Patent ID: 6422644
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: B60N,B60R

Abstract:
An energy dissipation assembly for dissipating energy between a vehicle component and a vehicle sheet metal member, the assembly comprising:a collapsible crash box forming a central aperture therethrough for receiving the vehicle component, said collapsible crash box including a plurality of collapsible levels oriented concentrically with respect to the central aperture; wherein an uppermost one of said levels is positioned to abut against the sheet metal member and a lowermost one of said levels is positioned to abut against the component, such that a sufficient impact against the component causes collapse of the plurality of levels between the component and the sheet metal member, thereby dissipating energy of the impact, said collapsible levels being sequentially larger from one of the uppermost and lowermost levels to the other of the uppermost and lowermost levels to facilitate said collapse, and said crash box being spaced away from at least one of the sheet metal member and the component prior to movement upon said impact such that the crash box contacts both the sheet metal member and the component only during said impact; and wherein the component includes a clip for retaining and securing the component within the sheet metal member, said clip being disengagable from the sheet metal member during said sufficient impact to allow collapse of the plurality of levels.