Upright protector

A protector for engaging and protecting a segment of an upright from an impact force by an external object and for absorbing and damping the resulting impact force traveling through said protector, said protector comprising:

• a protector body, said protector body being at least partially constructed of an energy absorbing and damping material, said protector body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said protector body allowing engagement and positioning of said protector on at least a segment of the upright;
• said outer surface of said protector body being positionable to receive the impact force from the external object when positioned on the upright;
• said inner surface of said protector body being positionable to abut the upright when said protector is in engagement with the upright;
• a shim, said shim being at least partially embedded in said protector body, said shim having a stiffness that is different than the stiffness of said protector body, said shim providing increased structural support for said protector body;
• and
• a column spacer molded into said inner surface of said protector body, said column spacer does not pass beyond said shim to said outer surface of said protector body, and said column spacer partially buckling when said outer surface has received the impact force.

A protector for engaging and protecting a segment of an upright from an impact force by an external object and for absorbing and damping the resulting impact force traveling through said protector, said protector comprising:

• a protector body, said protector body being at least partially constructed of an energy absorbing and damping material that substantially and resiliently deforms when receiving the impact force from the external object, said protector body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said protector body allowing engagement and positioning of said protector on at least a segment of the upright;
• said outer surface of said protector body being positionable to receive the impact force from the external object when positioned on the upright;
• said inner surface of said protector body being positionable to abut the upright when said protector is in engagement with the upright;
• a shim, said shim being at least partially embedded in said protector body, said shim being made of a rigid material and having a stiffness that is different than the stiffness of said protector body, said shim providing increased structural support for said protector body;
• said shim at least partially deflecting the impact force while traveling through said protector body;
• and
• at least one column spacer molded into said inner surface of said protector body, each said at least one column spacer does not pass beyond said shim to said outer surface of said protector body.

A protector for engaging and protecting a segment of an upright from an impact force by an external object and for absorbing and damping the resulting impact force traveling through said protector, said protector comprising:

• a protector body, said protector body being at least partially constructed of an elastomeric material that substantially and resiliently deforms when receiving the impact force from the external object, said protector body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said protector body allowing engagement and positioning of said protector on at least a segment of the upright;
• said outer surface of said protector body being positionable to receive the impact force from the external object when positioned on the upright;
• said inner surface of said protector body being positionable to abut the upright when said protector is in engagement with the upright, said inner surface creating an opening with a substantially square-shaped cross section and plurality of corners;
• a shim, said shim being at least partially embedded in said protector body, said shim being made of a rigid material and having a stiffness that is greater than the stiffness of said protector body, said shim providing increased structural support for said protector body, said shim is approximately equidistant from said opening of said inner surface of said protector body, said shim at least partially deflecting the impact force while traveling through said protector body and transferring the remaining impact force to each of said corners of said opening;
• a column spacer molded into one side of said inner surface, said column spacer does not pass beyond said shim to said outer surface, said column spacer is detached from said shim, said column spacer comprising a waffle-shaped pattern, said column spacer partially buckling when said outer surface receives the impact force;
• and
• a plurality of tabs joined to said protector body, said plurality of tabs assists said protector in engagement with the upright.