US 11,999,308 B2
Impact energy absorbing member
Takuma Inoue, Kariya (JP); Shin Terada, Toyota (JP); Kazuyoshi Ogata, Toyota (JP); Masahiko Yasue, Kariya (JP); Kohei Mori, Kariya (JP); Masahiro Nakayama, Kariya (JP); and Ryuta Kamiya, Kariya (JP)
Assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, Kariya (JP); and TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Appl. No. 17/600,365
Filed by KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, Kariya (JP); and TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
PCT Filed Apr. 1, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/015063
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/204084, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-072963 (JP), filed on Apr. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161747 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B60R 19/34 (2006.01); B60R 19/18 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 19/34 (2013.01) [B60R 19/18 (2013.01); B60R 2019/1853 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An impact energy absorbing member configured to be arranged on a side opposite from a receiving side of a load on a bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction and configured to be formed by combining a matrix material with a fiber structure, the impact energy absorbing member comprising:
a tubular energy absorbing portion including an axis that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction, the energy absorbing portion being configured to be collapsed by the load, thereby absorbing impact energy generated when the load is received; and
an attachment portion arranged integrally with a side of the energy absorbing portion opposing the bumper reinforcement in an axial direction of the energy absorbing portion, wherein
the attachment portion is fastened to the bumper reinforcement using a fastener, the fastener extending through the attachment portion and a wall of the bumper reinforcement and including an axis that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the energy absorbing portion, and
the attachment portion and the energy absorbing portion are in a positional relationship in which the energy absorbing portion does not overlap the fastener when the impact energy absorbing member is viewed in a direction from the bumper reinforcement toward the energy absorbing portion in the vehicle front-rear direction,
wherein the wall includes an upper wall and a lower wall,
wherein the attachment portion includes an upper attachment portion fastened to the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and a lower attachment portion fastened to the lower wall of the bumper reinforcement,
wherein the upper attachment portion is fastened to the bumper reinforcement using the fastener extending through the upper attachment portion and the upper wall in an up-down direction,
wherein the lower attachment portion is fastened to the bumper reinforcement using the fastener extending through the lower attachment portion and the lower wall in the up-down direction,
wherein the energy absorbing portion includes a top plate and a bottom plate opposing each other in the up-down direction,
wherein the upper attachment portion extends toward the bumper reinforcement, in the axial direction of the energy absorbing portion, from a lower end of an upper coupling portion, the upper coupling portion extending downward from an end of the top plate of the energy absorbing portion adjacent to the bumper reinforcement, and
wherein the lower attachment portion extends toward the bumper reinforcement, in the axial direction of the energy absorbing portion, from a lower end of a lower coupling portion, the lower coupling portion extending downward from an end of the bottom plate of the energy absorbing portion adjacent to the bumper reinforcement.