Device for Absorbing, Dissipating and Deflecting Impact Energy

Abstract

A structure, or series of structures, for absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting impact energy that can be used in a helmet, car bumper, footwear, or other situation where impact energy needs to be absorbed. The structure, or series of securities, consisting of geometrical designs such as interlaced leaf spring pairs or helical ribbons made from materials such as a nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy, polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, (ABS), Poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide, (PPTA, also known as Kevlar), or other polymers or elastomers, carbon fiber composite, metal, ceramic, or any combination thereof, (such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer).

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device configured for absorbing, dissipating and/or deflecting impact energy comprising:
 an outer shell;   an inner shell; and   at least one shock absorbing structure between the outer and inner shell comprising shock absorbing elements;   the shock absorbing elements compress upon impact to the device;   the shock absorbing elements arranged so that when compressed, the shock absorbing elements interlace with the immediately surrounding shock absorbing elements;   wherein the outer shell, inner, shell, and shock absorbing structure form a monolithic structure.   
     
     
         2 . An energy absorbing, dissipating, and/or deflecting structure comprising:
 a first wall, a second wall, and at least one shock absorbing element in between the first wall and the second wall.   
     
     
         3 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing element comprises leaf spring pairs, each leaf spring pair comprising a first leaf spring in a first orientation and a second leaf spring in a second orientation; 
 wherein the leaf spring pairs are configured so that when the leaf spring pairs are compressed, a leaf spring in a first orientation interlaces with a leaf spring in a second orientation. 
 
     
     
         4 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing element comprises polygonal ribbon pairs, each polygonal ribbon pair comprising a first polygonal ribbon in a first orientation and a second polygonal ribbon in a second orientation;   wherein the polygonal ribbon pairs are configured so that when the polygonal ribbon pairs are compressed, a polygonal ribbon pair in a first orientation interlaces with a polygonal ribbon in a second orientation.   
     
     
         5 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 3  wherein each polygonal ribbon has a first end and a second end and a stiffness differential between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 3  wherein the polygonal ribbons are hexagonal ribbons. 
     
     
         7 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing structure comprises polygonal structure pairs, each polygonal structure pair comprising a first polygonal structure in a first orientation and a second polygonal structure in a second orientation; 
 wherein the polygonal structure pairs are configured so that when the polygonal structure pairs are compress, a polygonal structure in a first orientation interlaces with a polygonal ribbon structure in a second orientation. 
 
     
     
         8 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 7  wherein the polygonal structures are hexagonal polygons. 
     
     
         9 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing structure comprises helical ribbons. 
 
     
     
         10 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing structure comprises a lattice of polyhedron structures. 
 
     
     
         11 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 10  wherein the polyhedron structures have concave edges. 
     
     
         12 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 10  wherein the polyhedron structures have convex edges. 
     
     
         13 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 10  wherein the lattice of polyhedron structures is a deltahedron lattice. 
     
     
         14 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing structure is in an original position prior to impact to the structure, then compressed into a compressed position upon impact to the structure, then returns to the original position after impact to the structure. 
 
     
     
         15 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 14  wherein the rate the shock absorbing structure compresses from the original position to the compressed position is greater than the rate the shock absorbing structure decompresses from the compressed position back to the original position. 
     
     
         16 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 14  wherein the rate the shock absorbing structure compresses from the original position to the compressed position is less than the rate the shock absorbing structure decompresses from the compressed position back to the original position. 
     
     
         17 . The energy absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting structure of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one shock absorbing structure has a first end and a second end, and a stiffness differential between the first end and the second end. 
 
     
     
         18 . A method of absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting impact comprising the steps of:
 a first end of shock absorbing structure receiving an impact, said shock absorbing structure comprising shock absorbing elements extending between the first end of the shock absorbing structure and a second end of the shock absorbing structure;   wherein said shock absorbing elements are arranged in pairs with a first shock absorbing element in a first orientation and a second shock absorbing element in a second orientation;   wherein upon the shock absorbing structure receiving said impact, the shock absorbing elements compress form an original uncompressed position into a compressed position;   wherein as the shock absorbing elements compress, the shock absorbing elements in the first orientation interlace with the shock absorbing elements in the second orientation;   wherein the shock absorbing elements return to the original uncompressed position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting impact of  claim 18  wherein the shock absorbing elements are leaf springs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of absorbing, dissipating, and deflecting impact of  claim 18  wherein the shock absorbing elements are polygonal ribbons.