Composite bumper construction

A bumper construction for vehicles comprising:

• an elongated beam having end sections with first front walls;
• and
• polymeric structural end pieces attached to the beam that include second front walls forming a longitudinally extending extension of the first front walls, the structural end pieces each including marginal material defining a recess for closely receiving an associated one of the end sections with the marginal material stabilizing a cross-sectional shape of the associated one end section;
• wherein the beam includes vehicle attachment structure that provides the only structural attachment of the bumper construction to a vehicle.

A bumper construction for vehicles comprising:

• an elongated reinforcement beam including a planar impact-resisting flange that extends generally in a horizontal direction when in a vehicle-mounted position, the horizontal direction being parallel a direction where high impact strength of the beam is desired;
• and
• at least one structural molded member having a stabilizing wall extending parallel the impact-resisting flange, the stabilizing wall engaging an outer surface of the impact-resisting flange to stabilize the impact-resisting flange so that the impact-resisting flange does not unstably bend and prematurely lose its impact-resisting strength upon a vehicle impact, the at least one structural molded member thus forming a high-strength vehicle bumper construction with the beam that is capable of withstanding substantial impact forces generated when the bumper construction is impacted in a vehicle crash;
• wherein the molded member includes a cross section that encapsulates the beam.

A bumper construction for vehicles comprising:

• an elongated beam having opposing end sections;
• and
• a pair of structural molded end pieces made of polymeric material, the end pieces being attached to and supporting the opposing end sections and including attachment structure constructed to securely mount the bumper construction to a vehicle frame;
• wherein the beam includes planar parallel top and bottom walls, and wherein the end pieces include recesses that mateably telescopingly closely receive the end sections of the beam, the end pieces stabilizing the top and bottom walls upon impact so that the top and bottom walls do not spread upon impact, thus providing an improved impact strength to the bumper construction.

A bumper construction, comprising:

• an elongated beam having end sections with first front walls;
• and
• polymeric structural end pieces attached to the beam that include second front walls forming a longitudinally extending extension of the first front walls, the structural end pieces each including marginal material defining a recess for closely receiving an associated one of the end sections with the marginal material stabilizing a cross-sectional shape of the associated one end section;
• wherein each of the end pieces include a cross section that encapsulates the beam.