Adhesive vehicle front end for mitigation of secondary pedestrian impact

• US 9,340,178 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Khaykin, Alex, Larner, Daniel Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US14/539,533
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/346 means outside vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for protecting a colliding object from a secondary impact, after an initial impact with a vehicle, including a vehicle having a front end, an adhesive layer positioned on the front end of the vehicle, a coating positioned over the adhesive layer, wherein, upon the initial impact between the colliding object and the vehicle, the coating is broken exposing the adhesive layer to adhere the colliding object to the adhesive layer during the initial impact.

Claims

1. A system for protecting a colliding object from a secondary impact, after an initial impact with a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle having a front end,

an adhesive layer positioned on the front end of the vehicle;

a coating positioned over the adhesive layer;

wherein one or more layers of air are positioned between the coating and the adhesive layer; and

wherein, upon the initial impact between the colliding object and the vehicle, the coating is broken exposing the adhesive layer to adhere the colliding object to the adhesive layer during the initial impact.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a quick acting adhesive.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a contact adhesive.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a viscous layer of adhesive.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a releasable adhesive so that the colliding object may be decoupled from the adhesive layer after a period of time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating is comprised of a frangible material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating contacts the adhesive layer at isolated locations to provide the one or more layers of air.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the one or more layers of air is greater than a thickness of the adhesive layer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the one or more layers of air is equal to a thickness of the adhesive layer.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer and the coating extends beyond a hood and onto front side panels of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a second adhesive layer extends over a vehicle bumper positioned on the front end of the vehicle, and a second coating is positioned over the second adhesive layer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a lower surface of the coating is in contact with the one or more layers of air prior to the initial impact.

14. The system of claim 1, the adhesive layer comprises a viscous layer of adhesive that, upon impact, is caused to flow between pieces of the broken coating to come into contact with the colliding object.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the viscous layer of adhesive is positioned within a lattice structure that supports the coating above the viscous layer of adhesive.

16. A method for protecting a colliding object from a secondary impact, after an initial impact with a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

positioning an adhesive layer on a hood of a vehicle having a front end;

positioning a coating over the adhesive layer, wherein the coating has a thickness and strength such that the coating is broken upon the initial impact between the colliding object and the vehicle to expose the adhesive layer;

positioning one or more layers of air between the adhesive layer and the coating; and

adhering the colliding object to the adhesive layer during the initial impact, thereby preventing the colliding object from suffering the secondary impact.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of releasing the colliding object from the adhesive layer.

18. The method of claim 16, further including the steps of:

positioning a second adhesive layer on a vehicle bumper positioned on a front end of the vehicle;

positioning a second coating over the second adhesive layer, wherein the second coating has a thickness and strength such that the second coating is broken upon the initial impact between the colliding object and the vehicle to expose the second adhesive layer; and

adhering the colliding object to the second adhesive layer during the initial impact.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a lower surface of the coating is in contact with the one or more layers of air prior to the initial impact.