LOW IMPACT PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES

• US 3,734,554 A
• Filed: 02/22/1971
• Issued: 05/22/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl W. Schwabenlender
• Original Assignee: Carl W. Schwabenlender
• Inventors: Schwabenlender, Carl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheridan, Robert G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saifer, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/117,469
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 293/60,63,70,85,88,99,101 267/63A,140,139
• US Class Current: 293/121
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/26 comprising yieldable mounting means B60R19/38 takes precedence; springs, shock absorbers, or means for damping vibrations per se F16F

Abstract

An impact absorbing system includes a bumper having a resilient coating, and shear mounts between the bumper and the vehicle frame side bars. The ends of the side bars are strengthened and are offset outwardly from the wheel wells to near the ends of the bumpers where the shear mounts connect the bumper to the frame. Each shear mount includes an upper and lower bracket fixed to the bumper and bonded to resilient blocks supported on an inner bracket which is bolted to the frame side bar. A rim on the inner bracket and corresponding flanges on the upper and lower brackets abut to hold the resilient blocks in a normally stressed condition.

Claims

1. In a vehicle bumper mount for mounting a vehicle bumper to the end of the side bar of a vehicle frame, mounting bracket means straddling an end of the side bar, said bracket means comprising an upper plate extending longitudinally over the upper surface of the side bar and a lower plate extending over the lower surface of the side bar with plate means joining said upper and lower plates at the outer end of the side bar, an upper bracket mounted on the upper side of the side bar over the upper plate of the bracket means and in vertically spaced relation therefrom, a lower bracket mounted on the underside of the side bar below the lower plate of the bracket means and in vertically spaced relation therefrom, a block of resilient material secured between the upper plate and upper bracket and a corresponding block of resilient material secured between the lower plate and lower bracket, the blocks of resilient material stressing in shear between the mounting bracket means and side bar during impact forcing the bumper toward the side bar, means securing the mounting bracket means to the end portion of the side bar and to the vehicle bumper, and stop means on bumper mount for cooperating with the at least one of said plates to restrict deflection of said resilient blocks in the direction forcing the bumper outward from the end of the side bar and stressing said resilient blocks in shear in the direction forcing the bumper toward the end of the side bar.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stop means comprises complementary flanges on at least one of the mounting brackets and one adjacent mounting plate at the ends farthest from the front of the bumper with one of said flanges located inside the other whereby deflection of at least one of said resilient blocks is restricted in the direction forcing the bumper away from the end of the side bar.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stop means comprises an inwardly projecting flange at the end of each bracket farthest from the front of the bumper, said flange extending toward a said longitudinally extending plate, and an outwardly projecting rim on each longitudinally extending plate cooperating with a respective flange.