Bumper-mounted inflatable device
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsS. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bumper assembly of a vehicle includes a vehicle bumper and a first inflatable device supported by the bumper. The first inflatable device is deployable downwardly from the bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position. A second inflatable device is supported by the bumper and spaced cross-vehicle from the first inflatable device. The second inflatable device is deployable downwardly from the bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position. An uninflatable panel is below the bumper 12 and extends from the first inflatable device to the second inflatable device in the deployed position.
Claims20
A bumper assembly comprising:
- a vehicle bumper;
- a first inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper and inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the first inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- a second inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper spaced cross-vehicle from the first inflatable device, the second inflatable device being inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the second inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- and
- an uninflatable panel below the vehicle bumper and deployable downwardly relative to the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the uninflatable panel extending from the first inflatable device to the second inflatable device when the first inflatable device, the second inflatable device, and the uninflatable panel are in the deployed positions.
A bumper assembly comprising:
- a vehicle bumper including a tow hook recess;
- a first inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper and inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the first inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- a second inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper spaced cross-vehicle from the first inflatable device, the second inflatable device being inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the second inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- and
- an uninflatable panel below the vehicle bumper and being deployable across the tow hook recess to a deployed position, the uninflatable panel extending from the first inflatable device to the second inflatable device in the deployed position.
A bumper assembly comprising:
- a vehicle bumper including a tow hook recess;
- a first inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper and inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the first inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- a second inflatable device supported by the vehicle bumper spaced cross-vehicle from the first inflatable device, the second inflatable device being inflatable downwardly from the vehicle bumper from an undeployed position to a deployed position, the second inflatable device defining an inflation chamber and being a thermoplastic elastomer;
- an uninflatable panel below the vehicle bumper and extending from the first inflatable device to the second inflatable device in the deployed positions;
- and
- a cover supported by the vehicle bumper, the first inflatable device, the second inflatable device, and the uninflatable panel being between the cover and the vehicle bumper in the undeployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.