US3574379A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resilient shock-absorbing bumper
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-07-08
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Granted: 1971-04-13
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Expires: 1988-07-08
Abstract
Abstract A shock-absorbing device comprising a bumper pad and dovetail mounting structure. The bumper pad includes a tubular casing made of nonporous, flexible plastic material with flanges on one side for removable attachment to a bracket. The other side of the pad is convex. The casing is filled with resilient, spongy, cellular foam material saturated with a liquid. Opposite ends of the casing are closed by breakable seals. The casing and foam filler flex yieldably when subjected to moderate impact, and on severe impact an end seal breaks to release liquid at a controlled rate. The bumper pad is attached to the mounting structure by a spreader plate engaged in the flanges of the casing. A plurality of bumper pads can be mounted vertically in spaced disposition in a single mounting bracket structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander T Jordan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/18; B60R19/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A shock absorber device for a vehicle or the like, comprising a bumper-mounting structure supportable by the vehicle, said mounting structure having mounting means defining at least one dovetail recess, said recess having a flat inner wall and a pair of opposed lateral walls slanting forwardly from the inner wall to define a forward opening into said recess; a bumper pad comprising an elongated, flexible body removably insertable longitudinally into said recess through one end thereof, said body having a convex front wall to extend forwardly through said opening for receiving the force of an applied impact, a rear wall integral with said front wall, and a pair of inturned flexible flanges integral with and extending along said rear wall at opposite edges thereof; a rigid spreader plate removably insertable longitudinally between said flanges to abut said rear wall and to spread said flanges inside the recess to fit them tightly against the slanted lateral walls and inside wall of the recess, so that the bumper pad is held therein only by friction and compressive force, whEreby the bumper pad provides a first stage of impact absorption, whereby the spreader plate provides a second successive stage of impact absorption, and whereby said mounting structure provides a third successive stages of impact absorption.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A shock absorber device for a vehicle or the like, comprising a bumper-mounting structure supportable by the vehicle, said mounting structure having mounting means defining at least one dovetail recess, said recess having a flat inner wall and a pair of opposed lateral walls slanting forwardly from the inner wall to define a forward opening into said recess; a bumper pad comprising an elongated, flexible body removably insertable longitudinally into said recess through one end thereof, said body having a convex front wall to extend forwardly through said opening for receiving the force of an applied impact, a rear wall integral with said front wall, and a pair of inturned flexible flanges integral with and extending along said rear wall at opposite edges thereof; a rigid spreader plate removably insertable longitudinally between said flanges to abut said rear wall and to spread said flanges inside the recess to fit them tightly against the slanted lateral walls and inside wall of the recess, so that the bumper pad is held therein only by friction and compressive force, whEreby the bumper pad provides a first stage of impact absorption, whereby the spreader plate provides a second successive stage of impact absorption, and whereby said mounting structure provides a third successive stages of impact absorption.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 1, wherein said bumper mounting structure includes resilient support means for said mounting means, said resilient support means providing said third stage of impact absorption, and said mounting means providing a fourth successive stage of impact absorption.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 2, wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of parallel bars coupled to said resilient support means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 3, wherein said mounting means further comprises yokes having arms joined to the bars respectively, each yoke having a shaft extending rearwardly from the bars and engaged with said resilient support means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 3, wherein said recess is formed in said bars, so that the bumper pad and spreader plate are supported directly by said bars.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
202 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means further defines a plurality of like dovetail recesses for supporting other bumper pads, each recess having a flat other inner wall to define a forward other opening into the recess; a plurality of other bumper pads, each other bumper pad comprising an elongated flexible other body removably insertable longitudinally into one of the other recesses to extend forwardly through said other opening, said other body having a convex front other wall, a rear other wall integral with the front other wall, and a pair of other inturned flexible flanges extending along said rear other wall at opposite edges thereof; and a plurality of other rigid spreader plates respectively removably insertable longitudinally between said other flanges to abut said rear other wall within one of said other recesses to spread said other flanges inside the other recess to fit tightly against the respective slanted lateral walls and inside wall thereof to hold a bumper pad therein only by compressive force, whereby any one of the bumper pads and any one of the spreader plates can be replaced by sliding it longitudinally out of a recess in which it is engaged.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said recesses are disposed longitudinally parallel to each other so that a plurality bumper pads can be supported in spaced parallel relationship to each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of parallel support bars, said recesses being formed in said bars, so that a plurality of bumper pads can be supported in spaced parallel relationship to each other by said bars.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said bumper-mounting structure includes resilient support means for said mounting means, said resilient support means providing said third stage of impact absorption, and said mounting means providing a fourth successive stage of impact absorption.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 9, wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of parallel bars coupled to said resilient support means; and yokes having arms joined to the bars respectively, each yoke having a shaft extending rearwardly from the bars and engaged with said resilient support means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
A shock absorber device as defined in claim 10, wherein said mounting structure further comprises brackets mounting to said vehicle cup rings carried by the brackets; said resilient support means comprising apertured resilient pads in the cup rings, the shafts of the yokes extending through the resilient pads; flanges on the yokes abutting the resilient pads; and coil springs connecting ends of the shafts with said vehicle to serve as counterweights while the resilient pads serve as supports for the yokes, bars, bumper pads and spreader plates.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-12 | 1974-10-12 | 1975-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-12 | 1978-10-12 | 1979-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-12 | 1982-10-12 | 1983-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |