US7774866B2 — Impact energy management method and system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 169 words

An impact energy management method for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the method comprising the steps of: placing a protective structure that includes at least one fluid-containing, compressible cell over at least a portion of the body to be protected, the protective structure being capable of reducing forces of an impact that are transferred to the body through the protective structure; providing the protective structure with a first impact-absorbing mechanism that resists yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact and that yields to the impact after the initial phase of the impact, and providing the protective structure with a second impact-absorbing mechanism that attenuates the forces of the impact after its initial phase such that the forces that are transferred to the body remain substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact, the second impact-absorbing mechanism being provided by providing a cell with at least one orifice which vents fluid from inside the cell after the initial phase of the impact.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 169 words

An impact energy management method for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the method comprising the steps of: placing a protective structure that includes at least one fluid-containing, compressible cell over at least a portion of the body to be protected, the protective structure being capable of reducing forces of an impact that are transferred to the body through the protective structure; providing the protective structure with a first impact-absorbing mechanism that resists yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact and that yields to the impact after the initial phase of the impact, and providing the protective structure with a second impact-absorbing mechanism that attenuates the forces of the impact after its initial phase such that the forces that are transferred to the body remain substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact, the second impact-absorbing mechanism being provided by providing a cell with at least one orifice which vents fluid from inside the cell after the initial phase of the impact.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1 in which the first impact-absorbing mechanism is provided by providing the cell with side walls designed so that they resist collapse during the initial phase of the impact and collapse after the initial impact phase.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 1 in which the first impact-absorbing mechanism is provided by combining the cell with a component that coacts with the cell to resist collapse during the initial phase of the impact and to collapse after the initial impact phase.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 3 in which the first impact-absorbing mechanism is provided by including a collapsible ring inside the cell that resists collapse during the initial phase of the impact and that collapses after the initial impact phase.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 in which the at least one orifice allows fluid to return to the cell after the impact.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 159 words

An impact energy management system for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the system comprising: a protective structure comprising at least one fluid-containing compressible cell and adapted to be placed over at least a portion of the body to be protected, said protective structure being capable of reducing forces of an impact that are transferred to the body through said protective structure; a first impact-absorbing mechanism in said protective structure that resists yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact and that yields to the impact after the initial phase of the impact; and a second impact-absorbing mechanism in said protective structure, including at least one orifice in the cell which vents fluid from the cell after the initial phase of the impact, which attenuates the forces of the impact after said initial phase such that the forces that are transferred to the body remain substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 159 words

An impact energy management system for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the system comprising: a protective structure comprising at least one fluid-containing compressible cell and adapted to be placed over at least a portion of the body to be protected, said protective structure being capable of reducing forces of an impact that are transferred to the body through said protective structure; a first impact-absorbing mechanism in said protective structure that resists yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact and that yields to the impact after the initial phase of the impact; and a second impact-absorbing mechanism in said protective structure, including at least one orifice in the cell which vents fluid from the cell after the initial phase of the impact, which attenuates the forces of the impact after said initial phase such that the forces that are transferred to the body remain substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 6 in which said first impact-absorbing mechanism comprises side walls on said cell that are oriented and configured so that they resist collapse during the initial phase of the impact and that collapse after the initial impact phase.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system of claim 6 in which said first impact-absorbing mechanism comprises a component that coacts with said cell to resist collapse during the initial phase of the impact and to collapse after the initial impact phase.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system of claim 8 in which said component comprises a collapsible ring inside said cell that resists collapse during the initial phase of the impact and that collapses after the initial impact phase.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 6 in which said cell has a substantially symmetrical shape.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 6 in which the at least one orifice allows fluid to return to the cell after the impact.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 6 comprising a plurality of said cells arranged side-by-side in a layer and at least one additional layer joined to corresponding parts of said cells.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of cells is disposed between said at least one additional layer and a second layer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system of claim 6 in which said enclosure cell has a disk shape with circular top and bottom surfaces of diameter d 1 .

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 57 words

The system of claim 14 in which said cell includes a first side wall portion extending from said top surface and a second side wall portion extending from said bottom surface, said first and second side wall portions joining at a medial plane through said cell of diameter d 2 which is greater than d 1 .

