Impact absorbing structure

Abstract

An impact absorbing wall ( 1 ) comprising structures ( 2 ) having at least one surface including inlet apertures in said surface, the apertures leading to channels ( 7 a, 7 b, 7 c ) within the structure, such that shock waves reaching said inlet apertures pass along said channels, thereby directing the movement of said shock waves through at least part of said structure.

1 . An impact absorbing structure comprising a structure having at least one surface including inlet apertures in said surface, the apertures leading to channels within the structure, such that shock waves reaching said apertures pass along said channels, thereby directing the movement of said shock waves through at least part of said structure.  
   
   
       2 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that the impact absorbing structure is provided as a solid body having one or more apertures on one surface of the structure which lead to channel(s) running through said structure to corresponding outlet aperture(s) on a second surface of said structure.  
   
   
       3 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that the impact absorbing structure is a semi rigid structure, for example a reinforced water-containing sac, which has reinforced areas to protect against damage by an impact but which has channels through its body to channel the effect of the impact.  
   
   
       4 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that individual impact absorbing structures have projections on one or more surfaces, which can be positioned in corresponding apertures in a surface of an adjacent structure.  
   
   
       5 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that an aperture in a surface of an impact absorbing structure is in the form of a slot.  
   
   
       6 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that the channels have or include a filler, for example a foam material or impact absorbing material which can assist in damping down the effect of shock waves passing through the impact absorbing structure, or a wall made of a plurality of such structures.  
   
   
       7 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 6  further characterised in that the filler includes flame retardant materials to avoid the risk of flammable material or indeed ignited material or flames passing through the structure and possibly damaging material or persons to be protected.  
   
   
       8 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that the channels within the impact absorbing structure are in the form of linear channels passing through the structure.  
   
   
       9 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that irregular shaped channels are used, for example curved or channels that have a series of directional changes.  
   
   
       10 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that one or more impact absorbing structures are positioned adjacent other impact absorbing structure to build a wall of said structures.  
   
   
       11 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 10  further characterised in that the wall comprises a plurality of impact absorbing structures positioned one on top of the other such that a side of the wall away from the possible impact is in a stepped arrangement with the base of the wall being wider than the top of the wall.  
   
   
       12 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 11  further characterised in that the stepped arrangement is provided by there being more impact absorbing structures at the base of the wall or alternatively, the impact absorbing structures at the base of the wall being wider than those at the top of the wall.  
   
   
       13 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that when a wall having a stepped arrangement of impact absorbing structures is formed, the upper surface of one or more exposed steps of the wall reveals an aperture through which shock waves from an impact may exit the impact absorbing structures.  
   
   
       14 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 13  further characterised in that the aperture through which the shock waves exit the impact absorbing structure or wall made from such structures leads from a common channel fed from a series of channels passing through said structure.  
   
   
       15 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 14  further characterised in that the channels feeding the common channel are from one layer of the wall.  
   
   
       16 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 13  further characterised in that channels lead from one layer to another to feed a common channel.  
   
   
       17 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that individual blocks have slots whereby rods or plates may be inserted in the blast protection structure such that channels within an individual block can be closed so that the direction of blast through a block may be varied.  
   
   
       18 . An impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1  further characterised in that individual impact absorbing structures or parts of a wall formed from such structures have areas of reinforcing material such as carbon fibre protective layers.  
   
   
       19 . A method of building an impact absorbing wall whereby impact absorbing structures are built to form a wall, at least on side of which is stepped, with the wall being assembled such that channels running through wall direct blast from a first side of the wall closest to the impact to a second side of the wall away from the blast, with the second side of the wall being built in a stepped arrangement such that apertures on an upper surface of the step are revealed so that that shock waves being channeled through the wall can escape through said apertures upwardly and away from the wall and from the structure to be protected.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19  further characterised in that the wall is built at an incline, with the wall being inclined towards the direction of impact/blast.