Vehicle bumper

Claim 2

A vehicle bumper arrangement comprising: a U-shaped profile member opening in a direction toward a vehicle, the U-shaped profile member being formed of sheet steel; reinforcing means formed as a plurality of individual vertically upright ribs of a metallic material disposed completely within said U-shaped profile member, said individual ribs being spaced from one another with each rib connected to inner wall areas of each leg of the U-shaped profile member so as to interconnect and to reinforce said areas of each leg, each of said individual ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being constructed as a substantially planar sheet member; and means for individually detachably connecting each of said plurality of individual ribs to said U-shaped profile member.

Claim 3

A bumper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein means are provided on each of said individual ribs for facilitating the connection of said individual ribs to said U-shaped profile member.

Claim 4

A bumper arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said facilitating means includes spaced flanged portions provided at each of said individual ribs which rest on the inner wall regions of the U-shaped profile member when said individual ribs are disposed therein, and wherein means are provided in said flanged portions and said U-shaped profile member for accommodating said connecting means.

Claim 5

A bumper arrangement according to claim 3, wherein each of said individual ribs are connected to said U-shaped profile member at at least two spaced positions, and wherein each of said positions is disposed in an area of the U-shaped profile member so as to be concealed from view of an observer when the bumper arrangement is mounted on the vehicle.

Claim 6

A bumper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a groove means is provided for accommodating said connecting means, and wherein means are provided for covering said groove means so as to conceal said connecting means.

Claim 7

A bumper arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said covering means is a bumper strip.

Claim 8

A bumper arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of said individual ribs are connected to said U-shaped profile member at at least two spaced positions, and wherein each of said positions is disposed in an area of the U-shaped profile member so as to be concealed from view of an observer when the bumper arrangement is mounted on the vehicle.

Claim 9

A vehicle bumper arrangement comprising: a U-shaped profile member formed of sheet steel including a web portion connecting respective legs of the U-shaped profile member; reinforcing means formed as vertically arranged individual ribs of a metallic material disposed within said profile member and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, each of said individual ribs including spaced flanges for facilitating the connection of the respective ribs with inner wall areas of the U-shaped profile member, one of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage the web portion of the U-shaped profile member, another of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage one of the legs of the U-shaped profile member, and a further of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage an inwardly directed flange portion provided on the other of the legs of the U-shaped profile member; means for individually detachably connecting each of said ribs to said profile member; a groove means for accommodating said connecting means; and means for covering said groove means so as to conceal said connecting means.

Claim 10

A vehicle bumper arrangement comprising: a U-shaped profile member formed of sheet steel including a web portion connecting respective legs of the U-shaped profile member; reinforcing means formed as vertically arranged individual ribs of a metallic material disposed within said profile member and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, each of said individual ribs including spaced flanges for facilitating the connection of the respective ribs with inner wall areas of the U-shaped profile member, one of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage the web portion of the U-shaped profile member, another of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage one of the legs of the U-shaped profile member, and a further of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage an inwardly directed flange portion provided on the other of the legs of the U-shaped profile member; means for individually detachably connecting each of said ribs to said profile member; a groove means for accommodating said connecting means; and means for covering said groove means so as to conceal said connecting means.

Claim 11

A bumper arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the legs of the U-shaped profile member form an upper and lower portion of the profile member, and wherein the inwardly directed flange portion is provided at an end of the upper portion of the profile member.

Claim 12

A bumper arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each of said ribs is formed of a sheet steel.

Claim 13

A bumper arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said covering means is a bumper strip.

Claim 14

A bumper arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the spacing between the individual ribs varies along the length of the bumper so as to control a denting effect of the U-shaped profile member.

Claim 15

A vehicle bumper arrangement comprising: a U-shaped profile member opening in a direction toward a vehicle, the U-shaped profile member being formed of sheet steel; reinforcing means formed as a plurality of individual vertically upright ribs of a metallic material disposed within said U-shaped profile member, said individual ribs being spaced from one another with each rib resting on inner wall areas of the U-shaped profile member so as to interconnect said areas, each of the individual ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the spacing between the individual ribs varies along the length of the bumper so as to control a denting effect of the U-shaped profile member; and means for individually detachably connecting each of said plurality of individual ribs to said U-shaped profile member.

Claim 16

A vehicle bumper arrangement comprising: a U-shaped profile member opening in a direction toward a vehicle, the U-shaped profile member being formed of sheet steel; reinforcing means formed as a plurality of individual vertically upright ribs of a metallic material disposed within said U-shaped profile member, said individual ribs being spaced from one another with each rib resting on inner wall areas of the U-shaped profile member so as to interconnect said areas, each of the individual ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the spacing between the individual ribs varies along the length of the bumper so as to control a denting effect of the U-shaped profile member; and means for individually detachably connecting each of said plurality of individual ribs to said U-shaped profile member.

Claim 17

A bumper arrangement according to claim 13, wherein each of said individual ribs includes spaced flanges for facilitating the connection of the respective ribs with inner wall areas of the U-shaped profile member, one of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage a web portion of the U-shaped profile member, another of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage one leg of the U-shaped profile member, and a further of said spaced flanges being arranged so as to engage an inwardly directed flange portion provided on another leg of the U-shaped profile member.

Claim 18

A bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the legs of the U-shaped profile member form an upper and lower portion of the profile member, and wherein the inwardly directed flange portion is provided at an end of the upper portion of the profile member.

Claim 19

A bumper arrangement according to claim 15, wherein each of said ribs is formed of a sheet steel.