Vehicle bumper system for forming part of engine cooling assembly

Abstract

An improved vehicle bumper system which mounts in a conventional manner on the front of a vehicle and which is tubular so that engine coolant can flow into, through and out of the bumper system and thereby be placed in heat exchange relationship to the ambient air. The bumper system further includes one or more valves coupled to the engine block to selectively place the bumper system in or out of fluid communication with the engine block. The bumper system itself can be a single bumper member or two or more bumper members, if desired. For a pair of bumper members, such members are typically vertically spaced apart and in vertical alignment with each other while the ends of the bumper members are in fluid communication with each other. The inlet and outlet of the bumper system is conveniently located so that hoses or tubes can easily couple the bumper system to the engine block of the vehicle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.