Patent ID: 7918493

Claim:
An impact energy absorber comprising: a tubular main body for absorbing a compression load input to the main body in a tube axis direction, wherein the main body includes a deformable portion which is composed of a metal and which is adapted to undergo compressive plastic deformation in the tube axis direction when the compression load is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and a plurality of deformation controlling portions which are placed at a plurality of positions along the tube axis direction in an annular arrangement along a perimeter direction of the main body and which are adapted to control a direction of the plastic deformation of the deformable portion, the deformable portion and the deformation controlling portions being integrally molded, and the deformation controlling portions have such a configuration and shape that, when the compression load input to the main body is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the deformable portion undergoes plastic deformation in at least one of a radially outward direction and a radially inward direction of the main body concurrently with the compressive plastic deformation in the tube axis direction of the main body.