Shock absorbing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10724595-B2
Application number	US-201816464599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2018
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shock absorbing device incorporating a plurality of wavy shaped elements made of a superelastic material arranged in a crossing pattern, wherein pairs of crests or troughs of said wavy shaped elements made of a superelastic material are restrained to each other in a locking manner by way of connecting elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) comprising a plurality of elements ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) made of a superelastic Ni—Ti based alloy material, wherein said elements ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) have a wavy shape featuring a plurality of crests and troughs between which straight portions are arranged, and wherein the elements ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) are arranged so as to form a pattern with a plurality of pairs of crossing crests and/or crossing troughs, said shock absorbing device also comprising a plurality of connecting elements ( 13 , 13 ′ . . . 13 n ; 14 , 14 ′, . . . 14 n ; 63 , 63 ′, . . . 63 n ; 73 , 73 ′, . . . 73 n ) configured to restrain in a locking manner a number of said pairs of crossing crests or crossing troughs, each of said connecting elements ( 13 , 13 ′ . . . 13 n ; 14 , 14 ′, . . . 14 n ; 63 , 63 ′, . . . 63 n ; 73 , 73 ′, . . . 73 n ) locking between 1 and 72 pairs, while leaving said straight portions free to move.

2. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said connecting elements are blocks ( 13 , 13 ′ . . . 13 n ; 14 , 14 ′, . . . 14 n ; 63 , 63 ′, . . . 63 n , 73 , 73 ′, . . . 73 n ) made of a rigid material or weld spots.

3. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said rigid material is chosen from plastics, light metals, glass wool, carbon or aramid composites.

4. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said elements made of a superelastic material ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) are chosen from wires and tubes having a circular or rectangular cross section.

5. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 4 , wherein said wires have a diameter or a larger lateral dimension comprised between 250 μm and 1000 μm.

6. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said pattern is a rectangular grid.

7. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each connecting element ( 13 , 13 ′ . . . 13 n ; 14 , 14 ′, . . . 14 n ) restrains in a locking manner only one pair of crests or troughs.

8. A shock absorbing device ( 60 ) according to claim 1 , comprising connecting elements ( 63 , 63 ′, . . . , 63 n ) having a square shape, each of said connecting elements ( 63 , 63 ′, . . . , 63 n ) restraining in a locking manner 4 to 64 pairs of crests or troughs.

9. A shock absorbing device ( 70 ) according to claim 1 , comprising connecting elements ( 73 , 73 ′, . . . , 73 n ) restraining in a locking manner a number of pairs of crests or troughs arranged in a row.

10. A shock absorbing device ( 70 ) according to claim 9 , wherein said number of pairs of crests or troughs restrained in a locking manner by any of the connecting elements ( 73 , 73 ′, . . . , 73 n ) is comprised between 2 and 72.

11. A shock absorbing device ( 70 ) according to claim 9 , comprising a connecting element ( 73 , 73 ′, . . . , 73 n ) for each row of the pattern and wherein each connecting element joins all the pairs of crests or troughs along the respective row.

12. A shock absorbing device ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least one connecting element ( 13 , 13 ′ . . . 13 n ; 63 , 63 ′, . . . , 63 n ) restraining in a locking manner one or more pairs of crests and at least one connecting element ( 14 , 14 ′, . . . 14 n ) restraining in a locking manner one or more pairs of troughs.

13. A human body protection system comprising a shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 1 .

14. A human body protection system according to claim 13 , wherein said system is a vehicle seat, a biker garment, a military vest or a sporting apparel.

15. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said elements made of a superelastic material ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) are chosen from wires and tubes having a circular or rectangular cross section.

16. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said elements made of a superelastic material ( 11 , 11 ′ . . . 11 n , 12 , 12 ′, . . . 12 n ) are chosen from wires and tubes having a circular or rectangular cross section.

17. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said pattern is a rectangular grid.

18. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said pattern is a rectangular grid.

19. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 4 wherein said pattern is a rectangular grid.

20. A shock absorbing device ( 10 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ) according to claim 5 , wherein said pattern is a rectangular grid.

Assignees

• Getters Spa
• Gruppo Rold S P A

Inventors

• Citro Marco
• Alacqua Stefano

Classifications

• A42B3/124

  with at least one corrugated or ribbed layer · CPC title

• F16F2224/0258

  Shape-memory metals, e.g. Ni-Ti alloys · CPC title

• F16F1/025

  characterised by having a particular shape (F16F1/04, F16F1/14, F16F1/18, F16F1/32, F16F1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F7/00 Primary

  Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers (using fluid F16F5/00, F16F9/00; specific for rotary systems F16F15/10 {; belt tensioners F16H7/12}) · CPC title

• A41D31/28

  Shock absorbing · CPC title