Deformable Energy Absorber Structures For Front Hood Assemblies Of Vehicles

• US 20180009407A1
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hammer, Jeremiah T., Steinhilb, Aaron R., Phadatare, Avinash S., Gururaj, Rahul B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,855,914 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/023 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/003 characterised by occupant or pedestian
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/343 using deformable body panel, bodywork or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/90 on bumper, e.g. collision sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/08 Predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/14 Cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/15 having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/105 for motor cars
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A front hood assembly for a vehicle including a front grille may include a sensory assembly, a bumper assembly positioned adjacent to the front grille, and an energy absorber structure. The bumper assembly may include a bumper reinforcement having a front face and a top face, which front face is disposed below and extends away from the top face. The energy absorber structure may be positioned adjacent to the top face of the bumper reinforcement. The energy absorber structure may be rearwardly compliant in an impact direction and disposed below and rearwardly of the sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.

Claims

1. A front hood assembly for a vehicle including a front grille, the front hood assembly comprising:

a sensory assembly;

a bumper assembly positioned adjacent to the front grille, wherein;

the bumper assembly includes a bumper reinforcement having a front face and a top face, and

the front face is disposed below and extends away from the top face; and

an energy absorber structure positioned adjacent to the top face of the bumper reinforcement, wherein;

the energy absorber structure is rearwardly compliant in an impact direction, and

the energy absorber structure is disposed below and rearwardly of the sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.

2. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the impact direction is disposed at approximately a 45°

angle with respect to a portion of the top face of the bumper reinforcement.

3. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensory assembly comprises a radar sensor configured to generate an object sensing signal to prevent crashes.

4. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensory assembly comprises a radar sensor configured to generate a control signal to assist with dynamic cruise control operations.

5. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the energy absorber structure is formed from an injection moldable material.

6. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the energy absorber structure comprises;

a front portion, a middle portion, and rear portion, and

one or more bendline structures in the rear portion, wherein;

each bendline structure is defined by a pair of legs defining a gap therebetween, and

the pair of legs are configured to bend at a rearward bend point upon impact at a direction that is rearwardly angled with respect to the impact direction.

7. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein, during the impact, a bending moment remains below a bending moment threshold that is in a range of from about 285 Nm to about 350 Nm.

8. The front hood assembly of claim 1, wherein, during the impact, a load remains below a load threshold that is in a range of from about 5 kN to about 6 kN.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a front hood assembly comprising a sensory assembly;

a bumper assembly, wherein;

the bumper assembly includes a bumper reinforcement having a front face and a top face, and

the front face is disposed below and extends away from the top face; and

an energy absorber structure positioned adjacent to the top face of the bumper reinforcement, wherein;

the energy absorber structure is rearwardly compliant in an impact direction, and

the energy absorber structure is disposed below and rearwardly of the sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the impact direction is disposed at approximately a 45°

angle with respect to a portion of the top face of the bumper reinforcement.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the sensory assembly comprises a radar sensor configured to generate at least one object sensing signals to prevent crashes and control signals to assist with dynamic cruise control operations.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the energy absorber structure is made of one of metal, plastic, or combinations thereof.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the energy absorber structure comprises;

a front portion, a middle portion, and rear portion, and

one or more bendline structures in the rear portion, wherein;

each bendline structure is defined by a pair of legs defining a gap therebetween, and

the pair of legs are configured to bend at a rearward bend point upon impact at a direction that is rearwardly angled with respect to the impact direction.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein, during the impact, a bending moment remains below a bending moment threshold that is in a range of from about 285 Nm to about 350 Nm.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein, during the impact, a load remains below a load threshold that is in a range of from about 5 kN to about 6 kN.

16. An energy absorber structure for a bumper assembly of a vehicle, the energy absorber structure comprising:

an injection moldable material, wherein the energy absorber structure is formed from the injection moldable material;

a front portion, a middle portion, and rear portion; and

one or more bendline structures in the rear portion, wherein each bendline structure is defined by a pair of legs defining a gap therebetween, wherein the pair of legs are configured to bend rearwardly at a rearward bend point upon impact at a direction that is angled with respect to an impact direction, and wherein the pair of legs are angled in a same direction to bend at the rearward bend point in the same direction.

17. The energy absorber structure of claim 16, wherein the energy absorber structure is positioned adjacent to a top face of a bumper reinforcement of the bumper assembly.

18. The energy absorber structure of claim 16, wherein the energy absorber structure is disposed below and rearwardly of a sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.

19. The energy absorber structure of claim 16, wherein:

the energy absorber structure is a bracket, and

the injection moldable material is an injection moldable polymer material.

20. The energy absorber structure of claim 16, further comprising one or more bendline structures in the front portion, wherein each bendline structure is defined by a pair of legs defining a gap therebetween, wherein the pair of legs are configured to bend forwardly at a forward bend point upon impact at a direction that is angled with respect to the impact direction.