Patent ID: 8123263

Claim:
An energy management tube adapted to reliably and predictably absorb substantial impact energy when impacted longitudinally, comprising: an outer first tube section and an inner second tube section, the inner second tube section being at least partially located within the outer first tube section, the outer first tube section having a stepped outer surface; at least one spanning section connecting a first outer end of the outer first tube section to a first inner end of the inner second tube section; the outer first tube section being longer than the inner second tube section, whereby, upon undergoing a longitudinal impact, the outer first tube section crushes predictably and sooner than the inner second tube section upon the energy management tube receiving forces from the longitudinal impact, to thereby create a first energy absorption level during crushing of the outer first tube section alone and a second energy absorption level during crushing of the outer first tube section and the inner second tube section; wherein the outer tube section and the inner tube section are concentric.