Deployable and smart car bumper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787140-B2
Application number	US-201816105959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

A system for protecting an automobile from a collision. The system including: a bumper having one or more bumper segments disposed on the automobile for absorbing at least some energy of the collision; and one or more actuators for deploying the bumper when conditions indicative of an impending collision is detected; wherein the one or more actuators comprise: one or more hydraulic actuators; one or more pneumatic actuators; one or more actuators actuated by one or more detonation charges; one or more fluid-filled bellows; one or more compressively pre-loaded springs; and one or more actuators connected to rotatable joints of links in a linkage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for protecting an automobile from a collision, the system comprising:
a bumper having one or more bumper segments disposed on the automobile for absorbing at least some energy of the collision; and
one or more actuators for deploying the bumper when conditions indicative of an impending collision is detected;
wherein the one or more actuators are selected from a list comprising:
one or more hydraulic actuators;
one or more pneumatic actuators;
one or more actuators actuated by one or more detonation charges;
one or more fluid-filled bellows;
one or more compressively pre-loaded springs; and
one or more actuators connected to rotatable joints of links in a linkage;
wherein the one or more actuators comprise two or more actuators and each of the two or more actuators are configured to be independently actuated.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more actuators are configured to be actuated at different lengths from the automobile.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a ratchet mechanism for allowing movement of the bumper to extend away from the automobile and to resist movement of the bumper towards the automobile after the bumper is deployed away from the automobile.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a plurality of protrusions angled such that they allow movement of the bumper to extend away from the automobile and they resist movement of the bumper towards the automobile after the bumper is deployed away from the automobile.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein a length that the plurality of protrusions extend from a surface is variable.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a clutch for allowing movement of the bumper to extend away from the automobile and the clutch being configured to resist movement of the bumper towards the automobile after the bumper is deployed away from the automobile.

7. A system for protecting an automobile from a collision, the system comprising:
a bumper having one or more bumper segments disposed on the automobile for absorbing at least some energy of the collision; and
one or more actuators for deploying the bumper when conditions indicative of an impending collision is detected;
wherein the one or more actuators are selected from a list comprising:
one or more hydraulic actuators;
one or more pneumatic actuators;
one or more actuators actuated by one or more detonation charges;
one or more fluid-filled bellows;
one or more compressively pre-loaded springs; and

one or more actuators connected to rotatable joints of links in a linkage;
wherein the one or more actuators comprise two or more pairs of actuators, each of the two or more pair of actuators being deployable at a different angle relative to a direction of impact of the automobile with another object.

Assignees

• Omnitek Partners Llc

Inventors

• Rastegar Jahangir S

Classifications

• B60R21/0134

  responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle {, e.g. using radar systems} · CPC title

• B60R19/40 Primary

  in the direction of an obstacle before a collision {, or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper (inflatable bumpers B60R19/20)} · CPC title

• B60R19/023

  Details · CPC title