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:
Jul. 15, 2008
Filed:
Jul. 13, 2007
Brian V. Castillo, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Sheryl Wolf, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Brian V. Castillo, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Sheryl Wolf, Royal Oak, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An energy-absorbing vehicle hood includes outer and inner layers defining a cavity filled with foam material. The outer layer fractures when subjected to a crush load to thereby transmit the load to the foam material where it is absorbed, and both layers are continuously and directly bonded to the foam material. A vehicle includes a vehicle hood assembly having outer and inner layers defining a cavity, with foam material filling the cavity. The outer layer fractures when subjected to a crush load to transmit the load to the foam material for uniformly absorption of the crush load. A hood panel is also provided for use with a vehicle, including an energy-absorbing polymer foam material entrapped between an outer and inner polymer membrane. The membranes have a crush strength, and the foam material is characterized by an absence of a reinforcing structure.