Shock-absorbing member and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046368-B2
Application number	US-201816640330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

In a shock-absorbing member in which a wood member is embedded in a resin covering member so as to be integrated therewith and in which the wood member is collapsed when subjected to an impact load, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact load, sealing members are disposed between both end surfaces of the wood member in an axis direction of annual rings and an inner surface of the covering member, so as to hermetically cover both end surfaces of the wood member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shock-absorbing member in which a wood member is embedded in a resin covering member so as to be integrated therewith and in which the wood member is collapsed when subjected to an impact load, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact load,
wherein sealing members are disposed between both end surfaces of the wood member in an axis direction of annual rings and an inner surface of the covering member, so as to hermetically cover both end surfaces of the wood member.

2. The shock-absorbing member as described in claim 1 , wherein the sealing members comprise coating materials, films or plate members adhered to the end surfaces of the wood member.

3. The shock-absorbing member as described in claim 1 , wherein one end side of the covering member covering one end side of the wood member in the axis direction of the annual rings is configured to be connected to a vehicle bumper reinforcement member, and
wherein another end side of the wood member in the axis direction of the annual rings and another end side of the covering member covering another end side of the wood member are configured to be inserted into a tubular side member extending in a vehicle front-back direction and to contact an insertion-limiting stopper disposed in the side member.

4. The shock-absorbing member as described in claim 3 , wherein the covering member has flanges respectively formed in one axial end side and an axial mid portion thereof and protruded therefrom in directions perpendicular to an axial center of the wood member, and
wherein the flange formed in one end side of the covering member is configured to be connected to the bumper reinforcement member while the flange formed in the mid portion of the covering member is configured to be connected to a flanged portion of the side member.

5. A manufacturing method of a shock-absorbing member in which a wood member is embedded in a resin covering member so as to be integrated with the covering member and in which the wood member is collapsed when subjected to an impact load, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact load, comprising the steps of:
covering both end surfaces of the wood member in an axis direction of annual rings by sealing members;
setting the wood member of which the end surfaces in the axis direction of the annual rings are covered by the sealing members in a molding tool of an injection molding machine; and
closing the molding tool of the injection molding machine and injecting melted resin materials into the molding tool so as to mold the covering member.

Assignees

• Toyota Auto Body Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miura Toshihisa

Classifications

• B62D25/08

  Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)} · CPC title

• B62D25/088 Primary

  Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers · CPC title

• B60R19/24

  Arrangements for mounting bumpers on vehicles · CPC title

• F16F7/12

  using plastic deformation of members {(F16F9/30 takes precedence; yieldable means for mounting bumpers on vehicles B60R19/26; yieldable or collapsible steering columns B62D1/192)} · CPC title

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title