Impact absorbing elements with joining structure

Abstract

An impact absorbing structure includes an impact absorbing material, a recipient body, and a frame. The frame is bonded to the recipient body. The recipient body and the frame together encapsulate the impact absorbing material. The frame is self-supporting. An impact absorbing structure includes an impact absorbing material with at least one perimeter edge that includes an opening or irregularity, a recipient body, and a frame that is bonded to the recipient body. The recipient body and the frame together encapsulate the impact absorbing material. The frame covers at least the one perimeter edge of the impact absorbing material. The frame provides stiffness at the one perimeter edge that is consistent with stiffness of the impact absorbing material away from the opening or irregularity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impact absorbing structure comprising: an impact absorbing material, a recipient body, and a frame that is bonded to the recipient body, wherein the recipient body and the frame together encapsulate the impact absorbing material, and the frame is self-supporting. 
     
     
         2 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the recipient body is a layer of flexible material. 
     
     
         3 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the recipient body extends outward of a perimeter of where the frame is bonded to the recipient body to form a living hinge. 
     
     
         4 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame has a lower structural stiffness than the impact absorbing material. 
     
     
         5 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 4 , wherein the frame is configured to undergo peak loading during an impact before the impact absorbing material undergoes peak loading. 
     
     
         6 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 4 , wherein the frame is configured to undergo peak loading between 20% and 40% of the peak loading of the impact absorbing material. 
     
     
         7 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 4 , wherein the frame is configured to undergo peak loading at 30% of the peak loading of the impact absorbing material. 
     
     
         8 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises material that undergoes plastic deformation under load. 
     
     
         9 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame is plastic that undergoes plastic deformation under load. 
     
     
         10 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first plurality of the impact absorbing material, a first plurality of the frame bonded to the recipient body on a first side of the recipient body with first gaps between adjacent ones of the first plurality of the frame, a second plurality of the impact absorbing material, a second recipient body, and a second plurality of the frame bonded to the second recipient body on a first side of the second recipient body with second gaps between adjacent ones of the second plurality of the frame, wherein the recipient body and the second recipient body form parallel layers. 
     
     
         11 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 10 , wherein the first gaps and the second gaps are offset from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 11 , wherein the first side of the recipient body and the first side of the second recipient body face towards one another. 
     
     
         13 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 11 , wherein the first side of the recipient body and the first side of the second recipient body face towards one another with the first plurality of frames being within the second gaps and the second plurality of frames being within the first gaps. 
     
     
         14 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 11 , wherein the first side of the recipient body and the first side of the second recipient body face the same direction. 
     
     
         15 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 14 , wherein the first plurality of the frame have a first height from the first side of the recipient body, the second plurality of the frame have a second height from the first side of the second recipient body, and the first height and the second height are different. 
     
     
         16 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a side wall transverse to the recipient body, and the side wall includes a geometric feature to alter the buckling mode of the frame. 
     
     
         17 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 16 , wherein the geometric feature comprises a notch or a slot. 
     
     
         18 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 16 , wherein the geometric feature comprises an offset of the side wall. 
     
     
         19 . The impact absorbing material according to  claim 16 , wherein the geometric feature comprises a wave profile. 
     
     
         20 . An impact absorbing structure comprising: impact absorbing material with at least one perimeter edge that includes an opening or irregularity, a recipient body, and
 a frame that is bonded to the recipient body, wherein the recipient body and the frame together encapsulate the impact absorbing material, the frame covers at least the one perimeter edge of the impact absorbing material, and the frame provides structural stiffness at the one perimeter edge that is consistent with stiffness of the impact absorbing material away from the opening or irregularity.   
     
     
         21 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 20 , wherein the opening or irregularity is caused by processing the impact absorbing material. 
     
     
         22 . The impact absorbing structure according to  claim 20 , wherein the opening or irregularity is caused by cutting the impact absorbing material.