Abstract: An energy absorbing bumper (10) includes a back plate (11) which is adapted to be attached to a vehicle. An elastomeric module (12) includes an impact face (13) and upper and lower rails (14, 15) extending from the impact face (13). One or more metallic inserts (30) are molded into the rails (14, 15). Each insert (30) includes a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced bars (31) which intersect a plurality of laterally extending, longitudinally spaced bars (32) to form adjacent rows of openings (33, 34). A fastener (17) extends through at least one of the openings (33, 34) in each insert (30) to attach the rails (14, 15) to the back plate (11). The inserts (30) minimize the possibility of shearing of the module (12) at the area of fasteners (17).

Abstract: An energy absorbing bumper (14) includes an impact face (20) having a plurality of apertures (19) therein. Each aperture (19) receives a housing (10) which carries a proximity sensor (12). The housing (10) has channels (49) extending along an interior cylindrical surface (30) to properly align the proximity sensor (12) relative to the bumper face (20). The housing (10) also has a face surface (42) with a depression (64) to receive the proximity sensor (12) in a recessed manner. A frustoconical surface (32) of the housing (10) slides over the edges of the aperture (18) when the housing (10) is being inserted into the aperture (18) so that the edges of the aperture (18) snap fit into a groove (34) formed in the outer surface of the housing (10).