Patent ID: 6450532
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
An energy absorber comprising:a mounting bracket having a guide slot therein, a guide formed of plastic having a serpentine passage therethrough including a first plastic convex anvil on a first side of the serpentine passage and a second plastic convex anvil on a second side of the serpentine passage opposite the first side, a retainer formed as one piece with the guide and operable in response to forcibly pushing the guide into the guide slot to a seated position therein to automatically engage and secure the guide on the mounting bracket, and a serpentine flat metal strap traversing the plastic guide through the serpentine passage including a first concave web facing the first convex anvil and a second concave web facing the second convex anvil, the flat metal strap being plastically deformed by being thrust against and pulled across each of the first and second convex anvils during relative linear translation between the mounting bracket and the flat metal strap so that such relative linear translation is resisted by a force attributable to the plastic deformation of the flat metal strap.