Covered Metal Bar Patents (Class 293/121)
  • Patent number: 11807178
    Abstract: A cross member for a bumper beam includes an outer beam, an inner reinforcement element extending inside at least a part of the outer beam inner volume and comprising at least two reinforcement ribs protruding towards the front beam wall, the reinforcement ribs being connected together at least at their back end, opposite to the front beam wall, by an upper transversal branch and a lower transversal branch, the upper and lower transversal branches being attached respectively to the upper and lower beam flanges of the outer beam, wherein each reinforcement rib abuts the front beam wall and the length of the upper transversal branch is less than the length of the upper beam wall and the length of the lower transversal branch is less than the length of the lower beam wall, the lengths being measured in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: ArcelorMittal
    Inventors: Elie Gibeau, Yannis Kheyati, Nabil Menegady
  • Patent number: 11801799
    Abstract: In order to absorb collision energy so as to prevent an increase in reaction force against a pedestrian to a level higher than or equal to a certain level during collision, a bumper absorber of the present invention includes: a trunk part that extends in an X direction and that is simply compressed in the X direction in response to an impact; and a branch part that branches off from the trunk part toward a rear of a vehicle body, the branch part having a branching part in which the branch part branches off from the trunk part and which is provided with a breakage inducing part that causes breakage between the trunk part and the branch part in response to the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignees: KANEKA CORPORATION, Chugai Co., Ltd., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tamura, Seiji Sawai, Yusuke Kikuchi, Yuuki Nakamura, Shota Kotake, Yoshikazu Yukimoto
  • Patent number: 11618402
    Abstract: A vehicle collision determination system includes an acceleration sensor fixedly positioned to a front end of the vehicle and configured to measure acceleration at a fixed position, a detector configured to detect whether the vehicle collides using the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor, a metrics setting unit configured to set at least one metric using the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor when the detector detects collision of the vehicle, and a determiner configured to determine whether an object that has collided with the vehicle is a pedestrian using the at least one metric set by the metrics setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Choong Ryung Lee
  • Patent number: 11511690
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to an assembly for mating a retention clip to a bumper cover. The assembly includes a mating hole adapter including a body having a through hole of a first inner diameter. The assembly further includes a bumper cover including a through hole of a second inner diameter, where the first inner diameter of the through hole of the mating hole adapter is less than the second inner diameter of the through hole of the bumper cover. The assembly further includes a retention clip including a fastener having an outer diameter that is substantially equal to the first inner diameter, where the retention clip is mated with the bumper cover by the through hole of the mating hole adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Lambert
  • Patent number: 11505043
    Abstract: Stability of shock absorbing property of a shock absorber provided on a back surface of a door trim is improved. A shock absorber is attached on the back surface of the door trim, and absorbs impact applied to the door. A quadrangular tube element of the shock absorber has an end plate on a tube tip surface, and faces the back surface of the door trim. The quadrangular tube element has an approximate U shape in which three side surfaces are closed by an upper plate, a lower plate, and a front plate, and the remaining one side surface is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Kobayashi, Kyousuke Ii, Yasuomi Tanaoka
  • Patent number: 11420683
    Abstract: Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components for vehicle body structures, methods for making/using such components, and motor vehicles equipped with such components. A vehicle body structure includes one or more elongated support rails (e.g., a pair of lateral roof rails) each with an inner contoured rail panel joined to an outer contoured rail panel to define an internal rail cavity. One or more elongated support pillars (e.g., front, side, and/or back vehicle pillars) adjoin the support rail(s) and each includes an inner contoured pillar panel joined to an outer contoured pillar panel to define an internal pillar cavity coupled to the internal rail cavity. One or both contoured pillar panels and one or both contoured rail panels is/are formed, in whole or in part, from an FRP material. A structural reinforcement insert may be located inside the adjoined pillar and rail, filling a discrete region within the internal cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bradley A. Newcomb, Julien P. Mourou, Giles D. Bryer, Joung Min Choi, Thomas S. Prevost
  • Patent number: 11396329
