Patent ID: 8539728

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: (a) an outer plate for receiving a force associated with an impact of a human, wherein said outer plate has a flexural modulus selected from 10,000 psi to 20,000 psi; (b) a plurality of columns extending from an inner surface of said outer plate, wherein said columns do not buckle when said outer plate is subjected to a static pressure up to a critical static buckling pressure from 60 psi to 300 psi, wherein at least some of said columns buckle when said outer plate is subjected to a dynamic pressure equal to or greater than a critical dynamic buckling pressure, wherein said critical dynamic buckling pressure is from 18 psi to 45 psi, and wherein said critical static buckling pressure is at least 40 psi higher than said critical dynamic buckling pressure; and (c) a matrix material in at least partial contact with said columns, wherein said apparatus provides a G-force attenuation of at least 80% compared to said apparatus without said columns or said matrix material.