Bumper with an integrated marking cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577795-B2
Application number	US-201916400438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2019
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle bumper comprising at least one part made of resilient material, in the interior of which there is provided at least one marking fluid cell with an opening to the exterior. The opening is closed by a closure device which, under the effect of a pressure applied with a determined intensity, can open up the opening, allowing the marking fluid to access the exterior of the cell through which the marking fluid can flow, and also comprising a securing element configured to secure the at least one part on the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bumper for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one part made of resilient material configured to dampen vehicle impacts by resilient deformation, the at least one part made of resilient material comprising an interior with at least one marking fluid cell with a direct opening to an exterior of the at least one marking fluid cell,
a closure device configured to close the direct opening which, under an effect of a pressure applied to the closure device, opens up the direct opening, allowing marking fluid in the at least one marking fluid cell to access the exterior of the at least one marking fluid cell through which the marking fluid can flow, and
a securing element configured to secure the at least one part on said vehicle.

2. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the closure device is in a form of two resilient lips superimposed on one another and locked in a constrained position abutting one another, with a pressure applied on the bumper at the lips with a determined minimum intensity ensuring the unlocking, thus allowing the lips to regain a natural position in which the direct opening of the at least one marking fluid cell towards the exterior is opened up.

3. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the closure device is in a form of an added-on breakable connection which ensures the closure of the at least one marking fluid cell, with a pressure with a determined minimum intensity applied on the connection leading to breakage of the connection and to opening up of the direct opening of the at least one marking fluid cell towards the exterior.

4. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one marking fluid cell comprises a plurality of cells which are distributed transversely on at least part of a width of the bumper.

5. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one marking fluid cell comprises a plurality of cells, and in a case of at least some of the cells, each cell extends transversely on at least part of a width of the bumper.

6. The bumper according to claim 5 , wherein the cells which extend transversely have a globally cylindrical form.

7. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one marking fluid cell comprises a plurality of cells, and wherein the cells are positioned at a plurality of height levels.

8. The bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the bumper comprises a non-resilient structural part secured on the at least one part made of resilient material and which comprises the securing element to secure the at least one part on said vehicle.

9. A vehicle provided with a bumper according to claim 1 , with the at least one part made of resilient material being positioned at least partly on an outer peripheral part of the bumper.

10. A method for marking a surface with which a vehicle according to claim 9 enters into collision, comprising the step:
exerting a pressure on the at least one cell during the collision with the outer peripheral part of the bumper, thus permitting the flow of the marking fluid through the at least one opening opened up towards the exterior.

11. A bumper for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one part made of resilient material, in an interior of which there is provided at least one marking fluid cell with a direct opening to an exterior of the marking fluid cell,
a closure device configured to close the opening which, under an effect of a pressure applied, opens up the opening, allowing marking fluid in the at least one marking fluid cell to access the exterior of the at least one marking fluid cell through which the marking fluid can flow, and
a securing element configured to secure the at least one part on said vehicle,
wherein the closure device is in a form of two resilient lips superimposed on one another and locked in a constrained position abutting one another, with a pressure applied on the bumper at the lips with a determined minimum intensity ensuring the unlocking, thus allowing the lips to regain a natural position in which the direct opening of the at least one marking fluid cell towards the exterior is opened up.

Assignees

• Airbus Sas

Inventors

• Charles Julien
• Ferrer Guillaume

Classifications

• B60R19/48 Primary

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B62D41/00 Primary

  Fittings for identifying vehicles in case of collision; Fittings for marking or recording collision areas · CPC title

• B60R2019/1866

  Cellular structures · CPC title

• B60R19/20

  containing {mainly} gas or liquid, e.g. inflatable (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title