    Abstract: A fiber-reinforced resin composite configured to be to be used for a vehicle body structure has a cylindrical shape and a longitudinal direction. The fiber-reinforced resin composite includes first fibers and second fibers. The first fibers are disposed along an axial direction of the cylindrical shape. The second fibers are wound over an entire circumferential surface along a direction intersecting the axial direction of the cylindrical shape. The number of the first fibers per unit area in a tensile surface that is to mainly receive tensile stress upon a collision of a vehicle body is larger than the number of the first fibers per unit area in a compressive surface that is to mainly receive compressive stress upon the collision of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuya Mukainakano
  • Patent number: 11332179
    Abstract: A shopping cart includes a frame having a chassis portion and a handle portion extending upward from the chassis portion, a pair of front casters and a pair of rear casters mounted on the frame, and a basket connected to the frame and supported by the frame, the basket defining a chamber for holding articles, where the frame further includes a support structure connected to the chassis and the basket and supporting a portion of the basket. The shopping cart may include a number of wear resistance features that decrease the wear on the cart and extend the life of the shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Unarco Industries LLC
    Inventors: Wesley McMurtrey, William Timothy Harrison
  • Patent number: 11267387
    Abstract: A work vehicle is disclosed that includes a front guard that is provided at a front end portion of a traveling vehicle body and protects the traveling vehicle body, and an auxiliary device that can be attached to and removed from the front guard. The front guard is provided with an attachment portion to which the auxiliary device can be attached and from which the auxiliary device can be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yumi Kushimoto, Masatoshi Sakai, Junichi Fujiwara, Yusuke Morita
  • Patent number: 11027787
    Abstract: Attachment assembly for use with a work machine. The attachment assembly includes an attachment adapter and an attachment frame. The attachment adapter is coupled to the work machine and fixed relative thereto. The attachment frame includes a member that defines an attachment point. The attachment point engages, into an engaged mode, with the attachment adapter when a front suspension system of the work machine is raised to a raised position. The attachment point disengages, into a disengaged mode, from the attachment adapter when the front suspension system is lowered to a lowered position. The attachment adapter travels with the work machine when in the engaged mode and also in the disengaged mode. The attachment frame travels with the work machine only when in the engaged mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Tony J. Huegerich, Christopher L. Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 9718423
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper structure including: bumper reinforcement at a rear of a bumper cover; an absorber in front of the bumper reinforcement; and a pedestrian collision detection sensor including a pressure tube between the bumper reinforcement and the absorber, wherein a position of a width direction outer end of the bumper reinforcement is set between a first normal line and a second normal line, where a front-rear reference line passes through a width direction outer end of a front hood or apron upper member and extends along a front-rear direction, the first normal line passes through an intersection point between the front-rear reference line and the bumper cover and extends along the direction of a normal line with respect to the width direction outer end of the bumper reinforcement, and the second normal line is offset by 100 mm to a width direction inner side of the first normal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Higashimachi, Yusuke Mase, Yasushi Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 9446727
    Abstract: A bracket is provided that may be welded to the interior surface of a vehicle fascia. The bracket has a flange and a mounting boss. The flange is slotted to form flexible fingers that conform to the interior surface of the fascia. The fingers are welded to the fascia to attach the bracket to the interior surface of the fascia. A vehicle component, such as an impact sensor, is attached to the mounting boss to secure it to the fascia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: MACLEAN-FOGG COMPANY
    Inventors: David J. Davis, Jeffrey M. DeMuth
  • Patent number: 9365243
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a front mounting of a motor vehicle body, having a lock cross member extending in the transverse vehicle direction (y), which is connected to a left and a right side member, each of which extends in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle (x), and having an elongated plastic component carrier constructed as a single part, and which is directly or indirectly connected or fastened by a left and a right fastening section to the side members, and which further comprises an elongated connecting section positioned between the fastening sections and constructed integrally therewith, which connection section is located ahead of the lock cross member with reference to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Udo Mildner, Lothar Teske
