Patents by Inventor Robert Weykamp

Robert Weykamp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7340833
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Netshape Energy Management LLC
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20070085230
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Patent number: 7172227
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Netshape International, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Patent number: 7052056
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Netshape Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20060097527
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Patent number: 6886873
    Abstract: A bumper system for vehicles includes a tubular beam having front, top, bottom, and rear walls, and further having open tubular ends. The bumper system further includes a pair of mounting brackets each attached to the rear wall and extending around the associated ends and forwardly to a location where it attaches to the front wall of the one end. One or more crush initiating apertures are formed in one or more of the walls of the ends of the beam to provide more controlled energy absorption upon corner impost so as to reduce or better control damage to the vehicle's frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Shape Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Weykamp, Michael J. Hall, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20040217606
    Abstract: A bumper system for vehicles includes a tubular beam having front, top, bottom, and rear walls, and further having open tubular ends. The bumper system further includes a pair of mounting brackets each attached to the rear wall and extending around the associated ends and forwardly to a location where it attaches to the front wall of the one end. One or more crush initiating apertures are formed in one or more of the walls of the ends of the beam to provide more controlled energy absorption upon corner impost so as to reduce or better control damage to the vehicle's frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Weykamp, Michael J. Hall, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20040084911
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Patent number: 6695368
    Abstract: A bumper system for vehicles includes a tubular beam having front, top, bottom, and rear walls, and further having open tubular ends. The bumper system further includes a pair of mounting brackets each having a V-shaped mounting section attached to the rear wall of the open tubular ends and having an integral corner-forming section extending from the mounting section laterally around the associated ends and forwardly to a location where the corner-forming section attaches to the front wall of the one end. The corner-forming section includes a resilient portion shaped to flex and absorb energy upon corner impact, and further is adapted to transfer energy directly to the vehicle frame, thus providing efficient and effective energy absorption upon corner impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Shape Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Weykamp, Michael J. Hall, David Powell
  • Patent number: 6672635
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Netshape Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20030227183
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a one-piece injection-molded non-foam piece with box sections and interconnecting straps, and a one-piece or multi-piece foam component securely insert-molded onto the injection-molded non-foam piece. Different foam molds can be used to form differently shaped front surfaces on the foam component. By this arrangement, different energy absorbing systems are provided for vehicles, such as to satisfy the need for different styling and shapes, while still using the same non-foam piece. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam. At the same time, capital investment in molding dies and tooling is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Patent number: 6644701
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a foam piece engaging the face and an injection-molded end piece securely attached to each end of the foam piece and also engaging the face. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam, and also can include different end pieces while still using the same foam piece. In one form, the energy absorber also includes a center injection-molded piece and, in another form, includes a long injection-molded piece having foam sections molded onto it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Shape Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
  • Publication number: 20030132640
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a bumper beam having a face and ends, and an energy absorber mounted on the face. The energy absorber has a foam piece engaging the face and an injection-molded end piece securely attached to each end of the foam piece and also engaging the face. By this arrangement, the energy absorber is a single unit that can be handled and attached to the bumper beam, and also can include different end pieces while still using the same foam piece. In one form, the energy absorber also includes a center injection-molded piece and, in another form, includes a long injection-molded piece having foam sections molded onto it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Robert Weykamp, David Powell