Patent ID: 6443513
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: B32B,B60R,B65D,F16F,Y10T

Abstract:
In a motor vehicle component consisting of one or more members from the group consisting of bumpers and interior components that require impact load energy absorption, the improvement comprising an impact energy absorber positioned on the vehicle component in position to receive the impact load, the impact energy absorber being integrally formed of a material comprising a resilient, moldable plastic resin and comprising a base sheet having a plurality of spaced, inverted cup-shaped energy absorbing cells integrally formed on one side thereof, the cells having a top end positioned away from the base sheet and an open bottom end in the base sheet and having a relatively thin side wall extending downwardly and outwardly between the top and the bottom, the cells having a generally circular cross-section and being resiliently collapsible in an axial direction when subjected to an axial impact load, the base sheet being positioned against the vehicle component and the cup-shaped cells extending away from the vehicle component in position to receive the impact load, the energy absorber being constructed and mounted such that the energy absorption of the energy absorber is attributable substantially exclusively to the resilient collapse of the cell side walls and not to air compression inside the cells.