Tubular honeycomb articles for use in energy absorption
View Patent ↗A tubular honeycomb article for use in absorbing energy. The article is made by taking a planar honeycomb and forming it into a tube shaped honeycomb body. The tube shape of the honeycomb body is retained by providing a shell around the perimeter of the honeycomb body. The resulting tubular honeycomb article may be used as an insert or collar in automotive steering columns to provide absorption of energy during occupant loading in an frontal crash.
1. A system for absorbing energy comprising:
A) a first impact member comprising a first impact face;
B) a second impact member comprising a second impact face; and
C) a tubular honeycomb article located between said first and second impact members to absorb energy when said impact members are moved towards each other during a collision, said tubular honeycomb article comprising:
a) a tubular body comprising a planar honeycomb body that has been bent into a tubular shape to form said tubular body, said planar honeycomb body comprising an inner face and an outer face that define a width of said planar honeycomb-body, said planar honeycomb body further having a first axial face and a second axial face that define a length of said planar honeycomb body and a first end face and a second end face that define a thickness of said planar honeycomb body, said planar honeycomb body including honeycomb walls that define a plurality of honeycomb cells that extend between said first end face and said second end face, said planar honeycomb body being bent so as to form said tubular body wherein said first and second axial faces are located adjacent to each other and wherein said inner face defines a cylindrical opening extending axially through said tubular body and said outer face defines an outer cylindrical surface of said tubular body and wherein said first end face is located adjacent to said first impact member and said second end face is located adjacent to said second impact member such that one or both of said first or second impact faces extends substantially radially with respect to said tubular body and wherein said honeycomb cells extend axially through said tubular body; and
b) a shell located around the outer cylindrical surface of said tubular body and in contact therewith to provide containment of said planar honeycomb body in a tubular shape, wherein said tubular honeycomb article undergoes crushing in a substantially axial direction to provide absorption of energy when said first and second impact members are moved axially towards each other during a collision.
2. The system for absorbing energy according to claim 1 wherein said planar honeycomb body is made from a metal.
3. The system for absorbing energy according to claim 2 wherein said metal is aluminum.
4. The system for absorbing energy according to claim 1 wherein said shell is made from a heat shrinkable polymer.
5. The system for absorbing energy according to claim 1 wherein said shell is made from natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fiber reinforced tape or polyvinylchloride tape.
6. The system for absorbing energy according to claim 1 wherein said first impact member comprises a steering mechanism that comprises a steering wheel connected to a steering shaft that extends through said cylindrical opening in said tubular body and said second impact member comprises a housing in which said tubular body is located and through which said steering shaft passes, said housing being movable relative to said steering shaft.
7. A vehicle comprising the system according to claim 6 for absorbing energy when a driver of the vehicle is forced against the steering wheel.
8. The vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said planar honeycomb body is made from a metal.
9. The vehicle according to claim 8 wherein said metal is aluminum.
10. The vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said shell is made from heat shrinkable polymer.
11. The vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said shell is made from natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fiber reinforced tape or polyvinylchloride tape.
12. The vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said vehicle is an automobile.
13. The system for absorbing energy in accordance with claim 6 which further comprises a layer of protective material located on at least a portion of said inner face of said planar honeycomb body.
14. A method for absorbing energy comprising the steps of:
A) providing the system for absorbing energy according to claim 6 ; and
B) applying an impact force in the axial direction relative to said tubular body, said impact force being sufficient to crush said tubular body in said axial direction to thereby provide absorption of energy from said impact force.
15. The method for absorbing energy according to claim 14 wherein said planar honeycomb body is made from a metal.
16. The method for absorbing energy according to claim 15 wherein said metal is aluminum.
17. The method for absorbing energy according to claim 14 wherein said shell is made from heat shrinkable polymer.
18. The method for absorbing energy according to claim 14 wherein said shell is made from natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fiber reinforced tape or polyvinylchloride tape.
19. The method for absorbing energy according to claim 14 wherein a steering shaft passes through said cylindrical opening, said steering shaft being connected to a steering wheel, wherein the step of applying an impact force in the axial direction relative to said honeycomb body comprises applying an impact force against said steering wheel.
20. The system for absorbing energy in accordance with claim 1 which further comprises a layer of protective material located on at least a portion of said inner face of said planar honeycomb body.