# US 2016/0355151 A1 · Bumper Assemblies Including A Bumper Cover Reinforcement And Vehicles Incorporating The Same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355151 A1 - Document ID: US20160355151A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/731,612 - Filed: 2015-06-05 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-05 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Jeremiah Thomas Hammer; Aaron Richard Steinhilb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355151A1 ## CPC - B60R 19/18: {characterised by the cross-section;} Means within the bumper to absorb impact - B60R 2019/1806: {Structural beams therefor, e.g. shock-absorbing} - B60R 2019/186: {Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material} - B60R 2019/1886: {Bumper fascias and fastening means therefor} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A bumper assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam, a bumper energy absorber member coupled to a face of the bumper reinforcement beam, and a bumper cover reinforcement coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam, the bumper cover reinforcement including a base portion and an outward extending portion extending outward of the base portion in a vehicle longitudinal direction to an end, the bumper cover support portion including a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion, where the at least one of the horizontally extending portion decreases in dimension in the vehicle lateral direction and the vertically extending portion decreases in dimension in the vehicle vertical direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bumper assembly comprising: a bumper reinforcement beam that extends in a vehicle lateral direction; a bumper cover positioned above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction; and a bumper cover reinforcement coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam, the bumper cover reinforcement comprising a bumper cover support portion comprising: a base portion coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam; and an outward extending portion extending outward from the base portion in a vehicle longitudinal direction to an end, the outward extending portion comprising a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion extending in the vehicle vertical direction from the horizontally extending portion, wherein at least one of the horizontally extending portion decreases in dimension in the vehicle lateral direction along a length of the bumper cover support portion from the base portion to the end and the vertically extending portion decreases in dimension in the vehicle vertical direction along the length of the bumper cover support portion from the base portion to the end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the horizontally extending portion comprises a bottom floor and the vertically extending portion comprises side walls extending upward from the bottom floor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The bumper assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the bottom floor or the side walls comprise a reduced thickness region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The bumper assembly of claim 2, wherein the bottom floor is generally planar extending forward from the base portion to the end of the bumper cover support portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The bumper assembly of claim 2, wherein the bottom floor of the bumper cover support portion extends upward in the vehicle vertical direction along the length of the bumper cover support portion extending from the base portion to the end in the vehicle longitudinal direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bumper assembly of claim 5, wherein the bottom floor extends upward in the vehicle vertical direction along an arc. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The bumper assembly of claim 2, wherein the side walls are spaced apart from one another by a base width in the vehicle lateral direction at the base portion and the side walls are spaced apart from one another by an end width at the end, wherein the base width is greater than the end width. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The bumper assembly of claim 2, wherein the side walls extend forward of the bottom floor in the vehicle longitudinal direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portion extend to a point at the end of the bumper cover support portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the horizontally extending portion comprises a top face and the vertically extending portion comprises a central portion that extends downward from the top face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bumper assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of the top face and the central portion comprise a reduced thickness region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bumper assembly of claim 10, wherein the horizontally extending portion has a base width in the vehicle lateral direction at the base portion of the bumper cover support portion and an end width at the end of the bumper cover support portion, wherein the base width is greater than the end width. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion is integral with an anchor portion which is coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam by a releasable connection. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the horizontally extending portion comprises a first bottom floor and a second bottom floor, wherein the first bottom floor and the second bottom floor are positioned at an angle with respect to one another. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The bumper assembly of claim 1, wherein the bumper cover support portion comprises a central portion that divides the bumper cover support portion into a first support portion and a second support portion. ### Claim 16 A vehicle comprising: a bumper reinforcement beam that extends in a vehicle lateral direction; a bumper energy absorber member coupled to a face of the bumper reinforcement beam, the bumper energy absorber member comprising a base that extends laterally along a length of the bumper reinforcement beam and energy absorbing lobes that extend outward from the base in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a bumper cover positioned above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction; and a bumper cover reinforcement coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam, the bumper cover reinforcement comprising a bumper cover support portion comprising: a base portion coupled to the bumper reinforcement beam; and an outward extending portion extending outward of the base portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction to an end, wherein the outward extending portion comprises a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion extending from the horizontally extending portion in the vehicle vertical direction, and wherein the bumper cover support portion resists a downward force applied to the bumper cover in the vehicle vertical direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the horizontally extending portion comprises a bottom floor and the vertically extending portion comprises side walls extending upward from the bottom floor in the vehicle vertical direction, wherein the side walls are spaced apart from one another in the vehicle lateral direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the side walls have a base height at the base portion evaluated in the vehicle vertical direction and an end height evaluated in the vehicle vertical direction at the end of the bumper cover support portion, wherein the base height is greater than the end height. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein at least one of the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portion comprise a reduced thickness region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the horizontally extending portion comprises a top face and the vertically extending portion comprises a central portion extending downward from the top face.