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:
Oct. 16, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 16, 2004
Robert Pellillo, Livonia, MI (US);
Wei Wang, Westland, MI (US);
Kumar Mahadevan, Troy, MI (US);
Jiamaw Doong, Northville, MI (US);
Robert Pellillo, Livonia, MI (US);
Wei Wang, Westland, MI (US);
Kumar Mahadevan, Troy, MI (US);
Jiamaw Doong, Northville, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A shield () for an automotive vehicle () is provided to lessen the impact force to a foreign body by absorbing energy or converting energy from the foreign body with the shield (). The shield () has a ramped surface (), an inner surface (), and a periphery () delineating the inner surface () from the ramped surface (). The inner surface () is further refined into an upper area () and a lower area (), where a ridge () extends from the inner surface () portioning the upper area () from the lower area (). At least one rib () is connected to the ridge () and extends from the inner surface (), whereby the ridge () or the rib () may absorb energy or divert direct contact into sliding contact when the ramped surface () is impacted by a foreign body reducing the impact force upon the foreign body. Also, a method of using a shield () in an automotive vehicleis provided.