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:
Mar. 25, 2008
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2006
Mangala Jayasuriya, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Philip Koneda, Novi, MI (US);
Allan Gale, Livonia, MI (US);
Wayne Woodside, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Nripen Saha, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Mangala Jayasuriya, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Philip Koneda, Novi, MI (US);
Allan Gale, Livonia, MI (US);
Wayne Woodside, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Nripen Saha, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An extendible rail and bumper apparatus is mountable within the base frame lower rails of an automotive frame to provide an improved crash force absorbing bumper apparatus for deployment on either the front or rear bumpers of an automobile. The extendible rail member is mounted for telescopic movement through slidable guide members. A front plate is formed with wedge members positioned next to the extendible rail member. The actuation mechanism includes an electric motor that rotates a threaded rod having a conical member mounted thereon for translational movement thereon. The conical member engages a pair of outwardly projectable tabs that are driven outwardly into engagement with the wedge members when the extendible rail is fully extended. If required to absorb impact energy, the outwardly projected tabs push the wedge members into engagement with the front plate to transfer the energy into the base frame rail apparatus of the vehicle.