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 15 in which said first and second side wall portions of said cell are substantially straight in cross section.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 48 words

The system of claim 16 in which said first side wall portion extends at an angle from said top surface, and said second side wall portion extends at substantially the same angle from said bottom surface, said angle being greater than zero degrees and less than 45 degrees.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 127 words

A protective structure for protecting a body from impact comprising: at least one thin-walled enclosure having an uncompressed configuration which defines a hollow inner chamber; a volume of fluid at least partially filling said inner chamber; at least one orifice through said enclosure that resistively vents fluid from the inner chamber in response to an impact on said enclosure; an impact-absorbing mechanism associated with said enclosure comprising a collapsible ring disposed in said inner chamber that coacts with said enclosure to resist yielding and collapse during an initial phase of the impact on said enclosure and to yield and collapse after the initial phase of the impact to allow the remainder of the impact to be managed by the fluid venting from said at least one orifice.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 127 words

A protective structure for protecting a body from impact comprising: at least one thin-walled enclosure having an uncompressed configuration which defines a hollow inner chamber; a volume of fluid at least partially filling said inner chamber; at least one orifice through said enclosure that resistively vents fluid from the inner chamber in response to an impact on said enclosure; an impact-absorbing mechanism associated with said enclosure comprising a collapsible ring disposed in said inner chamber that coacts with said enclosure to resist yielding and collapse during an initial phase of the impact on said enclosure and to yield and collapse after the initial phase of the impact to allow the remainder of the impact to be managed by the fluid venting from said at least one orifice.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 173 words

An impact management system for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the system comprising: a protective covering adapted to be placed over at least a portion of the body to be protected, said protective covering being capable of reducing forces of an impact in accordance with a force/time curve, and an impact-absorbing structure in said protective covering that resist yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact so that said curve has a relatively steep leading edge which rises to a maximum force value determined by the impact, and then attenuates the forces of the impact after said maximum force value is reached such that said curve thereafter remains substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact, said impact-absorbing structure including at least one fluid-containing compressible cell with side walls arranged and adapted to resist collapse during said initial phase of the impact and to collapse after said initial impact phase, each cell having an orifice which vents fluid from that cell after the initial impact phase.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 173 words

An impact management system for protecting a body from damage due to impacts imparted thereto, the system comprising: a protective covering adapted to be placed over at least a portion of the body to be protected, said protective covering being capable of reducing forces of an impact in accordance with a force/time curve, and an impact-absorbing structure in said protective covering that resist yielding in response to an initial phase of the impact so that said curve has a relatively steep leading edge which rises to a maximum force value determined by the impact, and then attenuates the forces of the impact after said maximum force value is reached such that said curve thereafter remains substantially constant throughout the remainder of the impact, said impact-absorbing structure including at least one fluid-containing compressible cell with side walls arranged and adapted to resist collapse during said initial phase of the impact and to collapse after said initial impact phase, each cell having an orifice which vents fluid from that cell after the initial impact phase.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system of claim 19 in which said cell has generally parallel top and bottom walls and is symmetrical about a central axis passing through that cell normal to said top and bottom walls.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 20 in which said enclosure cell is symmetrical about a medial plane parallel to said top and bottom walls.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 43 words

The system of claim 20 in which said cell includes a first side wall portion extending from said top wall and a second side wall portion extending from said bottom wall, said first and second side wall portions joining at the medial plane.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 84 words

The system of claim 22 wherein said walls of said cell, in side cross section, pass through spaced points A, B, C, A′, B′, C′, said points being in a pattern such that a line between A and A′ is in a plane corresponding to said top wall, a line between C and C′ is in a plane corresponding to said bottom wall, and a line between B and B′ is in a medial plane parallel to said top wall and said bottom wall.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 23 in which the points B and B′ in said pattern are equidistant between the points A and C and A′ and C′, respectively.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2013-08-16	2014-02-15	2014-08-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2017-08-16	2018-02-15	2018-08-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2021-08-16	2022-02-15	2022-08-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Impact energy management method and system

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