Patent ID: 6962245

Claim:
A tunable pull-through energy dissipater comprising: an inelastic tubular deforming element having a proximal end anchored to a stationary object, a portion of said element cross section being bent to conform to a pin array shape, said element having a defined cross sectional shape, diameter, wall thickness and length; and a dissipater module slidably mounted on said deforming element, said module comprising a pin set frame, at least one pin set comprising at least two pins, a longitudinal axis of said pins defining a pin set plane which is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of said deforming element, a pin gap adjustment means for adjusting a pin gap spacing between a circumferential surface of opposing pin set pins, said pin gap spacing being less than said deforming element diameter and no less yhan twice the element wall thickness, and an impact surface for receiving contact with a moving object and for transferring an impact force from said moving object to said dissipater module.