Patents by Inventor Mark Weissenborn
Mark Weissenborn 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: 7340833Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 19, 2006Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Netshape Energy Management LLCInventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Publication number: 20070085230Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2006Publication date: April 19, 2007Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 7172227Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Netshape International, LLCInventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 7052056Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 27, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Netshape CorporationInventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Publication number: 20060097527Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2005Publication date: May 11, 2006Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 6877785Abstract: A bumper includes a beam and an energy absorber supported on its face. The beam includes front and rear beam walls, with a pair of apertures in the front beam wall, and further the energy absorber includes a pair of tubular structural columns extending from its front wall through the aperture in the front beam wall to the rear beam wall. By this arrangement, the front wall of the energy absorber receives support from the rear beam wall via the structural columns during a vehicle crash.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2004Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: NetShape International, LLCInventors: Darin Evans, Mark Weissenborn
-
Patent number: 6874832Abstract: A bumper includes a beam and an energy absorber supported thereon. The energy absorber includes horizontal walls, each having a front portion, a rear portion, and an interconnecting mid-portion that offsets and misaligns the front and rear portions. Upon impact, the front and rear portions collapse with the offset mid portion wrapping back upon itself with a predictable energy-absorbing collapse. The energy absorber further includes flanges and friction pads that frictionally engage the top and bottom of the beam to temporarily retain the energy absorber to the beam. In one embodiment, the front beam wall includes at least one aperture, and the energy absorber includes a tubular column extending from its front wall through the aperture in the front beam wall to the rear beam wall. By this arrangement, the front wall of the energy absorber receives support from the front beam wall via the structural column.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2003Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: NetShape International, LLCInventors: Darin Evans, Mark Weissenborn
-
Publication number: 20040169381Abstract: A bumper includes a beam and an energy absorber supported on its face. The beam includes front and rear beam walls, with a pair of apertures in the front beam wall, and further the energy absorber includes a pair of tubular structural columns extending from its front wall through the aperture in the front beam wall to the rear beam wall. By this arrangement, the front wall of the energy absorber receives support from the rear beam wall via the structural columns during a vehicle crash.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2004Publication date: September 2, 2004Inventors: Darin Evans, Mark Weissenborn
-
Publication number: 20040084911Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2003Publication date: May 6, 2004Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 6672635Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 6, 2002Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Netshape CorporationInventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Publication number: 20030227183Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Darin Evans, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 6644701Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 22, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Shape CorporationInventors: Mark Weissenborn, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Publication number: 20030189343Abstract: A bumper includes a beam and an energy absorber supported thereon. The energy absorber includes horizontal walls, each having a front portion, a rear portion, and an interconnecting mid-portion that offsets and misaligns the front and rear portions. Upon impact, the front and rear portions collapse with the offset mid portion wrapping back upon itself with a predictable energy-absorbing collapse. The energy absorber further includes flanges and friction pads that frictionally engage the top and bottom of the beam to temporarily retain the energy absorber to the beam. In one embodiment, the front beam wall includes at least one aperture, and the energy absorber includes a tubular column extending from its front wall through the aperture in the front beam wall to the rear beam wall. By this arrangement, the front wall of the energy absorber receives support from the front beam wall via the structural column.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2003Publication date: October 9, 2003Inventors: Darin Evans, Mark Weissenborn
-
Publication number: 20030132640Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Mark Weissenborn, Robert Weykamp, David Powell
-
Patent number: 6575510Abstract: A vehicle bumper system includes a bumper beam and a polymeric energy absorber positioned on a front of the bumper beam. The energy absorber has multiple box-shaped sections and also has interconnecting sections positioned along the length that interconnect adjacent ones of the box-shaped sections. The box-shaped sections of the energy absorber, when cross-sectioned by a transverse plane, include top and bottom U-shaped sections formed by top parallel legs and a top vertical leg and by bottom parallel legs and a bottom vertical leg, respectively. End walls close ends of the box-shaped sections and stabilize the top and bottom U-shaped sections. The interconnecting sections include a tying wall that connects the end walls together. By this arrangement, the box-shaped sections provide a stable and reliable energy absorbing mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Shape CorporationInventor: Mark Weissenborn
-
Publication number: 20020149213Abstract: A vehicle bumper system includes a bumper beam and a polymeric energy absorber positioned on a front of the bumper beam. The energy absorber has multiple box-shaped sections and also has interconnecting sections positioned along the length that interconnect adjacent ones of the box-shaped sections. The box-shaped sections of the energy absorber, when cross-sectioned by a transverse plane, include top and bottom U-shaped sections formed by top parallel legs and a top vertical leg and by bottom parallel legs and a bottom vertical leg, respectively. End walls close ends of the box-shaped sections and stabilize the top and bottom U-shaped sections. The interconnecting sections include a tying wall that connects the end walls together. By this arrangement, the box-shaped sections provide a stable and reliable energy absorbing mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2001Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventor: Mark Weissenborn