Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Oliver O Nwankwo

Djamal Eddine Midoun

Matthew Brian Makowski

Shekar Prabhakar Erasala

Laike Misikir

Bin Zhang

Bhimaraddi Venkaraddi Alavandi

Erika Kristin Low

Kirk David Arthurs

Rajarathinam Jayachandran

Aileen M DeVoe

Paul Ribai

An apparatus for protecting against damage to a vehicle during a low speed collision. The apparatus includes a headlamp adapted to breakaway to provide the vehicle with front end compliance for pedestrian protection. To avoid causing further damage to vehicle components during the low speed collision, a compressible stopper, such as a foam block, is provided for simultaneously engaging the headlamp and a component of the vehicle during the rearward movement of the headlamp as a result of the collision. Related methods are also disclosed.

Compressible stopper behind headlamp for protecting closures against damage during a low speed collision

An energy absorbing device for a bumper assembly of a vehicle includes a plunger. A deformable wall extends along an axis and defines a cavity for receiving the plunger during relative movement between the plunger and the deformable wall resulting from impact between the bumper assembly and another object. A ledge is fixed to the deformable wall and extends between the cavity and the plunger for collapsing the deformable wall into the cavity. The deformable wall collapses inwardly to eliminate material stack up to accommodate packaging restraints in the design of the bumper assembly.

Energy absorbing device for bumper assembly

A rail assembly for a frame of a vehicle includes a rail defining a cavity. The cavity extends along an axis for receiving an energy absorbing member of a bumper assembly. A brace is fixed to the rail and includes a side wall extending along the axis in the cavity. The brace includes an end wall extending from the side wall in the cavity transversely to the axis adjacent to the energy absorbing member in the cavity. The rail defines a hole and the brace defines a hole aligned with the hole of the rail for receiving a fastener to engage the energy absorbing member.

Rail assembly for a frame of a vehicle

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Oliver O Nwankwo