Energy absorber elements and vehicle systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821753-B2
Application number	US-201514669242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Mar 1, 2010
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

In some embodiments, an energy absorber element can comprise: a first support wall and a second support wall, a crush wall joining the first and second support walls together to define a deformable zone; a connection mechanism configured to connect the first and/or second support wall to a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method for using an energy absorber element in a vehicle can comprise: detachably connecting an energy absorber element to a vehicle at a support location for a vehicle component, once the energy absorber element has absorbed energy, detaching the energy absorber element from the vehicle; and separately replacing the energy absorber element from the vehicle component. In some embodiments, the vehicle component is not replaced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy absorber element for a vehicle component, comprising:
a first support wall and a second support wall, wherein the first support wall forms a ring, and wherein the second support wall forms a ring;
a plurality of crush walls joining the first and second support walls together to define a deformable zone; and
a demountable connection mechanism configured to detachably connect the first and/or second support wall to a vehicle component, and wherein the vehicle component comprises at least one of a front glass component and a glazing panel; and
wherein the first support wall, the second support wall, and the crush walls comprise plastic.

2. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component comprises a front glass component.

3. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component comprises a glazing panel.

4. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second support walls do not intersect.

5. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the crush walls is configured to both elastically deform and elastoplastically deform.

6. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the crush walls has a geometry selected from the group comprising: corrugated form, sinusoidal, triangular, bowed, hourglass, rounded with peaks and valleys, stepped, honeycomb, tangential circles, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing geometries.

7. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein the connection mechanism is a snap-fit mechanism.

8. The energy absorber element of claim 1 , wherein the connection mechanism is a crushable connector.

9. An energy absorber element for a vehicle component, comprising:
a first support wall and a second support wall, wherein at least one of the first support wall and the second support wall is configured to connect to a vehicle component, and wherein the vehicle component comprises at least one of a front glass component and a glazing panel;
a plurality of crush walls joining the first and second support walls together to define a deformable zone; and
wherein the crush walls are configured to both elastically deform and elastoplastically deform from the second support wall toward the first support wall;
wherein the crush walls are configured to absorb energy during an impact;
wherein the first support wall, the second support wall, and the crush walls comprise plastic; and
wherein the first support wall forms a ring, and wherein the second support wall forms a ring.

10. The energy absorber element of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle component comprises a front glass component.

11. The energy absorber element of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle component comprises a glazing panel.

12. The energy absorber element of claim 9 , wherein the first and second support walls do not intersect.

13. A method for using an energy absorber element with a vehicle component, comprising:
detachably connecting an energy absorber element to the vehicle component with a connection mechanism, wherein the vehicle component comprises at least one of a front glass component and a glazing panel, and wherein the energy absorber element comprises
a first support wall and a second support wall; and
a plurality of crush walls joining the first and second support walls together to define a deformable zone;
wherein the first support wall, the second support wall, and the crush walls comprise plastic.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein once the energy absorber element has absorbed energy, detaching the energy absorber element from the vehicle component; and separately replacing the energy absorber element from the vehicle component; and wherein the vehicle component is not replaced.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle component comprises a front glass component.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the crush walls is configured to both elastically deform and elastoplastically deform.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the crush walls has a geometry selected from the group comprising: corrugated form, sinusoidal, triangular, bowed, hourglass, rounded with peaks and valleys, stepped, honeycomb, tangential circles, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing geometries.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the connection mechanism is a snap-fit mechanism.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Marur Sudhakar Ramamoorthy
• Garg Ankit Kumar
• Nayak Subrata
• Tankala Triloka Chander
• Wilson James Robert

Classifications

• F16B1/00

  Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts · CPC title

• Y10T29/4973

  Replacing of defective part · CPC title

• B60Q1/0491

  Shock absorbing devices therefor · CPC title

• B60N2/42709 Primary

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title

• B62D1/11

  incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible (padded linings associated with the steering wheel B60R21/05; shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12) · CPC title