Energy absorbing devices

Claim 2

An energy controlling device comprising elastomeric material with a plurality of filaments of flexible material embedded therein and bonded or mechanically locked thereto so as to produce a composite beam structure, the composite beam structure being so arranged for mounting with respect to the positioning of the filaments in the elastomeric material and with respect to a predetermined impact direction that when the structure bends in response to an impact occurring in said direction at least some of the filaments are placed in compression and at least some of the filaments are placed in tension, the filaments having such cross-sectional area and modulus of elasticity that the compressive forces generated in the structure by the impact are principally taken by the filaments and the energy of the impact is at least partially controlled by the consequential increased bending reistance of the composite beam structure.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, in which there are at least two sets of the filaments, each set including at least one row of parallel filaments lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the row in each other set, the said sets being spaced apart in the elastomeric material in a direction normal to the said planes, and the composite structure being so arranged for mounting that impacts in the said direction tend to bend the structure about lines parallel to the said planes and transverse to the filaments.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, in which all the filaments in said two sets extend in the same direction.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2, in which the filaments of each of the two said sets are woven into a respective piece of fabric.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, in which the filaments are filaments of a plastic material.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, in which the filaments are made of polyethylene terephthalate.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1, in which the filaments are of sufficient modulus of elasticity and diameter to act as the principal compression and tension members in the composite beam structure with the elastomeric material.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, in which the modulus of elasticity of each filament exceeds 10,000 lbs. per sq. inch.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 1, in which the diameter or effective diameter of each filament exceeds 0.00l inches.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 1, in which the elastomeric material is rubber.

Claim 12

An energy controlling device comprising elastomeric material with a plurality of filaments of flexible material embedded therein and bonded or mechanically locked thereto so as to produce a composite beam structure, and support means attached to the composite beam structure for supporting it at such a position or positions thereon that impacts received by the material along a range of directions which are predetermined with respect to the support means and the filaments tend to place at least some of said filaments in compression and at least some of said filaments in tension and are principally absorbed by the resistance to bending imparted to the elastomeric material by the resistance to compression of those filaments.

Claim 13

An energy controlling device comprising elastomeric material with a plurality of filaments of flexible material embedded therein and bonded or mechanically locked thereto so as to produce a composite beam structure, and support means attached to the composite beam structure for supporting it at such a position or positions thereon that impacts received by the material along a range of directions which are predetermined with respect to the support means and the filaments tend to place at least some of said filaments in compression and at least some of said filaments in tension and are principally absorbed by the resistance to bending imparted to the elastomeric material by the resistance to compression of those filaments.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 11 in which there are at least two sets of the filaments, each set including at least one row of parallel filaments lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the row in each other set, said sets being spaced apart in the elastomeric material in a direction normal to said planes, and the support means being so attached to the composite structure that impacts in said directions tend to bend the structure about lines parallel to said planes and transverse to the filaments.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 12 in which all the filaments in said two sets extend in the same direction, the filaments of each of the two said sets being woven into a respective piece of fabric.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 13 in which said filaments are a plastic material, the modulus of elasticity of each filament exceeds 10,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and the diameter or effective diameter of each filament exceeds 0.001 inches.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 14 in which the modulus of elasticity of each filament lies in the range 400,000 to 600,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and the diameter or effective diameter of each filament is about 0.0l0 inches.

Claim 18

A device according to claim 14 in which the breaking stress of each filament is between 50,000 and 100,000 lbs. per sq. inch.

Claim 19

A device according to claim 11 in which said elastomeric material is rubber.

Claim 20

An energy controlling device comprising wall means embracing or surrounding a space and outwardly presenting an impact receiving face and at least partly made of elastomeric material with a plurality of embedded filaments of flexible material which extend longitudinally towards said face, the filaments being bonded or mechanically locked to the elastomeric material so as to produce a composite beam structure, and the filaments being so positioned in the elastomeric material that an impact on said face tending to deform the wall means places at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension, and the energy of the impacts is at least partially controlled by the resistance to bending imparted to the composite beam structure by the resistance to compression of those filaments which take the compressive forces generated by said impacts.

Claim 21

An energy controlling device comprising wall means embracing or surrounding a space and outwardly presenting an impact receiving face and at least partly made of elastomeric material with a plurality of embedded filaments of flexible material which extend longitudinally towards said face, the filaments being bonded or mechanically locked to the elastomeric material so as to produce a composite beam structure, and the filaments being so positioned in the elastomeric material that an impact on said face tending to deform the wall means places at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension, and the energy of the impacts is at least partially controlled by the resistance to bending imparted to the composite beam structure by the resistance to compression of those filaments which take the compressive forces generated by said impacts.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 18 in which the modulus of elasticity of each filament lies in the range 400,000 to 600,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and the diameter or effective diameter of each filament is about 0.0l0 inches.

Claim 23

A device according to claim 18 in which the breaking stress of each filament is between 50,000 and 100,000 lbs. per sq. inch.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 18, in which the wall means is in the form of a generally U-shaped channel, with the outside of the base of the U defining the said impact receiving face, and the said filaments run within and along the lines of extension of the legs of the U and within the base of the U from one leg to the other.

Claim 25

A device according to claim 18, in which all the said face does not lie in the same plane.

