Bumper assembly including resettable energy absorber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208758-B2
Application number	US-202217934218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 22, 2022
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a bumper. The vehicle frame includes a frame-rail end. The frame-rail end has a vehicle-forward end and a bore at the vehicle-forward end. The vehicle includes a resettable energy absorber supporting the bumper at the vehicle-forward end of the frame-rail end. The resettable energy absorber is moveable with the bumper relative to the frame-rail end between an extended position and a compressed position. The resettable energy absorber extends into the bore of the frame-rail end from the extended position to the compressed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame having a frame-rail end, the frame-rail end having a vehicle-forward end and a bore at the vehicle-forward end;
a bumper; and
a resettable energy absorber supporting the bumper at the vehicle-forward end of the frame-rail end, the resettable energy absorber being moveable with the bumper relative to the frame-rail end between an extended position and a compressed position, the resettable energy absorber extending into the bore of the frame-rail end from the extended position to the compressed position;
the energy absorber includes a plate fixed to the frame-rail end, a stud fixed to the bumper and slidably extending through the plate, and a spring on the stud between the bumper and the plate; and
a head on the stud between the plate and the frame-rail end.

2. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the head is in the bore of the frame-rail end in both the extended position and the compressed position.

3. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising fasteners connecting the plate to the frame-rail end, the fasteners being spaced from each other on the plate in a pattern having an outer boundary, the stud extending through the plate inside the outer boundary of the pattern.

4. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 :
wherein the frame-rail end includes a base elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and a flange extending radially from the base; and
further comprising fasteners connecting the plate to the flange.

5. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the spring is resiliently compressible between the plate and the bumper.

6. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the spring is a coil spring.

7. The vehicle as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the spring is coiled around the stud.

8. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the stud is further defined as a plurality of studs each fixed to the bumper and slidably extending through the plate, and the spring is further defined as a plurality of springs with the springs on the studs, respectively, between the bumper and the plate.

9. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising fasteners connecting the plate to the frame-rail end, the fasteners being spaced from each other on the plate in a pattern having an outer boundary, the studs extending through the plate inside the outer boundary of the pattern.

10. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising four fasteners connecting the plate to the frame-rail end, the four fasteners being spaced from each other on the plate in a rectangular pattern, the studs extending through the plate inside the rectangular pattern.

11. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8 :
wherein the frame-rail end includes a base elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and a flange extending radially from the base; and
further comprising fasteners connecting the plate to the flange.

12. The vehicle as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the fasteners are spaced from each other on the plate in a pattern having an outer boundary, the stud extending through the plate inside the outer boundary of the pattern.

13. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle frame includes frame rails elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis, the frame-rail ends extending vehicle-forward of the frame rails, respectively.

14. The vehicle as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the frame-rail ends are designed to deform relative to the frame rail during frontal-vehicle impact.

15. The vehicle as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the frame-rail end is elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis.

16. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame having a frame-rail end, the frame-rail end having a vehicle-forward end and a bore at the vehicle-forward end;
a bumper;
a resettable energy absorber supporting the bumper at the vehicle-forward end of the frame-rail end, the resettable energy absorber being moveable with the bumper relative to the frame-rail end between an extended position and a compressed position, the resettable energy absorber extending into the bore of the frame-rail end from the extended position to the compressed position;
the energy absorber including a plate fixed to the frame-rail end, a plurality of studs fixed to the bumper and slidably extending through the plate, and a spring on each stud between the bumper and the plate; and
fasteners connecting the plate to the frame-rail end, the fasteners being spaced from each other on the plate in a pattern having an outer boundary, the studs extending through the plate inside the outer boundary of the pattern.

17. The vehicle as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the frame-rail ends are designed to deform relative to the frame rail during frontal-vehicle impact.

18. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame having a frame-rail end, the frame-rail end having a vehicle-forward end and a bore at the vehicle-forward end;
a bumper;
a resettable energy absorber supporting the bumper at the vehicle-forward end of the frame-rail end, the resettable energy absorber being moveable with the bumper relative to the frame-rail end between an extended position and a compressed position, the resettable energy absorber extending into the bore of the frame-rail end from the extended position to the compressed position;
the energy absorber including a plate fixed to the frame-rail end, a plurality of studs fixed to the bumper and slidably extending through the plate, and a spring on each stud between the bumper and the plate;
the frame-rail end including a base elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and a flange extending radially from the base; and
fasteners connecting the plate to the flange.

19. The vehicle as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the fasteners are spaced from each other on the plate in a pattern having an outer boundary, the stud extending through the plate inside the outer boundary of the pattern.

20. The vehicle as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the frame-rail ends are designed to deform relative to the frame rail during frontal-vehicle impact.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Farooq S M Iskander
• Faruque Mohammad Omar
• Jaradi Dean M

Classifications

• B60R19/38 Primary

  adjustably or movably mounted, e.g. horizontally displaceable for securing a space between parked vehicles {(adjustably mounted for compensating manufacturing tolerances B60R19/24, B60R19/26)} · CPC title

• B60R19/34

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

• B60R19/28 Primary

  Metallic springs · CPC title