Frontal impact energy absorption members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248795-B1
Application number	US-201414492165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2014
Priority date	Sep 22, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle includes a bumper beam and a bumper fascia that covers the bumper beam. An energy absorption member includes a first laterally positioned leg including a mounting flange connected to the bumper beam and a second laterally positioned leg including a mounting flange connected to the bumper beam. The first and second laterally positioned legs are located at opposite sides of a forward facing surface and are spaced-apart from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a bumper beam;
a bumper fascia that covers the bumper beam; and
an energy absorption member comprising a first laterally positioned leg connected to the bumper beam and a second laterally positioned leg connected to the bumper beam, wherein the first and second laterally positioned legs are located at opposite sides of a forward facing surface and are spaced-apart from each other.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second laterally positioned legs each include a mounting flange connected to the bumper beam.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first laterally positioned leg has a bend that separates the first laterally positioned leg into a proximal portion and a distal portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorption member comprises an upper positioned leg and a lower positioned leg located at opposite sides of the forward facing surface.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the upper positioned leg and the lower positioned leg are spaced-apart from the first and second laterally positioned legs and each other.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the upper positioned leg and the lower positioned leg extend along opposite sides of the bumper beam.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorption member is a first energy absorption member, the vehicle including a second energy absorption member comprising a first laterally positioned leg including a mounting flange connected to the bumper beam and a second laterally positioned leg including a mounting flange connected to the bumper beam, wherein the first and second laterally positioned legs of the second energy absorption member are located at opposite sides of a forward facing surface and are spaced-apart from each other.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Schnabelrauch Matthew W
• Kanagai Shunsukei
• Ramoutar Naipaul D
• Kulkarni Sagar
• Uskali Corinne D

Classifications

• B60R2019/1886

  Bumper fascias and fastening means therefor · CPC title

• B60R2019/186

  Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material · CPC title

• B60R19/18 Primary

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

• B60R19/44 Primary

  Bumper guards · CPC title