Claim 26

A device according to claim 18, for use as a vehicle fender and shaped to define openings providing access to or reception for a part of or an attachment to the vehicle.

Claim 27

A device according to claim 21, in combination with clamping means for attaching the distal ends of the leg portions to an article to be protected from the said impact.

Claim 28

A device according to claim 21, including a further plurality of the filaments within the base of the U, but running transversely to the first mentioned filaments therein.

Claim 29

A device according to claim 21, in which the relative stiffnesses of the material of the impact-receiving face and of the legs of the U are such that the legs bend outwards away from each other in response to a said impact.

Claim 30

A device according to claim 21, in which each leg of the U has a region in which the bending resistance of the filaments has been reduced and arranged such that the legs of the U bend outwards away from each other in response to a said impact.

Claim 31

A device according to claim 18, in which the filaments are filaments of plastics material.

Claim 32

A device according to claim 28, in which the filaments are made of polyethylene terephthalate.

Claim 33

A device according to claim 18, in which the filaments are of sufficient modulus of elasticity, diameter and yield point to act both as the principal compression members and as the principal tension members in the composite beam structure with the elastomeric material.

Claim 34

A device according to claim 18, in which the modulus of elasticity of each filament exceeds 10,000 lbs. per sq. inch.

Claim 35

A device according to claim 18, in which the diameter or effective diameter of each filament exceeds 0.00l inches.

Claim 36

A device according to claim 18, in which the filaments are woven into fabric.

Claim 37

A device according to claim 33, in which the filaments are formed into yarns, each comprising a plurality of the filaments, before weaving into the fabric.

Claim 38

A device according to claim 18, in which the elastomeric material is rubber.

Claim 39

A device according to claim 18, in which the face has at least one projection.

Claim 40

A devIce according to claim 18, in which the stiffness of the wall means varies along the length of the said face.

Claim 41

An energy controlling bumper or fender for protecting a vehicle against impacts occurring in anticipated directions which comprises an elastomeric material having filaments embedded therein and bonded or mechanically locked thereto so as to produce a composite beam structure which has a substantially higher resistance to bending in directions which place at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension than has the elastomeric material alone, and means mounting the composite beam structure on the vehicle so as to present a face positioned to receive said impacts such that they tend to bend the structure in said directions whereby the compressive forces generated by the impacts are mainly taken by those filaments.

Claim 42

An energy controlling bumper or fender for protecting a vehicle against impacts occurring in anticipated directions which comprises an elastomeric material having filaments embedded therein and bonded or mechanically locked thereto so as to produce a composite beam structure which has a substantially higher resistance to bending in directions which place at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension than has the elastomeric material alone, and means mounting the composite beam structure on the vehicle so as to present a face positioned to receive said impacts such that they tend to bend the structure in said directions whereby the compressive forces generated by the impacts are mainly taken by those filaments.

Claim 43

A bumper or fender according to claim 38 in which there are at least two sets of the filaments, each set including at least one row of parallel filaments lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the row in each other set, said sets being spaced apart in the elastomeric material in a direction normal to said planes, said planes being parallel to said face, and all the filaments in said two sets extending in the same direction.

Claim 44

A bumper or fender according to claim 38 in which the filaments are a plastic material, the modulus of elasticity of each filament exceeds 10,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and the diameter or effective diameter of each filament exceeds 0.001 inches.

Claim 45

A bumper or fender according to claim 38 in which the elastomeric material is rubber.

Claim 46

An energy controlling device comprising wall means embracing or surrounding a space and outwardly presenting an impact-receiving face, the wall means being made of elastomeric material with two parallel fabric layers embedded therein and respectively positioned adjacent the inner and outer faces of the wall means, each fabric layer incorporating a plurality of filaments of a plastic material which over a portion of their lengths, at least, extend longitudinally towards said face, each filament having a modulus of elasticity in the range 400,000 to 600,000 lbs. per sq. inch, a breaking stress between 50,000 and 100,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and a diameter or effective diameter exceeding 0.00l inches, the filaments being bonded or mechanically locked to the elastomeric material so as to produce therewith a composite beam structure, whereby an impact on said face tends to deform the wall means placing at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension, such that the compressive forces generated in the structure by the impacts are principally taken by those filaments placed in compression and the energy of the impacts is controlled by the consequential increased bending resistance of the structure.

Claim 47

An energy controlling device comprising wall means embracing or surrounding a space and outwardly presenting an impact-receiving face, the wall means being made of elastomeric material with two parallel fabric layers embedded therein and respectively positioned adjacent the inner and outer faces of the wall means, each fabric layer incorporating a plurality of filaments of a plastic material which over a portion of their lengths, at least, extend longitudinally towards said face, each filament having a modulus of elasticity in the range 400,000 to 600,000 lbs. per sq. inch, a breaking stress between 50,000 and 100,000 lbs. per sq. inch, and a diameter or effective diameter exceeding 0.00l inches, the filaments being bonded or mechanically locked to the elastomeric material so as to produce therewith a composite beam structure, whereby an impact on said face tends to deform the wall means placing at least some of the filaments in compression and at least some of the filaments in tension, such that the compressive forces generated in the structure by the impacts are principally taken by those filaments placed in compression and the energy of the impacts is controlled by the consequential increased bending resistance of the structure.