Energy absorbing assembly utilizing reversibly expandable mechanical structures for impact management and methods for operating the same

US7108316B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Motors LLC · US

Inventors

• William Barvosa-Carter · Ventura, US
• Nancy L. Johnson · Northville, US
• Alan L. Browne · Grosse Pointe, US
• Geoffrey P. Mc Knight · Los Angeles, US
• Cameron Massey · Hawthorne, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 2004
• Grant date: Sep 19, 2006
• Expiry date: Aug 13, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R21/04
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Reversibly deployable energy absorbing assemblies for impact management generally include a translatable first element, a rigid support structure and a second element having one end fixedly attached to the rigid support structure and an other end fixedly attached to the translatable first element. The second elements are adapted to plastically deform along a predefined buckling path. The predefined buckling path may be uni-modal or multi-modal depending on the desired application and/or impact conditions. Also disclosed herein are methods for operating the energy absorbing assemblies.