Bumper structure

Claim 1

In a motor vehicle having a vehicle body with a depressed outside portion which extends along a lateral direction of the body, a bumper structure which comprises: an elongate armature extending along the depressed outside portion while being partially received in the same, the elongate armature being secured to the vehicle body and including upper and lower portions; a bumper facia constructed of a channel member which includes upper and lower wall portions and an intermediate wall portion which is interposed between the upper and lower wall portions so as to form a channel structure, the bumper facia extending along the elongate armature while partially receiving therein the armature; first connecting means for connecting the upper wall portion of the bumper facia to the upper portion of the elongate armature, said first connecting means including a main flange and a pair of flanges spaced apart by said main flange, said pair of flanges integral with said upper wall portion and projecting toward said depressed outside portion of said vehicle body, and mounting brackets secured to said armature, each mounting bracket including a channel portion in which one of said pair of flanges is slidably received, whereby any elongation or shrinkage of the bumper facia caused by thermal expansion or contraction of the same can be absorbed by the brackets without applying stress to the same; second connecting means for connecting the lower wall portion of the bumper facia to the lower portion of the elongate armature; and an elongate sight shielding portion integrally formed on and raised from the upper wall portion of the bumper facia and extending along the longitudinal direction of the upper wall portion; wherein upon assembly of the bumper structure, the elongate sight shielding portion is arranged to conceal the first connecting means from outside view.