Energy absorbing cellular matrix for vehicles with plural working zones

Claim 2

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix of plastic material for absorbing vehicle impact energy, said matrix having a plurality of longitudinally extending cells having a polygonal cross section disposed adjacent to each other, said cells being formed by a plurality of substantially thin, flat and angularly disposed walls which intersect one another to form polygonal open cell spaces therebetween which extend un-interrupted between opposite ends of said matrix, a first number of said walls being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in a plane between the ends thereof, a second number of said walls being vertically spaced from each other and inter-secting said first number of said walls and further tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in said plane, a substantially rigid support for said matrix adapted to engage one end of said cells and provide a backing for said matrix to thereby permit said cells to flex from both ends in response to the application of an impact load directed onto the other end of said cells to thereby absorb impact energy.

Claim 3

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix of plastic material for absorbing energy of an impact load applied thereto, said matrix having a plurality of longi-tudinally extending cells disposed adjacent to each other, said cells being formed by a plurality of substantially thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween which extend uninterrupted from inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in a predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a second number of said wall means being angularly disposed with respect to said first number of said wall means and vertically spaced from each other and also tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in said predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends thereof, a support for said matrix adapted to engage one end of said cells at the inner extremity of said matrix and provide a backing for said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to deflect from both ends in response to the application of an impact load thereto to thereby absorb impact energy.

Claim 4

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix of plastic material for absorbing energy of an impact load applied thereto, said matrix having a plurality of longi-tudinally extending cells disposed adjacent to each other, said cells being formed by a plurality of substantially thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween which extend uninterrupted from inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in a predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a second number of said wall means being angularly disposed with respect to said first number of said wall means and vertically spaced from each other and also tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in said predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends thereof, a support for said matrix adapted to engage one end of said cells at the inner extremity of said matrix and provide a backing for said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to deflect from both ends in response to the application of an impact load thereto to thereby absorb impact energy.

Claim 5

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix molded from plastic material for absorbing energy of an impact load applied thereto, said matrix having a plurality of generally parallel and longitudinally extending cells disposed adjacent to each other, a number of said cells being formed by a plurality of substantially thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween which extend uninterrupted between inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness on a parting line in a plane extending laterally of and between the ends of said cell means, a second number of said wall means being angularly disposed with respect to said first number of said wall means and vertically spaced from each other and also tapering from minimal thicknesses at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness on said parting line, said cells having deflecting zones extending longitudinally from either side of the parting line to the inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a support for said matrix adapted to engage and support one end of said cells at the inner extremity of said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to deflect from both extremities in response to the application of an impact load thereto to thereby absorb impact energy.

Claim 6

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix molded from plastic material for absorbing energy of an impact load applied thereto, said matrix having a plurality of generally parallel and longitudinally extending cells disposed adjacent to each other, a number of said cells being formed by a plurality of substantially thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween which extend uninterrupted between inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness on a parting line in a plane extending laterally of and between the ends of said cell means, a second number of said wall means being angularly disposed with respect to said first number of said wall means and vertically spaced from each other and also tapering from minimal thicknesses at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness on said parting line, said cells having deflecting zones extending longitudinally from either side of the parting line to the inner and outer extremities of said matrix, a support for said matrix adapted to engage and support one end of said cells at the inner extremity of said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to deflect from both extremities in response to the application of an impact load thereto to thereby absorb impact energy.

Claim 7

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix of plastic material for absorbing vehicle impact energy, said matrix having a multiple number of uninterrupted open cells extending longitudinally of said matrix and between opposite extremities thereof, said cells being formed by angularly disposed thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in a predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a second number of said walls being vertically spaced from each other and disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the first number of said wall means, said second number of said wall means tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness at said predetermined plane between said forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a support for said matrix adapted to engage one end of said cells and provide a backing and support for said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to flex from at least two separate deflection zones provided by said cells on opposite sides of a parting line formed by said predetermined plane in response to the application of an impact load thereto.

Claim 8

A vehicle bumper comprising a resilient one-piece matrix of plastic material for absorbing vehicle impact energy, said matrix having a multiple number of uninterrupted open cells extending longitudinally of said matrix and between opposite extremities thereof, said cells being formed by angularly disposed thin, flat wall means which intersect one another to form polygonal open spaces therebetween, a first number of said wall means being laterally spaced from each other and tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness in a predetermined plane between the forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a second number of said walls being vertically spaced from each other and disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the first number of said wall means, said second number of said wall means tapering from a minimal thickness at opposite ends thereof to a maximum thickness at said predetermined plane between said forward and rearward ends of said matrix, a support for said matrix adapted to engage one end of said cells and provide a backing and support for said matrix to thereby permit said matrix to flex from at least two separate deflection zones provided by said cells on opposite sides of a parting line formed by said predetermined plane in response to the application of an impact load thereto.