  • Patent number: 9327675
    Abstract: A pair of right-and-left brackets which extend obliquely downward and forward from respective front portions of a pair of right-and-left side frames are provided. A stiffener which extends in a vehicle width direction below a bumper beam is attached to respective front ends of the pair of right-and-left brackets. The stiffener is configured such that its front end portion slants downward and forward and has an open cross section, and its rear end portion thereof has a closed cross section. An obstacle can be prevented from coming in below a vehicle-body front portion, and also the sufficient energy absorption in a collision and the prompt flicking-up of an obstacle can properly achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoki Kito, Hiroshi Sogabe, Hirofumi Takada, Tsutomu Watanabe, Arihiro Furumoto, Ryuma Murakami, Takayuki Nakamae
  • Patent number: 9327663
    Abstract: An energy absorption system comprises a vehicle bumper, an energy absorption member attached to the vehicle bumper, and a plurality of ribs having respective first ends that are hingedly attached to the energy absorption member. The ribs extend between the energy absorption member and the bumper. The ribs may be actuated based on the speed information from the onboard vehicle communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Iskander Farooq, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Sudip Sankar Bhattacharjee, James Chih Cheng, Srinivasan Sundararajan
  • Patent number: 9156417
    Abstract: Disclosed is a structure for a front part of a vehicle body including a front sidemember that extends in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle; a bumper reinforcement, at least a part of which is positioned at the same height as the front sidemember in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and extends in a lateral direction of the vehicle so as to face the front sidemember; and a support portion. The end portion of the bumper reinforcement has an extension portion that extends in the lateral direction of the vehicle up to a position which overlaps a wheel when seen from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. At least a front surface of the bumper reinforcement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the extension portion have strength higher than that of other portions of the bumper reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeo Mori
  • Patent number: 8998292
    Abstract: An air dam for a semi-truck tractor in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a rigid upper panel affixed to a bumper of the semi-truck tractor and a lower flexible panel affixed to the upper panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Russell S Beedle, William J Elder
  • Publication number: 20140367982
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper beam including: a resin beam having an elongate body extending along a vehicle-width direction, two tubular shock-absorbing portions disposed at the beam body's opposite longitudinal end portions extending in front-rear direction, the beam body and shock-absorbing portions being formed with each other; a metal beam disposed outside the resin beam in the front-rear direction, fixedly fitted to the resin beam. Further, flat attachment portions, formed with inner end portions of the shock-absorbing portions in front-rear direction; bent portions bent in a crank extending from attachment portions outward in front-rear direction, the beam body being to attachment portions via bent portions, the metal beam fixedly fitted to an outer surface of the beam body's intermediate portion; metal beam's opposite end portions extending beyond bent portions covering the right and left sides, fixedly fitted to distal end portions; each space defined by shock-absorbing portion, metal beam and bent portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: TOYODA IRON WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Kano, Yasuhiro Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20140367981
    Abstract: A bumper beam includes an aluminum tubular carrier that is wrapped with a plurality of carbon fiber fabric layers. The carbon fiber fabric is pre-impregnated with a two-part epoxy resin system. The layers of carbon fiber fabric are applied in an alternating series with the carbon fibers in adjacent layers extending perpendicularly relative to the carbon fibers in adjacent layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Matthew John Zaluzec, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Richard H. Wykoff, Saied Nusier, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Publication number: 20140203592
    Abstract: A structural body of a vehicle can comprises: a hollow metal component comprising walls that define a channel, wherein the metal component has a metal component length, and wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of beam, rail, pillar, chassis, floor rocker, and cross-bar, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; and a plastic-metal hybrid reinforcement having a cavities therethrough, and a metal support having greater than or equal to 3 walls forming a support channel. The plastic element is located in the support channel wherein the reinforcement is located in the component channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: SABIC INNOVATIVE PLASTICS IP B.V.
