Innovative New Energy Absorbing Cushion Introduced

Cobra Seat Cushion System

June 3, 2002

This Cobra seat-cushioning system uses materials engineered to dissipate impact energy before it is transmitted to the human body (utilizing one or more layers of the HACS) thus reducing the level of injury sustained. Under a 23g impact the HACS Seat-Cushioning System exhibited 40% more protection than the competitors existing seats and their new seats currently in development. The system is as effective against repeated impacts (high speed ground or water vehicles) as it is against one-time events (crash landings).

The HACS material dissipates energy by shunting applied energy through air contained in a system of air channels [Colvin, 1993]. Thus, this material does not store energy or bottom out when impacted. HACS is the primary material used for energy dissipation in the Cobra Seat Cushioning System. The following is a photograph of the HACS technology.

The graph below shows the decided advantage of the Cobra Seat Cushioning System over currently fielded AH-1W cushions (baseline) and the other cushion competing for the AH-1W replacement cushion. It shows the Cobra cushion (without any other crashworthy technologies) reduces lumbar loading below what the Navy has defined (2500 pounds of spinal loading for a large male) as the injury criteria for spinal damage.

HACS (Hybrid Air Cushioning System): HACS has been shown to attenuate more energy than standard foam systems. The HACS technology is engineered designed and configured for each specific application. Along with its good energy-attenuating characteristics, HACS has the added advantage of returning to its original configuration after impact, making it reusable after hard landings and repeated impacts. The HACS cushion is the primary part of the total cushion system.

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