Abstract:
An extendable bumper system for a vehicle, the extendable bumper system comprising: a bumper structure; a laterally extending bumper segment slideably located within the bumper structure; and an actuator in operable communication between the bumper structure and the laterally extending bumper segment. An extendable bumper system for a modular vehicle, the extendable bumper system comprising: a bumper structure located on a moveable platform; a laterally extending bumper segment slideably located within the bumper structure; and a lateral bumper rail located on a body pod and configured to receive the laterally extending bumper segment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to bumper systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to extendable bumper systems for motor vehicles.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Motor vehicles typically have a bumper structure supported on a body of the motor vehicle by energy absorbers that convert into work a portion of the kinetic energy of a force on the bumper structure. Such bumper energy absorbers may include relatively movable structural elements attached to the body and the bumper structure and a resistance medium between the structural elements.  
         [0003]     Extendable bumper systems may include an actuator forming part of the bumper energy absorber for extending and retracting the bumper structure. Typically, these systems support the bumper structure close to the body of the motor vehicle during certain conditions, such as when the vehicle is being parked, and extend the bumper structure from the body during other conditions to increase the ability of the bumper energy absorbers to convert the kinetic energy of a force on the bumper structure into work.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The disclosed apparatus relates to an extendable bumper system for a vehicle, the extendable bumper system comprising: a bumper structure; a laterally extending bumper segment slideably located within the bumper structure; and an actuator in operable communication between the bumper structure and the laterally extending bumper segment.  
         [0005]     The disclosed apparatus also relates to an extendable bumper system for a modular vehicle, the extendable bumper system comprising: a bumper structure located on a moveable platform; a laterally extending bumper segment slideably located within the bumper structure; and a lateral bumper rail located on a body pod and configured to receive the laterally extending bumper segment. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a vehicle with two laterally extendable bumper systems in a retracted position;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the vehicle from  FIG. 1 , with the two laterally extendable bumper systems in an extended position;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a vehicle with two laterally and longitudinally extendable bumper systems in a retracted position;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the vehicle from  FIG. 3 , with the two laterally and longitudinally extendable bumper systems in an extended position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a modular vehicle with two laterally extendable bumper systems in a retracted position; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a modular vehicle with two laterally extendable bumper systems in an extended position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a schematic of a portion of a motor vehicle  10  with a front extendable bumper  14  and a rear extendable bumper  18  is shown. The front extendable bumper  14  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  22  in a retracted state within the bumper  14 . Similarly, the rear extendable bumper  18  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  26  in a retracted state within the bumper  18 . In this embodiment, there may be at least one actuator  28  configured to extend the laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  into the extended position configuration shown in  FIG. 2  via an actuator rod  27 . In an embodiment, the actuator  28  may be a motor actuator, hydraulic actuator, or pyrotechnic actuator, or a combination thereof. For example, a pyrotechnic actuator may be used in situations for rapid irreversible expansion when an event, such as an impact, is imminent, and a motor or hydraulic actuator in those situations where the actuator is speed activated. The actuator  28  may be configured to extend the laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  into the position shown in  FIG. 2 . The actuator  28  may be in operable communication with a sensor  29 . Although in  FIGS. 1-4 , the sensor  29  is shown in the center of the vehicle, the sensor may be located anywhere on the vehicle, including the perimeter of the vehicle. The sensor may be configured to determine when an impact is about to occur, in which case the sensor  29  may trigger the actuator  28  to actuate and extend the laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26 . In another embodiment, the sensor  29  may be configured to detect the speed of the motor vehicle  10 , and trigger the actuator  28  to actuate at a certain speed threshold, and to de-actuate when the vehicle returns to a speed below the speed threshold. A locking mechanism may also be incorporated into the front and rear extendable bumpers  14 ,  18  which would lock the laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  into the extended position during an impact, or the locking mechanism may be configured to provide energy absorption during an impact. Actuators, sensors, and locking mechanisms may be used for longitudinally extending bumpers. One example of a locking mechanism is a ratchet mechanism.  
         [0014]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the front extendable bumper  14  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  22  in an extended configuration. Similarly the rear extendable bumper  18  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  26  in an extended configuration.  
