Patent ID: 6561580
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
An energy absorbing structure adapted to decelerate an object impacting said structure and prevent the impacting object from further impacting a basal surface, said structure comprising a shaped sheet of expanded metal, said sheet having an incident surface that meets the impacting object and a perimeter, said sheet being held along said perimeter and positioned in spaced relation to the basal surface by a rigid support means so as to maximize energy absorption for the distance between said incident surface and the basal surface, said sheet of expanded metal having a stranded structure formed as an array of intersecting strands and cross strands interconnected at each point of intersection to define a plurality of apertures between said strands and said cross strands, at least one of said strands and said cross strands being constrained at its ends by said support means, said apertures oriented parallel to said incident surface and either expanding or contracting when a load exerted upon said incident surface by the impacting object places in tension said constrained strands and said constrained cross strands.