The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 29, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2006
Darin Evans, Wixom, MI (US);
Melvin Guiles, West Olive, MI (US);
Darin Evans, Wixom, MI (US);
Melvin Guiles, West Olive, MI (US);
Netshape Energy Management LLC, Novi, MI (US);
Abstract
A bumper system includes a tubular beam and a thermoformed energy absorber with crush boxes formed into a base flange, such as by vacuum or thermoforming processes. The crush boxes have planar energy-absorbing sidewalls a depth of about 10 mm to 35 mm, wall thicknesses of about 1 mm to 3 mm, and are formed from polyethylene or other thermoform materials having a memory. The base flange can include thermoformed features engaging recesses in the beam, and is combinable with injection-molded or foam energy absorbers for design flexibility. In one form, the energy absorber includes a thermoformed first sheet forming crush boxes and a second sheet bonded to the first sheet to define apertured air pockets. A method of manufacture includes providing a plurality of separately usable thermoformed energy absorbers which can be used in conjunction with a common vehicle structure to vary the absorption characteristics of a vehicle bumper.