Crash attenuator assemblies for decelerating vehicles

Abstract

Crash attenuator assemblies are operable to decelerate errant vehicles traveling along roadways. The crash attenuator assemblies include guide rails anchorable to a ground surface adjacent a roadway. Frame assemblies are supported on the guide rails and are displaced upon impact by errant vehicles. The frame assemblies are oriented transverse to the guide rails and extend upward away from the ground surface. Guide bracket assemblies are attached to the frame assemblies and substantially inhibit vertical displacement of the frame assemblies away from the guide rails. The guide bracket assemblies include a sliding-contact surface portion that is curved around a vertical axis. The sliding-contact surface portions are disposed in facing relation to the guide rails and tangentially contact the guide rails in an oblique orientation of the frame assemblies relative to the guide rails.

1 . A crash attenuator assembly operable to decelerate an associated errant vehicle, said crash attenuator assembly comprising:
 a guide rail anchorable to an associated ground surface adjacent an associated roadway, said guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction from a first rail end to a second rail end opposite said first rail, said guide rail including a cross-sectional shape transverse to said longitudinal direction, said cross-sectional shape including a base wall portion, a flange wall portion spaced in a vertical direction from said base wall portion, and a web wall portion extending between and operatively connecting said base wall portion and said flange wall portion such that a longitudinally-extending open channel is at least partially defined by said web wall portion between said base wall portion and said flange wall portion;   a frame assembly supported on said guide rail for longitudinal displacement therealong upon impact by the associated errant vehicle, said frame assembly oriented transverse to said guide rail and extending therefrom in said vertical direction away from the associated ground surface; and,   a guide bracket assembly attached to said frame assembly and operatively engaging said guide rail to substantially inhibit displacement of said frame assembly away from said guide rail in said vertical direction, said guide bracket assembly including a guide bracket wall with a mounting wall portion attached to said frame assembly and a retaining wall portion extending transversely from along said mounting wall portion, said retaining wall portion including a guide surface portion disposed along a distal edge thereof with said guide surface portion curved around a vertical axis, said guide surface portion disposed in facing relation to said guide rail with said guide surface portion tangentially contacting at least one of said web wall portion and said flange wall portion of said guide rail in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said guide rail.   
     
     
         2 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said retaining wall portion includes a first end surface portion and a second end surface portion with said guide surface portion extending between and operatively connecting said first and second end surface portions. 
     
     
         3 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said retaining wall portion includes a first side surface portion facing toward said frame assembly and a second side surface portion facing away from said frame assembly. 
     
     
         4 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said retaining wall portion extends into said open channel of said guide rail such that said flange wall portion thereof is disposed within a gap between said frame assembly and said retaining wall portion. 
     
     
         5 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said guide bracket wall is a first guide bracket wall, said guide surface portion is a first guide surface portion, and said vertical axis is a first vertical axis;
 said guide bracket assembly includes a first guide bracket and a second guide bracket supported on said first guide bracket with said first guide bracket including said first guide bracket wall, said first guide surface portion and said first vertical axis;   said second guide bracket including a second guide bracket wall with a second guide surface portion curved around a second vertical axis, said second guide surface portion disposed in facing relation to said guide rail with said second guide surface portion tangentially contacting at least one of said web wall portion and said flange wall portion of said guide rail in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said guide rail.   
     
     
         6 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said second guide bracket wall includes a first end surface portion and a second end surface portion with said second guide surface portion extending between and operatively connecting said first and second end surface portions. 
     
     
         7 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said second guide bracket wall includes a first side surface portion facing toward said frame assembly and a second side surface portion facing away from said frame assembly. 
     
     
         8 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said retaining wall portion of said first guide bracket wall extends into said open channel of said guide rail such that said flange wall portion thereof is disposed between said frame assembly and said retaining wall portion of said first guide bracket wall, and said second guide surface portion is disposed laterally outward of said guide rail in facing relation with said flange wall portion of said guide rail such that with said second guide surface portion tangentially contacts said flange wall portion of said guide rail in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said guide rail. 
     
     
         9 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said first guide surface portion has a first radius of curvature about said first vertical axis, and said second guide surface portion has a second radius of curvature about said second vertical axis. 
     
     
         10 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said first radius of curvature and said second radius of curvature are approximately equal. 
     
     
         11 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said second vertical axis is laterally offset from said first vertical axis. 
     
