Crash cushion for roadside object

Abstract

A sacrificial crash cushion ( 10 ) for a roadside object (e.g. post, mast or pylon), comprising a body ( 12 ) defining a chamber ( 14 ) containing a sacrificial energy absorber ( 16 ), the chamber ( 14 ) having a central region ( 20 ) and a lateral region ( 22, 24 ) on each side thereof, wherein the lateral regions ( 22, 24 ) extend away from the central region ( 20 ) such that the body ( 12 ) has a profile ( 30 ) configured to abut a roadside object, the profile having in each of two spaced-apart locations a contact surface ( 32, 34 ) for contacting a roadside object, with the contact surfaces ( 32, 34 ) facing in different directions.

1 . A sacrificial crash cushion for a roadside object (e.g. post, mast or pylon), comprising a body defining a chamber containing a sacrificial energy absorber, the chamber having a central region and a lateral region on each side thereof, wherein the lateral regions extend away from the central region such that the body has a profile configured to abut a roadside object, the profile having in each of two spaced-apart locations a contact surface for contacting a roadside object, with the contact surfaces facing in different directions, characterised in that the sacrificial crash cushion is configured to prevent during a collision therewith serious injury to vulnerable road users selected from motorcyclists, cyclists and passengers ejected from vehicles during an accident, with the sacrificial energy absorber being configured to deform and absorb impact energy when exposed to a threshold force level which would be generated by an average person hitting the sacrificial energy absorber head-on at a predetermined speed below 30 mph. 
     
     
         2 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 1 , in which the contact surfaces of the two spaced-apart locations face in two directions spaced by an angle of between 45° and 135°. 
     
     
         3 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 2 , in which the body has a substantially “L”- or “C”-shaped profile or footprint. 
     
     
         4 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 1 , in which the central region has an arcuate cross-section in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         5 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 1 , in which the sacrificial energy absorber comprises at least one layer of a sheet-form structure which extends from the central region to at least one of the lateral regions. 
     
     
         6 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 5 , in which the sheet-form structure defines a notional median plane which in use is arranged vertically in the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 5 , in which the notional median plane is curved, at least between the central region and one lateral region. 
     
     
         8 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 1 , in which the body comprises at least one opening for receiving a strap to strap the sacrificial crash cushion to a roadside object. 
     
     
         9 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 1 , further comprising an anchor for securing the body to a roadside object. 
     
     
         10 . A sacrificial crash cushion according to  claim 9 , in which the anchor comprises a clamping member and means for adjusting the position of the clamping member relative to the body. 
     
     
         11 . A method of protecting a vulnerable road user in collision with a roadside object, comprising:
 providing a sacrificial crash cushion comprising a body defining a chamber containing a sacrificial energy absorber, the chamber having a central region and a lateral region on each side thereof, wherein the lateral regions extend away from the central region such that the body has a profile configured to abut a roadside object, the profile having in each of two spaced-apart locations a contact surface for contacting a roadside object, with the contact surfaces facing in different directions, characterised in that the sacrificial crash cushion is configured to prevent during a collision therewith serious injury to vulnerable road users selected from motorcyclists, cyclists and passengers ejected from vehicles during an accident, with the sacrificial energy absorber being configured to deform and absorb impact energy when exposed to a threshold force level which would be generated by an average person hitting the sacrificial energy absorber head-on at a predetermined speed below 30 mph; and   securing the sacrificial crash cushion to the roadside object.   
     
     
         12 . A highway safety system, comprising: a roadside object and a sacrificial crash cushion comprising a body defining a chamber containing a sacrificial energy absorber, the chamber having a central region and a lateral region on each side thereof, wherein the lateral regions extend away from the central region such that the body has a profile configured to abut a roadside object, the profile having in each of two spaced-apart locations a contact surface for contacting a roadside object, with the contact surfaces facing in different directions, characterised in that the sacrificial crash cushion is configured to prevent during a collision therewith serious injury to vulnerable road users selected from motorcyclists, cyclists and passengers ejected from vehicles during an accident, with the sacrificial energy absorber being configured to deform and absorb impact energy when exposed to a threshold force level which would be generated by an average person hitting the sacrificial energy absorber head-on at a predetermined speed below 30 mph, the sacrificial crash cushion being secured to the roadside object to face in the general direction of oncoming traffic travelling along the road adjacent thereto.