Extendable vehicle bumper

• US 5,951,073 A
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cleophus White
• Original Assignee: Cleophus White
• Inventors: Hall, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US09/105,444
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 293/119
• US Class Current: 293/119
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type

Abstract

A new extendable vehicle bumper for warning a driver of a vehicle that their vehicle is coming close to contact with an object such as a wall or another vehicle. The inventive device includes an elongate contact bumper with a plurality of telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators coupled to one side of the contact bumper. Each of the telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators has a mounting portion for attachment to the bumper area of a vehicle. A remote controller is electrically connected to the telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuator. The remote controller has an actuator and a warning indicator. The actuator of the remote controller permits selective extending and retracting of the telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators. The warning indicator warns a user when the telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are pushed from the extended position towards the retracted position by the contact bumper.

Claims

1. A contact warning device for mounting to the bumper area of a vehicle, said device comprising:

an elongate contact bumper having a first and second sides and a pair of opposite ends;

a plurality of telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators being coupled to said second side of said contact bumper, each said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuator having a piston portion and a cylinder portion, the piston portion being retractably extendable from the cylinder portion between a retracted position and an extended position;

each of said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators having a mounting portion for attachment to the bumper area of a vehicle;

a remote controller being electrically connected to said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuator, said remote controller having an actuator and a warning indicator, said actuator and said warning indicator of said remote controller being electrically connected to said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators;

said actuator of said remote controller permitting selective extending and retracting of said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators between said retracted and extended positions; and

said warning indicator being for warning a user when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are pushed from said extended position towards said retracted position by said contact bumper; and

wherein said remote controller has a face plate, said actuator and said warning indicator of said remote controller being provided on said face plate of said remote controller, said face plate of said remote controller being adapted for mounting in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators extend said contact bumper a predetermined distance from the bumper area of a vehicle when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are extended to said extended position.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are extendable at least 2 inches from said retracted position when in said extended position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said warning indicator comprises a light source, said light source being energized when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are pushed from said extended position towards said retracted position.

6. The contact warning device of claim 1, wherein said face plate has a label area for displaying a label thereon.

5. A contact warning device for mounting to the bumper area of a vehicle, said device comprising:

an elongate contact bumper having a first and second sides and a pair of opposite ends;

a plurality of telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators being coupled to said second side of said contact bumper, each said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuator having a piston portion and a cylinder portion, the piston portion being retractably extendable from the cylinder portion between a retracted position and an extended position;

each of said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators having a mounting portion for attachment to the bumper area of a vehicle;

said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators extending said contact bumper a predetermined distance from the bumper area of a vehicle when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are extended to said extended position;

wherein said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are extendable at least 2 inches from said retracted position when in said extended position;

a remote controller being electrically connected to said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuator, said remote controller having an actuator and a warning indicator, said actuator and said warning indicator of said remote controller being electrically connected to said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators;

said remote controller having a generally rectangular face plate, said actuator and said warning indicator of said remote controller being provided on said face plate of said remote controller, said face plate of said remote controller being adapted for mounting in the passenger compartment of a vehicle;

said actuator of said remote controller permitting selective extending and retracting of said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators between said retracted and extended positions;

said warning indicator being for warning a user when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are pushed from said extended position towards said retracted position by said contact bumper when said first side of said contact bumper comes into contact with an obstacle when the vehicle is moving towards the obstacle; and

wherein said warning indicator comprises a light source, said light source being energized when said telescopic fluidic piston-cylinder actuators are pushed from said extended position towards said retracted position.