Kinetic energy absorbing element

A device for absorbing kinetic energy operating mechanically according to the principle of plastic deformation, said device consisting of

• a plurality of plastic pipe sections (1) arranged in a column;
• a round body (3) engaged in the column for holding and guiding said plastic pipe sections (1);
• an inner screw bolt (4) for pre-tensioning the plastic pipe sections (1);
• and
• an intermediate plate (2) arranged between each adjacent pair of said plastic pipe sections;
• wherein each of said plastic pipe sections (1) has interior surfaces at opposite ends thereof and initially deforms elastically under an applied axial force (F) and, when a yield stress limit of each of said plastic pipe sections (1) is exceeded by said applied axial force (F), each of said plastic pipe sections (1) deforms or collapses with an approximately equal deforming force over a work stroke until adopting a physically deformed shape in which said interior surfaces at said opposite ends contact each other.