Patent ID: 11885084
Assignee: nan
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 7:
8. A crash cushion for absorbing energy when impacted by a vehicle, the crash cushion comprising:
a front anchor structure;
a rear anchor structure spaced from the front anchor structure;
a plurality of supports positioned between the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure, each support including—
a central frame,
a ground engaging component connected to the central frame and oriented to engage a ground surface,
a lower left side cable guide positioned at least 10″ above the ground surface and attached to the central frame,
an upper left side cable guide positioned at least 20″ above the ground surface and attached to the central frame,
a lower right side cable guide positioned at least 10″ above the ground surface and attached to the central frame,
an upper right side cable guide positioned at least 20″ above the ground surface and attached to the central frame,
a left hinge assembly attached to the central frame, and
a right hinge assembly attached to the central frame;

a plurality of energy absorbing modules disposed between the supports;
a plurality of side panels that interconnect the supports and envelop the energy absorbing modules;
a lower left side cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending through the lower left side cable guides;
a lower right side cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending through the lower right side cable guides;
an upper left side cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending through the upper left side cable guides; and
an upper right side cable affixed to the front anchor structure and the rear anchor structure and extending through the right side cable guides,
wherein a width between the left and right hinge assemblies of successive supports increases in a direction from the front anchor structure to the rear anchor structure.