Patent ID: 7866716

Claim:
An energy absorber for a vehicle bumper system, the energy absorber comprising: a plurality of crush boxes configured to absorb impact energy, each of the plurality of crush boxes being generally hollow and comprising a front wall and a plurality of side walls integrally formed with and extending from the front wall to a rear of the energy absorber, wherein a first crush box is separated from a second crush box by a distance such that an open space is defined between a side wall of the first crush box and a side wall of the second crush box; and a plurality of ribs extending between the side wall of the first crush box and the side wall of the second crush box in the open space to couple the first crush box to the second crush box; wherein the plurality of ribs are integrally formed with the first crush box and the second crush box and extend at least partially between the rear of the energy absorber and the front walls of the first and second crush boxes.