Vehicle bonnet constructions for reducing impact forces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787201-B1
Application number	US-201715705708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

The technology relates to vehicle panels. The vehicle panel may comprise a top layer and a bottom layer. The top and bottom layers may be bonded together. The bond of the top and bottom layer may be a weld. One or more energy absorbing layers may be positioned between the top layer and the bottom layer. The one or more energy absorbing layers may be comprised of one or more energy absorbing materials. The energy absorbing layers may be aluminum honeycomb and polyurethane foam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle panel comprising:
a top layer including one or more cutouts; and
a bottom layer,
wherein the bottom layer is bonded to the top layer, and
wherein either the top layer or the bottom layer includes a plurality of individual forms attached to a surface of at least one of the top layer or the bottom layer and the plurality of individual forms are provided between the top and bottom layers.

2. The vehicle panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of individual forms each have different sizes.

3. The vehicle panel of claim 1 , wherein each of the individual forms comprises a square form or a rectangular form.

4. The vehicle panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cutouts have different sizes.

5. The vehicle panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of individual forms are each coated with an adhesive.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the plurality of individual forms coated with the adhesive bonds the top layer and bottom layer together.

7. The vehicle panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel is a vehicle hood panel, bumper panel, door panel or nose panel.

8. A vehicle panel comprising:
a top layer including one or more cutouts;
a bottom layer, wherein the bottom layer is bonded to the top layer; and
at least one energy absorbing layer positioned between the top layer and the bottom layer,
wherein either the top layer or the bottom layer includes a plurality of individual forms attached to a surface of at least one of the top layer or the bottom layer and the plurality of individual forms are provided between the top and bottom layers.

9. The vehicle panel of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of individual forms each have different sizes.

10. The vehicle panel of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of individual forms are each coated with an adhesive.

11. The vehicle panel of claim 8 , wherein the one or more cutouts have different sizes.

12. The vehicle panel of claim 8 , wherein the panel is a vehicle hood panel, bumper panel, door panel or nose panel.

13. The vehicle panel of claim 8 , wherein each of the individual forms comprises a square form or a rectangular form.

14. A vehicle panel comprising:
a top layer including one or more cutouts;
a bottom layer, wherein the bottom layer is bonded to the top layer; and
at least two energy absorbing layers formed of different materials positioned between the top layer and the bottom layer,
wherein either the top layer or the bottom layer includes a plurality of individual forms attached to a surface of at least one of the top layer or the bottom layer and the plurality of individual forms are provided between the top and bottom layers.

15. The vehicle panel of claim 14 , wherein each of the individual forms comprises a square form or a rectangular form.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Rivera Felix Jose Alvarez
• Larner Daniel Lynn
• Gupta Atul
• Daniel Thomas

Classifications

• B62D29/04 Primary

  predominantly of synthetic material (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29) · CPC title

• B62D25/10

  Bonnets or lids {, e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles (for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38)} · CPC title

• B60R21/34

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

• B62D29/005

  preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives · CPC title

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title