Patents by Inventor Akram Y. Abu-Odeh
Akram Y. Abu-Odeh has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10851503Abstract: An end treatment for a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam comprising a downstream end and upstream end, a first tension cable coupled to an upstream end of the terminal portion. An extruder configured to receive at least a portion of the guardrail beam and at least a portion of the first tension cable, and a terminal support post installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The extruder includes a narrowing throat providing a channel in which at least a portion of the guardrail beam is disposed. The narrowing throat is configured to flatten the guardrail beam in response to a collision with a vehicle moving the extruder in a downstream direction along the guardrail beam. The terminal support post coupled to an upstream end of the first tension cable.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Dean C. Alberson, D. Lance Bullard, Jr., C. Eugene Buth, Roger P. Bligh, Akram Y. Abu-Odeh
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Publication number: 20170051461Abstract: According to a particular embodiment, an end treatment for a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam comprising a downstream end and upstream end, a first tension cable coupled to an upstream end of the terminal portion. an extruder configured to receive at least a portion of the guardrail beam and at least a portion of the first tension cable, and a terminal support post installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The extruder includes a narrowing throat providing a channel in which at least a portion of the guardrail beam is disposed. The narrowing throat is configured to flatten the guardrail beam in response to a collision with a vehicle moving the extruder in a downstream direction along the guardrail beam. The terminal support post coupled to an upstream end of the first tension cable.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2016Publication date: February 23, 2017Inventors: Dean C. Alberson, D. Lance Bullard, C. Eugene Buth, Roger P. Bligh, Akram Y. Abu-Odeh
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Patent number: 8882082Abstract: A terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2010Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, Jr., C. Eugene Buth
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Publication number: 20110057160Abstract: A terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, JR., C. Eugene Buth
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Patent number: 7883075Abstract: A terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at the upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2008Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, Jr., C. Eugene Buth
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Patent number: 7694941Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, an end treatment of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam that has a downstream end and an upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a first vertical height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a second vertical height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A flattening portion forms a channel through which the terminal portion of the guardrail beam is disposed. A vertical dimension of the channel is greater at a downstream end of the flattening portion than at an upstream end of the flattening portion. An impact plate is connected to the flattening portion for engaging an impacting vehicle at an end of said guardrail beam. During an end-on impact, the impact plate and the flattening portion are advanced longitudinally along the guardrail in a downstream direction by the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2008Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, Jr., C. Eugene Buth
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Publication number: 20090272956Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, an end treatment of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam that has a downstream end and an upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a first vertical height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a second vertical height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A flattening portion forms a channel through which the terminal portion of the guardrail beam is disposed. A vertical dimension of the channel is greater at a downstream end of the flattening portion than at an upstream end of the flattening portion. An impact plate is connected to the flattening portion for engaging an impacting vehicle at an end of said guardrail beam. During an end-on impact, the impact plate and the flattening portion are advanced longitudinally along the guardrail in a downstream direction by the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2008Publication date: November 5, 2009Inventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, JR., C. Eugene Buth
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Publication number: 20090272955Abstract: In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a terminal portion of a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam having a downstream end and upstream end. The terminal portion of the guardrail beam slopes from a height appropriate for redirecting an errant vehicle to a height proximate the surface of the ground at an upstream end of the terminal portion. Support posts are installed adjacent a roadway in spaced apart relation to one another and are coupled to the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. A terminal support post is installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the end terminal. The terminal support post couples to an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam by a resistive, tensile coupling that maintains tension in the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The resistive, tensile coupling is maintained between the terminal support post and the guardrail beam during an end-on or re-directive impact by a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2008Publication date: November 5, 2009Inventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Dean C. Alberson, Roger P. Bligh, D. Lance Bullard, JR., C. Eugene Buth
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Patent number: 7389860Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, an energy-absorbing device includes a section of material having a plurality of crush zones along a longitudinal length thereof, a first crush zone of the plurality of crush zones including a pair of opposed first bends formed in a first side and a second side of the section, a pair of opposed second bends formed in a third side and a fourth side of the section, and a first set of notches spaced around a perimeter of the section at a longitudinal location corresponding to the first bends and second bends. The first bends project in a direction that is one of inward and outward and the second bends project in a direction opposite that of the first bends. At least one of the other crush zones includes a second set of notches spaced around the perimeter of the section.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2005Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Akram Y. Abu-Odeh, Roger P. Bligh, Dean C. Alberson, Jacob R. Ness