ENERGY ABSORBER WITH FIXED ANGLED FINS

• US 20170334381A1
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cheng, James Chih, Sundararajan, Srinivasan, Farooq, S.M. Iskander, Muralidharan, Nirmal, Faruque, Mohammed Omar, Jaradi, Dean M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,827,933 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/023 Details
• 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

An energy absorbing system includes a carrier having a wall extending along a longitudinal axis. The energy absorber has a first leg and a second leg extending in a first direction away from the wall. A plurality of fins are fixed to and extend from the wall in the first direction, at approximately 60 to 65 degrees relative to the wall.

Claims

1. A bumper assembly, comprising:

a bumper beam extending along a longitudinal axis;

a carrier mounted to the bumper beam, the carrier having a wall spaced from the bumper beam and extending along the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of fins fixed to the carrier and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis;

wherein each fin extends from the wall toward the bumper beam at an angle between approximately 60-65 degrees relative to the wall; and

the carrier having a first leg and a second leg spaced from each other and each extending from the wall toward the bumper beam, the fins disposed between the first leg and the second leg.

2. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins are fixed to the wall.

4. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins taper away from the first leg and the second leg in a direction toward the bumper beam.

5. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins are fixed to the first leg and to second leg at the wall.

6. The bumper assembly of claim 5, wherein the fins taper away from the first leg and the second leg in a direction toward the bumper beam.

7. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall, the first leg, the second leg, and the fins are integral with each other.

8. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall and the fins are integral to each other.

9. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the first leg, the second leg, and the fins abut the bumper beam.

10. The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the fins abut the bumper beam.

11. The bumper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of fins fixed to the wall and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, and extending from the wall toward the bumper beam at a second angle between approximately 60-65 degrees relative to the wall, the angle of the plurality of fins being measured in a positive direction and the second angle of the second plurality of fins being measured in a negative direction.

12. The bumper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fascia, with the carrier between the fascia and the bumper beam.

3. (canceled)

13. An energy absorber, comprising:

a carrier including a wall extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first leg and a second leg spaced from each other and extending in a first direction away from the wall;

a plurality of fins spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, each fin being fixed to the carrier, the fins disposed between the first leg and the second leg;

wherein each fin extends from the wall in the first direction at between approximately 60-65 degrees relative to the wall.

14. The energy absorber of claim 13, wherein the fins are fixed to the wall.

15. The energy absorber of claim 13, wherein the fins are fixed to the first leg and to the second leg at the wall.

16. The energy absorber of claim 15, wherein the fins taper away from the first leg and the second leg in the first direction.

17. The energy absorber of claim 13, wherein the wall, the first leg, the second leg, and the fins are integral with each other.

18. The energy absorber of claim 13, wherein the wall and the fins are integral with each other.

19. The energy absorber of claim 13, further comprising a second plurality of fins fixed to the wall and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, and extending from the wall in the first direction at a second angle between approximately 60-65 degrees relative to the wall, the angle of the plurality of fins being measured in a positive direction and the second angle of the second plurality of fins being measured in a negative direction.