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.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be coupled such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

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.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be couple such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

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.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be couple such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

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.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be couple such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

Abstract: A highway crash attenuation system having an improved breakaway guardrail post. An improved upper section of Post 1 has an anchor bearing plate with a cooperating stabilizing bolt engaging with the upstream face of the upper post section. The downstream side of the upper post section is provided with split, spaced-apart strut sections which do not obstruct the rear cable pass through notch.

Abstract: A crash attenuation system having an improved, controlled axle release mechanism for a truck trailer mounted attenuator. The axle release mechanism has an axle release insert disposed within an outer bursting tube which is urged downstream by a mandrel resulting in controlled shearing of the fasteners passing through different size elongated slots in the insert and retaining the insert within the bursting tube. Differential shear forces cause the fasteners to shear at different times as the insert is urged downstream resulting in a controlled release of the breakaway axle assembly.

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.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be couple such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

Abstract: A crash attenuation system having an improved, controlled axle release mechanism for a truck trailer mounted attenuator. The axle release mechanism has an axle release insert disposed within an outer bursting tube which is urged downstream by a mandrel resulting in controlled shearing of the fasteners passing through different size elongated slots in the insert and retaining the insert within the bursting tube. Differential shear forces cause the fasteners to shear at different times as the insert is urged downstream resulting in a controlled release of the breakaway axle assembly.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. Decreasing the rate of deceleration of the participant during such a collision with a wall assembly, by extending the distance over which a participant decelerates, is a key factor in reducing head and spinal injuries. The present disclosure provides apparatuses for decreasing the rate of deceleration by providing a wall assembly having a moveable piece that includes a first position and a plurality of second positions with a bias of the moveable piece to the first position. The movable wall assembly can move independently of a support frame, thereby further decreasing the rate of deceleration of a participant in a collision. The movable wall assembly can be supported on a base and slidable with respect to the base.

Abstract: A highway crash attenuation system having an improved breakaway guardrail post. An improved upper section of Post 1 has an anchor bearing plate with a cooperating stabilizing bolt engaging with the upstream face of the upper post section. The downstream side of the upper post section is provided with split, spaced-apart strut sections which do not obstruct the rear cable pass through notch.

Abstract: Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. Decreasing the rate of deceleration of the participant during such a collision with a wall assembly, by extending the distance over which a participant decelerates, is a key factor in reducing head and spinal injuries. The present disclosure provides apparatuses for decreasing the rate of deceleration by providing a wall assembly having a moveable piece that includes a first position and a plurality of second positions with a bias of the moveable piece to the first position. The movable wall assembly can move independently of a support frame, thereby further decreasing the rate of deceleration of a participant in a collision. The movable wall assembly can be supported on a base and slidable with respect to the base.

Abstract: A highway crash attenuation system having W-beam rail elements attached to a plurality of vertical posts. An impact terminal with a feeder chute guides one or more of the W-beam rail elements through the impact terminal. The feeder chute has an impact shield extending along a traffic-facing side of the chute from an upstream-most end to a downstream-most end of the chute closing the traffic-facing side of the chute. The system also has an anchor cable release mechanism for releasing the cable downstream of the first vertical post and an improved first breakaway post. An improved upper section of Post 1 has an anchor bearing plate with a cooperating stabilizing bolt engaging with the upstream face of the upper post section. The downstream side of the upper post section is provided with split, spaced-apart strut sections which do not obstruct the rear cable pass through notch.

Abstract: This guardrail terminal design incorporates an impact head of open front configuration adapted with the rear portion as a funnel disposed with the narrow end of the funnel facing forward which will flatten the W beam guardrail as it moves down the beam when impacted by a vehicle. Tension is maintained on the beam by flat strips connected from the beam through top open front of the impact head and is attached to a front anchor post. A wedge shaped reverse direction bracket with slotted bolt holes such that the slots open toward the traffic direction disposed at the back of the impact head where it connects to the guardrail will allow for reverse direction impacts to be accounted for.

Abstract: A highway crash attenuation system having W-beam rail elements attached to a plurality of vertical posts. An impact terminal with a feeder chute guides one or more of the W-beam rail elements through the impact terminal. The feeder chute has an impact shield extending along a traffic-facing side of the chute from an upstream-most end to a downstream-most end of the chute closing the traffic-facing side of the chute. The system also has an anchor cable release mechanism for releasing the cable downstream of the first vertical post and an improved first breakaway post.

Abstract: A highway crash attenuation system having W-beam rail elements attached to a plurality of vertical posts. An impact terminal with a feeder chute guides one or more of the W-beam rail elements through the impact terminal. The feeder chute has an impact shield extending along a traffic-facing side of the chute from an upstream-most end to a downstream-most end of the chute closing the traffic-facing side of the chute. The system also has an anchor cable release mechanism for releasing the cable downstream of the first vertical post and an improved first breakaway post.