    Inventors: Dhanendra Kumar Nagwanshi, Arunachala Parameshwara, Somasekhar Bobba, Sudhakar Ramamoorthy Marur, Matthew D. Marks
  • Patent number: 8740268
    Abstract: A bumper structure includes a bumper beam that extends in a vehicle width direction and a bumper absorber that is provided along a front surface of the bumper beam and that has an opening in a top center portion of the bumper absorber in the vehicle width direction. The bumper beam includes a center portion that extends parallel to the vehicle width direction and a pair of oblique portions that obliquely extend backward and outward in the vehicle width direction from respective ends of the center portion. The bumper absorber includes a pair of load receiving portions outside the opening in the vehicle width direction, and the load receiving portions are arranged at positions corresponding to a pair of bent portions that are formed at boundaries between the center portion and the respective oblique portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ebara, Kosuke Katsumata
  • Patent number: 8702135
    Abstract: A vehicle with a front fascia and a decorative badge integrated with the fascia. A rear surface of the badge is attached to a front portion of the fascia. The portion of the fascia to which the badge is attached is the badge mounting region, and the fascia's portion surrounding the badge mounting region is the fascia surrounding region. A radar system mounted behind the fascia emits radar beams in forward direction, which are intercepted by the fascia and the badge in the badge mounting region, and by the fascia, in the fascia surrounding region The rear surface of the fascia in the badge mounting region is indented the amount of the badge's average thickness, and the cumulative average thickness of the badge and the fascia material in the badge mounting region remains uniform throughout, equal to the average thickness of the fascia in the fascia surrounding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Howard Gaboury, Joel Thomas Pierce, Jolanta Budek, James F. Krizman, Anthony Gerald King
  • Patent number: 8690207
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an impact absorbing member, starting with a closed or substantially closed hollow section with a mid section and two end sections, wherein at least one the end sections is bent to form a supporting member, whereby at least one imprint is made in the part of the section to be deformed by the bending operation. The invention also relates to an improved impact absorbing member formed by a manufacturing process including bending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro ASA
    Inventors: Denis Gaisne, Olivier Grandsire, Jean-Philippe Leclerq, Odd-Perry Sovik, Alejandro Velasquez
  • Patent number: 8517454
    Abstract: A vehicle front energy absorber includes a back wall section, an upper absorption section and a lower absorption section. The upper absorption section has a first upper surface extending frontward from an upper lengthwise edge of the back wall section with a first upper obtuse angle being defined between the back wall section and the first upper surface. The lower absorption section includes a first lower surface that extends frontward from a lower lengthwise edge of the back wall section with a first lower obtuse angle being defined between the back wall section and the first lower surface. The upper absorption section, the back wall section and the lower absorption section having a transverse U-shape in cross-section that defines a lengthwise concave channel having a longitudinal opening, the first upper surface and the first lower surface diverging away from one another in frontward directions from the back wall section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Huber, Hugo Fortin, Patrick Grattan
  • Patent number: 8500178
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bumper structure equipped with an inner plate (42) in a hollow section (41) formed by a bumper beam (15) and a safety plate (16). The safety plate (16) comprises a top plate (35), a bottom plate (36), and a load input plate (37) connecting both. The inner plate (42) comprises a mounted section (46) that is mounted to the bumper beam (15), a leg section (48) that continues from the mounted section (46) and extends downward, a back support section (51) that continues from the leg section (48) and is approximately parallel to the top plate (35), and a load input flange (52) that continues from the back support section (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Tsuyuzaki, Manabu Ishizono, Takashi Chirifu, Iwao Imaizumi, Yuji Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8453786
    Abstract: A front section for a motor vehicle body features a main frame that includes, but is not limited to an upper bumper carrier, a lower reinforcing element for the bumper that extends underneath the upper bumper carrier and a sub-frame that is elastically fixed on the main frame by means of a buffer. The buffer is held between an end piece of the reinforcing element and the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Theobald Hock, Viet-Hung Nguyen, Martin Leonhard Sachs
