Collision energy absorbing apparatus and railway vehicle equipped with the same

摘要

Provided is a collision energy absorbing apparatus capable of mitigating loads to the car body proper, passengers and the like by adding a structure combining a prescribed static strength and collision energy absorption performance to an energy absorbing body of the collision energy absorbing apparatus. In a limited inner space of a car body, a cover 80 that covers energy absorbing bodies 51, 52 combines a prescribed static strength and collision energy absorption performance. The cover 80 prevents irregularities, such as the breakage of cylindrical bodies of aluminum alloy, i. e., the energy absorbing bodies 51, 52 in each of the stages of transportation, storage, assembling and the like of the collision energy absorbing apparatus 50. The cover 80 having static strength fulfills the role of withstanding a prescribed static load and in the event of a collision against an obstacle, the cover 80 is broken earliest and reduces a peak load of crush, with the result that part of the collision energy is used in the breakage of the cover 80. As a result of this, the cover 80 can contribute to the absorption and mitigation of the collision energy.