Front structure of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9254812-B2
Application number	US-201414520661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle comprises a bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction and a shock absorbing member fixed to a front face of the bumper reinforcement and extending in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement. The shock absorbing member comprises a base portion extending vertically along the front face of the bumper reinforcement and a projection portion extending forward from a lower end portion of the base portion and being resiliently-downward deformable relative to the base portion. Thus, the vehicle comprising the shock absorbing member provided in front of the bumper reinforcement with the leg-flicking function for the pedestrian protection can be provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction;
a shock absorbing member fixed to a front face of the bumper reinforcement and extending in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement; and
an exterior member arranged in front of the shock absorbing member,
wherein said shock absorbing member comprises a base portion extending vertically along the front face of said bumper reinforcement and a projection portion extending forward from a lower end portion of the base portion, the projection portion being plate-shaped and resiliently-downward deformable relative to the base portion,
said base portion is configured such that both end portions thereof in the vehicle width direction have a greater vertical width than the other portion of the base portion which is positioned inward from the both end portions and have a harder hardness than the other portion of the base portion.

2. The front structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said base portion is configured such that a central portion thereof in the vehicle width direction have a smaller vertical width than the other portion of the base portion which is positioned outward from the central portion.

3. The front structure of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein said bumper reinforcement, shock absorbing member and exterior member are formed in a curve shape such that respective central portions thereof project forward relative to respective both end portions thereof.

4. The front structure of a vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising a leg-flicking member to flick a leg of a pedestrian when the pedestrian hits against the vehicle, the leg-flicking member being provided below said bumper reinforcement to extend forward beyond the shock absorbing member.

5. The front structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said projection portion is configured to be deformable downward below a lower end of the bumper reinforcement.

6. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction;
a shock absorbing member fixed to a front face of the bumper reinforcement and extending in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement;
an exterior member arranged in front of the shock absorbing member, and
a leg-flicking member to flick a leg of a pedestrian when the pedestrian hits against the vehicle, the leg-flicking member being provided below said bumper reinforcement to extend forward beyond the shock absorbing member,
wherein said shock absorbing member comprises a base portion extending vertically along the front face of said bumper reinforcement and a projection portion extending forward from a lower end portion of the base portion, the projection portion being plate-shaped and resiliently-downward deformable relative to the base portion.

7. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction;
a shock absorbing member fixed to a front face of the bumper reinforcement and extending in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement; and
an exterior member arranged in front of the shock absorbing member,
wherein said shock absorbing member comprises a base portion extending vertically along the front face of said bumper reinforcement and a projection portion extending forward from a lower end portion of the base portion, the projection portion being plate-shaped and resiliently-downward deformable relative to the base portion,
said projection portion is configured to be deformable downward below a lower end of the bumper reinforcement.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Tashiro Kuniyoshi
• Furumoto Arihiro
• Ando Ryo
• Furutani Masayuki
• Chikita Masaru
• Miyamoto Koji

Classifications

• B60R19/12

  vertically spaced · CPC title

• B60R2019/186

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

• B60R21/34 Primary

  Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R19/18

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