  • Patent number: 8348313
    Abstract: An energy absorber for a vehicle includes an elongate member having one or more corrugated sections, the corrugated sections including a plurality of channels wherein the channels include a generally planar front wall and a pair of spaced apart vertically extending side walls, and one or two at least partial end walls. The elongate member further includes a base section extending between channels and one or more flanges that may extend from the base. The energy absorber may be tuned for a desired impact and be located between a bumper beam and a fascia at the front or rear end of a vehicle to provide low speed impact protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Arun Chickmenahalli, Liwu Zhou, Jeffrey E. Leich, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8328251
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an asymmetric energy absorber can comprise: an upper wall and a lower wall defining crush lobes; a flange, wherein the lower wall is between the flange and the upper wall; a base extending between the lower wall and the flange, wherein the flange extends from a first side of the base; and a rib extending along the base toward the flange and away from a second side of the base. In an embodiment, a vehicle bumper system, can comprise: a bumper beam having an outer face and a bottom surface; an asymmetric energy absorber. The asymmetric energy absorber can comprise: a generally triangular shaped section formed by an upper wall extending from an upper wall first end toward a lower wall to a joining area; a base extending from a second end of the lower wall opposite the joining area and in a direction away from the upper wall; a flange extending away from the base, below the lower wall; and a rib extending from the base along the bottom surface of the bumper beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
    Inventors: Dhanendra Kumar Nagwanshi, Somasekhar Venkat Bobba, Sudhakar Ramamoorthy Marur
  • Patent number: 8226133
    Abstract: A bumper attachment device is provided for attaching a bumper to a vehicle body disposed between the body and the bumper. A bumper support which can support the bumper and an attachment insert that can be rotatably attached to a securing part secured to the body are provided. The attachment insert has an insertion part inserted into and through a through hole in the bumper support, the insertion part is inserted into and through the through hole, and the insertion part is turned in the through hole while supporting the bumper support; in this way, a part of the attachment insert is caused to abut a part of the bumper support, and through that abutment, the position of the bumper support relative to the body is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Newfrey LLC
    Inventor: Takahiro Sano
  • Patent number: 8196979
    Abstract: A bumper system includes an injection molded energy absorber of polymeric material having hollow longitudinally-spaced lobes configured to crush and absorb energy during a pedestrian impact, and straps interconnecting adjacent lobes. The lobes are particularly sized and dimensioned, including potentially external ribs and/or apertures in corners, to provide a relatively uniform impact energy absorption during an impact stroke during crush of the shear walls of the lobes, such as within +/?30% or more preferably within +/?20% of a desired amount regardless of a specific location of impact, along a selected center portion of the energy absorber. A reason for the uniformity is to promote pedestrian safety regardless of the specific location where a pedestrian's leg strikes the energy absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Shape Corp., Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Ralston, Vidya Revankar, Amit Ashok Kulkarni, Darin Evans, Olaf Insel, Yassine Ghozzi, Alexander Besch, Oliver Knoke, Ngoc-Dang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8167343
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device which is based on thermoplastic material for the attachment of a bumper covering at the body of a motor vehicle which includes a base body and a cover plate as well as a security pin for securing the cover plate; the base body and the cover plate are configured as separate components and the security pin when inserted into safety lugs at the base body locks the cover plate in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Peguform GmbH
    Inventor: Jürgen Ruder
  • Patent number: 8128140
    Abstract: A collision detecting device includes a chamber member providing a space, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure inside the space, a determination means, a bumper absorber for absorbing an impact generated by collision and a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the chamber member. Hardness of the chamber member changes with temperature. Thus, the deformation degree of the chamber member is different depending on temperature. However, the determination means corrects the pressure detected by the pressure sensor based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and determines collision based on the corrected pressure. Therefore, a collision detecting device which can determine collision of an object with a vehicle accurately without being affected by the change of temperature can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takatoshi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8075029
