Vehicle bumper structure equipped with pedestrian collision detection sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347270-A1
Application number	US-201515117271-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

At a front bumper, supporting members that are bodies separate from a bumper RF are assembled to vehicle transverse direction both end portions of the bumper RF, and the supporting members extend from vehicle transverse direction both ends of the bumper RF toward vehicle transverse direction outer sides and a vehicle rear side. Further, the supporting members are disposed adjacent to vehicle rear sides of absorber side portions and pressure tube side portions.

First claim

1 . A vehicle bumper structure comprising:
a bumper reinforcement that is disposed with a vehicle transverse direction being a length direction thereof; an absorber that extends in the vehicle transverse direction, and that is disposed adjacent to a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side of the bumper reinforcement; a pedestrian collision detection sensor that includes a pressure tube extending in the vehicle transverse direction between the bumper reinforcement and the absorber, the pedestrian collision detection sensor being configured to output a signal corresponding to a change in pressure of the pressure tube; and supporting members that are structured by members separate from the bumper reinforcement, and that extend from both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the bumper reinforcement toward vehicle transverse direction outer sides and toward a vehicle longitudinal direction inner side as seen in plan view, the supporting members being disposed adjacent to a vehicle longitudinal direction inner side of the absorber and of the pressure tube.

2 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the absorber and both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the pressure tube are disposed further toward vehicle transverse direction outer sides than distal ends of the supporting members.

3 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 2 , wherein:
a holding portion that holds the pressure tube is formed at the absorber, absorber side projecting portions are formed at both the vehicle transverse direction end portions of the absorber, the absorber side projecting portions projecting out toward a vehicle longitudinal direction inner side with respect to the distal ends of the supporting members and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and pressure tube side projecting portions are formed at both the vehicle transverse direction end portions of the pressure tube, the pressure tube side projecting portions extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the absorber side projecting portions.

4 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the supporting members include curved surfaces that are disposed at a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side with respect to both the vehicle transverse direction end portions of the bumper reinforcement, and the curved surfaces are curved toward a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side so as to form surfaces that are continuous with a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side surface of the bumper reinforcement as seen in plan view.

5 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the supporting members are made of resin, and ribs, having a plate thickness direction in a vehicle vertical direction, are formed integrally with the supporting members.

6 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein the bumper reinforcement is formed as a closed cross-sectional structure that opens toward both vehicle transverse direction sides, and the supporting members include fit-together portions that project out toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side, and the supporting members are assembled to the bumper reinforcement by fitting the fit-together portions to the closed cross-section of the bumper reinforcement.

7 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 6 , wherein:
slits that open toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side are formed in the supporting members at positions between the fit-together portions and the curved surfaces, and in a state in which the supporting members are assembled to the bumper reinforcement, a front wall of the bumper reinforcement is fitted into the slits.

8 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein the absorber and the pressure tube are disposed adjacent to a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side of an upper portion of the bumper reinforcement.

9 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein:
a bumper cover is provided at a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side of the absorber, the pedestrian collision detection sensor has pressure detectors that output signals corresponding to changes in pressure within the pressure tube, and the pressure detectors are fixed to vehicle side members that are made of metal and are disposed at a vehicle longitudinal direction inner side of the bumper cover.

10 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of portions of the absorber that are disposed adjacent to the supporting members is thinner than a thickness of a portion of the absorber that is disposed adjacent to the bumper reinforcement.

11 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 1 , wherein a hardness of at least portions of the absorber that are disposed adjacent to the supporting members is higher than a hardness of other portions of the absorber.

12 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 11 , wherein, as seen in plan view, border surfaces of the absorber of different hardnesses are disposed further toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side than both vehicle transverse direction ends of the bumper reinforcement, the border surfaces being inclined toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side on progression toward a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side.

13 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 11 , wherein, as seen in plan view, border surfaces of the absorber of different hardnesses are disposed so as to overlap both vehicle transverse direction ends of the bumper reinforcement in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the border surfaces being inclined toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side on progression toward a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side.

14 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 3 , wherein:
a hardness of at least the absorber side projecting portions is set to be higher than a hardness of other regions of the absorber, and as seen in plan view, border surfaces of the absorber of different hardnesses are disposed so as to overlap the distal ends of the supporting members in the vehicle transverse direction, the border surfaces being inclined toward vehicle transverse direction outer sides on progression toward a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side.

15 . The vehicle bumper structure of claim 11 , wherein the absorber is structured from foamed materials having different foam proportions.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Higashimachi Naoya

Classifications

• B60R2019/1873

  Cellular materials · CPC title

• 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

• B60R19/18 Primary

  {characterised by the cross-section;} Means within the bumper to absorb impact · CPC title

• B60R19/22

  containing {mainly} cellular material, e.g. solid foam · CPC title

• B60R19/483

  with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type · CPC title