Energy absorbing bumper system

Claim 2

A bumper apparatus for a vehicle comprising: (a) a flexible bag structure having a flexible exterior walls forming a cavity for containing a gas compressed under impact to a substantial pressure to absorb the energy of a collision of said vehicle applied over an impact portion of said exterior walls, (b) means for attaching said bag structure to a vehicle with said impact wall portion in a generally upright orientation; said bag structure including means for forming said exterior walls to have a certain shape in opposition to said gas pressure so as to limit the stroke of said walls under impact, said exterior wall forming means including load bearing means connected along said exterior walls and between a plurality of spaced fixed parts of said bag attaching means, said load bearing means including flexible webs shaped such that substantially all of the web material is in tension when the flexible cavity is pressurized and having an opening for gas flow past said webs under impact; (c) and means for controlling the gas pressure in said bag structure including means for controlling gas flow out of said bag structure upon the application of pressure thereto under impact.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible bag structure has a flexible section with a closed back, and a rigid section for supporting said flexible section, and said load bearing webs are connected between internal wall portions of said flexible section.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible bag structure has a flexible section with an open back, and a rigid section for closing said open back and secured to said bag structure attaching means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said gas flow controlling means is in said rigid section.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said rigid section has a substantial volume, and said gas flow controlling means controls gas flow from said flexible section to said rigid section.

Claim 7

The bumper apparatus of claim 3 wherein said rigid section supports portions of said protected vehicle.

Claim 8

The bumper apparatus of claim 6 wherein said rigid section is combined with said portions of said protected vehicle.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas flow controlling means is in a wall of said bag structure.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas flow controlling means permits exhausting of gas from said flexible bag structure to the atmosphere.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said gas flow controlling means includes a normally closed relief valve set to open at a predetermined differential pressure.

Claim 12

A bumper apparatus for a vehicle as recited in claim 1 and further comprising at least one other flexible bag structure similar to said first mentioned flexible bag structure, said gas pressure controlling means including means for controlling gas flow out of said other bag structure, and said attaching means including means for disposing said bag structures laterally across a vehicle for the protection thereof.

Claim 13

The bumper apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas flow controlling means includes at least one orifice controlling the rate of flow from said flexible bag structure.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the normal pressure of said gas is substantially greater than atmospheric pressure.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said pressure controlling means includes means on the vehicle for restoring after impact the gas pressure to a greater than atmospheric pressure.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the normal pressure of said gas is substantially atmospheric pressure and is substantially increased during impact.

Claim 17

A bumper apparatus for attachment to an object to be protected comprising: a container for a gas compressed under impact to a substantial pressure having a flexible section with a flexible impact wall, a rigid section of substantial volume; and a partition between said flexible and rigid sections; and means for interconnecting said flexible and rigid sections to permit passage of the compressible gas from the flexible section to the rigid section upon impact; said interconnecting means having means at said partition for controlling the flow of the compressed gas between said flexible and rigid sections, said rigid section including plurality of sub-sections interconnected for passage of gas from said flexible section sequentially through said plurality of sub-sections.

Claim 18

A bumper apparatus for attachment to an object to be protected comprising: a container for a gas compressed under impact to a substantial pressure having a flexible section with a flexible impact wall, a rigid section of substantial volume; and a partition between said flexible and rigid sections; and means for interconnecting said flexible and rigid sections to permit passage of the compressible gas from the flexible section to the rigid section upon impact; said interconnecting means having means at said partition for controlling the flow of the compressed gas between said flexible and rigid sections, said rigid section including plurality of sub-sections interconnected for passage of gas from said flexible section sequentially through said plurality of sub-sections.

Claim 19

A bumper apparatus for a vehicle comprising: a flexible bag structure for containing gas whose pressure increases under impact to absorb energy applied over an impact surface thereof, means for attaching said bag structure to a vehicle as a bumper; means for controlling the gas pressure in said bag structure including means for permitting gas flow out of said bag structure upon the application of pressure thereto under impact, and means on the vehicle for restoring after impact the gas pressure to the original pressure; said bag structure including a plurality of separable compartments along the length thereof formed as separate gas containing units, and said pressure controlling means includes separate means for permitting gas flow out of each of said compartments; each of said compartments comprising a plurality of sub-compartments interconnected for gas pressure therebetween, said sub-compartments being formed by a plurality of flexible intermediate webs having passageways therethrough and being connected to the inner surface of said bag structure; said gas flow permitting means controlling exhausting of gas flow from said flexible section to the atmosphere, and including normally closed relief valves set to open at a predetermined differential pressure.

Claim 20

A bumper apparatus for a vehicle comprising: a flexible bag structure for containing gas whose pressure increases under impact to absorb energy applied over an impact surface thereof, means for attaching said bag structure to a vehicle as a bumper; means for controlling the gas pressure in said bag structure including means for permitting gas flow out of said bag structure upon the application of pressure thereto under impact, and means on the vehicle for restoring after impact the gas pressure to the original pressure; said bag structure including a plurality of separable compartments along the length thereof formed as separate gas containing units, and said pressure controlling means includes separate means for permitting gas flow out of each of said compartments; each of said compartments comprising a plurality of sub-compartments interconnected for gas pressure therebetween, said sub-compartments being formed by a plurality of flexible intermediate webs having passageways therethrough and being connected to the inner surface of said bag structure; said gas flow permitting means controlling exhausting of gas flow from said flexible section to the atmosphere, and including normally closed relief valves set to open at a predetermined differential pressure.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein gas pressure restoring means includes a manifold connected to each of said compartments.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said bag structure further includes a flexible outer casing for covering said separable compartments.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said outer casing includes high strength filaments.