Patent ID: 7472935

Claim:
An apparatus for impact dispersal of a force applied to a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: a hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod and a first fluid chamber filled with a fluid, said hydraulic cylinder connected to a first structural member of a vehicle and said piston rod connected to a second structural member of said vehicle; a first relief valve in fluid communication with said first fluid chamber, said first relief valve having a first setpoint; a first flow restrictor in fluid communication with said first relief valve, said first relief valve and said first flow restrictor being in series connection; a second relief valve in fluid communication with said first fluid chamber, said second relief valve having a second setpoint, said first setpoint being different than said second setpoint; and a second flow restrictor in fluid communication with said second relief valve, said second relief valve and said second flow restrictor being in series connection, said first relief valve and said first flow restrictor being parallel to said second relief valve and said second flow restrictor; whereby an impact force applied along a longitudinal axis of said piston rod pressurizes said fluid which escapes said first fluid chamber through said first and second relief valves and at a rate controlled by said first and second flow restrictors.