Patent ID: 6540442
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: E02B,Y02A

Abstract:
An energy-dissipating apparatus comprising:a bumper having a cavity and containing fluid in said at least one variable valve for variably releasing said fluid from said bumper, said bumper having an elastomeric quality and being adaptable to situation so that said variably releasing can affect a velocity of an object which collides with said bumper; at least one sensor for sensing the pressure in relation to said bumper; and a computer which is in communication with said at least one variable valve and with said at least one sensor, said computer being capable of controlling said variably releasing of said fluid from said bumper, whereby said velocity is associated with an earlier period of approximate constancy of a pressure value in relation to said colliding, and whereby said velocity is associated with a later period of approximately constancy of a force value in relation to said colliding, said earlier period being approximately coincident with an approximate increasing tendency in said force value, said later period being approximately coincident with an approximate decreasing tendency in said pressure value below said pressure value existing in said earlier period; wherein said computer includes a computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling said computer to control said variably releasing of said fluid from said bumper; and wherein said computer program logic comprises: in anticipation of said object colliding with said bumper, means for enabling said computer to define said pressure value which is approximately a maximum pressure value; while said object collides with said bumper, means for enabling said computer to periodically obtain said pressure values, based on said sensing by said sensor; while said object collides with said bumper, means for enabling said computer, based on said obtained pressure values, to compute at least one of momentum values of said object and kinetic energy values of said object; and while said object collides with said bumper, means for enabling said computer, based on said defined maximum pressure value and based on said at least one of momentum values and kinetic energy values, to compute control values corresponding to said variably releasing.