Polymer, energy absorber rail extension, methods of making and vehicles using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469264-B2
Application number	US-201514750531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2015
Priority date	Jan 18, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a rail extension comprises: an energy absorber comprising a polymer body, wherein the energy absorber comprises cells formed by cell walls extending a length of the energy absorber and forming cavities therethrough; each side of the energy absorber comprises an open channel wherein the channel is defined by walls of adjacent cells; a vehicle attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at one end of the energy absorber; and a first vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the vehicle attachment; wherein the energy absorber and the vehicle attachment tab were formed as one-piece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rail extension, comprising
an energy absorber comprising a polymer body, wherein the energy absorber comprises cells formed by cell walls extending a length of the energy absorber and forming cavities therethrough;
each side of the energy absorber comprises a substantially U-shaped open channel extending a length of the energy absorber, wherein the channel is defined by walls of adjacent cells;
a vehicle attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at one end of the energy absorber; and
a first vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the vehicle attachment tab;
wherein the energy absorber and the vehicle attachment tab were formed as one-piece.

2. The rail extension of claim 1 , further comprising a second vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on an opposite side of the opening in the vehicle attachment tab from the first vehicle attachment tab gusset.

3. The rail extension of claim 1 , further comprising a bumper attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at another end of the energy absorber and configured to attach to a bumper beam.

4. The rail extension of claim 3 , further comprising
a bumper attachment tab gusset extending between the bumper attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the bumper attachment tab;
wherein the energy absorber, the vehicle attachment tab, the bumper attachment tab, the vehicle attachment tab gusset, and the bumper attachment tab gusset were formed as one-piece.

5. The rail extension of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorber consists of a polymer body.

6. The rail extension of claim 1 , wherein cells adjacent to channels on two opposing sides of the energy absorber have a beveled surface.

7. The rail extension of claim 6 , wherein the beveled surface has a chamfer angle θ of greater than 0 up to an angle θ of 45°.

8. The rail extension of claim 7 , wherein the chamfer angle θ is 15° to 35°.

9. The rail extension of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorber has a length, l, a width, w, and a height, h, and wherein the length, l, is less than or equal to 300 mm, the width, w, of less than or equal to 200 mm, and the height, h, of less than or equal to 300 mm, wherein the length is greater than or equal to the height which is greater than or equal to the width.

10. The rail extension of claim 9 , wherein, during an impact, the rail extensions begin crushing upon an impact of greater than or equal to 60 kN.

11. The rail extension of claim 1 , wherein, during an impact, the rail extensions have a first peak force of less than or equal to 110% of a force limit of a rail to which the rail extension is attached.

12. A vehicle, comprising,
a bumper beam;
a vehicle rail;
a rail extension comprising
an energy absorber comprising a polymer body, wherein the energy absorber comprises cells formed by cell walls extending a length of the energy absorber and forming cavities therethrough;
each side of the energy absorber comprises a substantially U-shaped open channel extending a length of the energy absorber, wherein the channel is defined by walls of adjacent cells;
a vehicle attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at one end of the energy absorber; and
a first vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the vehicle attachment tab;
wherein the energy absorber and the vehicle attachment tab were formed as one-piece.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a second vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on an opposite side of the opening in the vehicle attachment tab from the first vehicle attachment tab gusset.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a bumper attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at another end of the energy absorber and configured to attach to a bumper beam.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising
a bumper attachment tab gusset extending between the bumper attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the bumper attachment tab;
wherein the energy absorber, the vehicle attachment tab, the bumper attachment tab, the vehicle attachment tab gusset, and the bumper attachment tab gusset were formed as one-piece.

16. A method of controlling a crushing of a vehicle extension, comprising:
determining an initial force peak during crushing of the energy absorber;
beveling a surface of some cells based upon the initial force peak; and
changing the angle of the bevel until the initial force peak is less than a desired maximum force;
forming a one-piece rail extension, the rail extension comprising:
an energy absorber comprising a polymer body, wherein the energy absorber comprises cells formed by cell walls extending a length of the energy absorber and forming cavities therethrough;
each side of the energy absorber comprises a substantially U-shaped open channel extending a length of the energy absorber, wherein the channel is defined by walls of adjacent cells;
a vehicle attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at one end of the energy absorber; and
a first vehicle attachment tab gusset extending between the vehicle attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the vehicle attachment tab;
wherein the energy absorber and the vehicle attachment tab were formed as one-piece.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising filling some of the cavities with foam.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the rail extension further comprises forming a bumper attachment tab extending from at least one of the cell walls at another end of the energy absorber and configured to attach to a bumper beam.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming a bumper attachment tab gusset extending between the bumper attachment tab and the cell wall on one side of an opening in the bumper attachment tab; wherein the energy absorber, the vehicle attachment tab, the bumper attachment tab, the vehicle attachment tab gusset, and the bumper attachment tab gusset were formed as one-piece.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Nagwanshi Dhanendra Kumar
• Parameshwara Arunachala
• Imai Shingo
• Marks Matthew D

Classifications

• F16F7/121

  the members having a cellular, e.g. honeycomb, structure · CPC title

• B60R19/38

  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 Primary

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

• B60R19/023

  Details · CPC title

• B60R2019/1866

  Cellular structures · CPC title