Patent ID: 7083357

Claim:
A barrier system for stopping vehicles by dissipating an impact force generated when the vehicle impacts the barrier system, the barrier system comprising: an anchoring system having at least one sleeve embedded therein, wherein the anchoring system defines a top surface and wherein the sleeve defines an internal dimension; at least one end support defining at least one vertical support, wherein the vertical support may be selectively slid in and out of the sleeve of the anchoring system and wherein the vertical support defines an external dimension sized to be received by the internal dimension of the sleeve and defines a height from the top surface of the anchoring system to an uppermost portion of the vertical support opposite the anchoring system when the vertical support is selectively slid into the sleeve of the anchoring system; at least one energy absorption unit supported by the vertical support, wherein the energy absorption unit is structured to dissipate substantially all of the impact force through the vertical support to the sleeve embedded in the anchoring system; and a net system connected to the energy absorption unit, wherein the net system is configured to selectively define a raised position and a lowered position; wherein the vertical support extends vertically below the top surface of the anchoring system when the vertical support is selectively slid into the sleeve of the anchoring system and wherein the height of the vertical support when the net system is in the raised position is generally equivalent to the height of the vertical support when the net system is in the lowered position.