Energy absorber for vehicle bumpers and the like

Claim 2

In an energy absorbing unit, a first generally cylindrical housing member, a second generally cylindrical housing member adapted for telescopic engagement with said first member, means defining a fluid chamber in one of said members and a flow control orifice communicating said chamber with the other of said members, a high energy spring disposed in said other housing member, said spring being fabricated of resilient elastomeric cellular material and comprising an elongated cylindrical body of substantially the same cross-sectional size as the interior of said other housing member and occupying substantially the entire interior volume thereof, whereby the longitudinally opposite ends of said body are disposed directly adjacent the ends of said other housing member, whereby any fluid transmitted through said orifice into said other housing results in compression of said body, with the resistance to compression of said spring and the resistance to fluid flow through said orifice being complementary and providing a relatively constant overall resistant force.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes valve means for controlling fluid flow from said chamber to said other housing member.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes means for varying the discharge coefficient of said orifice.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes first and second orifice means communicating said chamber with said other housing member.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 4 which includes valve means for controlling fluid flow through one of said orifices, said valve means acting as a hold-off means to prevent compression of said spring until a preselected fluid pressure is achieved.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring is non-linear.

Claim 8

In a device for absorbing the impact energy of a vehicle bumper, an elongated cylindrical housing comprising first and second generally axially aligned telescopic housing sections, a non-linear high energy absorbing spring occupying a portion of said housing, a fluid chamber occupying the remaining portion of said housing, fluid flow control means disposed between said chamber and said spring through which fluid may flow from said chamber to effect compression of said spring, means extending generally transversely of one of said housing sections and movable axially therewithin for varying the operational characteristics of said fluid control means, and means for operatively supporting said device at a position wherein said spring is adapted to absorb the impact force transmitted to the vehicle bumper upon engagement thereof with an object.

Claim 9

In a device for absorbing the impact energy of a vehicle bumper, an elongated cylindrical housing comprising first and second generally axially aligned telescopic housing sections, a non-linear high energy absorbing spring occupying a portion of said housing, a fluid chamber occupying the remaining portion of said housing, fluid flow control means disposed between said chamber and said spring through which fluid may flow from said chamber to effect compression of said spring, means extending generally transversely of one of said housing sections and movable axially therewithin for varying the operational characteristics of said fluid control means, and means for operatively supporting said device at a position wherein said spring is adapted to absorb the impact force transmitted to the vehicle bumper upon engagement thereof with an object.

Claim 10

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said fluid flow control means includes means defining an orifice through which fluid flows to compress said spring, and wherein said operational characteristic varying means includes means for varying the discharge coefficient of said orifice.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein a portion of said body is operable to vary the discharge coefficient of said orifice.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 7 which includes means providing a fluid impervious barrier around said body.

Claim 13

The invention as set forth in claim 10 wherein said barrier comprises an integral fluid impervious skin on said body.

Claim 14

An energy absorbing unit comprising a first elongated tubular housing having means defining an orifice at one end thereof, a cylindrical resilient elastomeric member disposed within said housing and occupying substantially the entire interior volume thereof, with one end of said member being disposed directly adjacent said orifice and acting to prevent the free flow of fluid therethRough, a second tubular housing telescopically movable relative to said first housing and defining a fluid chamber, a quantity of fluid in said chamber adapted to be forced through said orifice upon telescopic movement of said first and second housings, and means including said one end of said member providing for a variable discharge coefficient of fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 15

An energy absorbing unit comprising a first elongated tubular housing having means defining an orifice at one end thereof, a cylindrical resilient elastomeric member disposed within said housing and occupying substantially the entire interior volume thereof, with one end of said member being disposed directly adjacent said orifice and acting to prevent the free flow of fluid therethRough, a second tubular housing telescopically movable relative to said first housing and defining a fluid chamber, a quantity of fluid in said chamber adapted to be forced through said orifice upon telescopic movement of said first and second housings, and means including said one end of said member providing for a variable discharge coefficient of fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 16

The invention as set forth in claim 12 wherein said last mentioned means includes a radially disposed end of said member movable in response to compression of said elastomeric member toward and away from said orifice.

Claim 17

The invention as set forth in claim 12 wherein said elastomeric member is fabricated of a flexible urethane elastomer.

Claim 18

The invention as set forth in claim 12 which includes valve means for controlling fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 19

In an energy absorbing unit, a first generally cylindrical housing member, a first element at one end of said member, a second generally cylindrical housing member telescopically movable relative to said first member, a fluid chamber in one of said members and means including a second element at the opposite end of said first housing member from said first element defining a flow control orifice communicating said chamber with the other of said members, a quantity of fluid in said chamber, a high energy spring disposed in said other of said housing member and adapted to be compressed under the influence of fluid communicated from said chamber through said orifice into said other member, said spring comprising a resilient elastomeric cellular body of a generally cylindrical configuration normally occupying substantially the entire interior volume of said first housing member and having the axially opposite ends juxtapositioned said first and second elements, and means including said spring for controlling the flow of fluid from said chamber into said other housing member, whereby fluid will not flow from said chamber into said first housing member until preselected telescoping movement occurs between said first and second housing members.

