Abstract Crash energy-attenuating means, as for vehicle frame construction, having front and rear crash energy-attenuating means for bumper support with plural stages or modes of lowenergy-attenuating means of the column-buckling type; front and rear beam members of in-line or axial column-buckling type for high-energy-attenuation; and secondary front chassis beam members of in-line axial column-buckling type for higher high-energyattenuation; the energy-attenuating members having axially-offset or axially-eccentric buckling-initiating or buckling-predisposed triggering formation at a point along the length and being whole, entire and unweakened throughout the rest of their body; including memory elastomeric plastic in-line-buckling-predisposed energy-attenuating bumper backing support elements, and secondary or auxiliary in-line buckling-predisposed energy-attenuating bumper supporting elements associated with the elastomeric bumper backing elements.
Crash energy attenuating means for a frame of a vehicle comprising a one piece elongated tubular beam, said tubular beam being uniformly dimensioned substantially throughout its entire length except for a flared portion disposed at one end, a cross member, means for fixedly securing the unflared end of said tubular beam to said cross member, a bumper secured to the end of said tubular beam having said flared portion, said tubular beam having a mode of collapsing in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam when an impact force exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereto from said bumper in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam, said flared portion collapsing prior to the remaining portion of said tubular beam to start the collapsing said remaining portion in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
Crash energy attenuating means for a frame of a vehicle comprising a one piece elongated tubular beam, said tubular beam being uniformly dimensioned substantially throughout its entire length except for a flared portion disposed at one end, a cross member, means for fixedly securing the unflared end of said tubular beam to said cross member, a bumper secured to the end of said tubular beam having said flared portion, said tubular beam having a mode of collapsing in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam when an impact force exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereto from said bumper in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam, said flared portion collapsing prior to the remaining portion of said tubular beam to start the collapsing said remaining portion in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
Crash energy attenuating means as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of similar tubular beams are connected between said bumper and said cross member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
Crash energy attenuating means as set forth in claim 2 wherein a second cross member is provided, with a second pair of tubular beams being connected between said first and second cross members, said second pair of tubular beams each having flared portions to trigger collapsing of the main portions of said second pair of tubular beams upon impact forces exceeding a predetermined level, the predetermined level required to collapse said second pair of tubular beam being higher than that required to collapse said first pair of tubular beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Crash energy attenuating means as set forth in claim 3 wherein an intermediate frame structure is provided and means are provided to attach said second cross member to said intermediate frame structure.