Bumper assemblies including deformable upper energy absorbers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532718-B2
Application number	US-201715598587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a bumper assembly including a bumper reinforcement beam extending generally in a vehicle lateral direction. A bumper beam contact component is located above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction. An upper energy absorbing structure is located at a top surface of the bumper reinforcement beam and between the bumper beam contact component and the bumper reinforcement beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle including a bumper assembly, comprising:
a bumper reinforcement beam extending generally in a vehicle lateral direction;
a sensor assembly located above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction; and
an upper energy absorbing structure located at a top surface of the bumper reinforcement beam and between the sensor assembly and the bumper reinforcement beam.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure is located to receive the bumper beam contact component during an upper leg impact test.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure comprises a foam material.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure has a front side and a rear side, wherein a hollow cavity extends between the front side and the rear side.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at both the front side and the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure has a front side, a top wall and a catch structure formed as a notch located between the front side and the top wall, the catch feature facing the bumper beam contact component.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a front bumper energy absorber that is connected to a front face of the bumper reinforcement beam.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure is formed integrally with the front bumper energy absorber.

10. A multi-component bumper energy absorber comprising:
a front bumper energy absorber that connects to a front face of a bumper reinforcement beam and extends along the front face in a vehicle lateral direction; and
an upper energy absorbing structure that is connected to the front bumper energy absorber, the upper energy absorbing structure rests on an upper surface of the bumper reinforcement beam;
wherein the upper energy absorbing structure has a front side and a rear side, wherein a hollow cavity extends between the front side and the rear side.

11. The multi-component bumper energy absorber of claim 10 , wherein the front bumper energy absorber is formed integrally with the upper energy absorbing structure.

12. The multi-component bumper energy absorber of claim 11 , wherein the front bumper energy absorber and the upper energy absorbing structure comprise a foam material.

13. The multi-component bumper energy absorber of claim 10 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

14. The multi-component bumper energy absorber of claim 10 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at both the front side and the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

15. The multi-component bumper energy structure of claim 10 , wherein the upper energy absorbing structure has a front side, a top wall and a catch structure formed as a notch located between the front side and the top wall, the catch feature faces a bumper beam contact component.

16. A method of absorbing energy as a bumper reinforcement beam contact component moves toward a bumper reinforcement beam during a pedestrian leg impact test, the method comprising:
providing a hollow cavity in an upper energy absorbing structure that extends between a front side and a rear side of the upper energy absorber; and
locating the upper energy absorbing structure at an upper surface of the bumper reinforcement beam and between the bumper reinforcement beam and the bumper reinforcement beam contact component.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the hollow cavity is open at both the front side and the rear side of the upper energy absorbing structure.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Hammer Jeremiah T
• Steinhilb Aaron R

Classifications

• B60R2021/346

  means outside vehicle body · CPC title

• B60R19/52

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title

• B60R21/34 Primary

  Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R19/483

  with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type · CPC title

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title