    Abstract: In a vehicular front bumper structure having the function of detecting the collision of an object against the front bumper of a vehicle in the vehicle, the length of a front bumper area in widthwise directions of the vehicle, in which area a load applied to the front bumper is detected with a collision detection sensor (104), is more than or equal to a maximum distance in the widthwise directions of the vehicle between the right and left front pillars (A pillars; 107) of the vehicle, the collision detection sensor being provided to extend along a bumper reinforce (103) between the bumper reinforce and a shock absorber (105), the bumper reinforce and the shock absorber forming the front bumper; and the collision detection sensor has an interface part (106) provided at one of the ends of the collision detection sensor in the widthwise directions of the vehicle which one is on the side opposite to a walkway (a right front end in left-hand traffic/a left front end in right-hand traffic).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8029033
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure reinforces a portion around a bumper to prevent local stress concentration. The vehicle front structure includes a first reinforcement (4) attached to the central part in the vehicle width direction of a bumper member (2), and includes second reinforcements (11) attached to the vehicle inside parts of corner parts (10) each defined by a side member (3) and the bumper member (2). The first reinforcement (4) is arranged so as to cover an upper part (2b) and a lower part (2c) of the bumper member (2). A side end part (4b) in the vehicle width direction of the first reinforcement (4), which is arranged in the upper part (2b) and the lower part (2c), is formed so as to extend to the outside in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daigoro Hama, Shohei Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8025322
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods for attaching and upper bumper cover and a lower bumper cover to a vehicle comprise providing a vehicle body and a bumper fascia coupled to the vehicle body, attaching the upper bumper cover to the vehicle body at a position at least partially covering the bumper fascia, at a position above the bumper fascia, or combinations thereof, and attaching the lower bumper cover to the vehicle body at least partially cover the bumper fascia, wherein the lower bumper cover is coupled to and disposed underneath the upper bumper cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Schelberg, Mingher Fred Shen
  • Patent number: 8016331
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper system includes an elongated reinforcement beam for mounting to a vehicle frame and an energy absorber abutting a front surface of the reinforcement beam. The energy absorber includes longitudinally-elongated hollow crush lobes configured to crush and absorb energy upon a vehicle crash, the crush lobes including interconnected top, bottom, side and front walls. At least one opposing pair of the walls, such as the top and bottom walls, are elongated parallel a length of the beam to define enlarged areas that are generally unsupported, but the one pair of walls further include a plurality of spaced external ribs extending perpendicular to the length for stabilizing the enlarged areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Ralston, Kevin E. Holdren, Kenneth R. Bastien, David Gorman, Amit Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 7954864
    Abstract: An automobile bumper system including an isolator disposed adjacent a cross beam of an automobile frame, and a bumper edge guard strip mounted adjacent upper and/or lower edges of the cross beam. The bumper edge guard strip may include an upper extension fixedly engaged with an upper surface of the cross beam and a lower extension fixedly engaged with a frontal surface of the cross beam, with the upper extension having a length greater than the lower extension for distributing impact energy in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Frederick, Conrad M. Kudelko
  • Patent number: 7891715
    Abstract: A shock absorbing structure for a vehicle including a top wall to which a shock is to be applied and two side walls integrally formed with the top wall and extending from the top wall such that the side walls are opposed to each other, thereby forming an angular U-shaped cross section. The side walls have a waveform in which convex portions and concave portions are alternately and continuously provided. In addition, a bottom plate is integrally formed with an end portion of the respective side walls. The shock absorbing structure further includes a first window portion that is formed over a portion of the each side wall including a part of a bottom portion and parts of opposite side portions of the concave portions and a portion of the bottom plate that is connected to the bottom portion and that is positioned between the opposite side portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: Kojima Press Industry Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kanushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Noyori, Kuniaki Hasegawa, Yoshihiro Ogura, Soshi Mitsuyama, Takahisa Shiraoka
