Bumper assembly including lower leg stiffener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783153-B2
Application number	US-201514938289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 11, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A bumper assembly includes a bumper beam, an actuator, and a lower stiffener. The actuator includes a base mounted to the bumper beam, and a rod moveably engaged with the base along a vertical axis. The lower stiffener is fixed to the rod. Depending on pre-determined vehicle speeds, the lower stiffener moves from a deployed position to a retracted position based on pedestrian leg impact considerations and to reduce the likelihood of lower stiffener damage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bumper assembly comprising:
a front rail;
a bumper beam extending transverse to the front rail and including a mounting bracket fixed to the front rail;
an actuator including a base and a rod moveably engaged with the base along a vertical axis;
a support bracket attaching the base of the actuator directly to the mounting bracket of the bumper beam; and
a lower stiffener fixed to the rod.

2. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lower stiffener is moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position, and further comprising a trim component fixed to the bumper beam and extending beyond the lower stiffener in a direction away from the bumper beam along the vertical axis in the retracted position and the deployed position.

3. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lower stiffener presents a class-A surface finish.

4. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lower stiffener is moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position, and abuts the bumper beam in the retracted position.

5. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the lower stiffener is spaced from the bumper beam in the deployed position.

6. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a shield extending from the bumper beam to the lower stiffener.

7. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the lower stiffener is moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position, and is spaced from the bumper beam in the retracted position and in the deployed position.

8. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to retract when a force on the rod along the vertical axis exceeds a predetermined force.

9. A bumper assembly comprising:
a front rail;
a bumper beam extending transverse to the front rail and including a mounting bracket fixed to the front rail;
an actuator including a base;
a support bracket attaching the base of the actuator directly to the mounting bracket of the bumper beam; and
a lower stiffener operatively connected to the actuator for linear movement between a retracted position and a deployed position.

10. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 9 , further comprising a trim component fixed to the bumper beam and extending beyond the lower stiffener in a direction away from the bumper beam in the retracted position and the deployed position.

11. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the lower stiffener presents a class-A surface finish.

12. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the actuator is configured to linearly retract when a force on the lower stiffener exceeds a predetermined force.

13. A bumper assembly comprising:
a front rail;
a bumper beam extending transverse to the front rail and including a mounting bracket fixed to the front rail;
an actuator including a base;
a support bracket attaching the base of the actuator directly to the mounting bracket of the bumper beam;
a lower stiffener fixed to the actuator and moveable from a retracted position to a deployed position; and
a shield extending from the bumper beam to the lower stiffener;
wherein the shield is folded in the retracted position.

14. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the shield is unfolded in the deployed position.

15. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the shield is formed of an elastomeric material.

16. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the shield presents a class-A surface finish.

17. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the bumper beam has a rear side facing the front rail, and the mounting bracket is attached to the rear side.

18. A bumper assembly comprising:
a front rail;
a bumper beam extending transverse to the front rail and including a mounting bracket fixed to the front rail;
an actuator including a base;
a support bracket attaching the base of the actuator directly to the mounting bracket of the bumper beam;
a lower stiffener fixed to the actuator and moveable from a retracted position to a deployed position; and
a shield extending from the bumper beam to the lower stiffener;
wherein the shield is formed of an elastomeric material.

19. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the shield is folded in the retracted position and unfolded in the deployed position.

20. The bumper assembly as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the shield presents a class-A surface finish.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Farooq Iskander
• Cheng James Chih
• Sundararajan Srinivasan
• Faruque Mohammed Omar
• Jaradi Dean M
• Spahn Brian Robert

Classifications

• B60R21/34 Primary

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

• B60R19/023 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• B60R19/12 Primary

  vertically spaced · 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

• B60R19/26

  comprising yieldable mounting means ({B60R19/38 takes precedence;} springs, shock absorbers, or means for damping vibrations per se F16F) · CPC title