Restorable crash cushion apparatus

Abstract

A crash cushion apparatus broadly comprising a rail assembly, a number of dividers and a number of side panels forming a number of collapsible bays, and a number of crushable tubes. The rail assembly includes a number of anchor plates and a rail. The dividers are longitudinally spaced apart from each other and slidably entrained on the rail. The side panels link the dividers together. The crushable tubes are oriented longitudinally in spaces formed by the collapsible bays and extend between sequentially adjacent ones of the dividers. The dividers entrain the crushable tubes in the longitudinal orientation without the crushable tubes being fixed to the dividers. The dividers are configured to be driven rearward along the rail and crush the crushable tubes to sequentially collapse the collapsible bays.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A crash cushion apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of collapsible bays each including a divider longitudinally spaced from a divider of an adjacent one of the plurality of collapsible bays such that each of the plurality of collapsible bays forms a space; and   a plurality of crushable tubes oriented longitudinally in the spaces formed by the plurality of collapsible bays and extending between sequentially adjacent ones of the plurality of dividers, the plurality of dividers entraining the plurality of crushable tubes in the longitudinal orientation without the plurality of crushable tubes being fixed to the plurality of dividers,   the plurality of dividers being configured to crush the plurality of crushable tubes,   each of the plurality of dividers comprising one or more cradle members configured to receive a longitudinal end of a respective one of the plurality of crushable tubes so as to prevent displacement of the crushable tubes relative to the dividers without affixing the crushable tubes to the divider.   
     
     
         2 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , the plurality of crushable tubes being distributed unevenly between the plurality of collapsible bays so that at least one of the plurality of collapsible bays has more of the plurality of crushable tubes than at least one other of the plurality of collapsible bays. 
     
     
         3 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 2 , the crash cushion apparatus having opposing forward and rearward ends, the plurality of crushable tubes increasing in number per collapsible bay from the forward end to the rearward end. 
     
     
         4 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 3 , one of the forward-most collapsible bays of the plurality of collapsible bays having zero crushable tubes. 
     
     
         5 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 2 , some of the plurality of collapsible bays having one more crushable tube than the sequentially adjacent collapsible bay forward therefrom. 
     
     
         6 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , each of the plurality of dividers including an entrainment member extending over the ends of the crushable tubes disposed in the corresponding collapsible bay. 
     
     
         7 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , each of the plurality of crushable tubes including opposing ends and a plurality of holes near one of the opposing ends for promoting consistent longitudinal and progressive collapse of the plurality of crushable tubes. 
     
     
         8 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a rail assembly including a plurality of rails and a plurality of crossmembers extending laterally between the plurality of rails, the plurality of collapsible bays being supported on the plurality of rails. 
     
     
         9 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 8 , each of the plurality of dividers including a plurality of tabs slidably entraining the divider on the plurality of rails. 
     
     
         10 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 9 , each of the plurality of dividers including a beveled or tapered surface configured to engage the plurality of rails. 
     
     
         11 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , some of the plurality of dividers including a rubber shock absorption element to minimize shock between the plurality of dividers. 
     
     
         12 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 1 , the plurality of collapsible bays further including a plurality of side panels overlapping each other and being connected to the plurality of dividers via biased fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . A crash cushion apparatus including opposing forward and rearward ends, the crash cushion apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of collapsible bays each including a divider longitudinally spaced from a divider of an adjacent one of the plurality of collapsible bays such that each of the plurality of collapsible bays forms a space;   a nose component near the forward end; and   a plurality of crushable tubes oriented longitudinally in the spaces formed by the plurality of collapsible bays and extending between sequentially adjacent ones of the plurality of dividers, the plurality of dividers entraining the plurality of crushable tubes in the longitudinal orientation without the plurality of crushable tubes being fixed to the plurality of dividers,   the plurality of dividers being configured to crush the plurality of crushable tubes via the nose component,   each of the plurality of dividers comprising one or more cradle members configured to receive a longitudinal end of a respective one of the plurality of crushable tubes so as to prevent displacement of the crushable tubes relative to the dividers without affixing the crushable tubes to the divider.   
     
     
         14 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 13 , the plurality of crushable tubes being distributed unevenly between the plurality of collapsible bays so that at least one of the plurality of collapsible bays has more of the plurality of crushable tubes than at least one other of the plurality of collapsible bays. 
     
     
         15 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 14 , the plurality of crushable tubes increasing in number per collapsible bay from the forward end to the rearward end. 
     
     
         16 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 15 , one of the forward-most collapsible bays of the plurality of collapsible bays having zero crushable tubes. 
     
     
         17 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 14 , some of the plurality of collapsible bays having one more crushable tube than the sequentially adjacent collapsible bay forward therefrom. 
     
     
         18 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 13 , each of the plurality of dividers including an entrainment member extending over the ends of the crushable tubes disposed in the corresponding collapsible bay. 
     
     
         19 . The crash cushion apparatus of  claim 13 , each of the plurality of crushable tubes including opposing ends and a plurality of holes near one of the opposing ends for promoting consistent longitudinal and progressive collapse of the plurality of crushable tubes. 
     
     
         20 . A crash cushion apparatus including opposing forward and rearward ends, the crash cushion apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of collapsible bays each including a divider longitudinally spaced apart from a divider of an adjacent one of the plurality of collapsible bays such that each of the plurality of collapsible bays forms a space;   a nose component near the forward end in longitudinal alignment with the plurality of dividers, the nose component including:
 a plurality of rigidly-connected members forming a box frame; and 
 a delineation plate extending between some of the plurality of rigidly-connected members thereby at least partially enclosing the box frame; and 
   a plurality of crushable tubes oriented longitudinally in the spaces formed by the plurality of collapsible bays and extending between sequentially adjacent ones of the plurality of dividers, the plurality of crushable tubes including opposing ends and a plurality of holes near some of the opposing ends for promoting longitudinal and progressive collapse of the plurality of crushable tubes, the plurality of dividers entraining the plurality of crushable tubes in the longitudinal orientation without the plurality of crushable tubes being fixed to the plurality of dividers,   the plurality of dividers being configured to crush the plurality of crushable tubes,   each divider comprising one or more cradle members configured to receive a longitudinal end of a respective one of the plurality of crushable tubes so as to prevent displacement of the crushable tubes relative to the dividers without affixing the crushable tubes to the divider.