Energy absorber

Claim 2

An article of manufacture comprising: a wedge shaped honeycomb core; an anvil; energy absorbing means for forcing said honeycomb core into said anvil at the apex of said wedge shape for collapsing said honeycomb to a compressed wedge shaped cross section; said anvil contoured to maintain the lower surface of said compressed wedge shaped cross section parallel to the direction of honeycomb collapse.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 and wherein: said honeycomb core is tubular and conically tapered at one end of said tube.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 and wherein said conically shaped honeycomb tube defines a cone of constant slope converging from the outside surface of said tube inwardly towards the inside surface of said tube.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 and wherein said anvil defines a concavity interior thereof.

Claim 6

An energy absorber haVing gradually increasing energy absorbing characteristics of the type wherein a wedge shaped honeycomb core is compressed under the influence of mechanical forces, said absorber comprising: a honeycomb core consisting of a plurality of columnated ribbons bonded to one another at space node points, said ribbons defining a multitude of hollow columnar cells; said core being wedge shaped in cross section; anvil means adapted to contact the point of said wedge shaped honeycomb core at one end and crush said honeycomb along the longitudinal axis of said hollow columnar cells; said anvil means sloped with respect to said wedge shaped cross section to dispose the wave front of honeycomb collapse substantially normal to the direction of honeycomb compression whereby forces exerted at said wave front are directed parallel to the direction of honeycomb collapse.

Claim 7

An energy absorber haVing gradually increasing energy absorbing characteristics of the type wherein a wedge shaped honeycomb core is compressed under the influence of mechanical forces, said absorber comprising: a honeycomb core consisting of a plurality of columnated ribbons bonded to one another at space node points, said ribbons defining a multitude of hollow columnar cells; said core being wedge shaped in cross section; anvil means adapted to contact the point of said wedge shaped honeycomb core at one end and crush said honeycomb along the longitudinal axis of said hollow columnar cells; said anvil means sloped with respect to said wedge shaped cross section to dispose the wave front of honeycomb collapse substantially normal to the direction of honeycomb compression whereby forces exerted at said wave front are directed parallel to the direction of honeycomb collapse.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 5 and wherein said honeycomb core comprises spirally wound columnated ribbons of sheet material having bonded node points; and said core is provided with a conically tapered end.

Claim 9

An energy absorber comprising: a honeycomb core having a decreasing cross-sectional area at one end thereof; an anvil corporatively contoured and engaging said honeycomb core at the decreased cross-sectional area for compression thereof; said anvil contoured with respect to said end of said core to direct the wave front of compression along said core normal to the direction of honeycomb collapse.

Claim 10

An energy absorber comprising: a honeycomb core having a decreasing cross-sectional area at one end thereof; an anvil corporatively contoured and engaging said honeycomb core at the decreased cross-sectional area for compression thereof; said anvil contoured with respect to said end of said core to direct the wave front of compression along said core normal to the direction of honeycomb collapse.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 7 and wherein said anvil is contoured for containing the compressed end of said honeycomb core immediately above a plane taken normal to the direction of honeycomb collapse.