  • Patent number: 7881843
    Abstract: An object struck discrimination system for a vehicle is provided which is effective in increasing the discrimination accuracy for discriminating an object struck by the vehicle. In one form, an object struck discrimination system to be installed in a vehicle includes an impact receiving member for receiving an impact from an object struck which extends lengthwise along the width of the vehicle, a detection sensor for detecting the moving speed or the acceleration of the impact receiving member during a vehicle collision, and a control unit for discriminating the object struck based on the rate of change in the moving speed per unit time or the acceleration introduced from information detected by the detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Murakami, Hiroshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 7810858
    Abstract: An automobile bumper system including an isolator disposed adjacent a cross beam of an automobile frame, and a bumper edge guard strip mounted adjacent upper and/or lower edges of the cross beam. The bumper edge guard strip may include an upper extension fixedly engaged with an upper surface of the cross beam and a lower extension fixedly engaged with a frontal surface of the cross beam, with the upper extension having a length greater than the lower extension for distributing impact energy in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Frederick, Conrad M. Kudelko
  • Publication number: 20100253102
    Abstract: A motor vehicle front face (1) can be fixed rigidly to the front ends (2) of the main longitudinal members (14) of the motor vehicle. The front face (1) includes: at least one cross member (8), at least one lock (76) for fastening the bonnet of the motor vehicle, the or each lock (76) being rigidly fixed to the cross member (8). The cross member (8) is vertically located substantially level with the front ends (2) of the main longitudinal members (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: FAURECIA BLOC AVANT
    Inventors: Caroline Riviere, Didier Bierjon
  • Patent number: 7806448
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper system includes a beam configured to attach to a vehicle and a thermoformed energy absorber positioned on the beam. The energy absorber comprises a frame and a crush lobe extending from the frame. The crush lobe comprises a lobe wall extending between the frame and an outer wall. The change in lobe wall thickness may be constant. The outer wall is curved away from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
    Inventors: Kent Allen, Brian Joseph Czopek, Eric D. Kowal, Sandeep Kulkarni, Dhanendra Kumar Nagwanshi
  • Patent number: 7793998
    Abstract: A bumper fixture is interposed between an extended-directional end portion of a bumper and an auto body as to extend the extended-directional end portion of the bumper mounted on the auto body to form a part of a wheel house. The bumper fixture includes a mounting portion mountable to an extended-directional outer end wall of the bumper on one extended-directional end portion of the bumper, and the mounting portion is elastically deformable by a greater than predetermined load. A bumper mounting structure includes the bumper fixture such that an extended directional outer end wall of the bumper is mounted on the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: Nifco Inc., Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Matsui, Kenji Ooki, Makoto Aizawa, Yuji Masaoka
  • Patent number: 7734393
    Abstract: An object struck discrimination system for a vehicle is provided which is effective in increasing the discrimination accuracy for discriminating an object struck by the vehicle. In one form, an object struck discrimination system to be installed in a vehicle includes an impact receiving member for receiving an impact from an object struck which extends lengthwise along the width of the vehicle, a detection sensor for detecting the moving speed and/or the acceleration of the impact receiving member during a vehicle collision, and a control unit for deriving the maximum moving speed and the maximum acceleration based on the information detected by the detection sensor and discriminating the object struck based on the correlation between the maximum moving speed and the maximum acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Murakami, Hiroshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 7726709
