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:
Feb. 08, 2011
Filed:
May. 05, 2008
Akram Y. Abu-odeh, College Station, TX (US);
Dean C. Alberson, Bryan, TX (US);
Roger P. Bligh, College Station, TX (US);
D. Lance Bullard, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
C. Eugene Buth, Wellborn, TX (US);
Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, College Station, TX (US);
Dean C. Alberson, Bryan, TX (US);
Roger P. Bligh, College Station, TX (US);
D. Lance Bullard, Jr., College Station, TX (US);
C. Eugene Buth, Wellborn, TX (US);
The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX (US);
Abstract
A terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at the upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle. However, the resistive, tensile coupling between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam is released during a reverse-direction impact.