     
         12 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said frame assembly includes a frame body and a frame bracket attached to said frame body. 
     
     
         13 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said guide bracket assembly is attached to said frame bracket. 
     
     
         14 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said frame assembly is one of a plurality of frame assemblies supported in longitudinally-spaced relation to one another along said guide rail. 
     
     
         15 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein each frame assembly of said plurality of frame assemblies includes one of said guide bracket assemblies attached to said frame assembly and operatively engaging said guide rail to substantially inhibit displacement of said frame assembly away from said guide rail in said vertical direction. 
     
     
         16 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said guide rail is a first guide rail; and,
 said crash attenuator assembly further comprises a second guide rail anchorable to an associated ground surface adjacent an associated roadway and substantially similar to said first guide rail, said first and second guide rails offset from one another in a lateral direction and axially coextensive with one another in said longitudinal direction with said first and second guide rails oriented in approximate alignment with one another.   
     
     
         17 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said guide bracket assembly is a first guide bracket assembly; and,
 said crash attenuator assembly further comprises a second guide bracket assembly attached to said frame assembly in laterally-spaced relation to said first guide bracket assembly, said second guide bracket assembly operatively engaging said second guide rail to substantially inhibit displacement of said frame assembly away from said second guide rail in said vertical direction, said second guide bracket assembly including a third guide bracket with a third guide bracket wall including a mounting wall portion attached to said frame assembly and a retaining wall portion extending transversely from along said mounting wall portion, said retaining wall portion including a third guide surface portion curved around a vertical axis, said third guide surface portion disposed in facing relation to said second guide rail with said third guide surface portion tangentially contacting at least one of said web wall portion and said flange wall portion of said second guide rail in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said second guide rail.   
     
     
         18 . A crash attenuator assembly operable to decelerate an associated errant vehicle, said crash attenuator assembly comprising:
 first and second guide rails extending in a longitudinal direction from a first rail end to a second rail end, said first and second guide rails offset from one another in a lateral direction and arranged coextensively and in approximate alignment with one another, each of said first and second rails anchorable to an associated ground surface adjacent an associated roadway and including a cross-sectional shape transverse to said longitudinal direction, said cross-sectional shape including a base wall portion, a flange wall portion spaced in a vertical direction from said base wall portion, and a web wall portion extending between and operatively connecting said base wall portion and said flange wall portion such that a longitudinally-extending open channel is at least partially defined by said web wall portion between said base wall portion and said flange wall portion;   a frame structure supported on said first and second guide rails for longitudinal displacement therealong upon impact from the associated errant vehicle, said frame structure including a first frame bracket disposed along said first guide rail and a second frame bracket disposed along said second guide rail;   a first guide bracket assembly attached to said first frame bracket and a second guide bracket assembly attached to said second frame bracket, said first and second guide bracket assemblies operatively engaging respective ones of said first and second guide rails to substantially inhibit displacement of said frame assembly away from said first and second guide rails in said vertical direction, said first and second guide bracket assemblies each including a guide bracket wall with a mounting wall portion attached to respective ones of said first and second frame brackets and a retaining wall portion extending transversely from along said mounting wall portion, said retaining wall portion including a sliding-contact surface portion curved around a vertical axis, said sliding-contact surface portion disposed in facing relation to respective ones of said first and second guide rails with said sliding-contact surface portion tangentially contacting at least one of said web wall portion and said flange wall portion of respective ones of said first and second guide rails in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said first and second guide rail.   
     
     
         19 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said retaining wall portion of said first and second guide bracket assemblies extends into said open channel of said respective one of said first and second guide rails such that said flange wall portion thereof is disposed within a gap between said frame assembly and said retaining wall portion. 
     
     
         20 . A crash attenuator assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said guide bracket wall of first and second guide bracket assemblies is a first guide bracket wall, and each of said first and second guide bracket assemblies include a second guide bracket wall disposed within a gap between said frame assembly and said retaining wall portion, said second guide bracket wall including a second sliding-contact surface portion curved around a second vertical axis, said second sliding-contact surface portion disposed in facing relation to respective ones of said first and second guide rails with said second sliding-contact surface portion tangentially contacting at least one of said web wall portion and said flange wall portion of respective ones of said first and second guide rails in an oblique orientation of said frame assembly relative to said first and second guide rails.