# US 10,369,958 B2 · Deformation element for a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle comprising a deformation element of said type > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,958 B2 - Document ID: US10369958B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/852,085 - Filed: 2017-12-22 - Published: 2018-05-03 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-26 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Marco Grehl; Oeztzan Akif; Gerhard Fichtinger; Wilhelm Riedl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369958B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/34: Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} - B60R 19/18: {characterised by the cross-section;} Means within the bumper to absorb impact - B60R 19/34: destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type - B60R 19/36: Combinations of yieldable mounting means of different types {(fluid shock absorbers with coaxial coil springs B60R19/32)} - B60R 19/40: in the direction of an obstacle before a collision {, or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper (inflatable bumpers B60R19/20)} - B60R 2019/1893: {comprising a multiplicity of identical adjacent shock-absorbing means} - B60R 2019/262: {with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed} - B60R 2021/343: {using deformable body panel, bodywork or components} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract To improve the safety of passengers of a motor vehicle and road users in the case of a head-on collision, a deformation element is provided and includes a crossmember holder for mounting to a crossmember and a bumper plate that can be positioned next to a bumper of a motor vehicle. The deformation element is characterized in that a centrifugal force-operated release element for adjusting and locking the distance of the crossmember holder from the bumper plate is provided between the bumper plate and the crossmember holder. A first distance of the bumper plate from the crossmember holder, starting from a normal position, is greater in a first position than a distance in a second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A deformation element for a motor vehicle having a crossmember and a bumper, the deformation element comprising: a crossmember holder configured for mounting to the crossmember of the motor vehicle; a bumper plate positionable next to the bumper of the motor vehicle; a centrifugal-force-activated release element that adjusts a distance between the crossmember holder and the bumper plate using a centrifugal lever of the centrifugal-force-activated release element which centrifugal lever is configured to be activatable by centrifugal force applied to the centrifugal lever, the centrifugal-force-activated release element being arranged between the bumper plate and the crossmember holder, wherein a first distance between the bumper plate and the crossmember holder, starting from a normal position, in a first position is greater than a distance in a second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The deformation element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crossmember holder has a holding device fastened thereto, a displacement device is movable with respect to the holding device, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release element is located in a displaceable manner in the displacement device, and the bumper plate is arranged on the centrifugal-force-activated release element, and a common locking device is provided for the holding device and the displacement device, the common locking device being configured to be optionally locked or released by the centrifugal-force-activated release element such that it allows the holding device and the displacement device to be locked in the first position and allows the holding device and the displacement device to be released in the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The deformation element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release element comprises a piston, wherein at one end of the piston the bumper plate is arranged, at the other end of the piston the centrifugal lever is arranged, and the centrifugal lever butts against the release element when the second position is taken up. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The deformation element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the centrifugal lever has a resetting device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The deformation element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking device is located in the displacement device and the holding device in a resettable manner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The deformation element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking device is located in the displacement device and the holding device in a resettable manner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The deformation element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking device is located in the displacement device and the holding device in a resettable manner. ### Claim 8 A motor vehicle, comprising: a crossmember; a bumper; a deformation element, wherein the deformation element comprises: a crossmember holder configured for mounting to the crossmember of the motor vehicle; a bumper plate positionable next to the bumper of the motor vehicle; a centrifugal-force-activated release element that adjusts a distance between the crossmember holder and the bumper plate using a centrifugal lever of the centrifugal-force-activated release element which centrifugal lever is configured to be activatable by centrifugal force applied to the centrifugal lever, the centrifugal-force-activated release element being arranged between the bumper plate and the crossmember holder, wherein a first distance between the bumper plate and the crossmember holder, starting from a normal position, in a first position is greater than a distance in a second position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the crossmember holder has a holding device fastened thereto, a displacement device is movable with respect to the holding device, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release element is located in a displaceable manner in the displacement device, and the bumper plate is arranged on the centrifugal-force-activated release element, and a common locking device is provided for the holding device and the displacement device, the common locking device being configured to be optionally locked or released by the centrifugal-force-activated release element such that it allows the holding device and the displacement device to be locked in the first position and allows the holding device and the displacement device to be released in the second position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release element comprises a piston, wherein at one end of the piston the bumper plate is arranged, at the other end of the piston the centrifugal lever is arranged, and the centrifugal lever butts against the release element when the second position is taken up. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the centrifugal lever has a resetting device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking device is located in the displacement device and the holding device in a resettable manner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of the deformation elements arranged in a vehicle transverse direction, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release element of each of the plurality of the deformation elements are not identical. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the centrifugal-force-activated release elements have at least one of different mass, dimensions, and resetting devices.