US 11,667,255 B2
Safety bumper assembly and robotic vehicle comprising the same
David Crinklaw, Kingsburg, CA (US); Chase Schapansky, Fresno, CA (US); and Gary Thompson, Sanger, CA (US)
Assigned to GUSS Automation LLC, Kingsburg, CA (US)
Filed by GUSS Automation LLC, Kingsburg, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/63,623.
Prior Publication US 2022/0105888 A1, Apr. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B60R 19/26 (2006.01); B60R 19/32 (2006.01); B60R 19/48 (2006.01); B60R 19/38 (2006.01); B60R 19/28 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 19/26 (2013.01) [B60R 19/28 (2013.01); B60R 19/32 (2013.01); B60R 19/38 (2013.01); B60R 19/483 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A safety bumper assembly for a vehicle shutting off a vehicle engine when the vehicles hits an obstacle, said safety bumper assembly comprising:
a bumper bar;
at least a first bumper shaft and a second bumper shaft, each of which having an outer bumper shaft portion with an outer shaft end and an inner bumper shaft portion spaced from the outer bumper shaft portion and having an inner shaft end, wherein said outer bumper shaft portion is hinged to the bumper bar;
a support structure accommodating the at least first and second bumper shafts at their respective inner bumper shaft portions in a movable fashion;
a first resistance element biasing the first bumper shaft and a second resistance element biasing the second bumper shaft to respective outermost positions where said outer bumper shaft ends are spaced by a first distance from the support structure; and
a switch actuated by inward movement of at least one of the first and second bumper shafts when at least one of the outer bumper shaft ends of the least one of the first and second bumper shafts has reached an inner position that is located at a second distance from the support structure that is shorter than said first distance;
wherein the first bumper shaft and the second bumper shaft are movable relative to each other.