Patent ID: 8602183

Claim:
An energy absorber construction comprising: first and second separately-formed polymeric panel members with opposing walls connected together, the opposing walls having inner and outer stiff wall sections that extend generally parallel a direction of expansion and that are sufficiently stiff to maintain their shape before and during expansion and also to absorb energy during an impact stroke, the opposing walls each defining at least one pair of crush lobes that define at least one cavity therebetween, with each crush lobe being movable between a collapsed position where the crush lobes are collapsed toward each other with the opposing walls at least partially interfitting and having adjacent interior cavities that combine to define an open space between the opposing walls with the opposing walls being adapted to undergo expansion without kinking, and an expanded position where the crush lobes are expanded in generally opposite directions; and a gas-producing inflator connected to the cavity and constructed to expand the crush lobes prior to an impact.