U.S. patent number 3,574,379 [Application Number 04/743,147] was granted by the patent office on 1971-04-13 for resilient shock-absorbing bumper.
Invention is credited to Alexander T. Jordan.
United States Patent |
3,574,379 |
Jordan |
April 13, 1971 |
RESILIENT SHOCK-ABSORBING BUMPER
Abstract
A shock-absorbing device comprising a bumper pad and dovetail
mounting structure. The bumper pad includes a tubular casing made
of nonporous, flexible plastic material with flanges on one side
for removable attachment to a bracket. The other side of the pad is
convex. The casing is filled with resilient, spongy, cellular foam
material saturated with a liquid. Opposite ends of the casing are
closed by breakable seals. The casing and foam filler flex
yieldably when subjected to moderate impact, and on severe impact
an end seal breaks to release liquid at a controlled rate. The
bumper pad is attached to the mounting structure by a spreader
plate engaged in the flanges of the casing. A plurality of bumper
pads can be mounted vertically in spaced disposition in a single
mounting bracket structure.
Inventors: |
Jordan; Alexander T. (Yonkers,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
24987692 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/743,147 |
Filed: |
July 8, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
293/109; 256/1;
293/1; 293/120; 428/31; 267/140; 293/137; 473/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
19/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
19/18 (20060101); B60R 19/20 (20060101); B60r
019/08 (); B61f 019/04 (); F16d 057/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;152/157 ;188/94
;180/92,82 ;256/1 ;293/1,71,71 (P)/ ;293/60,65,88,98,99 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: LaPoint; Arthur L.
Assistant Examiner: Beltram; Howard
Claims
I claim:
1. A shock absorber device for a vehicle or the like, comprising a
bumper-mounting structure supportable by the vehicle, said mounting
structure having mounting means defining at least one dovetail
recess, said recess having a flat inner wall and a pair of opposed
lateral walls slanting forwardly from the inner wall to define a
forward opening into said recess; a bumper pad comprising an
elongated, flexible body removably insertable longitudinally into
said recess through one end thereof, said body having a convex
front wall to extend forwardly through said opening for receiving
the force of an applied impact, a rear wall integral with said
front wall, and a pair of inturned flexible flanges integral with
and extending along said rear wall at opposite edges thereof; a
rigid spreader plate removably insertable longitudinally between
said flanges to abut said rear wall and to spread said flanges
inside the recess to fit them tightly against the slanted lateral
walls and inside wall of the recess, so that the bumper pad is held
therein only by friction and compressive force, whereby the bumper
pad provides a first stage of impact absorption, whereby the
spreader plate provides a second successive stage of impact
absorption, and whereby said mounting structure provides a third
successive stages of impact absorption.
2. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 1, wherein said
bumper mounting structure includes resilient support means for said
mounting means, said resilient support means providing said third
stage of impact absorption, and said mounting means providing a
fourth successive stage of impact absorption.
3. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 2, wherein said
mounting means comprises a pair of parallel bars coupled to said
resilient support means.
4. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 3, wherein said
mounting means further comprises yokes having arms joined to the
bars respectively, each yoke having a shaft extending rearwardly
from the bars and engaged with said resilient support means.
5. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 3, wherein said
recess is formed in said bars, so that the bumper pad and spreader
plate are supported directly by said bars.
6. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 1, wherein said
mounting means further defines a plurality of like dovetail
recesses for supporting other bumper pads, each recess having a
flat other inner wall to define a forward other opening into the
recess; a plurality of other bumper pads, each other bumper pad
comprising an elongated flexible other body removably insertable
longitudinally into one of the other recesses to extend forwardly
through said other opening, said other body having a convex front
other wall, a rear other wall integral with the front other wall,
and a pair of other inturned flexible flanges extending along said
rear other wall at opposite edges thereof; and a plurality of other
rigid spreader plates respectively removably insertable
longitudinally between said other flanges to abut said rear other
wall within one of said other recesses to spread said other flanges
inside the other recess to fit tightly against the respective
slanted lateral walls and inside wall thereof to hold a bumper pad
therein only by compressive force, whereby any one of the bumper
pads and any one of the spreader plates can be replaced by sliding
it longitudinally out of a recess in which it is engaged.
7. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said
recesses are disposed longitudinally parallel to each other so that
a plurality bumper pads can be supported in spaced parallel
relationship to each other.
8. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said
mounting means comprises a pair of parallel support bars, said
recesses being formed in said bars, so that a plurality of bumper
pads can be supported in spaced parallel relationship to each other
by said bars.
9. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 6, wherein said
bumper-mounting structure includes resilient support means for said
mounting means, said resilient support means providing said third
stage of impact absorption, and said mounting means providing a
fourth successive stage of impact absorption.
10. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 9, wherein said
mounting means comprises a pair of parallel bars coupled to said
resilient support means; and yokes having arms joined to the bars
respectively, each yoke having a shaft extending rearwardly from
the bars and engaged with said resilient support means.
11. A shock absorber device as defined in claim 10, wherein said
mounting structure further comprises brackets mounting to said
vehicle cup rings carried by the brackets; said resilient support
means comprising apertured resilient pads in the cup rings, the
shafts of the yokes extending through the resilient pads; flanges
on the yokes abutting the resilient pads; and coil springs
connecting ends of the shafts with said vehicle to serve as
counterweights while the resilient pads serve as supports for the
yokes, bars, bumper pads and spreader plates.
Description
The present invention is directed at overcoming difficulties and
disadvantages of prior flexible bumpers of air- and liquid-filled
types.
It has been proposed heretofore to make an automobile bumper of a
pneumatic casing filled with air. U.S. Pat. No. 1,690,961 describes
a typical bumper of this type. Such bumpers have not proven
successful in practice because the air leaks out in time, rendering
the bumpers ineffective when needed. Furthermore, the pneumatic
bumpers do not dissipate energy, but store it, causing a rebound
with harmful results.
It has also been proposed to make automobile bumpers of flexible
casings filled with liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,122 describes a
bumper typical of this construction. This bumper requires
periodical refilling with fluid. When a sever impact is applied the
pressure of the fluid ejects a series of stoppers causing the
sudden release of the fluid. The bumper is rigidly attached to the
frame of the automobile in conventional manner.
According to the present invention, a shock absorber device has a
bumper pad made of a flexible nonporous outer casing packed with a
resilient, spongy cellular plastic or rubber filling or body. The
cellular body is saturated with water or other liquid of a degree
of viscosity best suited to the purpose. The casing has a flat rear
side and flexible inturned flanges which receive a spreader or
wedging plate. The spreader plate serves a double purpose: to
expand the flanges into flaring recesses formed in supporting
bracket bars, and to provide rigidity to the bumper pad without
preventing its lengthwise motion in relation to the supporting
bracket bars. Opposite ends of the casing are closed by breakable
seals.
In one arrangement of the invention, the shock absorber pad is
mounted horizontally to extend the full width of an automobile at
either end thereof. In another arrangement, a plurality of shock
absorber pads are mounted vertically and are supported by
horizontal bracket bars which can be attached to the frame of the
automobile either rigidly or through the intermediary of a flexibly
attached subframe. The shock absorber pads can be mounted by
adjustable clamps, individual brackets, or by long bracket bars to
an automotive vehicle.
Various objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent upon reading the following specification together
with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.
Referring to the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a first shock absorber
assembly embodying the invention and shown mounted at one end of an
automobile.
FIG. 2 is a horizontal plan view of the first shock absorber
assembly taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of
FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of parts of the shock
absorber assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of
FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG.
4.
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view on an enlarged scale of a
mounting bracket structure employed in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and
2, parts being broken away.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second mounting bracket
structure.
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view partially in vertical
section showing a second shock absorber assembly including a third
mounting bracket structure.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, showing a third
shock absorber assembly employing a fourth mounting bracket
structure.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view partially exploded in form showing
the mounting bracket structure employed in the assembly of FIG.
10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a fourth shock absorber
assembly.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line
13-13 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a horizontal plan view of the shock absorber assembly
shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIG.
14.
FIG. 16 is a top view of a fifth shock absorber assembly with a
portion broken away.
FIG. 17 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 17-17
of FIG. 16.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of one of the engaging and
disengaging clips of the form of the invention shown in FIG.
16.
Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a shock
absorber assembly 10 including a bumper pad 12 and mounting bracket
structure 14. The bumper pad has an elongated tubular casing made
of nonporous plastic such as a vinyl or other polymer. The casing
16 has a flat rear wall 18 and a convex front wall 20 integral with
the rear wall. A pair of opposing flanges 22 which are L-shaped in
cross section extend the full length of the rear of the casing at
opposite edges of wall 18 shown in each of FIGS. 1--6. These
flanges define channels or grooves 24 which receive a long wedging
or spreading plate 25. The plate 25 has beveled or rounded edges 26
and when inserted into the grooves 24 spreads the flanges 22
outwardly. This is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. In FIG. 5, the
flanges are shown unstressed with wall portions 27 perpendicular to
backwall 18, while in FIG. 3, the wall portions 27 are spread
outwardly angularly to wall 18 at the beveled edges of the
spreading plate 25. The shape of the flanges shown is only by way
of example and numerous other configurations can be used, such as
dovetailed flanges, slots running the length of the casing and
other shapes designed to facilitate its attachment. Flanges can
also be dispensed with and the flexible casing attached to the
parts to be protected by means of a suitable adhesive.
