Energy Absorption Systems, Inc.

Trinity Highway Products LLC

James B Welch

Michael J Buehler

Patrick A Leonhardt

Barry D Stephens

Michael H Oberth

Bret Eckert

Owen S Denman

Lincoln C Cobb

Sean Thompson

Douglas E Wilkinson

Donald L Crothers

William G Krage

John F LaTurner

Donald C Pyde

Jeffrey M Thompson

Peter B Morehead

Doug E Wilkinson

A pedestrian barrier system includes first and second barriers each having first and second sides, first and second ends, and an upper hand guide positioned along the first side. The first end of the first barrier is pivotally connected to the second end of the second barrier, wherein the first and second barriers are pivotable between at least a linear configuration wherein the first sides of the first and second barriers are co-planar and an orthogonal configuration wherein the first sides of the first and second barriers are perpendicular, and wherein the upper hand guide of the first and second barriers are continuous when the first and second barriers are in the linear and orthogonal configurations.

Pedestrian barrier and barrier system

A barrier system includes a plurality of elongated barriers each having longitudinally spaced ends, each configured with a connector having a pair of laterally spaced openings. The barriers are arranged in an end-to-end configuration, wherein at least two adjacent barriers are arranged with both of the pairs of openings of adjacent connectors being aligned. In one embodiment, at least two other adjacent barriers may be arranged with only one of the openings in each pair of adjacent connectors being aligned. A barrier and methods of assembling a barrier system are also provided.

Barrier system and connector

A crash attenuator includes a crash cushion having a front end, a rear end, and a trailer hitch component disposed adjacent the front end. The trailer hitch component is capable of being secured to a mating hitch component located on a towing vehicle, such that the hitch components are capable of being rotated relative to each other about a substantially vertical axis. The crash attenuator further includes at least one wheel supporting the crash cushion. The wheel is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and is spaced rearwardly from the hitch component. A pair of tethers are positioned on opposite sides of the hitch component and are moveable relative to one or more retraction mechanisms connected to the crash cushion.

Towable impact attenuator

A crash attenuator includes a crash cushion having a front end, a rear end, and a trailer hitch component disposed adjacent the front end. The trailer hitch component is capable of being secured to a mating hitch component located on the towing vehicle, such that hitch components are capable of being rotated relative to each other about a substantially vertical axis. The crash attenuator further includes at least one wheel supporting the crash cushion. The wheel is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and is spaced rearwardly from hitch component. One or more tethers are positioned on opposite sides of the hitch component and are moveable relative to one or more guides connected to the crash cushion.

A method for transferring a barrier includes providing a barrier having first and second sides and a plurality of barrier modules connected end-to-end, driving a transfer vehicle along a path on the first side of the barrier, wherein the vehicle is supported entirely by a support surface on the first side of the barrier and is free of any engagement with the support surface on the second side of the barrier. The transfer vehicle includes a barrier transfer device with a support disposed above the barrier and a carriage coupled to the support. The method further includes sequentially engaging the plurality of barrier modules with the carriage, sequentially moving the plurality of barrier modules in a lateral direction with the carriage, and sequentially releasing the plurality of barrier modules from the carriage.

Method for transferring a barrier

A crash attenuator includes a crash cushion having a front end and a rear end, and a restraint element disposed adjacent the front end and capable of being coupled to a towing vehicle. The crash attenuator further includes at least one wheel supporting the crash cushion. The restraint element is operable between at least an impact condition and a non-impact condition.

A barrier transfer device includes a cantilevered support arm and a carriage coupled to the support arm. The carriage includes at least a pair of barrier interface members extending downwardly from the support arm. The barrier interface members are configured to engage a barrier on opposite sides thereof when the barrier. A system for transferring a barrier includes a transfer vehicle having an outermost portion on each of first and second opposite sides of the transfer vehicle. The cantilevered support arm is coupled to the transfer vehicle and extends laterally outwardly past the outermost portion of the transfer vehicle on the first side of the transfer vehicle. A moveable barrier system includes at least one barrier having first and second sides and a bottom adapted to be supported by a ground surface and a transfer vehicle having a barrier interface element engaging only a first side of said barrier. Methods for transferring a barrier are also provided.

