Patent US3836188A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3836188A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle bumper system
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
•
Filing: 1973-04-25
•
Granted: 1974-09-17
•
Expires: 1993-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A bumper system particularly adapted for automobile type vehicles and including a face bar assembly supported on the body of the vehicle for fore and aft movement and defining a plurality of bearing surfaces, a plurality of reaction surfaces on the body of the vehicle, a similar reaction surface on the frame of the vehicle, and a plurality of energy absorbing modules disposed between respective pairs of bearings and reaction surfaces, the modules being fabricated from cellular plastic foam adapted for crush or collapse in an energy absorbing mode so that a portion of the kinetic energy of an impact on the face bar assembly is absorbed by the modules while the remainder of the impact load is distributed in predetermined proportion between the body and the frame of the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 G Klees
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:33
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/24; B60R19/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
In a collision bumper system for a vehicle including a body portion and an attached frame portion disposed generally below said body portion, the combination comprising, a collision bumper face bar assembly adapted for disposition across generally the entire width of said vehicle, means supporting said face bar assembly on said vehicle in a substantially horizontal altitude for fore and aft bodily shiftable movement relative to said body portion and to said frame portion, means on said face bar assembly defining a plurality of laterally extending bearing surfaces cooperatively extending substantially the entire width of said body portion, means on said body portion and on said frame portion defining a corresponding plurality of laterally extending reaction surfaces cooperatively extending substantially the entire width of each of said body portion and said frame portion, each of said reaction surfaces being parallel to and in spaced registry with a respective one of said bearing surfaces, a plurality of elongated energy absorbing plastic modules adapted to crush under compression force loading while presenting a predetermined resistance to the compression force, and means disposing each of said energy absorbing modules between respective ones of said registered bearing and reaction surfaces to that an impact force on said face bar assembly places each of said modules in substantial compression for energy absorbing crush while said impact force loading is distributed by said modules in predetermined proportion between said body portion and said frame portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
In a collision bumper system for a vehicle including a body portion and an attached frame portion disposed generally below said body portion, the combination comprising, a collision bumper face bar assembly adapted for disposition across generally the entire width of said vehicle, means supporting said face bar assembly on said vehicle in a substantially horizontal altitude for fore and aft bodily shiftable movement relative to said body portion and to said frame portion, means on said face bar assembly defining a plurality of laterally extending bearing surfaces cooperatively extending substantially the entire width of said body portion, means on said body portion and on said frame portion defining a corresponding plurality of laterally extending reaction surfaces cooperatively extending substantially the entire width of each of said body portion and said frame portion, each of said reaction surfaces being parallel to and in spaced registry with a respective one of said bearing surfaces, a plurality of elongated energy absorbing plastic modules adapted to crush under compression force loading while presenting a predetermined resistance to the compression force, and means disposing each of said energy absorbing modules between respective ones of said registered bearing and reaction surfaces to that an impact force on said face bar assembly places each of said modules in substantial compression for energy absorbing crush while said impact force loading is distributed by said modules in predetermined proportion between said body portion and said frame portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
253 words
In a collision bumper system for a vehicle including a body portion and an attached frame portion disposed generally below said body portion, the combination comprising, a collision bumper face bar assembly adapted for disposition across generally the entire width of said vehicle, a plurality of support straps disposed between said face bar assembly and said body portion, each of said straps being adapted for fore and aft flexure thereby to support said face bar assembly on said body portion for fore and aft bodily shiftable movement, means on said face bar assembly defining a plurality of laterally extending bearing surfaces, means on said body portion and on said frame portion defining a corresponding plurality of laterally extending reaction surfaces, each of said reaction surfaces being parallel to and in spaced registry with a respective one of said bearing surfaces, a plurality of energy absorbing plastic modules adapted to crush under compression force loading while presenting a predetermined resistance to the compression force, and means disposing each of said energy absorbing modules between respective ones of said registered bearing and reaction surfaces so that an impact force on said face bar assembly places each of said modules in substantial compression for energy absorbing crush while said impact force loading is distributed by said modules in predetermined proportions between said body portion and said frame portion, said reaction surfaces being divided between said body portion and said frame portion such that approximately two-thirds of said impact force loading is distributed to said body portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
253 words
In a collision bumper system for a vehicle including a body portion and an attached frame portion disposed generally below said body portion, the combination comprising, a collision bumper face bar assembly adapted for disposition across generally the entire width of said vehicle, a plurality of support straps disposed between said face bar assembly and said body portion, each of said straps being adapted for fore and aft flexure thereby to support said face bar assembly on said body portion for fore and aft bodily shiftable movement, means on said face bar assembly defining a plurality of laterally extending bearing surfaces, means on said body portion and on said frame portion defining a corresponding plurality of laterally extending reaction surfaces, each of said reaction surfaces being parallel to and in spaced registry with a respective one of said bearing surfaces, a plurality of energy absorbing plastic modules adapted to crush under compression force loading while presenting a predetermined resistance to the compression force, and means disposing each of said energy absorbing modules between respective ones of said registered bearing and reaction surfaces so that an impact force on said face bar assembly places each of said modules in substantial compression for energy absorbing crush while said impact force loading is distributed by said modules in predetermined proportions between said body portion and said frame portion, said reaction surfaces being divided between said body portion and said frame portion such that approximately two-thirds of said impact force loading is distributed to said body portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-16 | 1978-03-18 | 1978-09-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-16 | 1982-03-18 | 1982-09-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-16 | 1986-03-18 | 1986-09-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |