BUMPER ASSEMBLY

• US 20180244222A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 08/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nusier, Saied, Baccouche, Mohamed Ridha, Belwafa, Jamel E., Barbat, Saeed David, Arora, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 10,099,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/34 destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
• 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 beam and a plurality of members attached to and positioned sequentially along the beam. Each member includes an outer tube extending transverse to the beam and an inner tube extending parallel to and in the outer tube. Adjacent ones of the members are configured to contact each other when both adjacent ones of the members are deformed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a beam; and

a plurality of members attached to and positioned sequentially along the beam;

each member including an outer tube extending transverse to the beam and an inner tube extending parallel to and in the outer tube;

wherein adjacent ones of the members are configured to contact each other when both adjacent ones of the members are deformed;

each outer tube has an inner surface, and each inner tube is attached to the inner surface of the outer tube at a connection line;

each member includes a bridge portion extending from the inner surface of the outer tube to the inner tube; and

each bridge portion is attached to the inner tube opposite from the connection line.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer and inner tubes are round.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer and inner tubes have wall thicknesses;

and the wall thickness of each outer tube is thinner than the wall thickness of the corresponding inner tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam extends between two ends and has a midpoint halfway between the ends;

the outer tubes have corresponding diameters;

at least some of the diameters are different than other of the diameters; and

the members are arranged in ascending order of the corresponding diameters of the outer tubes from each end to the midpoint.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam extends between two ends and has a midpoint halfway between the ends;

the outer tubes have corresponding wall thicknesses;

and the members are arranged in ascending order of the corresponding wall thicknesses of the outer tubes from the midpoint to each end.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer tubes are generally parallel to each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the members and the beam are integral.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam and members are extruded.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the members are spaced from each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bumper beam extending parallel to the beam;

wherein the beam is coupled to the bumper beam.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a fascia extending parallel to the beam;

wherein the fascia is coupled to the bumper beam and extends around the members.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the beam has an upper edge and a lower edge extending in a direction of the beam, and the bumper beam includes a groove accepting the lower edge of the beam.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bumper beam includes a second groove accepting the upper edge of the beam.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the beam is fastened at the upper edge to the bumper beam.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

6. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inner tubes are elliptical.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a beam; and

a plurality of members attached to and positioned sequentially along the beam;

each member including an outer tube extending transverse to the beam and an inner tube extending parallel to and in the outer tube;

wherein adjacent ones of the members are configured to contact each other when both adjacent ones of the members are deformed

the beam extends between two ends and has a midpoint halfway between the ends;

the outer tubes have corresponding wall thicknesses; and

the members are arranged in ascending order of the corresponding wall thicknesses of the outer tubes from the midpoint to each end.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a beam;

a plurality of members attached to and positioned sequentially along the beam;

each member including an outer tube extending transverse to the beam and an inner tube extending parallel to and in the outer tube; and

a bumper beam extending parallel to the beam;

wherein adjacent ones of the members are configured to contact each other when both adjacent ones of the members are deformed;

the beam is coupled to the bumper beam;

the beam has an upper edge and a lower edge extending in a direction of the beam; and

the bumper beam includes a groove accepting the lower edge of the beam.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the bumper beam includes a second groove accepting the upper edge of the beam.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beam is fastened at the upper edge to the bumper beam.