Inside the tubular casing 16 is a filling or body 30 of resilient,
porous cellular rubber or plastic spongy foam material. This
material forms a one-piece body of open cell material to define
interstices which take up a considerable quantity of liquid. The
casing is made of very tough strong flexible material so as not to
rupture even under very severe mechanical impact. The body 30 is
soft and flexible and yields when subjected to impact. The porous
body 30 is saturated with a liquid 31 of any desired viscosity. It
can be water, oil or other suitable liquid or gel. If a very high
viscosity, semifluid substance is used, the form filling may be
dispensed with. Semifluid substances with some air bubbles may be
used to achieve a degree of compressibility. In some applications
the foam alone may be used without liquid.
Opposite ends 33 of the tubular casing 16 are closed by thermally
fusing or cementing plastic films to form breakable seals 32. The
seals may be graduated according to strength, so as to provide
shock-absorbing capabilities suited to various applications. When
the shock absorber is subjected to an impact in any direction the
porous body will yield elastically at the point of impact and the
liquid will flow away from that point to provide a gradual
cushioning of the impact. If a severe shock is applied such as in
an automobile collision, the porous body will yield elastically
while the liquid flows to the opposite ends of the casing until
pressure builds up enough to break either or both seals 32 when the
liquid will be released while the elastic body 30 continues to
yield under the impulse of the applied force.
The mounting bracket structure 14 shown in FIGS. 1--3 and 4--7
includes a long flat bar or plate 36 to which is welded a plurality
of flat brackets 38. Each bracket is of generally rectangular
U-shape with a straight back 40 and two forwardly extending legs
42. The legs are inwardly dovetailed to define a dovetail recess 44
which receives the flanges 22 of pad 12. As indicated in FIGS. 3
and 4, the bumper pad 12 can slide freely longitudinally through
the recesses 44 of the brackets 38 then the spreader plate 25 can
be pushed into channels 24 between the flanges 22. This spreads the
flanges 22 forcing them outwardly against the inner slanted edges
45 of legs 42 as shown in FIG. 3. The spreader plate can be
hammered into place to lock the bumper pad securely to the
brackets. It can also be hammered out to remove the bumper pad for
replacement with another if necessary. The support bar or plate 36
is provided with apertured L-shaped rear brackets 46 which can be
secured by bolts 47 to one end of the frame 48 of an automotive
vehicle 50.
A particular advantage of the assembly 10 is the manner in which
the bumper pad accommodates to the intensity of force applied in a
gradually yielding manner with wide distribution of the force to
effectively protect the vehicle 50. If the impact is severe enough
to break open either or both seals 32, the casing can be refilled
with displaced liquid and the ends of the casing can be resealed.
The tough casing will not break even under an impact violent enough
to demolish the vehicle, but it it should somehow become cut or
damaged, the entire bumper pad is expendable and can be replaced by
another at low cost.
FIG. 8 shows another mounting bracket structure 14a which can be
used to mount bumper pad 12. Parts corresponding to those of
bracket structure 14 are identically numbered. Instead of
individual brackets 38, there is provided a single long channel
bracket 38a which is secured by welding 52 to back bar or plate 36.
Alternatively, the channel bracket and bar 36 can be made as an
integral unit. The channel bracket has two long forwardly extending
walls 42a with slanted inner sides 45a defining a dovetailed recess
44a extending the full length of the channel bracket. This
structure 14a is somewhat more expensive to fabricate than bracket
structure 14 but it has the advantage of greater strength and more
uniform support for bumper pad 12. The spreader plate 25 will
spread apart the flanges 22 of the bumper pad in channel bracket
38a in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 9, the shock absorber assembly 10A has another mounting
structure 14b in which spreader plate 25a is a rather T-shaped in
cross section with a rear plate portion 54 extending rearwardly of
the flanges 22 and engaged by bolts 56 with support plate 36b. The
bolts seat in threaded holes 57. The bolts extend through
countersunk holes 59 in the spreader plate 25a. Rear brackets 46 of
which only one is shown enable the assembly to be mounted to the
frame of a vehicle. The mounting structure 14b will serve for a
light-duty installation since the outwardly spread flanges 22 are
not compressed against parts of mounting brackets or a channel
bracket as in mounting structures 14 and 14a.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show mounting structure 14c of another shock
absorber assembly 10B. Support bar 36c may have a flat or curved
front face 60. Welded to the face 60 at spaced points are L-shaped
flat bracket sections 62. Cooperating L-shaped bracket sections 64
can be adjustably engaged with sections 62 by bolts 66 which extend
through bores 68 in sections 64 and screw into threaded holes 70 in
sections 62. The inner slanted faces 45b and 45b' of sections 62,
64 contact the outer sides of flanges 22 when they are spread apart
by spreader plate 25c of the bumper pad 12. Other parts of the
assembly corresponding to assembly 10 are identically numbered.
