Frangible post for highway barrier end terminals
AssigneeEnergy Absorption Systems, Inc.
InventorPATRICK A. LEONHARDT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A frangible post captures and holds a cable anchor to a guardrail. The post breaks when struck by a vehicle, releasing the cable. The frangible post may include hinge members, which bias the post so that weakened sections are put in tension when the post is struck, thereby ensuring that the post breaks cleanly and the cable is released when the post is struck. A method of releasing a cable anchor includes impacting the post, biasing the weakened sections so that they are in tension, breaking the post, and releasing the cable anchor. The post may be configured with a notch to engage the cable anchor, which is then released from the notch as the post is broken.
Claims24
A guardrail anchor comprising:
- a frangible post comprising a cable anchor adapted to capture and hold an anchor cable, wherein the frangible post is breakable from an intact anchor configuration to a releasable configuration during an axial impact, wherein the frangible post comprises completely separated upper and lower portions when in the releasable configuration;
- and wherein the frangible post comprises a laterally extending hinge member extending through a hinge opening, wherein the frangible post experiences tension forces upstream of the hinge opening and compression forces at the hinge member during the axial impact.
A frangible post comprising:
- an elongated member comprising a hinge opening, a hinge member extending through the hinge opening, and a zone of weakness positioned upstream of the hinge opening, wherein the elongated member is moveable between an intact configuration to a releasable configuration in response to an impact applied transversely to the elongated member, wherein a compressive force is applied to the hinge member and a tensile force is applied to the zone of weakness as the elongated post is moved from the intact configuration to the releasable configuration, and wherein the elongated member comprises completely separated upper and lower portions when in the releasable configuration.
20-25. (canceled)
A guardrail anchor comprising:
- a frangible post comprising a cable anchor adapted to capture and hold an anchor cable, wherein the frangible post is breakable from an intact anchor configuration to a releasable configuration during an axial impact, wherein the frangible post comprises completely separated upper and lower portions when in the releasable configuration, and wherein the upper portion comprises a notch engaging the cable anchor, wherein the cable anchor is releasable from the notch when the frangible post is in the releasable configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.