HYBRID QUARTER MODULE DESIGN FOR FRONT UNDERRUN PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20150367798A1
• Filed: 02/05/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Bobba, Somasekhar
• Granted Patent: US 9,308,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/56 Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers; Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1833 made of plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1846 comprising a cellular structure

Abstract

In an embodiment, a component for an underrun protection device can comprise: a housing member (10), comprising a main body (100) having a base plate (108) with a top wall (103), bottom wall (109), and optional side walls (104), extending from one side of the base plate (108) to form a housing (115); an arm (101) extending from another side of the base plate (108), wherein the arm (101) comprises a base (109) in contact with the base plate (108), arm sides (105) that extend from the base (109) toward a connection area (107), wherein the arm sides (105) form an arm channel (113); a body polymeric insert (200) comprising body insert ribs (202) and body insert channels (204); and an arm polymeric insert (300) comprising arm insert ribs (302) and arm insert channels (304), wherein the arm polymeric insert (300) is located in the arm channel (113).

Claims

1. A component for an underrun protection device comprising:

a housing member, comprising

a main body having a base plate with a top wall, bottom wall, and optional side walls, extending from one side of the base plate to form a housing;

an arm extending from another side of the base plate, wherein the arm comprises a base in contact with the base plate, arm sides that extend from the base toward a connection area, wherein the arm sides form an arm channel;

a body polymeric insert comprising body insert ribs and body insert channels, wherein the body polymeric insert is located in the housing; and

an arm polymeric insert comprising arm insert ribs and arm insert channels, wherein the arm polymeric insert is located in the arm channel.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the housing member comprises an opening through at least one of the base plate, the top wall, the bottom wall, the side wall, the arm channel, the arm sides, and the connection area.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the arm sides have a triangular shape with the base being the base of the triangle.

4. The component of claim 3, wherein the triangle is a right triangle.

5. The component of claim 1, wherein the body polymeric insert and the arm polymeric insert comprise a fiber reinforced polymeric material.

6. The component of claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises connection members to connect a component to another component.

7. The component of claim 1, further comprising a flange configured to receive a bumper beam.

8. The component of claim 1, wherein the arm insert channels extend in a direction perpendicular to the body insert channels.

9. The component of claim 1, wherein the arm insert channels extend in a direction parallel to the body insert channels.

10. The component of claim 9, wherein arm polymeric insert and the body polymeric insert are a combined, unitary polymeric insert.

11. An underrun protection device comprising the component of claim 1.

12. The device of claim 11, comprising at least two of the components.

13. The device of claim 11, comprising at least four identical of the components joined together.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein, when installed on a vehicle, the device at least meets ECE R93 standards.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a rail;

the device of claim 11 attached to the rail; and

a bumper beam attached to the device.

16. The component of claim 1, wherein the housing member comprises an opening through at least one of the base plate, the top wall, the bottom wall, the side wall, the arm channel, the arm sides, and the connection area;

wherein the arm sides have a triangular shape with the base being the base of the triangle;

wherein the body polymeric insert and the arm polymeric insert comprise a fiber reinforced polymeric material.

17. The component of claim 16, further comprising a flange configured to receive a bumper beam.

18. The component of claim 1, wherein the arm insert channels extend in a direction perpendicular to the body insert channels.

19. The component of claim 16, wherein arm polymeric insert and the body polymeric insert are a combined, unitary polymeric insert.