Motor vehicle energy absorbing member

Details Motor vehicle energy absorbing member Motor vehicle energy absorbing member

1999-12-04

2001-11-06

Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)

Vehicle fenders

Buffer or bumper type

Bumper having impact force absorbing means directly...

C293S136000, C296S146600, C296S182100, C296S203010, C049S502000, C188S377000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06312028

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicle energy absorbing structural members for absorbing impact energy.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern motor vehicles are known to incorporate energy absorbing structural members that are designed to absorb impact energy when the vehicle is involved in a crash. Such energy absorbing members include steel door beams residing inside the doors of the vehicle to absorb a side impact and bumper extensions and frame members which are designed to have collapsible zones to collapse on impact. Various materials have been used to fabricate such energy absorbing members including bulky steel and aluminum alloy plates and beams, non-metallic materials such as polymers and other plastics, and composite materials that include a metal-metal composites, metal-polymer composites and others.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle structural energy absorbing member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a structural energy absorbing member that is light weight and that is made in a manner to produce pores or voids in a structural matrix to provide an integral energy absorbing region and that permits tailoring of impact energy absorption in one or more anticipated directions of impact. The pore or void structure, geometry, distribution, and concentration in the structural matrix can be controlled to provide energy absorption tailored to particular impact situations. The structural matrix can comprise metallic materials and ceramic materials. The energy absorbing structural member can comprise a frame rail member, bumper member, door beam and other structural energy absorbing member connected to a second structural member of the motor vehicle. Not only are the structural energy absorbing member pursuant to the invention advantageous as a result of their light weight, but also smaller structural energy absorbing members pursuant to the invention may be used in lieu of larger hollow structural components of the motor vehicle ad a result of the structural matrix thereof providing greater load carrying capacity compared to a similar sized hollow component. The structural energy absorbing members pursuant to the invention may be used as sound dampening structural members incorporated into the vehicle frame, strut frames, control arm links, engine and transmission mounts, and the like of a motor vehicle.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description taken with the following drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3010540 (1961-11-01), Dahlen
patent: 3082846 (1963-03-01), Jensen et al.
patent: 3829149 (1974-08-01), Stevens
patent: 3868796 (1975-03-01), Bush
patent: 4058188 (1977-11-01), Vrillon
patent: 4104118 (1978-08-01), Housman
patent: 4378394 (1983-03-01), Miura et al.
patent: 4378395 (1983-03-01), Asoshina et al.
patent: 4399174 (1983-08-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 4413856 (1983-11-01), McMahan et al.
patent: 4440434 (1984-04-01), Celli
patent: 4451518 (1984-05-01), Miura et al.
patent: 4601367 (1986-07-01), Bongers
patent: 4769951 (1988-09-01), Kaaden
patent: 4861097 (1989-08-01), Wyceech
patent: 5124186 (1992-06-01), Wycech
patent: 5150944 (1992-09-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5154462 (1992-10-01), Carpenter
patent: 5181549 (1993-01-01), Shapovalov
patent: 5277469 (1994-01-01), Klippel
patent: 5306066 (1994-04-01), Saathoff
patent: 5344208 (1994-09-01), Bien et al.
patent: 5395135 (1995-03-01), Lim et al.
patent: 5417022 (1995-05-01), Ritchie
patent: 5531500 (1996-07-01), Podvin
patent: 5611568 (1997-03-01), Masuda
patent: 5678826 (1997-10-01), Miller
patent: 5700050 (1997-12-01), Gonas
patent: 5732801 (1998-03-01), Gertz
patent: 5749600 (1998-05-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5806919 (1998-09-01), Davies
patent: 5820202 (1998-10-01), Ju
patent: 5992923 (1999-11-01), Wycech
patent: 5997077 (1999-12-01), Siebels et al.
patent: 6056349 (2000-05-01), Seksaria et al.
patent: 6068330 (2000-05-01), Kasuga et al.
patent: 19856162 (2000-06-01), None
patent: 0530042 (1993-03-01), None
patent: 0831005A2 (1998-03-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Motor vehicle energy absorbing member does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Motor vehicle energy absorbing member, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Motor vehicle energy absorbing member will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2613984