Patent ID: 7823959
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A pedestrian safety structure for a motor vehicle body comprising: a front cross member extending in a generally transverse direction relative to the motor vehicle body; a soft-nose outer skin panel disposed forward of the front cross member; and a plurality of V-shaped brackets disposed between the soft-nose outer skin panel and the front cross member, the brackets structurally supported by and protruding forwardly from the cross member, at least one of the brackets comprising a first leg having a hinge adjacent its attachment to the front cross member, the hinge promoting a rotational deformation of the first leg about the hinge when a longitudinal impact load is applied to the bracket caused by rearward deformation of the soft-nose outer skin panel, and the at least one bracket further comprising a second leg constructed to promote a buckling deformation of the second leg when the longitudinal impact load is applied to the bracket.