ENERGY ATTENUATOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THEREOF

• Main Authors: EPEL, JOSEPH N, WILKINSON, ROBERT E, MCDOUGALL, MALCOLM K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 29.12.1981
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

An energy attenuator for absorbing impact of a foreign object against a body to be protected. The energy attenuator comprising a plurality of layers in a desired form or shape and each layer may be separated from the adjacent layer by films of high temperature resistant thermoplastic materials, which are neither soluble in nor compatible with or modified by the molding conditions encountered in processing the laminates or layers. The energy attenuator may be manufactured by either a buildup process whereby each layer is formed, then separated by a separating material, another layer is then deposited upon the material forming a laminate structure which may be made to the desired thickness by continually forming layers with separators between each layer or the separate layers may be formed individually and then assembled by stacking them into a laminated structure.