Patent ID: 7699367

Claim:
An energy-absorbing article for a vehicle, comprising: an energy absorber including a base flange that, when in a car-mounted position, defines an abutment surface extending in a longitudinal direction and in a vertical direction and that is adapted to be positioned on a face surface of a bumper beam, the energy absorber including a hollow crush box extending from the base flange in a fore-aft direction and that is configured to absorb energy upon impact in the fore-aft direction; the crush box including top and bottom horizontal side walls and opposing vertical side walls and including an end wall connecting outer edges of the horizontal and vertical side walls to define a rearwardly-open cavity; the energy absorber including at least one back strap extending between rear edges of the rearwardly-open cavity of the hollow crush box and securing the rear edges of the top and bottom horizontal side walls together near the base flange, the at least one back strap being located at a location spaced from the vertical side walls and being configured to prevent unacceptable spreading of the rear edges of the top and bottom horizontal side walls upon an impact in the fore-aft direction against the energy absorber.