Bumper support and energy absorbing frame system for a motor vehicle

Claim 2

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending frame rails, body mounting means and engine mounting means connected to said frame assembly and constructed to support a vehicle body and a vehicle engine on said frame assembly, said rails having portions enclosed on at least three sides, energy absorbing bumper supports of elongated construction connected to said frame rails, said bumper supports having means extending longitudinally within the three sides of said rail portions and connected to said frame assembly, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being linearly deflectable under minor impact loads whereby said minor loads are absorbed, said rail portions being linearly plastically deformable under a longitudinally directed major impact load above a predetermined minimum, said means of said bumper supports extending within said rail portions and engaging an interior surface of said rail portions and supporting said rail portions against lateral buckling during the linear plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load.

Claim 3

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1: said frame rail portions being of generally enclosed tubular construction.

Claim 4

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1: said frame rail portions having corrugated walls.

Claim 5

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1: said frame rail portions being of generally enclosed tubular construction, said frame rail portions having corrugated walls.

Claim 6

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, body mounting means and engine mounting means connected to said frame assembly and constructed to support a vehicle body and a vehicle engine on said frame assembly, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction connected to said frame side rails, said left and right bumper supports having means extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being telescopically deflectable under minor impact loads whereby said minor loads are absorbed, said side rail portions being linearly plastically deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said means of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports extending into said side rails and engaging an interior surface of said side rails and supporting said left and right side rail portions during the linear plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally.

Claim 7

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, body mounting means and engine mounting means connected to said frame assembly and constructed to support a vehicle body and a vehicle engine on said frame assembly, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction connected to said frame side rails, said left and right bumper supports having means extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being telescopically deflectable under minor impact loads whereby said minor loads are absorbed, said side rail portions being linearly plastically deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said means of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports extending into said side rails and engaging an interior surface of said side rails and supporting said left and right side rail portions during the linear plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally.

Claim 8

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle according to claim 5: said frame rail portions having corrugated walls.

Claim 9

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails.

Claim 10

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails.

Claim 11

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, left and right guide members disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, respectively, and secured to said frame assembly, said left and right guide members telescopically engaging said support tube portions of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left guide member and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right guide member to form left and right guide means constructed to support said plastically deformable portions of said left and Right side rails, respectively, during the collapse thereof under said major impact load.

Claim 12

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, left and right guide members disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, respectively, and secured to said frame assembly, said left and right guide members telescopically engaging said support tube portions of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left guide member and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right guide member to form left and right guide means constructed to support said plastically deformable portions of said left and Right side rails, respectively, during the collapse thereof under said major impact load.

Claim 13

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, a left pair of telescopic guide members disposed within said plastically deformable portion of said left side rails, a right pair of telescopic guide members disposed within the plastically deformable portion of said right side rail, said left and right pairs of guide members being telescopically disposed with respect to said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left pair of guide members and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right pair of guide members to form left and right guide means constructed to support said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, respectively, during the collapse thereof under said major impact load.

Claim 14

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly and disposed within said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, a left pair of telescopic guide members disposed within said plastically deformable portion of said left side rails, a right pair of telescopic guide members disposed within the plastically deformable portion of said right side rail, said left and right pairs of guide members being telescopically disposed with respect to said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left pair of guide members and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right pair of guide members to form left and right guide means constructed to support said plastically deformable portions of said left and right side rails, respectively, during the collapse thereof under said major impact load.

Claim 15

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly, said left and right frame side rails each having longitudinally spaced apart fore and aft energy absorbing sections, a left reinforced frame structure interconnecting said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said left frame side rail, a right reinforced frame structure interconnecting said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said right frame side rail, a frame cross member interconnecting said left and right reinforced frame structures, left and right first guide members disposed within said fore energy absorbing sections of said left and right side rails and secured to said left and right reinforced frame structures, respectively, said left and right first guide members telescopically engaging said support tube portions of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports, respectively, left and right second guide members disposed within said aft energy absorbing sections of said left and right side rails and secured to said frame assembly, said left and right second guide members telescopically engaging said left and right first guide members, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left first and second guide members and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right first and second guide members to form left and right guide means constructed to support said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said left and right frame side rails, respectively, during their collapse under said major impact load to prevent said sections from buckling laterally.

Claim 16

An energy absorbing system for a motor vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame assembly having longitudinally extending left and right frame side rails, said left and right side rails each having plastically deformable portions of generally enclosed tubular construction, left and right energy absorbing bumper supports of generally elongated telescopic construction, said left and right bumper supports extending longitudinally into the interior of said left and right frame side rail portions, respectively, a bumper bar extending transversely of said frame assembly and connected to said energy absorbing bumper supports, said energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to absorb minor impact loads by telescopic deflection, said side rail portions being deformable under a major impact load above a predetermined minimum value, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports being constructed to support said left and right side rail portions during the plastic deformation thereof under said major impact load to prevent said rail portions from buckling laterally, said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports each having a body portion and a support tube portion, said body portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said bumper bar, said support tube portions of said left and right bumper supports being connected to said frame assembly, said left and right frame side rails each having longitudinally spaced apart fore and aft energy absorbing sections, a left reinforced frame structure interconnecting said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said left frame side rail, a right reinforced frame structure interconnecting said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said right frame side rail, a frame cross member interconnecting said left and right reinforced frame structures, left and right first guide members disposed within said fore energy absorbing sections of said left and right side rails and secured to said left and right reinforced frame structures, respectively, said left and right first guide members telescopically engaging said support tube portions of said left and right energy absorbing bumper supports, respectively, left and right second guide members disposed within said aft energy absorbing sections of said left and right side rails and secured to said frame assembly, said left and right second guide members telescopically engaging said left and right first guide members, respectively, said support tube portion of said left bumper support cooperating with said left first and second guide members and said support tube portion of said right bumper support cooperating with said right first and second guide members to form left and right guide means constructed to support said longitudinally spaced fore and aft energy absorbing sections of said left and right frame side rails, respectively, during their collapse under said major impact load to prevent said sections from buckling laterally.