Energy absorbing vehicle bumper assembly

Claim 1

An energy absorbing vehicle bumper assembly comprising: at least two rigid mounting members; a rigid plate having upper and lower edges attached to the distal ends of each of said mounting members perpendicular thereto; resilient energy absorbing means attached to the face of each of said plates; and a bumper beam comprising a rearwardly facing hollow channel member having a front portion and upper and lower portions extending rearwardly therefrom, rear edges of the upper and lower portions including downwardly and upwardly extending lip portions, respectively, that fit behind the plates and serve as a backing therefor such that the plates abut and are restrained against rearward movement by the lips when the bumper assembly is in its non-impact position, the lips terminating at a point spaced at least slightly away from the rigid mounting members so as to permit at least limited impact rotation of the bumper beam about the longitudinal axis of the bumper beam, the resilient energy absorbing means extending from each plate into contact with the front portion of the bumper and substantially filling the interior of the bumper beam at the point adjacent the plates, the upper and lower portions of the bumper beam conforming generally to the shape of the upper and lower edges of the plates and being positioned adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the plates such that they permit the plates to slide substantially freely in a forward direction but are held by the plates in a substantially fixed vertical position, the bumper beam also permitting rotational movement of the bumper beam with respect to the plates about the longitudinal axis of the bumper beam and the vertical axis upon impact, such that the bending moment on the plates and rigid mounting members is reduced.