Patent ID: 6988754
Filing Date: 2006-01-24
Classification: B60R,B62D

Abstract:
1. An impact dampening bumper ( 1 ) for a vehicle, comprising: a hub ( 6 ) mounted with a pneumatic tire ( 5 ) and inflated to form a wheel ( 4 ), the wheel being mounted with an end of a vehicle body ( 1 ) such that an impact force imposed on the vehicle at that end will be transmitted through the wheel and be substantially dampened before the dampened force is transmitted to the vehicle body; tire ( 5 ) having an input zone ( 30 ) on the tire surface within which, the impact force is applied to tire ( 5 ); the tire having an output zone ( 31 ) on the tire surface, within which the tire transmits the dampened force toward the vehicle; the output zone ( 31 ) being positioned substantially on the opposite side of the tire surface from where the input zone is located; an input pocket ( 9 ) formed and positioned to cooperate with the input zone ( 30 ); an output pocket ( 8 ) being formed and positioned to cooperate with the output zone ( 31 ); the pockets being formed so as to substantially increase the impact dampening capacity of the tire from what would be attainable were the pockets a flat surface.