The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2007
Dean C. Alberson, Bryan, TX (US);
D. Lance Bullard, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
Christopher J. Karpathy, Dallas, TX (US);
John F. Carney, Iii, Falmouth, MA (US);
Dean C. Alberson, Bryan, TX (US);
D. Lance Bullard, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
Christopher J. Karpathy, Dallas, TX (US);
John F. Carney, III, Falmouth, MA (US);
The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX (US);
Abstract
An energy absorbing terminal is described that is made up of a plurality of cells partially defined by cambered panels made of thermoplastic or another suitable material. The panels are supported upon rectangular frames. The cambered portion of the panels provides a predetermined point of flexure for each panel and, thus, allows for energy dissipation during a collision. The stiffness of the crash cushion may be varied by altering material thicknesses and diaphragm spacing. In operation, a vehicle colliding in an end-on manner with the upstream end of the energy absorbing terminal will cause each of the cambered panels to bend angularly at its point of flexure and, thus, cause the cells to collapse axially. The use of thermoplastic, such as polyethylene results in a reversible, self-restoring collapse for the terminal, meaning that the terminal is reusable after most collisions.