Bumper arrangement
AssigneeVolvo Trucks North America, Inc.
InventorsJames Bird, Karl Duckett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A moveable bumper arrangement. The moveable bumper arrangement includes an elongated bumper member, an end bumper member, and a mechanism coupled to the end bumper member. The mechanism allows substantially translational movement of the end bumper member with respect to the elongated bumper member from a first position where the end bumper member is positioned at an end of the elongated bumper member to a second position where the end bumper member is spaced apart from the elongated bumper member.
Claims30
A moveable bumper arrangement, comprising:
- a) an elongated center bumper member;
- b) a first end bumper member and a second end bumper member mounted at opposite ends of the center bumper member;
- and
- c) a mechanism coupled to at least one of said first end bumper member and said second end bumper member that allows substantially translational movement of the at least one end bumper member with respect to the elongated center bumper member from a first position where the at least one end bumper member is positioned at an end of the elongated center bumper member to a second position where the at least one end bumper member is spaced apart from the elongated center bumper member, and allows rotation of the at least one end bumper member relative to the center bumper member.
A vehicle including a moveable bumper arrangement, comprising:
- a) a vehicle frame;
- b) a center bumper element mounted to the vehicle frame at a front end of the vehicle;
- b) a mechanism attached to the vehicle frame at the front end of the vehicle;
- and
- c) a bumper member connected to the vehicle frame at an end of the center bumper element by the mechanism, the bumper member comprising a front portion extending laterally from the center bumper element and a side portion extending along a side of the vehicle, wherein the mechanism allows substantially translational movement of the bumper member with respect to the center bumper element along a portion of a path of travel allowed by the mechanism to separate the bumper member from the center bumper element and allows rotation of the bumper member relative to the center bumper element.
A method of moving a first bumper member with respect to a second bumper member from a normal position to an open position for servicing a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- translating the first bumper member with respect to the second bumper member along a path of travel that includes a linear portion allowed by a mechanism that connects the first bumper member and a vehicle component, and rotating the first bumper member with respect to the second bumper member, wherein access is provided in the open position to at least one vehicle component behind the first bumper member in the normal position.
The method of claim wherein 22 the first bumper member is simultaneously rotated and translated with respect to the second bumper member after the first bumper member is detached from the second bumper member.
A vehicle including a moveable bumper arrangement, comprising:
- a) a vehicle frame defining a front end and sides;
- b) a center bumper member connected to a frame of the vehicle at the front end;
- c) end bumper members connected to the frame at opposite ends of the center bumper member, the end bumper members having front portions and side portions capping the ends of the center bumper member to extend over a portion of the front end and a portion of the sides of the vehicle;
- and,
- c) a mechanism attached to the frame and supporting at least one end bumper member, the mechanism allowing translational movement of at least one end bumper member with respect to the center bumper member along a portion of a path of travel allowed by the mechanism and wherein the substantially translational movement of the at least one end bumper member separates the at least one end bumper member from the center bumper member and allowing rotational movement of the at least one end bumper member relative to the center bumper member displacing the side portion of the at least one end bumper member from the portion of the side of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.