Lightweight extruded aluminum bumper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166148-A1
Application number	US-201515328011-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper is constructed and used in a bumper assembly to protect a vehicle from impact. The bumper includes a three wall design, formed by an integrally formed top wall and a bottom wall interconnected by a front vertically extending wall. The top and bottom walls have open ends that are spaced relative to one another to form a longitudinally extending, open-ended channel therebetween. Upwardly extending and downwardly extending flanges are integrally formed with front vertically extending wall and the top and bottom walls of the bumper. The extruded bumper can be attached directly to an end of a vehicle. Impact absorption devices can also be inserted into the longitudinally extending channel of the bumper and abut against the front vertical wall. Welds can be provided in a non-planar manner to connect the impact absorption devices to the bumper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bumper for a vehicle comprising:
a longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper body constructed to protect the vehicle from impact, the bumper body comprising:
an integrally formed top wall and a bottom wall interconnected at each of their first ends by a front vertically extending wall, the top and bottom walls further having second ends that are spaced relative to one another to form a longitudinally extending, open-ended channel between the top and bottom walls;
an upwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in an upward direction relative to the top wall; and
a downwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in a downward direction relative to the bottom wall,
wherein the upwardly extending and downwardly extending flanges are integrally formed with front vertically extending wall and the top and bottom walls.

2 . A vehicle comprising the bumper according to claim 1 .

3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the bumper is welded to an end of the vehicle.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the top wall and bottom wall of the bumper are connected to the end of the vehicle via one or more horizontal welds.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the bumper is further connected to the end of the vehicle via one or more vertical welds that are in a different plane than the one or more horizontal welds.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the bumper is connected to the end of the vehicle via one or more vertical welds.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the bumper is further connected to the end of the vehicle via one or more horizontal welds that are in a different plane than the one or more vertical welds.

8 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the top and bottom walls are directly attached to an end of the vehicle.

9 . A bumper assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper constructed to protect the vehicle from impact, the bumper comprising: an integrally formed top wall and a bottom wall interconnected at each of their first ends by a front vertically extending wall, the top and bottom walls further having second ends that are spaced relative to one another to form a longitudinally extending, open-ended channel between the top and bottom walls, an upwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in an upward direction relative to the top wall, and a downwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in a downward direction relative to the bottom wall; and at least a first and a second impact absorption device, each of the first and second impact absorption devices having a first end configured to be attached to an end of the vehicle and a second end attached to the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper, wherein the upwardly extending and downwardly extending flanges of the bumper are integrally formed with front vertically extending wall and the top and bottom walls, and wherein the second ends of the at least first and second impact absorption devices are inserted into the longitudinally extending channel and attached to the front vertical wall of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper.

10 . The bumper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein front faces of the second ends of each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices abut the front vertical wall of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper.

11 . The bumper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the second ends of the at least first and second impact absorption devices are attached to the front vertical wall via one or more welds.

12 . The bumper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices has a substantially box shaped body portion comprising an upper wall, a lower wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall.

13 . The bumper assembly according to claim 12 , wherein a weld connects each wall of the box shaped body portion of the impact absorption devices to the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper.

14 . The bumper assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the upper walls and lower walls of each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices align with and abut an inside surface of the top and bottom walls of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper.

15 . The bumper assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the second end of the top wall of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper is connected to the upper walls of each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices via horizontal welds and wherein the second end of the bottom wall of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper is connected to the lower walls of each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices via horizontal welds.

16 . The bumper assembly according to claim 15 , wherein front edges of each right side wall and the left side wall of the second ends of each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices abuts an inside surface of the front vertical wall of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper, and wherein the front edges are connected to the inside surface of the front vertical wall via vertical welds.

17 . The bumper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices further comprise collapsible walls that abut the top and bottom walls of the bumper and that are configured for collapsing upon application of a predetermined force.

18 . The bumper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least first and second impact absorption devices are hollow.

19 . A vehicle comprising the bumper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the at least first and second impact absorption devices are mounted to an end of the vehicle.

20 . A method of manufacturing a bumper for a vehicle, comprising:
extruding a longitudinally extending aluminum bumper body constructed to protect the vehicle from impact, the bumper body comprising: an integrally formed top wall and a bottom wall interconnected at each of their first ends by a front vertically extending wall, the top and bottom walls further having second ends that are spaced relative to one another to form a longitudinally extending, open-ended channel between the top and bottom walls; an integrally formed upwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in an upward direction relative to the top wall; and an integrally formed downwardly extending flange extending vertically from the front vertically extending wall in a downward direction relative to the bottom wall.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , further comprising bending the body of the extruded longitudinally extending aluminum bumper.

22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the bending comprises applying pressure to end sections of the longitudinally extending extruded aluminum bumper body to move the end sections towards each other.

23 . A method of forming a bumper assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
extruding a longitudinally extending aluminum bumper constructed to protect the vehicle from impact, the bumper comprising an integrally formed top wall an

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Freundl Thomas James
• Mellis Jeffery Jay

Classifications

• B21D53/88

  other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards · CPC title

• B21C23/14

  Making other products · CPC title

• B60R19/34

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

• B60R2019/182

  of light metal, e.g. extruded · CPC title

• B60R19/18 Primary

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