Barrier transfer device, system and method for the use thereof

A crash attenuator includes a crash cushion having a front end, a rear end, and a trailer hitch component disposed adjacent the front end. The trailer hitch component is capable of being secured to a mating hitch component located on the towing vehicle, such that hitch components are capable of being rotated relative to each other about a substantially vertical axis. The crash attenuator further includes at least one wheel supporting the crash cushion. The wheel is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and is spaced rearwardly from the substantially vertical axis. The crash attenuator further includes at least one restraint element operable between at least a disengaged condition, wherein the crash cushion is capable of rotating about the substantially vertical axis, and an engaged condition, wherein the at least one restraint element constrains rotation of the crash cushion about the substantially vertical axis.

A crash cushion including a side portion extending in a longitudinal direction and having an outer surface defined at least in part by a plurality of convex cambered portions. At least one deflector skin has an inner surface, an outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The deflector skin is mounted to the outer surface of the side portion in an overlying relationship with at least one of the convex cambered portions.

Crash cushion with deflector skin

A truck mounted attenuator includes an interface structure comprising a pivot mount at a first location and a bearing surface at a second location vertically spaced from the first location. The pivot mount is adapted to be pivotally mounted to a pivotable truck component and the bearing surface is adapted to slidably engage an understructure of the truck. A backup structure is pivotally mounted to the interface structure at a third location and is engaged with the interface structure at a fourth location spaced from the third location. A crash cushion is supported at least in part by said backup structure. This crash cushion can be implemented as described in detail below to provide carefully tailored decelerating loads on the impacting vehicle. In other aspects, a truck outfitted with an impact attenuator and a method for mounting a truck mounted attenuator on a truck are also provided.

Mount for truck mounted attenuator

A crash cushion comprising a resilient cylinder having a substantially vertical longitudinal axis and an outer surface at least a portion of which is adapted to be exposed in or to a roadway. A deflector skin has a curved contour shaped to mate with the outer surface of the cylinder. The deflector skin is mounted on the outer surface over at least a portion of the portion of the outer surface that is adapted to be exposed to the roadway. A crash cushion system includes an array of cylinders and at least one deflector skin. In another aspect, a plurality of cylinders, at least some of which define a side of the array, each have an outermost vertical tangent, the combination of which defines a vertical plane. One or more deflector skins each including a leading edge and a trailing edge are mounted to corresponding ones of the cylinders forwardly of the tangent. In one preferred embodiment, the one or more deflector skins are substantially flat and are oriented in a non-parallel relationship with the vertical plane. Preferably, only the leading edge of the deflector skins is mounted to the cylinder. Methods for using and assembling the crash cushion systems are also provided.

A highway crash attenuator frame includes transverse elements that are interconnected by side elements. Each side element is disposed entirely on a respective side of a central longitudinal axis of the frame, and one or more tension elements are secured to the side elements to extend between the side elements across the longitudinal axis. Each tension element includes a mechanical fuse operative to fail in tension when the first and second side elements supply an excessive tensile load to the tension element. When the mechanical fuse fails in tension in an impact, the side elements are simultaneously released to move outwardly, away from the longitudinal axis, and thereby to collapse in a way which is coordinated between the left and the right sides of the frame.

Highway crash attenuator frame

A highway crash attenuator includes an array of resilient self-restoring polymeric tubes. Adjacent tubes are secured together by threaded fasteners, and the tubes of the rear row of the array are secured to a rigid object by threaded fasteners. The tubes form a rectangular array, without cables, frameworks or panels between the exterior surfaces of the array and oncoming traffic. The tubes of the front row of the array are provided with a greater wall thickness than the remaining tubes of the array to increase the mass and stiffness of the front of the array.

Self-restoring highway crash attenuator

A guardrail includes an array of vehicle-deflecting rails secured to an array of posts extending along a roadway. An impact-receiving element is slidably mounted to the forward end of the array of rails, and this impact-receiving element includes a vehicle-engaging portion having a first frontal area that is substantially greater than a second frontal area characteristic of the first end of the array of rails. A column is interposed between a forward portion of the impact-receiving element and the first post to apply initial compressive forces in a collision directly to the first post.

Guardrail with slidable impact-receiving element

A highway guardrail includes an elongated metal plate that forms at least one ridge. The plate includes weakened regions extending at least partially across the plate, and these weakened regions are oriented obliquely to the longitudinal direction to form at least one elongated fold region at which the plate tends to buckle when subjected to a sufficiently large column load. This fold region is oriented obliquely to the longitudinal direction to push the forward end of the guardrail downwardly in an axial collapse. The forward end of the guardrail includes a cable that passes through an opening in the forward support post. A split washer is positioned around this cable adjacent to the forward support post. The split washer includes first and second load transferring members that readily separate from one another after the first support post breaks at the opening in an axial impact.

Growing community of inventors

Placerville, CA, United States of America

James B Welch