Shock-absorber for vehicles and the like

Claim 2

A shock-absorber for absorbing shock to a vehicle body comprising: a bumper; a support for said bumper, said support being slidably mounted with respect to said vehicle body; a pile of distortable elements interposed between said support and said vehicle body; and resilient means urging said distortable elements one against the other and said slidable member against said vehicle body, whereby said distortable elements are always in slight pressure relationship and said slidable support is maintained without any play with respect to the vehicle even though said distortable elements are in part at least distorted during a crush in absorbing the shock energy.

Claim 3

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 1, wherein the vehicle body includes hollow longitudinally disposed beams, and said distortable elements are placed inside said longitudinally provided beams of the vehicle body between a stop fixed to each of said beams and said slidable support for the bumper.

Claim 4

Shock absorber, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is further provided with longitudinal guides for the bumper, the bumper being slidable with respect to said guides.

Claim 5

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distortable elements are provided with corrugations, flanges and other protuberances which absorb the shock energy when a shock is transmitted by said piston connected to said bumper.

Claim 6

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distortable elements are plates placed between stamping punch forming elements to distort said distortable elements when a shock occurs.

Claim 7

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distortable elements are made of thin plates of which some at least are corrugated.

Claim 8

Shock-absorber, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the distortable elements are placed in a distortable envelope forming a cartridge.

Claim 9

Shock-absorber, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is further provided with guides for the bumper, the bumper being slidable with respect to the guides.

Claim 10

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 2 further including a guiding tube, and a guiding element, said slidable support for the bumper is placed into said guiding tube and said guiding tube being itself connected inside said beam through said guiding element giving said guiding tube at least one degree of freedom, whereby said bumper may move in an oblique direction with respect to said beam in occurrence of an oblique shock.

Claim 11

Shock-absorber, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the guiding element supporting the guiding tube is constituted by a flexible ring.

Claim 12

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 2, wherein said slidable support consists of a hollow element guided in a ring shaped part fixed to the end of said beam and having a funnel shaped opening whereby the hollow element may rotate with respect to the axis of the beam.

Claim 13

Shock-absorber, as set forth in claim 8 wherein the distortable elements are placed inside the hollow piston in which also penetrates a retaining body forming an anvil which is connected to the stop placed into the beam.

Claim 14

A shock absorber for absorbing shock to a vehicle body comprising: a bumper; a support for said bumper, said support being slidably mounted with respect to said vehicle body; a piston slidably mounted parallel to said support; a pile of distortable elements interposed between said support and said piston; and resilient spring means interposed between said piston and the vehicle body to urge said distortable elements one against the other and said slidable support against said vehicle body, whereby said distortable elements are always in slight pressure relationship and said slidable support is maintained without any play with respect to the vehicle even though said distortable elements are in part at least distorted during a crush in absorbing the shock energy.

Claim 15

A shock absorber for absorbing shock to a vehicle body comprising: a bumper; a support for said bumper, said support being slidably mounted with respect to said vehicle body; a piston slidably mounted parallel to said support; a pile of distortable elements interposed between said support and said piston; and resilient spring means interposed between said piston and the vehicle body to urge said distortable elements one against the other and said slidable support against said vehicle body, whereby said distortable elements are always in slight pressure relationship and said slidable support is maintained without any play with respect to the vehicle even though said distortable elements are in part at least distorted during a crush in absorbing the shock energy.

Claim 16

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 13 wherein a beam is connected to the vehicle body to Slidably house said slidable support for the bumper, said pile of distortable elements, said piston and said spring means.

Claim 17

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 13 further comprising retaining means for said piston, said retaining means being connected to the vehicle body and preventing said piston from moving in the direction of a shock, whereby said retaining means permit said piston to slide only in a direction in which it maintains said distortable elements in close contact with each other while said piston compensates for the distortion of said distortable elements during successive crushes.

Claim 18

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 13 wherein said distortable elements are provided with corrugations, flanges and other protuberances which absorb the shock energy when a shock is transmitted by said piston connected to said bumper.

Claim 19

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 13 wherein said distortable elements are plates placed between stamping punch forming elements to distort said distortable elements when a shock occurs.

Claim 20

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 13 wherein said distortable elements are made of thin plates of which some at least are corrugated.

Claim 21

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 15, wherein said retaining means comprise a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism.

Claim 22

Shock absorber as set forth in claim 15, wherein said retaining means comprises said piston with a tapered outer wall bearing against a tapered inner wall of a split ring pressed against the inner wall of said hollow beam fixed to the vehicle body.