Shock absorbing buffer assembly

Claim 2

A resilient one piece energy absorbing grid for a vehicle for absorbing the energy of predetermined impacts of the vehicle comprising a central portion having a plurality of rows of longitudinally-extending cells each rectilinear in cross section and first and second wing portions respectively extending laterally from opposite sides of said central portion, each of said wing portions having a height less than the height of said central portion and having a row of longitudinally-extending cells rectilinear in cross section, a plurality of said cells of said central portion and said wing portions being open at both ends thereof, rear wall means integrally formed at the end of first cell means of said grid being in each of said wing portions, a support for said grid extending laterally of said vehicle and coextensive with said grid, fastener means extending from said support through said rear wall means to secure said grid to said support, second cell means of said grid being in said central portion, said second cell means having integral front wall means, separate plate means mounted on the front of said central portion of said grid for spreading impact loads applied to said central portion, and fastener means projecting from said plate means through said front wall means to secure said plate means to said energy absorbing grid.

Claim 3

A resilient one piece energy absorbing grid for a vehicle for absorbing the energy of predetermined impacts of the vehicle comprising a central portion having a plurality of rows of longitudinally-extending cells and first and second wing portions respectively extending laterally from opposite sides of said central portion, each of said wing portions having a single row of longitudinally-extending cells, said cells of said central portion and said wing portion being rectilinear in cross section, a plurality of said cells of said central portion and said wing portions being open at both ends thereof, rear wall means integrally formed at the end of first cell means of said grid in each of said wing portions, a rigid laterally extending support for said grid, fastener means extending from said support through said rear wall means to secure said grid to said support, second cell means of said grid being in said central portion and having integral front wall means, force spreading plate means mounted directly on the front of said central portion, fastener means projecting from said plate means through said front wall means to secure said plAte means to said energy absorbing grid, said first cell means being adjacent to the ends of said laterally extending end portions and having wall means thicker than the wall means of the other cells of said grid to provide for increased energy absorption capacity to absorb the energy of corner impacts.

Claim 4

A resilient one piece energy absorbing grid for a vehicle for absorbing the energy of predetermined impacts of the vehicle comprising a central portion having a plurality of rows of longitudinally-extending cells and first and second wing portions respectively extending laterally from opposite sides of said central portion, each of said wing portions having a single row of longitudinally-extending cells, said cells of said central portion and said wing portion being rectilinear in cross section, a plurality of said cells of said central portion and said wing portions being open at both ends thereof, rear wall means integrally formed at the end of first cell means of said grid in each of said wing portions, a rigid laterally extending support for said grid, fastener means extending from said support through said rear wall means to secure said grid to said support, second cell means of said grid being in said central portion and having integral front wall means, force spreading plate means mounted directly on the front of said central portion, fastener means projecting from said plate means through said front wall means to secure said plAte means to said energy absorbing grid, said first cell means being adjacent to the ends of said laterally extending end portions and having wall means thicker than the wall means of the other cells of said grid to provide for increased energy absorption capacity to absorb the energy of corner impacts.

Claim 5

In combination with a vehicle, a laterally extending rigid support on said vehicle, a one-piece resilient cellular grid of resilient material mounted on said support for absorbing the energy of vehicle impact, said grid being coextensive with the lateral extent of said rigid support, said grid comprising a plurality of cell means extending longitudinally a predetermined distance from the body of said vehicle, each of said cell means being rectilinear in cross section and having side wall means disposed generally at right angles to each other, a plurality of said cell means being fully open at the front and rear ends thereof, a first number of said plurality of said cell means being substantially identical in cross sectional area and length to form first buckling columns to absorb predetermined impact forces applied thereto, a second number of said plurality of said cell means being substantially larger in cross sectional area than said first number of said cell means to form second buckling columns to absorb impact forces lower than said predetermined impact forces.

Claim 6

In combination with a vehicle, a laterally extending rigid support on said vehicle, a one-piece resilient cellular grid of resilient material mounted on said support for absorbing the energy of vehicle impact, said grid being coextensive with the lateral extent of said rigid support, said grid comprising a plurality of cell means extending longitudinally a predetermined distance from the body of said vehicle, each of said cell means being rectilinear in cross section and having side wall means disposed generally at right angles to each other, a plurality of said cell means being fully open at the front and rear ends thereof, a first number of said plurality of said cell means being substantially identical in cross sectional area and length to form first buckling columns to absorb predetermined impact forces applied thereto, a second number of said plurality of said cell means being substantially larger in cross sectional area than said first number of said cell means to form second buckling columns to absorb impact forces lower than said predetermined impact forces.

Claim 7

A resilient one piece energy absorbing grid for a vehicle for absorbing the energy of vehicle impact comprising a central portion and left and right laterally extending wing portions, said grid extending substantially across one end of the vehicle and having a plurality of longitudinally extending cell means open at both ends, each of said cell means having longitudinally extending side walls and each being rectilinear in cross section, said side walls of a first of said cell means having a first draft angle to provide a build up of side wall thickness from one end of said first cell means to the other to provide a first impact energy absorption rate, said side walls of a second of said cell means having draft angle smaller than that of said first cell means so that predetermined side walls thereof have a thickness less than the side walls of said first cell means to provide a second energy absorption rate, and said side walls of a third of said cell means having side walls of uniform thickness to provide a third energy absorption rate.

Claim 8

A resilient one piece energy absorbing grid for a vehicle for absorbing the energy of vehicle impact comprising a central portion and left and right laterally extending wing portions, said grid extending substantially across one end of the vehicle and having a plurality of longitudinally extending cell means open at both ends, each of said cell means having longitudinally extending side walls and each being rectilinear in cross section, said side walls of a first of said cell means having a first draft angle to provide a build up of side wall thickness from one end of said first cell means to the other to provide a first impact energy absorption rate, said side walls of a second of said cell means having draft angle smaller than that of said first cell means so that predetermined side walls thereof have a thickness less than the side walls of said first cell means to provide a second energy absorption rate, and said side walls of a third of said cell means having side walls of uniform thickness to provide a third energy absorption rate.

Claim 9

The energy absorbing grid of claim 4 wherein the outer sides of the walls of said third cell means have a draft angle equal to the draft angle of the inner side of the walls of said third cell means and extend from the front end of said grid to provide said walls of uniform thickness.