         [0015]     Another embodiment of the disclosed apparatus is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a schematic of a portion of a motor vehicle  10  with a front extendable bumper  14  and a rear extendable bumper  18  is shown. Like the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the front bumper  14  and rear bumper  18  are shown with their laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  in a retracted state. However, in addition, the front and rear bumpers  14 ,  18  are able to extend longitudinally via the longitudinal bumper rails  30 ,  34  located on the motor vehicle  10  wherein longitudinally extending bumper segments  38 ,  42  are located in a retracted state. In this embodiment, there may be at least one longitudinal actuator  31  configured to extend the longitudinally extending bumper segments  38 ,  42  into the extended position configuration shown in  FIG. 4  via a longitudinal actuator rod  32 . The longitudinal actuator  31  may be motor actuator, hydraulic actuator, or pyrotechnic actuator, any of which may be configured to extend the longitudinally extending bumper segments  38 ,  42  into the position shown in  FIG. 4 . The longitudinal actuator  31  may be in operable communication with a sensor  29 . The sensor may be configured to determine when an impact is about to occur, in which case the sensor  29  may trigger the actuators  28 ,  31  to actuate and extend one or more of the extending bumper segments  22 ,  26 ,  38 ,  42 . In another embodiment, the sensor  29  may be configured to detect the speed of the motor vehicle  10 , and trigger the actuators  28 ,  31  to actuate at a certain speed threshold, and to de-actuate when the vehicle returns to a speed below the speed threshold. One or more locking mechanisms may also be incorporated into the front and rear extendable bumpers  14 , 18  which would lock both the laterally and longitudinally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26 ,  38 ,  42  into the extended position during an event, such as an impact, or the locking mechanisms may be configured to provide energy absorption during an impact on the extendable bumpers  14 ,  18 . Now, referring to  FIG. 4 , the front extendable bumper is shown with not only the laterally extending bumper segments  22  in an extended configuration, but with also the longitudinally extending bumper segments  38  in an extended configuration. Likewise, the rear extendable bumper  18  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  26  in an extended configuration and the longitudinally extending bumper segments  42  in an extended configuration.  
         [0016]     The extendable bumper systems may also be useful for use in modular motor vehicles. Some modular vehicles may comprise a moveable platform, such a platform may be moveable via rolling, sliding, tracklaying, or hovering, and body pod, where the moveable platform has substantially all of the mechanical, electrical and structural componentry necessary for a fully functional vehicle, including at least an energy conversion system, a suspension and wheels, a steering system, and a braking system, for example. The moveable platform may have a simplified interface with connection components to which body pods of substantially varying design may be attached. Body pods for these modular vehicles are adapted to conform to the attachment interface of the moveable platform. The body pods may use the connection by wire (“X-by-wire”) technology to couple the body pod to the moveable platform and thus eliminate the necessity for mechanical control linkages. X-by-wire technology refers to electronic systems in vehicles which do not rely on conventional physical backups. The extendable bumpers may be used in such a modular motor vehicle to couple or assist in coupling a body pod to a moveable platform. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a moveable platform  46  is shown. The moveable platform has a front extendable bumper  14  and a rear extendable bumper  18 . The front bumper  14  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  22  in a retracted state within the bumper  14 . Similarly, the rear bumper  18  is shown with laterally extending bumper segments  26  in a retracted state within the bumper  18 . Shown placed on the moveable platform is a body pod  50 , which has not yet been coupled to the moveable platform  46 . The body pod has a pair of front lateral bumper rails  54  and a pair of rear lateral bumper rails  58 . Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the laterally extending bumper segments  22  are shown in an extended state and within the front lateral bumper rails  54  of the body pod. Similarly the laterally extending bumper segments  26  are shown in an extended state and within the rear lateral bumper rails  58  of the body pod. Thus, using the extendable bumpers  14 ,  18  in a modular motor vehicle allows one to couple the body pod  50  to the moveable platform  46  when the laterally extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  are extended into the lateral bumper rails  54 ,  58 , and in so doing to also form a continuous bumper across the front of the vehicle. Actuators  28  are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , however, the extendable bumpers may be configured for manual extension of the bumper segments  22 ,  26 , likewise also forming a continuous bumper across the rear of the vehicle. The extending bumper segments  22 ,  26  may also be withdrawn to uncouple the body pod  50  from the moveable platform.  
         [0017]     The extendable bumper system described herein employs laterally extendable bumpers. These bumper systems may provide energy absorption for side and near side impacts. These bumper systems may also provide a means for coupling a body pod to a moveable platform in modular vehicles.  
         [0018]     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.