Energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for motor vehicles

Claim 2

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energyabsorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channelsection member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inneR member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an openended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; flange means situated at the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resilientlymounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channelsection member.

Claim 3

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement according to claim 1, in which the resiliently-mounted connection means includes compression spring elements in the form of spring plates.

Claim 4

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; flange means situated at the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube; resiliently-mounted connection means mounted on the inner channel-section member securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member; and retainer plate means inside the bumper bar secured to the inner channel-section member to retain said connection means in position on the inner channel-section member before each flange means is secured to said inner channel-section member.

Claim 5

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; flange means situated at the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube; resiliently-mounted connection means mounted on the inner channel-section member securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member; and retainer plate means inside the bumper bar secured to the inner channel-section member to retain said connection means in position on the inner channel-section member before each flange means is secured to said inner channel-section member.

Claim 6

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube, and having a face remote from the shock-absorber means which comprises a narrow, flat central portion adjoined by Laterally-bevelled wing portions extending therefrom; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member with the central portion of said face of the flange means in contact with a zone of said inner channel-section member extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 7

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube, and having a face remote from the shock-absorber means which comprises a narrow, flat central portion adjoined by Laterally-bevelled wing portions extending therefrom; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member with the central portion of said face of the flange means in contact with a zone of said inner channel-section member extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 8

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; elongated flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube, and having apertures therethrough, the centers of which lie on a circle whose centre is located at a point on the flange means which is asymmetrically placed at a distance from the point at which the longitudinal axis of the shock-absorber means intersects said flange means; and resiliently-mounted connection means on said inner channel-section member which pass through said apertures in each flange means so as to secure each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 9

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising an open-ended guide tube secured in parallel relationship with each longitudinal beam member adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a shock-absorber means movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member; elongated flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube, and having apertures therethrough, the centers of which lie on a circle whose centre is located at a point on the flange means which is asymmetrically placed at a distance from the point at which the longitudinal axis of the shock-absorber means intersects said flange means; and resiliently-mounted connection means on said inner channel-section member which pass through said apertures in each flange means so as to secure each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 10

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement according to claim 5, in which said distance is so chosen with respect to the manufacturing tolerances in the distance of said longitudinal axis of the shock-absorber means from the ground that it is possible to reduce the corresponding tolerance in the distance of the bumper bar from the ground by selecting that one of the two possible positions of the flange means relative to the bumper bar in which said distance will reduce said corresponding tolerance.

Claim 11

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising two guide tubes each of which has an open end and a closed end, and is secured in parallel relationship with one of the longitudinal beam members adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder shock-absorber movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member with a piston rod connected at one end to the piston of said shock-absorber and connected at the othEr end to the closed end of the respective guide tube; flange means mounted on the end of the cylinder of each shock-absorber remote from the guide tube; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 12

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising two guide tubes each of which has an open end and a closed end, and is secured in parallel relationship with one of the longitudinal beam members adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, and a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder shock-absorber movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member with a piston rod connected at one end to the piston of said shock-absorber and connected at the othEr end to the closed end of the respective guide tube; flange means mounted on the end of the cylinder of each shock-absorber remote from the guide tube; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 13

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising two open-ended guide tubes each of which is secured in parallel relationship with one of the longitudinal beam members adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, a shock-absorber means axially movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member and a plurality of resilient guide rings interposed between the shock-absorber means and said guide tube to allow limited radial movement of the shock-absorber means within said guide tube; flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 14

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement for a motor vehicle having a base incorporating two beam members, each of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement including a composite substantially box-section bumper bar comprising an outer channel-section member, and an inner channel-section member nested within said outer channel-section member, the peripheral edge of said inner member being secured to the corresponding peripheral edge of said outer member; energy-absorbing means comprising two open-ended guide tubes each of which is secured in parallel relationship with one of the longitudinal beam members adjacent an end thereof, with the open end of said guide tube adjoining said end of the respective longitudinal beam member, a shock-absorber means axially movably mounted within each guide tube substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal beam member and a plurality of resilient guide rings interposed between the shock-absorber means and said guide tube to allow limited radial movement of the shock-absorber means within said guide tube; flange means mounted on the end of each shock-absorber means remote from the guide tube; and resiliently-mounted connection means securing each flange means to said inner channel-section member in a zone extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said inner channel-section member, at least the major portion of each of said resiliently-mounted connection means being located inside the bumper bar between the outer channel-section member and the inner channel-section member.

Claim 15

An energy-absorbing bumper bar arrangement according to claim 8, in which the outer periphery of each guide ring is shaped with an annular groove therein so that only the outer radial edges of said guide ring are in contact with the guide tube.