Energy absorption member for automobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569729-B2
Application number	US-201615570736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A plastic energy absorption member ( 28 ) for an automobile bumper assembly ( 22 ) is disclosed. The plastic energy absorption member ( 28 ) includes a plastic crushable body ( 34 ) defining a first end and a second end opposite the first end along a length of the crushable body ( 34 ). The plastic energy absorption member ( 28 ) further includes a plastic first mounting portion ( 30 ) disposed proximate to the first end and monolithic with the plastic crushable body ( 34 ), the first mounting portion defining at least one first attachment member ( 38 ) configured to attach to the bumper ( 24 ), and a plastic second mounting portion ( 32 ) disposed proximate to the second end and monolithic with the plastic crushable body ( 34 ), the second mounting portion defining at least one second attachment member ( 42 ) configured to attach to the automobile rail ( 26 ). The energy absorption member ( 28 ) defines a plurality of voids ( 44 ) that each extend along at least a portion of the length of the crushable body ( 34 ).

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An energy absorption member configured to be coupled between an automobile rail and a bumper, the energy absorption member comprising:
a plastic crushable body defining a first end and a second end opposite the first end along a length of the crushable body, wherein the crushable body defines a hub;
a plastic first mounting portion disposed proximate to the first end and monolithic with the plastic crushable body, the first mounting portion defining at least one first attachment member configured to attach to the bumper; and
a plastic second mounting portion disposed proximate to the second end and monolithic with the plastic crushable body, the second mounting portion defining at least one second attachment member configured to attach to the automobile rail,
wherein the energy absorption member defines a plurality of voids that each extend along at least a portion of the length of the crushable body and the plurality of voids are disposed radially outward with respect to the hub,
wherein the crushable body further comprises a plurality of ribs that extend out from the hub, and
wherein respective ones of the voids are defined between circumferentially adjacent ones of the ribs.

2. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least some of up to all of the plurality of voids extend from one of the first and second ends toward the other of the first and second ends without extending through the other of the first and second ends in their respective entireties.

3. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hub is open at one of the first and second ends, and at least partially closed at the other of the first and second ends.

4. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ribs has a first cross-sectional area and a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area, and the first cross-sectional area is disposed between the second end and the first cross-sectional area.

5. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plastic crushable body comprises an end plate at the other of the first and second ends, and the end plate closes at least a portion of the at least some up to all of the plurality of voids.

6. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 5 , wherein the plastic crushable body defines at least one hole that extends through the end plate and into a respective one of the at least some up to all of the voids.

7. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 5 , wherein the end plate closes an entirety of the at least some up to all of the plurality of voids at the other of the first and second ends.

8. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 5 wherein the void of the hub terminates at one of the first and second ends, and the end plate is disposed at the other of the first and second ends.

9. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 8 , wherein the end plate closes both at least a portion of at least some up to all of the voids, and also closes the void of the hub.

10. A bumper assembly comprising:
the bumper as recited in claim 1 ; and
the energy absorption member as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first end is mounted to the bumper.

11. The bumper assembly as recited in claim 10 , further comprising the automobile rail as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second end is mounted to the automobile rail.

12. A method of fabricating a bumper assembly of an automobile, the method comprising the steps of:
mounting the first end of the crushable body as recited in claim 1 to the bumper recited in claim 1 .

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising the step of mounting the second end of the crushable body to the automobile rail.

14. The energy absorption member as recited in claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of voids extends along 90% of the length of the crushable body.

15. The bumper assembly as recited in claim 10 , further comprising at least one first fastener that attaches the first mounting portion to the bumper.

16. The bumper assembly as recited in claim 15 , further comprising at least one second fastener that attaches the second mounting portion to the automobile rail and extends through the second mounting portion so as to attach the energy absorption member to the automobile rail.

17. The method of fabricating a bumper assembly of an automobile as recited in claim 12 , wherein the mounting step further comprises the step of driving a plurality of first fasteners through the at least one first attachment member and at least into the bumper.

18. The method of fabricating a bumper assembly of an automobile as recited in claim 12 , further comprising the step of mounting the second end of the crushable body to the automobile rail.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Munjurulimana Dinesh
• Parameshwara Arunachala
• Narayanaswamy Venkatesha
• Nagwanshi Dhanendra
• Delaney Matthew Michael

Classifications

• F16F7/003

  One-shot shock absorbers (using plastic deformation of members, e.g. using sacrificial, fibre-reinforced composite members F16F7/12) · CPC title

• F16F7/121

  the members having a cellular, e.g. honeycomb, structure · CPC title

• B60R19/34 Primary

  destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type · CPC title

• B62D65/16

  the sub-units or components being exterior fittings, e.g. bumpers, lights, wipers {, exhausts} · CPC title