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US 6,308,809 B1Granted
Crash attenuation system
AssigneeSafety By Design, Inc.
InventorsJohn D. Reid, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crash attenuation system having an impact head, and energy absorption mechanism. The energy absorbing mechanism has a mandrel for rupturing thin-walled tubes in a controlled rupture to absorb impact forces from a colliding vehicle. A frame may be used to mount the system to a truck, trailer, guardrail, median barrier end treatment, or a crash cushion. Stress concentrators may be incorporated into the tubes and the mandrels to selectively control rupturing and energy dissipation.
Claims14
A crash attenuation system comprising:
- an impact head;
- an energy absorption mechanism attached to said impact head, said energy absorbing mechanism further comprising:
- a first mandrel having a first tensile strength;
- a tubular member having a second tensile strength;
- said first mandrel receivable within a first end of said tubular member such that upon impact forces being applied to said impact head, said first mandrel is urged through said tubular member rupturing said tubular member thereby absorbing said impact forces;
- and
- means for selectively controlling said rupturing along a length of said tubular members.
4 more elements
A crash attenuation system comprising:
- an impact head;
- an energy absorption mechanism attached to said impact head, said energy absorbing mechanism further comprising:
- a first mandrel having a first tensile strength;
- a tubular member having a second tensile strength, said first mandrel receivable within a first end of said tubular member such that upon impact forces being applied to said impact head, said first mandrel is urged through said tubular member rupturing said tubular member thereby absorbing said impact forces;
- means for selectively controlling said rupturing along a length of said tubular member;
- a means for maintaining a generally perpendicular alignment between said impact head and
- said absorption mechanism, said alignment means further comprises:
- a first tubular alignment member perpendicularly attached at a first end to said impact head;
- a second tubular alignment member perpendicularly attached at a first end to said absorption mechanism;
- a second end of said first tubular alignment member receivable within a second end of said second tubular alignment member such that upon said impact forces being applied to said impact head said second end of said first tubular alignment member is urged through said second end of said second tubular alignment member;
- and
- an alignment mandrel attached to said first tubular alignment member, said alignment mandrel receivable within said second end of said second tubular alignment member such that upon said impact forces being applied to said impact head said alignment mandrel is urged through said second end of said second tubular alignment member rupturing said second tubular alignment member thereby assisting in absorption of said impact forces.
9 more elements
A crash attenuation system comprising:
- an impact head;
- an energy absorption mechanism attached to said impact head, said energy absorbing mechanism further comprising:
- a first mandrel having a first tensile strength;
- a tubular member having a second tensile strength, said first mandrel receivable within a first end of said tubular member such that upon impact forces being applied to said impact head, said first mandrel is urged through said tubular member rupturing said tubular member thereby absorbing said impact forces, said first mandrel is generally rectangular and said tubular member is generally rectangular and said rupturing of said tubular member is confined to corners of said rectangular tubular member.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.