Crash attenuator

A crash attenuator comprising:

• a first end adapted to be releasably secured to a vehicle;
• a second end longitudinally spaced from said first end and including an impact member moveable in said longitudinal direction from a pre-impact position to an impact position;
• spaced apart first and second pairs of deformable attenuator members extending in a longitudinal direction, each of said deformable attenuator members having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal ends of said second pair of said deformable attenuator members are staggered downstream from said proximal ends of said first pair of said deformable attenuator members when said impact member is in said pre-impact position, and wherein said proximal ends of said first and second pairs of said deformable attenuator members are successively deformed as said impact member is moved to said impact position;
• and
• a secondary deformable attenuator member housed within at least one of said deformable attenuator members and extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein at least a portion of said secondary deformable attenuator is deformable when said impact member is moved from said pre-impact position to said impact position.

A crash attenuator comprising:

• a first end adapted to be releasably secured to a vehicle;
• a second end longitudinally spaced from said first end and including an impact member moveable in said longitudinal direction from a pre-impact position to an impact position;
• spaced apart first and second pairs of deformable attenuator members extending in a longitudinal direction, each of said deformable attenuator members having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal ends of said second pair of said deformable attenuator members are staggered downstream from said proximal ends of said first pair of said deformable attenuator members when said impact member is in said pre-impact position, and wherein said proximal ends of said first and second pairs of said deformable attenuator members are successively deformed as said impact member is moved to said impact position;
• and
• at least a pair of deforming members coupled to each of opposite sides of said impact member, each of said pair of members comprising an inboard deforming member positioned adjacent to an inboard side of one of said deformable attenuator members and an outboard deforming member positioned adjacent to an outboard side of said one of said deformable attenuator members, wherein said outboard deforming member is positioned longitudinally downstream from said inboard deforming member.

A crash attenuator comprising:

• a first end;
• an impact member located at a second end longitudinally spaced from said first end;
• an energy absorbing member disposed between said second end and said first end and configured to absorb energy when said impact member is moved toward said first end from a pre-impact position to an impact position;
• and
• at least a pair of deforming members coupled to said impact member, said pair of deforming members comprising an inboard deforming member positioned adjacent to an inboard side of said energy absorbing member and an outboard deforming member positioned adjacent to an outboard side of said energy absorbing member, wherein said deforming members are configured to engage said energy absorbing member as said impact member is moved from said pre-impact position to said impact position, and wherein said outboard deforming member is positioned longitudinally downstream from said inboard deforming member.

A method of decelerating a vehicle with a crash attenuator, said method comprising:

• providing a crash attenuator comprising an impact member, spaced apart first and second pairs of deformable attenuator members extending in a longitudinal direction, each of said deformable attenuator members having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal ends of said second pair of said deformable attenuator members are staggered downstream from said proximal ends of said first pair of said deformable attenuator members;
• impacting said impact member with a vehicle;
• deforming said first pair of deformable attenuator members with a deforming member engaging at least a portion of at least one of said deformable attenuator members downstream of said impact member;
• and
• deforming said second pair of deformable attenuator members, wherein said deforming said second pair of deformable attenuator members is initiated after onset of said deforming of said first pair of deformable attenuator members.

A method of decelerating a vehicle with a crash attenuator, said method comprising:

• providing a crash attenuator comprising an impact member, spaced apart first and second pairs of deformable attenuator members extending in a longitudinal direction, each of said deformable attenuator members having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal ends of said second pair of said deformable attenuator members are staggered downstream from said proximal ends of said first pair of said deformable attenuator members;
• impacting said impact member with a vehicle;
• deforming said first pair of deformable attenuator;
• and
• deforming said second pair of deformable attenuator members, wherein said deforming said second pair of deformable attenuator members is initiated after onset of said deforming of said first pair of deformable attenuator members, wherein said crash attenuator further comprises a secondary deformable attenuator member housed within at least one of said deformable attenuator members and extending longitudinally therein;
• and wherein said deforming said at least one of said deformable attenuator members housing said secondary deformable member comprises deforming a first portion of said at least one deformable attenuator member without deforming said secondary deformable member and deforming a second portion of said at least one deformable attenuator member housing said secondary deformable member while simultaneously deforming said secondary deformable member.

A method of decelerating a vehicle with a crash attenuator, said method comprising:

• providing a crash attenuator comprising an impact member, at least a pair of laterally spaced deformable attenuator members, a deflecting member, wherein proximal ends of said deformable attenuator members are spaced downstream from said deflecting member;
• impacting said impact member with a vehicle and moving said impact member and deflecting member downstream toward said deformable attenuator members without immediately engaging said deformable attenuator members with said deflecting member;
• subsequently engaging said deformable attenuator members with said deflecting member and deforming said deformable attenuator members with said deflecting member;
• and
• deforming said pair of deformable attenuator members with a pair of laterally spaced deforming members engaging at least a portion of said deformable attenuator members downstream of said impact member.