Impact protection and shock absorbing device

Abstract

An impact protection device includes a support surface, a first plurality of flexible spines and a second plurality of flexible spines. Each of the first and second plurality of spines have a length defined from a base end to a distal end thereof, and each extends in a longitudinal direction upwardly from the support surface at an angle less than 90 degrees such that each an overhang over the support surface. Each of the second plurality of spines extends under the overhang created by a respective neighboring spine of the first plurality of flexible spines, whereby, upon sufficient compression of the first plurality of flexible spines in a downward direction toward the support surface, the first plurality of flexible spines contacts the second plurality of flexible spines and compressive forces and/or shear forces are absorbed thereby.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impact protection device comprising:
 a. a support surface;   b. a first plurality of flexible spines, each having a length defined from a base end to a distal end thereof, and each extending in a longitudinal direction upwardly from said support surface, from said base end to said distal end, at an angle less than 90 degrees such that each of said first plurality of flexible spines creates an overhang over said support surface; and   c. a second plurality of flexible spines, each having a length defined from a base end to a distal end thereof, and each extending upwardly from said support surface from said base end to said distal end at an angle less than 90 degrees such that each of said second plurality of flexible spines creates an overhang over said support surface, and wherein each of said second plurality of spines extends such that each of said second plurality of flexible spines extends under the overhang created by a respective neighboring one of said first plurality of flexible spines, whereby, upon sufficient compression of said first plurality of flexible spines in a downward direction toward said support surface, said first plurality of flexible spines contacts said second plurality of flexible spines and compressive forces and/or shear forces are absorbed thereby.   
     
     
         2 . The impact protection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third plurality of flexible spines, each having a length defined from a base end to a distal end thereof, and each extending upwardly from said support surface from said base end to said distal end at an angle less than 90 degrees such that each of said third plurality of flexible spines creates an overhang over said support surface, each of said third plurality of flexible spines extends such that each of said third plurality of flexible spines extends under the overhang created by a respective neighboring one of said first plurality of flexible spines and the overhang created by a respective neighboring one of said second plurality of flexible spines, whereby, upon sufficient compression of said first plurality of flexible spines in a downward direction toward said support surface, a respective one of said first plurality of flexible spines contacts a respective neighboring one of said second plurality of flexible spines and said one of said second plurality of flexible spines contacts a respective neighboring one of said third plurality of flexible spines and compressive forces and/or shear forces are absorbed thereby. 
     
     
         3 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each of said second plurality of flexible spines extends parallel relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines, and each of said third plurality of flexible spines extends parallel relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines. 
     
     
         4 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each of said second plurality of flexible spines extends at a positively transverse angle relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines, and each of said third plurality of flexible spines extends at a negatively transverse angle relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines. 
     
     
         5 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each of said second plurality of flexible spines extends at a negatively transverse angle relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines, and each of said third plurality of flexible spines extends at a positively transverse angle relative to said longitudinal direction of said first plurality of flexible spines. 
     
     
         6 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein a row of said first plurality of flexible spines is aligned in a first row extending in a transverse direction of said longitudinal direction, wherein a row of said second plurality of flexible spines is aligned in a second row extending in a transverse direction of said longitudinal direction and spaced apart from the first row in said longitudinal direction, and wherein a row of said third plurality of flexible spines is aligned in a third row extending in a transverse direction of said longitudinal direction and spaced apart from both said first row and second row in said longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein the support surface defines a plane and equates to an angle of 0 degrees and each of the first plurality of flexible spines extends at an angle between about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees, each of the second plurality of flexible spines extends at an angle between about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees, and each of the third plurality of flexible spines extends at an angle between about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein the spines from the first plurality, the second plurality, and the third plurality have shapes selected from the group consisting of a uniform shape from its base to its distal end, a base that is wider than its distal end, a base that is narrower than its distal end, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein the bases of the spines from the first plurality, the second plurality, and the third plurality are connected to the support surface with either a fixed connection, a flexible connection, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein the device further comprises a second support surface and wherein the distal ends of each of the first plurality of spines, the second plurality of spines, and the third plurality of spines are either each connected to the second support surface, are each in contact with the second surface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each spine of each of the first plurality of spines, the second plurality of spines, and the third plurality of spines are composed of materials selected from the group consisting of elastomeric material, polymeric material, a shape memory material, a self-healing material, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each spine of each of the first plurality of spines, the second plurality of spines, and the third plurality of spines contain both longitudinal stiffeners and radial stiffeners, just longitudinal stiffeners and not radial stiffeners, just radial stiffeners and not longitudinal stiffeners, neither longitudinal stiffeners or radial stiffeners, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The impact protection device of  claim 2 , wherein each spine of each of the first plurality of spines, the second plurality of spines, and the third plurality of spines has an elastic modulus of between about 1 GPa and about 10 GPa or any combination thereof; each spine of each of the first plurality of spines, the second plurality of spines, and the third plurality of spines has a length to width ratio of between about 5:1 and about 25:1; and wherein spines of the first plurality of spines, the spines of the second plurality of spines, and the spines of the third plurality of spines are packed on the device at between about 1 and 100 spines per square inch. 
     
     
         14 . A load-bearing member comprising:
 a cylindrical tubular body having longitudinal length and an interior defining an interior volume; and   a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners having longitudinal length and extending along radial lines from the cylindrical tubular body into the interior volume toward a center axial line, said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners ending prior to said center axial line so as to define channels between neighboring ones of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners.   
     
     
         15 . The load-bearing member of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of radial stiffeners within said interior volume and extending at periodic positions along the longitudinal length of said cylindrical tubular body, wherein said plurality of radial stiffeners are disc shaped and extend into said channels. 
     
     
         16 . The load-bearing member of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of radial stiffeners each extend completely across the entirety of the interior volume and wherein the plurality of radial stiffeners are without apertures such that neighboring ones of said plurality of radial stiffeners create distinct chambers between them. 
     
     
         17 . The load-bearing member of  claim 14 , wherein said cylindrical tubular body defines a radius at said interior and said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners extend into the interior volume toward said center axial line at a length of from 25 to 95 percent of the radius and wherein said cylindrical tubular body defines a circumference at said interior, and each of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners are positioned about the circumference such that neighboring ones of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners are positioned at from 90 to 10 radial degrees from each other. 
     
     
         18 . The load-bearing member of  claim 14 , wherein the material forming the load-bearing member has a modulus of from 1 GPa or more to 10 GPa or less. 
     
     
         19 . The load-bearing member of  claim 14 , wherein said cylindrical body defines and exterior surface, said exterior surface being corrugated and wherein said corrugated exterior surface defines ridges between neighboring ones of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners and defines grooves where each one of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners extend from said cylindrical tubular body, and said ridges form a surface of said channels. 
     
     
         20 . The load-bearing member of  claim 14 , further comprising an interior circumferential wall at which said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners end and wherein said circumferential wall forms a surface of each said channel formed between neighboring ones of said plurality of longitudinal stiffeners.