Vehicle bumper system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsPeter John Schuster, Gregory Stanley Frederick, Shui-Fang (Ray) Chou, Jeffrey Leonard Bladow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pedestrian protection apparatus for a truck is provided. The apparatus includes a bumper member mounted to a vehicle, a linkage, a stiffener, an extendible cross-member and an actuator. The extendible cross-member is mounted on a stiffener which in turn is mounted at each end at a first linkage and a second linkage respectively. The pedestrian protection apparatus may extend out from under the vehicle at speeds greater than a predetermined speed in order to prevent injury to a pedestrian in a collision. The linkages are disposed between the extendible cross-member and the bumper.
Claims23
A vehicle bumper assembly for reducing pedestrian injury, the bumper assembly comprising:
- a bumper member mounted to a vehicle;
- a stiffener operatively connected to the bumper member and movable between an up position to a forward and down position;
- a cross-member mounted on the stiffener and being operative to evenly distribute loads on a pedestrian leg upon impact;
- a first linkage disposed between a first end of the stiffener and the bumper member;
- a second linkage disposed between a second end of the stiffener and the bumper member, the first and second linkages each having a first locking member and a second locking member, the linkage being operative to extend the stiffener and the cross-member means outwardly from the vehicle end;
- and
- an actuator in communication with a vehicle speedometer, the actuator being operative to extend the stiffener, the cross-member, and the linkage down and outwardly from the vehicle when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed.
A vehicle bumper system for reducing pedestrian injury in a collision, the vehicle bumper system comprising:
- a bumper mounted to a vehicle;
- a stiffener operatively connected to the bumper and movable between a retracted position and an outwardly deployed position;
- a cross member mounted on the stiffener for evenly distributing loads across the stiffener upon impact;
- and a first linkage and a second linkage wherein the first and second linkage each comprises,
- a first linkage member mounted to the bumper;
- a second linkage member mounted to cross-member means;
- a third linkage member having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally mounted to the first linkage member and the second end being pivotally mounted to the second linkage member;
- a fourth linkage member having a third end and a fourth end, the third end being pivotally mounted to the first linkage member and the fourth end being pivotally mounted on the second linkage member;
- and
- an actuator mounted on the first linkage member and being in communication with the vehicle speedometer, the actuator being operative to extend the cross-member outwardly from the vehicle via the second, third and fourth linkage members such that the third linkage member engages with the fourth linkage member into a locked position preventing horizontal displacement of the cross-member when subjected to horizontal loads under a predetermined level.
A bumper assembly for reducing pedestrian injury, the bumper assembly comprising:
- a bumper member mounted to a vehicle;
- a stiffener operatively connected to the bumper member and movable between an up position to a forward and down position;
- a cross-member mounted on the stiffener and being operative to evenly distribute loads on a pedestrian leg upon impact;
- a first linkage disposed between a first end of the stiffener and the bumper member;
- a second linkage disposed between a second end of the stiffener and the bumper member, the first and second linkages each having a first locking member and a second locking member wherein the first locking member includes a tab and the second locking member defines an aperture for engaging with the tab to prevent horizontal displacement of the linkage and the cross-member in a collision, the first and second linkages being operative to extend the stiffener and the cross-member means outwardly from the vehicle end;
- and
- an actuator in communication with a vehicle speedometer, the actuator being operative to extend the stiffener, the cross-member, and the linkage down and outwardly from the vehicle when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed.
A bumper assembly for reducing pedestrian injury, the bumper assembly comprising:
- a bumper member mounted to a vehicle;
- a stiffener operatively connected to the bumper member and movable between an up position to a forward and down position;
- a cross-member mounted on the stiffener and being operative to evenly distribute loads on a pedestrian leg upon impact;
- a first linkage disposed between a first end of the stiffener and the bumper member;
- a second linkage disposed between a second end of the stiffener and the bumper member, the first and second linkages each having a first locking member and a second locking member wherein the first locking member is a cam and the second locking member is a follower such that the cam prevents horizontal displacement of the linkage and cross-member means when subjected to a horizontal load under a predetermined level, the linkage being operative to extend the stiffener and the cross-member means outwardly from the vehicle end;
- and
- an actuator in communication with a vehicle speedometer, the actuator being operative to extend the stiffener, the cross-member, and the linkage down and outwardly from the vehicle when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.