Guardrail terminal

Abstract

Guardrail, guardrail terminal, and support post designs that improve control of a vehicle during collisions are described. The disclosed designs also reduce the likelihood of intrusion into vehicle systems and the occupant compartment(s). Embodiments include folding and/or flattening of the guardrail and controlling the folded and flattened guardrail to avoid intrusion into the vehicle. Other embodiments include containing the guardrail in an impact head of a guardrail terminal, which also avoids vehicle intrusion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A guardrail terminal, comprising:
 a feeder chute having a first end and a second end;   an impact head;   a throat positioned between the feeder chute and the impact head; and   a deflector having a first end and a second end and extending in a horizontal direction transversely and longitudinally, the first end of the deflector positioned in the feeder chute closer to the second end of the feeder chute than the first end of the feeder chute, the deflector extending from the feeder chute into the throat, and the deflector increasing in horizontal width with distance from the first end.   
     
     
         2 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 1 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes a gusset extending along a face of the impact head. 
     
     
         3 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the feeder chute has a horizontal width, and the horizontal width of the second end of the deflector is greater than the horizontal width of the second end of the feeder chute. 
     
     
         4 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the impact head includes a wedge deflector, and a midpoint of the wedge deflector points directly toward the deflector. 
     
     
         5 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the impact head includes a cavity formed at a most upstream end of the impact head. 
     
     
         6 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 5 , wherein a gusset is positioned within the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 5 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes peripheral protrusions extending in an upstream direction, the peripheral protrusions extending along one or more sides of the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 4 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes peripheral protrusions extending in an upstream direction, the midpoint of the wedge deflector extends in the transverse direction, and at least one of the peripheral protrusions extends in a direction perpendicular to the midpoint of the wedge deflector. 
     
     
         9 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 4 , wherein the wedge deflector includes a lower angled face extending downwardly from the midpoint of the wedge deflector. 
     
     
         10 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the lower angle face is angled from the midpoint of the wedge deflector towards an upstream direction of the guardrail terminal. 
     
     
         11 . A guardrail terminal, comprising:
 a feeder chute having a first end and a second end;   an impact head including a wedge deflector, the wedge deflector having a midpoint;   a throat positioned directly between the feeder chute and the impact head, the throat including a vertically extending interior wall and a deflector positioned on the vertically extending interior wall and extending perpendicularly to the vertically extending interior wall; and   a deflector having a first end and a second end and extending in a horizontal direction transversely and longitudinally, the deflector positioned at least partially in the throat, and the midpoint of the wedge deflector points toward the second end of the deflector.   
     
     
         12 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 11 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes a gusset extending along a face of the impact head. 
     
     
         13 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the second end of the feeder chute has a horizontal width, and the horizontal width of the second end of the deflector is greater than the horizontal width of the second end of the feeder chute. 
     
     
         14 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the impact head includes a cavity formed at a most upstream end of the impact head. 
     
     
         15 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 14 , wherein a gusset is positioned within the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 14 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes peripheral protrusions extending in an upstream direction, the peripheral protrusions extending along one or more sides of the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 11 , wherein a most upstream end of the impact head includes peripheral protrusions extending in an upstream direction, the midpoint of the wedge deflector extends in the transverse direction, and at least one of the peripheral protrusions extends in a direction perpendicular to the midpoint of the wedge deflector. 
     
     
         18 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the wedge deflector includes a lower angled face extending downwardly from the midpoint of the wedge deflector. 
     
     
         19 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 18 , wherein the lower angled face is angled from the midpoint of the wedge deflector towards an upstream direction of the guardrail terminal. 
     
     
         20 . The guardrail terminal of  claim 19 , wherein the lower angled face extends to a lower opening formed in the guardrail terminal.