Low profile bumper

Abstract

A vehicle bumper that incorporates a "C" section face bar attached to a truss-formed backplate to achieve a box section construction. The face bar, although a conventional "C" section, has more nearly horizontal upper and lower shelves combined with a reduced frontal face height to offer, when further combined with the backplate, a nearly square box beam. Functional height is extended beyond the beam section with a plurality of strategically located underride stops drawn from the lower shelf. These stops provide low pendulum impact performance at minimal weight while facilitating forming of the bumper beam ends. The stops preferably are concealed with a flexible shield which provides conventional appearance in addition to opportunities of cost, weight, airflow and model appearance differentiation when replacing separate air deflectors and sight shields. The bumper assembly configuration provides a highly weight efficient section modulus, improved torsional stiffness and improved dent resistance. Additional dent resistance preferably is provided in the center area with an internal reinforcing doubler plate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.