Patent ID: 6116805
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: E01F

Abstract:
A crash attenuator system, comprising:a row of two or more hoops, said row of hoops being compressible along a row axis, the row having a row front and a row back intersecting the row axis, and a left side and a right side extending between the row front and the row back, each hoop in said row of hoops being comprised of a right curved outwardly bowing portion and a left curved outwardly bowing portion;adjacent hoops in said row of hoops being attached together at respective ends thereof;a left border member extending along at least a portion of the left side of said row of hoops;a right border member extending along at least a portion of the right side of said row of hoops, wherein the left and right border members are spaced a predetermined distance apart;wherein the border member structure has been structurally weakened at a weakness location on each of said bending portions to facilitate outward bending of said left and right border members when a hoop enclosed by said border members is compressed;connection structure which restricts opposing portion pairs of the left and right border members from moving apart any further than said predetermined distance upon compression of one or more of said hoops; andwherein the right curved outwardly bowing portion and the left curved outwardly bowing portion of each hoop bows outwardly a substantially increased amount upon compression of that hoop due to an impact.