Vehicle fenders – Buffer or bumper type – Bumper having impact force absorbing means directly...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-01-30
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Vehicle fenders
Buffer or bumper type
Bumper having impact force absorbing means directly...
C293S133000, C293S120000, C293S121000, C188S377000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179355
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to automotive vehicle bumpers in general, and more specifically to energy absorbing bumpers.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
It is known in the automotive industry to provide a bumper on the front and rear of an automotive vehicle to absorb impact energy and to prevent damage to other vehicle components such as fenders, frames, and the like. Some bumper designs seek to provide efficient energy absorption at low vehicle speeds such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,367 (Baumann et al). Baumann forms a bumper from two half shells of U-shaped cross section which terminate in longitudinally extending collapsible sections located adjacent the vehicle frame members. The collapsible sections, or deformation members, absorb energy when the ability of the bumper bracket to deform is exhausted.
Other bumper designs are oriented at absorbing energy in high-speed impacts. One such design, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,997 (Myers), locates two series connected energy-absorbing sections at the front end of the vehicle frame. The collapse of the vehicle front end is controlled by a laterally corrugated loop extending from the front end of the vehicle frame structure toward the rear end of the engine compartment. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,912 (Terada et al), a high-speed bumper design is shown in which the bumper is formed by a resin which encases a foam. Tubular collapsible members are located between the bumper and the ends of the vehicle frame.
Another design for attenuating front and rear impact energy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,295 (Eggert, Jr.). Eggert shows plural stages or modes of low-energy-attenuation, and high-energy-attenuation. This design, and other previous bumper designs, do not provide, however, adequate controlled energy absorption over a range of impact speeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a bumper assembly for an automotive vehicle which is capable of effectively absorbing impact energy under various impact conditions. The bumper assembly comprises a pair of multi-stage crush caps adapted for attachment to longitudinal ends of the vehicle body support members, such as frame rails, with each of the crush caps having an outward facing impact surface. The bumper member is adapted for attachment to the pair of body support members to extend generally laterally therebetween encasing the pair of crush caps. The bumper member has an upper crush groove, a lower crush groove, and an outward facing crush groove, which serve to absorb energy in a controlled, predetermined manner. The bumper member also has an inner, crush initiating surface spaced a predetermined distance from and substantially parallel to the impact surface of each of the pair of crush caps. A bumper fascia is preferably adapted to be mounted over the bumper member.
During an impact condition, the upper and lower crush grooves of the bumper member deform when the bumper assembly is impacted by a force below a first predetermined impact level and the crush initiating surface of the bumper member moves toward the outward facing impact surface of at least one of the pair of crush caps, but does not deform it. A first level of controlled energy absorption is thus provided by the deformation of the upper and lower crush grooves. When the bumper assembly is impacted by a force between the first predetermined impact level and a second predetermined impact level, the upper and lower crush grooves deform and the crush initiating surface of the bumper member contacts the outward facing impact surface of at least one of the pair of crush caps thus deforming the crush cap and the upper and lower crush grooves so as to provide a second level of controlled energy absorption. When the bumper assembly is impacted by a force above the second predetermined impact level, the upper and lower crush grooves deform, the crush initiating surface of the bumper member contacts the outward facing impact surface of at least one of the pair of crush caps deforming it, and the outward facing wall of the bumper member deforms about the outer crush groove to further deform the crush cap so as to provide a third level of controlled energy absorption.
An advantage of the present invention is a bumper assembly for an automotive vehicle, which is capable of effectively absorbing impact energy under various impact conditions.
Another advantage of the present invention is a bumper assembly which is cost effective and easy to manufacture and assemble.
A feature of the present invention is a bumper assembly having a bumper member with outer, upper, and lower crush grooves.
Another feature of the present invention is a bumper assembly having a multi-stage crush cap.
Still another feature of the present invention is a bumper assembly which deforms in a controlled fashion to effectively absorb energy at predetermined impact levels.
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Chou Shui-Fang
Qu Yi
Wang Han C.
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Kelley David B.
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran
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