Damped crash attenuator
First Claim
1. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object comprisinga frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame, and energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating at least some of the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, wherein said energy dissipation means are structured and arranged to provide an energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object based on deceleration of the object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A crash attenuator for protecting a truck or stationary structure from damage resulting from impact of an object such as a vehicle including a fame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive an impact from an object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to the frame and interposed between the frame and the bumper and having a first position in which the bumper is relatively distant from the frame and a second position in which the bumper is relatively proximate to the frame, and an energy dissipation system coupled to the displacement structure for dissipating the impact energy of the object into the bumper which causes the displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object comprising
a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame, and energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating at least some of the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, wherein said energy dissipation means are structured and arranged to provide an energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object based on deceleration of the object.
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15. A method for protecting a truck or fixed structure from damage resulting upon impact of a moving object with the truck or structure, comprising the steps of:
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mounting a movable displacement structure to the truck or structure, the displacement structure having an expanded position and a contracted position, arranging a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the moving object on the displacement structure, expanding the displacement structure to its expanded position, and dissipating at least some of the impact energy of the moving object and reducing the velocity of the moving object by adjusting an energy dissipation force which dissipates the impact energy of the moving object. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
expanding the displacement structure after the impact energy of the object is dissipated such that the crash attenuator is reusable.
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17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:
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sensing deceleration of the object after impact into the bumper, and adjusting the energy dissipation force based on the sensed deceleration of the object.
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18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
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mounting at least one hydraulic mechanism on the displacement structure, the at least one hydraulic mechanism comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder including a housing and a piston movable into and out of the housing, and adjusting the energy dissipation force by controlling the flow of a fluid out of a space between the piston and the housing.
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19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
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arranging at least one inflatable airbag on the displacement structure;
inflating the at least one airbag with fluid; and
adjusting the energy dissipation force by regulating the flow of the fluid from the at least one airbag.
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20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
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arranging at least one inflatable airbag on the displacement structure;
inflating the at least one airbag with fluid;
sensing deceleration of the object after impact into the bumper; and
initiating a pyrotechnic inflator to increase the pressure in the airbag based on the sensed deceleration of the object.
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21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
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sensing motion of the object after impact into the bumper, and adjusting the energy dissipation force in order to decelerate the object at a calculated rate.
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22. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object, comprising
a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame, energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating at least some of the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, and means for sensing motion of the object after impact with said bumper and controlling said energy dissipation means to provide a variable energy dissipation force in order to decelerate the object at a calculated rate.
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23. A crash attenuator which receives an impact force from a moving object and dissipates the impact energy of the object to thereby reduce the velocity of the object, comprising
a frame mountable to a truck or stationary structure, a bumper having an impact-receiving face adapted to receive the impact from the object in a crash, a movable displacement structure coupled to said frame and interposed between said frame and said bumper and having a first position in which said bumper is relatively distant from said frame and a second position in which said bumper is relatively proximate to said frame, energy dissipation means coupled to said displacement structure for dissipating at least some of the impact energy of the object received by said bumper which causes said displacement structure to be moved from the first position toward the second position and thereby reducing the velocity of the object, said energy dissipation means being arranged to provide an energy dissipation force for dissipating the impact energy of the object, control means for controlling the energy dissipation force.
Specification