Patent attributes
The present invention relates to a collapsible support (1) for absorbing energy during an impact, particularly to a support for an automobile knee bolster (50). The collapsible support (1) has the form of a tubular body with closed ends. The body extends along a longitudinal axis (3) along which it will collapse during an impact. The support (1) has two opposing end walls (4,10) substantially perpendicular to the axis (3). The two end walls (4,10) are connected by four similar stepped side walls (8) of rectangular plan form that substantially enclose the longitudinal axis (3) such that the side and end walls (8,4,10) of the collapsible support (1) substantially enclose an internal volume. The tubular body is adapted to deform so that sections (31-35) of side walls 8 collapse with one section moving inside another adjacent section upon the application of a compressive force applied to said body along said axis 3.
