ONE-PIECE FASCIA WITH INTEGRATED ENERGY ABSORBER

• US 20170203708A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: FAROOQ, S.M. Iskander, JARADI, Dean M., FARUQUE, Mohammed Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/996,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203708A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0091 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3044 Bumpers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• 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 2019/1866 Cellular structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1886 Bumper fascias and fastening means therefor

Abstract

One-piece, integrated vehicle fascia and energy absorbers and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The one-piece vehicle fascia may include a fascia body and an energy absorber integrally formed with the fascia body. The energy absorber may include an open lattice portion including at least one lattice wall extending rearward from a front portion of the fascia body and adjoining at least two open cells. The lattice wall thickness may be smaller at a front portion of the energy absorber than at a rear portion. The open lattice portion may be formed as a honeycomb structure. The one-piece, integrated vehicle fascia and energy absorber may be formed by an additive manufacturing process (e.g., 3D printing). The process may include building the one-piece vehicle fascia in a plurality of successive layers each having a uniform thickness.

Claims

1. A one-piece vehicle fascia, comprising:

a fascia body; and

an energy absorber integrally formed with the fascia body and including an open lattice portion including at least one lattice wall extending rearward from a front portion of the fascia body and adjoining at least two open cells.

2. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the at least one lattice wall has a thickness that varies from a front of the open lattice portion to a rear of the open lattice portion.

3. The fascia of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the at least one lattice wall is smaller at the front of the open lattice portion than at the rear of the open lattice portion.

4. The fascia of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the at least one lattice wall continuously increases from the front of the open lattice portion to the rear of the open lattice portion.

5. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the open lattice portion includes a repeating pattern of open cells having a continuous common lattice wall.

6. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the fascia body is formed of a first polymer and the energy absorber is formed of a second polymer that is different from the first polymer.

7. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the fascia body is formed of a polymer and the energy absorber is formed of a metal.

8. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the front portion of the fascia body includes a grill opening defined in and the energy absorber is disposed above the grill opening.

9. The fascia of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber includes a solid portion extending upward from the open lattice portion.

10. The fascia of claim 9, wherein the open lattice portion has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the solid portion.

11. A method, comprising:

forming a one-piece vehicle fascia including a fascia body and an energy absorber integrally formed with the fascia body by an additive manufacturing process, the process including building the one-piece vehicle fascia in a plurality of successive layers each having a uniform thickness.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming step includes forming an open lattice portion of the energy absorber extending rearward from a front portion of the fascia body.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming step includes forming lattice walls extending rearward from the front portion of the fascia body and forming a thickness of the lattice walls smaller at a front of the lattice portion than at a rear of the lattice portion.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming step includes forming the open lattice portion as a honeycomb structure.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes curing a liquid polymer using a light source.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes heating a source material to at least its melting temperature and extruding the material from a nozzle.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive manufacturing process includes fusing a source material powder or melting a source material powder using a laser.

18. A one-piece vehicle fascia, comprising:

a fascia body; and

an energy absorber integrally formed with the fascia body and including a honeycomb structure extending rearward from a front portion of the fascia body.

19. The fascia of claim 18, wherein a wall thickness of the honeycomb structure increases as the honeycomb structure extends rearward.

20. The fascia of claim 18, wherein the honeycomb structure forms a bottom portion of the energy absorber and the energy absorber further includes a solid top portion.