Integrated energy absorber and air flow management structure

A vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle frame;
• a bumper reinforcement beam on a front of the vehicle frame;
• an engine supported on the vehicle frame and located behind the reinforcement beam;
• a component including a shutter section positioned above the reinforcement beam and at least as far forward as a rear surface of the reinforcement beam, the shutter section including active shutter members movable between a closed position to block air flow through the shutter perimeter frame, an open position to allow air flow through the perimeter frame, and at least one partially-open position there between for allowing limited air flow.
• a shutter assembly incorporating the component with the shutter section, the shutter members having a cross section with two spaced arms and a stem defining a “Y” shape and further having stiffening ribs extending between the spaced arms for vane stiffness, a tip of one of the arms having a first surface shaped to closely engage a mating surface on the stem to minimize air leakage when the first and mating surfaces engage;
• and
• the shutter assembly further having at least one linkage arm and linkage for selectively moving the shutter vane members between the different air flow positions.

An integrated assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a unitary molding including a bumper energy absorber section with a plurality of crush lobes configured to abut a face of a primary bumper reinforcement beam, and at least one shutter section with shutter members configured to move between an air-blocking closed position and an air-flow open position;
• and
• an actuator mechanism for moving the shutter members between the closed and open positions;
• and
• wherein the shutter members are aerodynamically shaped and configured to move toward the open position upon encountering air pressure from the vehicle's movement even if the actuator mechanism fails.