Patent ID: 7478849

Claim:
A vehicle bumper assembly comprising: a bumper reinforcement member having a first lateral end section, a second lateral end section, an outboard facing side extending between the first and second lateral end sections and an inboard facing side with a vehicle mounting structure; a corner bracket pivotally supported to the first lateral end section of the bumper reinforcement member proximate the inboard facing side of the bumper reinforcement member, the corner bracket having a lateral outer edge and a lateral inner edge, the corner bracket being movable between a normal at rest position and a deflected position in which the corner bracket pivots in an inboard direction toward the vehicle mounting structure from the normal at rest position, the corner bracket being restricted against outward movement beyond the normal at rest position by contact between an edge of the first lateral end section of the bumper reinforcement member and the lateral inner edge of the corner bracket; and a biasing member extending between the outboard facing side of the bumper reinforcement member and an outboard side of the corner bracket, the biasing member biasing the corner bracket outwardly relative to the vehicle mounting structure to the normal at rest position for absorption of impact energy.