# US 10,308,199 B2 · Vehicle and vehicle bumper > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,199 B2 - Document ID: US10308199B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/725,871 - Filed: 2017-10-05 - Published: 2019-04-11 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-05 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Motor Company - Inventors: Dan G. Busuioc; Bernard Gerard Marchetti; Timothy R. Beard; Kalyanaraman Bharathan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308199B2 ## CPC - B60R 19/03: characterised by material, e.g. composite (B60R19/18 takes precedence) - B60K 11/04: Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds - B60R 19/023: {Details} - B60R 19/22: containing {mainly} cellular material, e.g. solid foam - B60R 19/24: Arrangements for mounting bumpers on vehicles - B60R 19/48: combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds - F02B 29/0425: {Air cooled heat exchangers} - B60R 19/483: {with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type} - B60R 19/50: with lights or registration plates - B60R 2019/1886: {Bumper fascias and fastening means therefor} - B60R 2019/505: {with lights} - F02B 29/0443: {Layout of the coolant or refrigerant circuit} - F16H 57/0415: {Air cooling or ventilation; Heat exchangers; Thermal insulations} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A vehicle includes a body, a bumper and a plurality of self-tapping fasteners. The body defines mounting orifices. The bumper has an exterior shell that includes an interior wall. The interior wall has receiving portions that protrude inward relative to the shell such that the receiving portions are thicker than adjacent portions of the interior wall. Each of the plurality of self-tapping fasteners extend through one of the orifices and into one of the receiving portions to secure the bumper to the body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a body defining mounting orifices; a bumper having an exterior shell that includes an interior wall, the interior wall having receiving portions that protrude inward relative to the shell such that the receiving portions are thicker than adjacent portions of the interior wall; and a plurality of self-tapping fasteners, each extending through one of the orifices and into one of the receiving portions to secure the bumper to the body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the shell includes an exterior wall opposite the interior wall, the exterior wall defining a pocket that protrudes inward from an outer surface of the exterior wall to a recessed surface of the exterior wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising an electronic sensing device, and wherein the electronic sensing device is disposed within the pocket and secured to the recessed surface of the exterior wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the shell includes a lower wall and a flange protruding downward from the lower wall, the flange having forward and rearward facing surfaces and defining a plurality of apertures that extend through the flange from the forward to the rearward facing surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger is secured to the flange by a second set of fasteners that engage the heat exchanger and extend through the plurality of apertures. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the exterior shell is comprised of fiber-reinforced plastic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein a structural foam is disposed within the exterior shell. ### Claim 8 A vehicle bumper comprising: a shell having upper, lower, interior, and exterior walls; and a flange protruding downward from the lower wall, the flange having forward and rearward facing surfaces and defining a plurality of orifices that extend through the flange from the forward to the rearward facing surface, wherein the orifices are configured to receive fasteners, and wherein the exterior wall includes a receiving portion that protrudes inward relative to the shell from the recessed surface such that the receiving portion is thicker than adjacent portions of the exterior wall, and wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive self-tapping fasteners. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bumper of claim 8, wherein the exterior wall defines a pocket that protrudes inward from an outer surface of the exterior wall to a recessed surface of the exterior wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The bumper of claim 8, wherein the interior wall includes receiving portions that protrude inward relative to the shell such that the receiving portions are thicker than adjacent portions of the interior wall, and wherein the receiving portions are configured to receive self-tapping fasteners. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bumper of claim 10, wherein the receiving portions are arranged in a pattern on the interior wall such that receiving portions are configured to align with mounting orifices defined by mating vehicle body components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The bumper of claim 8, wherein the shell and the flange are comprised of fiber-reinforced plastic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bumper of claim 12, wherein a structural foam is disposed between the upper, lower, interior, and exterior walls. ### Claim 14 A vehicle bumper comprising: a fiber-reinforced plastic shell having upper, lower, interior, and exterior walls defining a cavity therebetween, the exterior wall including an outer surface, a recessed surface extending into the cavity relative to the outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the outer and recessed surfaces, wherein the interior wall includes receiving portions that protrude inward relative to the shell such that the receiving portions are thicker than adjacent portions the of interior wall, and wherein the receiving portions are configured to receive self-tapping fasteners, and wherein the receiving portions are arranged in a pattern on the interior wall such that the receiving portions are configured to align with mounting orifices defined by mating vehicle body components; and a structural foam is disposed within and filling the cavity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The bumper of claim 14, wherein the exterior wall includes a receiving portion that protrudes inward relative to the shell from the recessed surface such that the receiving portion is thicker than adjacent portions of the exterior wall, and wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive self-tapping fasteners. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The bumper of claim 14 further comprising a flange protruding downward from the lower wall, the flange having forward and rearward facing surfaces and defining a plurality of orifices that extend through the flange from the forward to the rearward facing surface, wherein the orifices are configured to receive fasteners. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The bumper of claim 16, wherein the flange is comprised of fiber-reinforced plastic.