Patent ID: 6877774

Claim:
A system for absorbing energy comprising: A) a first impact member comprising a first impact face; B) a second impact member comprising a second impact face; and C) a tubular honeycomb article located between said first and second impact members to absorb energy when said impact members are moved towards each other during a collision, said tubular honeycomb article comprising: a) a tubular body comprising a planar honeycomb body that has been bent into a tubular shape to form said tubular body, said planar honeycomb body comprising an inner face and an outer face that define a width of said planar honeycomb-body, said planar honeycomb body further having a first axial face and a second axial face that define a length of said planar honeycomb body and a first end face and a second end face that define a thickness of said planar honeycomb body, said planar honeycomb body including honeycomb walls that define a plurality of honeycomb cells that extend between said first end face and said second end face, said planar honeycomb body being bent so as to form said tubular body wherein said first and second axial faces are located adjacent to each other and wherein said inner face defines a cylindrical opening extending axially through said tubular body and said outer face defines an outer cylindrical surface of said tubular body and wherein said first end face is located adjacent to said first impact member and said second end face is located adjacent to said second impact member such that one or both of said first or second impact faces extends substantially radially with respect to said tubular body and wherein said honeycomb cells extend axially through said tubular body; and b) a shell located around the outer cylindrical surface of said tubular body and in contact therewith to provide containment of said planar honeycomb body in a tubular shape, wherein said tubular honeycomb article undergoes crushing in a substantially axial direction to provide absorption of energy when said first and second impact members are moved axially towards each other during a collision.