Assembly 10B has the advantage of being adjustable to different
widths of bumper pad 12. Also it makes it possible to remove the
bumper pad and to replace it with another by unscrewing bolts 66
which is easier than hammering or drawing wedge plate 25c
longitudinally out of the bumper pad.
FIGS. 12--15 show another shock absorber assembly 10C in which a
plurality of bumper pads 12a are constructed like bumper pad 12
except that pads 12a are smaller in size. Each pad 12a has a
tubular flexible nonporous casing 16a and porous resilient filling
30 saturated with liquid 31. The ends 33 of the casing are closed
by breakable seals 32 all as described in connection with assembly
10. The bumper pads 12a are vertically disposed with flanges 22
engaged in aligned dovetailed recesses 44d of two horizontal
mounting bracket bars 72 and 74. Spreader plates 25d are inserted
between the flanges 22 in recesses 44d. As in bumper pad 12, each
spreader plate is disposed behind the backwall 18 of the casing.
The spreader plate is hammered into place to spread the flanges 22
apart. Top and bottom ends of the vertical spreader plates extend
above top bar 72 and below bottom bar 74 as clearly shown in FIGS.
12 and 15.
An auxiliary frame structure 75 is provided for mounting the
assembly 10C to frame 80 of a vehicle. The auxiliary frame
structure includes a pair of yokes 82 whose arms 84 joint the two
bars 72, 74 and hold them in spaced parallel relationship one above
the other. Extending rearwardly from each yoke is a common shaft 86
on which is an annular flange 88. Shaft 86 extends through a
circular shock-absorbing resilient pad 90 held in a cup ring 92
secured to channel bracket 94 which is held on frame 80 by bolts
96. Shaft 86 extends through opening 95 in bracket 94. Flange 88
bears against pad 90. At the rear end of shaft 86 is a fitting 96.
A coil spring 98 is connected between fitting 96 and bracket 99 on
frame bar 80'. The coil springs 98 serve as counterweights to
stabilize the shock absorber assembly. The bumper pads 12a take up
the initial impact of an applied mechanical shock. Pads 90 serve as
auxiliary resilient supports. They permit the assembly to move
slightly up, down or laterally in yielding to obliquely directed
mechanical shocks and then the pads 90 restore the assembly to
their initial undeflected position. Assembly 10C has the advantage
that any one bumper pad can be replaced without disturbing any
other.
The bars 72 and 74 are shown axially curved but they can be made
straight if desired. Instead of being round tubes, bars 72, 74 can
be made rectangular in cross section or of any other geometrical
shape. They may also be solid instead of tubular in structure.
In FIGS. 16 and 17, there is shown another shock absorber assembly
10D which includes a curved spreader plate 25d supported by spaced
brackets 102 secured by bolts 103 on frame 104 of a vehicle. Shock
absorber pad 12 which is the same as described in connection with
FIGS. 1--6 is supported by plate 25d. The flanges 22 of pad 12
engage around the edges of plate 25d. Pairs of C-shaped spring
clips 106, best shown in FIG. 18, snap over the expanded flanges 22
of the pad 12 at opposite sides of brackets 102 as shown in FIGS.
16 and 17. Assembly 10D has the advantage that it is very quickly
mountable on and demountable from plate 25d by engaging and
disengaging clips 106.
All the shock absorber assemblies described employ quickly
mountable and quickly detachable bumper pads which are expendable
and which can be replaced if necessary. The bumper pads can be
mounted interchangeably in various mounting structures and brackets
as described. Each has advantages of its own depending on the
desired strength of the shock absorber desired and other
requirements of the installation. It will be well at this point to
summarize some important features of the present invention. It will
be understood, particularly by reference to FIGS. 12--16 that
protection against damage to a vehicle is afforded in a succession
of stages. In the first stage, the resilient bumper pads absorb the
impact. If the impact is excessive they yieldably rupture. In the
second stage, the spreader plates absorb the impact. If the impact
is excessive they yieldably bend. In the third stage, resilient,
elastic mountings of the support bars yield to the impact. In the
fourth stage, the mounting bars for the bumper pads and their
supporting yokes yieldably bend to excess impact. By this
arrangement the vehicle is effectively protected against
damage.
It should be noted that the mounting of the bumper pads requires no
screws, wires, clips or other auxiliary devices. The pads can
easily be inserted in the recesses in the mounting bars and removed
therefrom by sliding them longitudinally. The spreader plates are
similarly removable. Thus if any pad or plate is damaged, it can be
replaced without disturbing any other assembly of pad and spreader
plate.
The shock absorbers have been described in connection with their
use as bumpers at the rear or front ends of an automotive vehicle.
However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art
that they can be used in many installations other than automobiles,
where an effective economical shock absorber is desired.
While I have shown and described what I believe to be the best
embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that various changes and modifications may be made
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *