High flex bumper with reinforced corner end sections

Details High flex bumper with reinforced corner end sections High flex bumper with reinforced corner end sections

1999-07-27

2001-01-30

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Vehicle fenders

Buffer or bumper type

Composite bumper

C293S120000, C293S155000, C293S154000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179353

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bumper construction designed for high impact strength, but further designed for flexibility to provide for optimal energy absorption over a given stroke upon a high force bumper impact, such as a vehicle crash.
Regulations and industry standards for modern vehicle bumpers require that bumpers withstand significant impacts without damage to the bumper. Therefore, bumpers must be strong. However, the bumpers must also be flexible enough to absorb energy during a crash over their full stroke while avoiding unexpected collapse. Further, the bumper must also be lightweight to minimize vehicle mass to provide improved gas mileage and to help meet emission standards. There is tension between these requirements. Bumper beams that are sufficiently flexible to bend in their middle/center sections, may be “too” flexible on their ends (i.e., outside of the mounting brackets) to withstand the high forces generated in corner impacts. Alternatively, bumper beams manufactured to be stiff enough for optimal corner impact (such as those with thicker wall materials or higher stiffness materials) have center sections that may be “too” stiff to properly flex and absorb energy over their full stroke. Also, these “stiffer” bumpers may tend to kink, which results in unexpected collapse and low energy absorption. Further, “stiffer” bumpers tend to be heavier, leading to a greater vehicle mass, lower miles per gallon values, and higher emissions.
Accordingly, a bumper construction is desired solving the aforementioned problems and having the aforementioned advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a bumper construction for vehicles includes an elongated tubular beam having front, rear, top, and bottom walls, and having a center section and end sections. The beam is high strength but characteristically flexible to absorb substantial energy on impact. A mounting bracket is attached at each end of the center section, with the mounting brackets extending from the rear wall and being configured for attachment to a vehicle frame. At least one stiffening bracket is attached to each of the mounting brackets and to the end sections outboard of the center section. The stiffening brackets are attached to one of the top and bottom walls and are constructed to rigidify the end sections for comer impact.
In another aspect of the present invention, a bumper construction for vehicles includes an elongated tubular beam having front, rear, top, and bottom walls that define a cavity, and having a center section and end sections. The beam is high strength but characteristically flexible to absorb substantial energy on impact. Mounting brackets are attached at ends of the center section, with the mounting brackets extending from the rear wall and being configured for attachment to a vehicle frame. An energy absorbing system is attached to the flexible tubular beam, and includes a center absorber filling a significant portion of the cavity in the center section of the beam to stiffen the center section against buckling collapse, and end absorbers on ends of the beam filling the cavity in a significant portion of the opposing end sections to stiffen the end sections against buckling collapse. An inner surface of the end absorbers is spaced from an associated outer end surface of the center absorber to leave an empty end area in the cavity at the mounting brackets to promote flexibility in an area proximate to the mounting brackets to assist in optimizing energy absorption upon a corner impact on an end of the tubular beam.
An advantage of the inventive concepts disclosed herein is that they help the bumper pass Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 581, as well as pass Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (EIIS) standards, as well as provide increased comer impact strengths. It is contemplated that these concepts can be used in many different bumpers to help pass FMVSS and other test standards.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by persons skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.


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