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper structure includes a pipe member that extends along the vehicle-width direction. A bumper shock absorbing member extends along the vehicle-width direction, and has a loading space in which the pipe member is placed. A fixing member has a first end portion which is fixed to a vehicle body and a second end portion to which the bumper shock absorbing member is fixed. A bumper cover may be provided on the outer side of the bumper shock absorbing member, and cover the bumper shock absorbing member, the pipe member, and the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sergio Sampaio
  • Publication number: 20090322107
    Abstract: In a vehicle bumper structure, an optical fiber sensor (32) is provided in a vehicle width direction on the front surface of a front-bumper reinforcement (30). A front-bumper absorber (28) is provided in front of the optical fiber sensor (32), the front-bumper absorber (28) formed of a soft absorber (54) and a hard absorber (56). The hard absorber is disposed at the bumper center region where the thickness of the bumper is increased. Accordingly, the thickness of the soft absorber (54) becomes substantially uniform in the vehicle width direction, so that a substantially uniform load is inputted to the optical fiber sensor (32) regardless of the collision position of the bumper with an object. As a result, variations in the output of the load-sensing unit are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Yujiro Miyata, Ryotaro Kachu, Tetsuya Takafuji, Shigenori Kobayashi, Yasuyuki Hishida
  • Patent number: 7611175
    Abstract: A bumper beam has a bow-formed outer profile (14), that has a central flange (16) and two webs (15, 18) and is fastened in two crash boxes (12, 13) with its central flange facing away from the crashboxes. The outer profile has a cover (15) so that the bumper beam will have a closed profile. The cover (15) has a central flange (24) and two webs (25, 26). The webs (17, 18) of the outer profile (14) are joined in pairs with the webs (25, 26) of the cover (15), and the web height of the cover at its center is bigger than the web height of the outer profile (14) at its center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Gestamp Hardtech AB
    Inventor: Simon Tornberg
  • Patent number: 7575271
    Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, includes a plate member which is disposed at a lower part of a front of the vehicle so as to extend in a frontward and backward direction of the vehicle, which includes a front portion and a rear portion; and a plurality of first reinforcing beads protruding upward and extending in the frontward and backward direction of the vehicle and a plurality of second reinforcing beads protruding downward and extending in the frontward and backward direction. The first reinforcing beads and the second reinforcing beads are provided integrally with the front portion so as to be alternately disposed in a vehicle width direction. The apparatus is arranged to sweep a leg portion that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Hasegawa, Masanobu Fukukawa, Yoshihiro Ogura, Keisuke Noyori, Hiroki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20090167037
    Abstract: The present invention provides for various embodiments of a unitary fascia energy absorber including an aesthetic appearance while also providing improved energy management. In one embodiment the fascia energy absorber includes an outer member and an inner member joined together. The inner member has a base including a plurality of crush lobes and at least one of the plurality of crush lobes includes a projected wall spaced a distance from the base and at least one sidewall which extends from the base to the projected wall of the crush lobe. The plurality of crush lobes are spaced apart from one another and separated by a portion of the base. In another embodiment a process for producing a fascia energy absorber includes heating and forming a polymer sheets to form an outer member and heating and forming a second polymer sheet to form an inner member. The inner member and the outer member are then joined to form a fascia energy absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Czopek, Eric Jon Jaarda, Eric D. Kawal
  • Patent number: 7527308
    Abstract: The present invention provides a modular bumper shell comprising an attachment member adapted for attachment to an energy-absorbing vehicle bumper substructure, and at least one outer member affixed to and at least partially covering the attachment member. The outer member is at least partially visible to an observer following vehicle assembly. The present invention also provides a method of assembling a modular bumper shell by providing an attachment member adapted for attachment to an energy-absorbing vehicle bumper substructure, providing at least one outer member, and attaching the outer member to the attachment member. The present invention further provides a method of changing the appearance of a vehicle bumper by providing a modular bumper shell including at least one outer member attached to an attachment member, and then replacing the outer member with a modified outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Krystof Buniewicz, John A. Denison, Abdi R. Lawassani