Claim 20

In an energy absorbing unit, a first generally cylindrical housing member, a first element at one end of said member, a second generally cylindrical housing member telescopically movable relative to said first member, a fluid chamber in one of said members and means including a second element at the opposite end of said first housing member from said first element defining a flow control orifice communicating said chamber with the other of said members, a quantity of fluid in said chamber, a high energy spring disposed in said other of said housing member and adapted to be compressed under the influence of fluid communicated from said chamber through said orifice into said other member, said spring comprising a resilient elastomeric cellular body of a generally cylindrical configuration normally occupying substantially the entire interior volume of said first housing member and having the axially opposite ends juxtapositioned said first and second elements, and means including said spring for controlling the flow of fluid from said chamber into said other housing member, whereby fluid will not flow from said chamber into said first housing member until preselected telescoping movement occurs between said first and second housing members.

Claim 21

The invention as set forth in claim 16 wherein said valve means comprises a valve member, and means resiliently urging said valve member toward a position closing said orifice.

Claim 22

The invention as set forth in claim 17 which includes means for supporting said valve member and said resilient means adjacent said orifice.

Claim 23

The invention as set forth in claim 18 wherein said support means comprises a valve cage.

Claim 24

The invention as set forth in claim 16 wherein said valve means comprises check valve means for controlling flow from said other member to said chamber.

Claim 25

The invention as set forth in claim 16 which includes means communicating said chamber with said other member other than said orifice for permitting fluid flow from said chamber to said other member at energy levels lower than that necessary to open said valve means.

Claim 26

In an energy absorbing unit, a first generally cylindrical housing member, a second generally cylindrical housing member adapted for telescopic engagement with said first member, means defining a fluid chamber in one of said members and a flow control orifice communicating said chamber with the other of said members, a high energy spring disposed in said other of said housing member and adapted to be compressed under the influence of fluid communicated from said chamber, said spring being fabricated of a resilient elastomeric cellular material and being of an elongated cylindrical configuration having one end thereof disposed adjacent said orifice, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said chamber into said other housing member, whereby said spring will not be compressed by said fluid until the pressure of said fluid reaches a predetermined level, said one end of said spring being of a generally complementary configuration with rEspect to said valve means.

Claim 27

In an energy absorbing unit, a first generally cylindrical housing member, a second generally cylindrical housing member adapted for telescopic engagement with said first member, means defining a fluid chamber in one of said members and a flow control orifice communicating said chamber with the other of said members, a high energy spring disposed in said other of said housing member and adapted to be compressed under the influence of fluid communicated from said chamber, said spring being fabricated of a resilient elastomeric cellular material and being of an elongated cylindrical configuration having one end thereof disposed adjacent said orifice, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said chamber into said other housing member, whereby said spring will not be compressed by said fluid until the pressure of said fluid reaches a predetermined level, said one end of said spring being of a generally complementary configuration with rEspect to said valve means.

Claim 28

An energy absorber comprising, a first hollow cylindrical housing member having an interior chamber defined at one end thereof by support means for said housing member and at the opposite end thereof by an orifice defining element, a compressible spring in said first housing member and occupying substantially the entire volume of said chamber, a second hollow cylindrical housing member telescopically supported relative to said first member and having mounting means at one end thereof, a fluid compartment within said second housing member and defined by said mounting means thereof and said orifice defining element, and means for compressing said spring in response to fluid flowing from said compartment through said orifice into said chamber.

Claim 29

An energy absorber comprising, a first hollow cylindrical housing member having an interior chamber defined at one end thereof by support means for said housing member and at the opposite end thereof by an orifice defining element, a compressible spring in said first housing member and occupying substantially the entire volume of said chamber, a second hollow cylindrical housing member telescopically supported relative to said first member and having mounting means at one end thereof, a fluid compartment within said second housing member and defined by said mounting means thereof and said orifice defining element, and means for compressing said spring in response to fluid flowing from said compartment through said orifice into said chamber.

Claim 30

The invention as set forth in claim 23 which includes a valve for controlling fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 31

The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said spring comprises a generally radially disposed end portion located directly adjacent said element when said spring is in a non-compressed condition, and wherein said surface is cooperable with said orifice in varying the discharge coefficient thereof.

Claim 32

In an energy absorbing unit, a housing including first and second sections, first force damping means including a quantity of fluid in said first section, a restricted orifice defining member separating said sections, and second force damping means including a compressible spring disposed in said second section and adapted to be compressed by fluid passing through the orifice in said member, means in said second section normally disposed adjacent said orifice for preventing the free flow of fluid from said first section through said orifice to said second section, first and second generally tubular telescopic housing members, one of said members defining a fluid reservoir and the other of said members adapted to contain said spring, the damping force of said second damping means increasing at approximately the same rate as the damping force of said first damping means decreases, whereby a substantial constant resultant damping force is provided.

Claim 33

In an energy absorbing unit, a housing including first and second sections, first force damping means including a quantity of fluid in said first section, a restricted orifice defining member separating said sections, and second force damping means including a compressible spring disposed in said second section and adapted to be compressed by fluid passing through the orifice in said member, means in said second section normally disposed adjacent said orifice for preventing the free flow of fluid from said first section through said orifice to said second section, first and second generally tubular telescopic housing members, one of said members defining a fluid reservoir and the other of said members adapted to contain said spring, the damping force of said second damping means increasing at approximately the same rate as the damping force of said first damping means decreases, whereby a substantial constant resultant damping force is provided.

Claim 34

The invention as set forth in claim 26 which includes means for resisting fluid flow through said orifice until a preselected force is exerted against said unit.

Claim 35

The invention as set forth in claim 27 which includes valve means for controlling fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 36

The invention as set forth in claim 26 wherein said spring is fabricated of a flexible urethane elastomer.

Claim 37

The invention as set forth in claim 29 wherein said spring comprises a generally cylindrically shaped cartridge.