crash attenuator apparatus, said guardrail support brace structure including a double-ended brace member secured at the ends thereof to the guardrail support base and to the guardrail support post at a location thereon spaced from the guardrail support base, said double-ended brace member having bends formed therein between said guardrail support post and said guardrail support base enabling the overall length of said double-ended brace member between the ends thereof to shorten in response to opposed compressive forces being exerted at the ends thereof and the overall length of said double-ended brace member between the ends thereof to lengthen in response to opposed tensional forces being exerted at the ends thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.