Patent ID: 8191942

Claim:
A bumper for a motor vehicle, comprising: a bumper shell comprising a substantially flat planar section having an outer surface and an inner surface and a cut-out opening extending therethrough and defining a cut inner perimeter edge; said cut inner perimeter edge of the cut-out opening extending from said outer surface to said inner surface of said substantially flat planar section and characterized by a sharp edge extending along said inner perimeter edge and defining a line at which said cut inner perimeter edge meets said outer surface of said substantially flat planar section; and a frame inserted into the cut-out opening, said frame comprising an outer perimeter shape corresponding to and configured to mate with said cut inner perimeter edge and which substantially covers the cut edge, said frame further comprising, in cross section, a first leg and a substantially orthogonal second leg defining a corner therebetween, where said first leg meets said second leg, and further wherein said first leg comprises a flat surface bearing against and mating with said inner surface of said flat planar section proximate said cut inner perimeter; wherein said second leg comprises a flat surface bearing against said cut edge and further comprising an exposed outer surface of the frame exhibiting a convex curvature with a curvature radius of at least approximately 2 mm; and wherein the exposed outer surface of the frame follows the outer surface of the bumper shell in a substantially flush manner.