DEVICE HAVING ADJUSTABLE STIFFNESS FOR ABSORBING IMPACT ENERGY AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A STIFFNESS OF A DEVICE HAVING ADJUSTABLE STIFFNESS

摘要

The invention relates to a device (550) having adjustable stiffness for absorbing impact energy. The device (550) has a die (620) for accommodating and deforming a deformation element (610) during a movement of the deformation element (610) in an advancing direction (680) determined by the impact energy. The device (550) has an energy-absorbing device (630) for absorbing impact energy having a first energy magnitude that is less than a second energy magnitude of the impact energy at which the deformation element (610) can be deformed by the die (620). The device (550) further has an actuating device (640), which is designed to adjust a mobility of the die (620) and/or of the deformation element (610) in dependence on an energy magnitude signal that represents the impact energy, in order to release the energy-absorbing device (630) and/or the deformation element (610) to absorb the impact energy.