Automotive Bumpers
Energy absorbers for bumpers, and more particularly to a thermoformed energy absorber with integrally formed attachment structure and other coined structures for attachment to a reinforcement beam in a vehicle bumper system can be thermoformed. (Rossi et al , US Patent 7,857,610; 12/28/2010)
Recent US Patents
12/28/2010
7,857,610
Apparatus making thermoformed component with integral coined structure
Rossi et al SafetyNet Energy Management, Michigan, have developed a thermoforming process capable of coining and flowing material for a thermoformed energy absorber for self-attachment to a vehicle bumper beam. The energy absorber includes a thermoplastic sheet with first thickness shaped by a thermoforming process to include a base and lobes configured to absorb energy. The sheet further has integrally formed attachments with solid heads formed from material flowed from adjacent areas into the attachment during the thermoforming process. Many other structures can be formed, such as ringed ridges, thinned regions, snap-attachments, hooks, living hinges and bosses. (RDC 6/29/2011)