Vehicle energy absorber

• US 10,618,485 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Farooq, S.M. Iskander, Faruque, Mohammad Omar, Muralidharan, Nirmal, Li, Yali, Jaradi, Dean M., Sundararajan, Srinivasan, Chuang, Ching-Hung, Trifale, Ninad
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US15/948,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 293133
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/03 characterised by material, e.g. composite B60R19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/186 Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1893 comprising a multiplicity of identical adjacent shock-absorbing means

Abstract

A bumper assembly includes a bumper beam and a fin supported by the bumper beam. The fin has a proximate end proximate to the bumper beam and a distal end distal to the bumper beam and an axis extending from the proximate end to the distal end. The fin has a sinuous shape in a cross section normal to the axis.

Claims

1. A bumper assembly, comprising:

a bumper beam;

a plate supported by the bumper beam extending in a cross-vehicle direction from a first end to a second end and including a center between the first and second ends; and

a plurality of fins supported by the plate, the fins each having a proximate end proximate to the plate and a distal end distal to the plate, and an axis extending from the proximate end to the distal end;

wherein the fins each have a sinuous shape in a cross section normal to the axis;

wherein the plate defines a first side between the first end and the center and a second side between the second end and the center, and wherein all of the fins disposed on the first side of the plate have a same first orientation and all of the fins disposed on the second side of the plate have a same second orientation mirroring the first orientation.

2. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins are spaced along a longitudinal axis of the bumper beam.

3. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal ends each present a flat surface, the flat surfaces defining a plane, and each fin has a sinuous cross section in the plane.

4. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins are evenly spaced along the bumper beam.

5. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins are spaced along the bumper beam in the cross-vehicle direction.

6. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal end has a distal flat surface.

7. The bumper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fascia, wherein each fin is disposed between the bumper beam and the fascia.

8. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the sinuous shape includes a first curve and a second curve.

9. The bumper assembly of claim 8, wherein each fin has a center line, the first curve defines a first opening, and the second curve defines a second opening, the first opening opposing the second opening about the center line.

10. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein each fin has a material thickness increasing from the proximate end to the distal end.

11. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximate end extends to the distal end in a vehicle-forward direction.

12. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the cross section is substantially constant from the proximate end to the distal end.

13. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein each fin is constructed of a plastic.