A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle includes: side frames of a suspension subframe; a cross member connecting front-end portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; a front beam member; and a connecting member connecting a front-end portion of each side frame to the front beam member. A high-rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than other portions of the side frame is at a connecting portion between the front-end portion of the side frame and the cross member. The front beam member has a side end portion extending on a vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to a connecting position with the connecting member. A protrusion portion protruding from the side end portion toward a vehicle rear side is to come into contact with the high-rigidity portion from the vehicle-width-direction outer side when a collision load from a vehicle front side is input to the side end portion.

A deformation device for a motor vehicle has two elements that can move together in the event of a collision and optionally locked. A locking device has a first centrifugal lever which is pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis located on the first element, a first torsion spring arranged about the first pivot axis and operatively connected to the first centrifugal lever, a first rolling surface and a first contact surface arranged distally to same, as well as a second centrifugal lever neighboring the first centrifugal lever and with a substantially identical design. In a low-speed crash, the two centrifugal levers each swivel about their pivot axes such that the two rolling surfaces are in contact with one another and the two contact surfaces each rest against a corresponding receiving surface on the second element. In an accident situation representing a pedestrian, the two centrifugal levers each swivel about the pivot axes such that the two rolling surfaces are in contact with one another, while the first contact surface and the second contact surface are at a distance from the second element.

An energy absorption component for a motor vehicle includes an energy absorption element that has a longitudinal element with first and second support regions that support the longitudinal element on a bumper crossmember of the motor vehicle and on a shell construction element of the motor vehicle, respectively. A strengthening element is disposed on an outside of the longitudinal element and has first and second support regions that support the strengthening element on the bumper crossmember and on the shell construction element, respectively. An end of the first support region of the strengthening element is disposed apart from an end of the first support region of the longitudinal element by a first distance and an end of the second support region of the strengthening element is disposed apart from an end of the second support region of the longitudinal element by a second distance.

An energy absorption component for a motor vehicle includes an energy absorption element that has a longitudinal element with first and second support regions that support the longitudinal element on a bumper crossmember of the motor vehicle and on a shell construction element of the motor vehicle, respectively. A strengthening element is disposed on an outside of the longitudinal element and has first and second support regions that support the strengthening element on the bumper crossmember and on the shell construction element, respectively. An end of the first support region of the strengthening element is disposed apart from an end of the first support region of the longitudinal element by a first distance and an end of the second support region of the strengthening element is disposed apart from an end of the second support region of the longitudinal element by a second distance.

Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties are presented herein. Three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing structures may be constructed with spatially dependent features to create crash components. When used in the construction of a transport vehicle, the crash components with spatially dependent additively manufactured features may enhance and augment crash energy absorption. This in turn absorbs and re-distributes more crash energy away from the vehicle's occupant(s), thereby improving the occupants' safety.

A contact detection apparatus includes a bumper beam, an absorber, a contact detection sensor, a tube holder, and a cover. The absorber is disposed in front of and adjacent to the bumper beam. The contact detection sensor includes a pressure tube and outputs a signal in accordance with a change in pressure of the pressure tube. The tube holder is a part of a front end of the absorber and has a groove holding the pressure tube therein. The cover is attached to a front end of the tube holder and includes a body covering a front face of the tube holder and a pressing member disposed in front of the pressure tube. An upper end of a rear face of the pressing member is disposed at a more backward position than a lower rear end of the pressing member.

A rear bumper structure includes a lower side member at both sides of a vehicle parallel to a length direction of a floor panel and below the floor panel, an upper side member at both sides of the vehicle parallel to the length direction of the floor panel and above the floor panel and connected to the lower side member by a rear cross member, a bracket having a first end fixed to the lower side member and a second end extending in a bent form toward the rear of the vehicle, a bumper having a first end hinge-coupled to the second end of the bracket and a second end extending in a bent form from the first end toward an outside of the vehicle, and a crash box fixed to the second end of the bumper and coupled to the upper side member.

A vehicle front structure comprises a beam member positioned in front of a sub frame and having a closed-cross section extending in a vehicle width direction and a plate member extending forwardly from the beam member. The plate member comprises a fixation portion fixed to the beam member, a body portion extending forwardly from the fixation portion, and a front end portion positioned at a front end of the body portion and configured to have higher rigidity against a load applied in a longitudinal direction than the body portion. The front end portion of the plate member comprises an upper section located at a higher level than the body portion and a lower section located at a lower level than the body portion. The upper section is positioned on a vehicle forward side of the lower section.

A vehicle front structure comprises a beam member and a plate member. The plate member comprises a vertical face portion, a body portion extending forwardly from the vertical face portion, a front end portion positioned at a front end of the body portion, and a protrusion face portion provided to be forwardly spaced apart from the vertical face portion. The front end portion comprises an upper section located at a higher level than the body portion. The protrusion face portion comprises a protrusion-face-portion upper section located at a higher level than an upper end of the upper section and a protrusion-face-portion lower section located at a lower level than the upper end of the upper section. The protrusion-face-portion lower section is configured to have lower strength against a collision load applied from a vehicle forward side than the protrusion-face-portion upper section.

A deformation energy absorption structure has at least a first layer and a second layer which are spaced apart from each other and are mounted to be movable relative to each other in the deformation or load direction. The first and second layers have complementary protrusions and recesses, which are designed such that the protrusions of the first layer can dip into the recesses of the second layer and the protrusions of the second layer can dip into the recesses of the first layer. The first layer and the second layer are connected to each other by a deformation control device such that, in the event of a high impulse in the deformation direction, the protrusions of the first layer dip into the recesses of the second layer and the protrusions of the second layer dip into the recesses of the first layer such that the deformation structure is deformed in the deformation direction at a relatively low level of force, and, in the event of a low impulse in the deformation direction, the protrusions of the first layer hit the protrusions of the second layer such that the deformation structure is deformed further in the deformation direction at a relatively high level of force or that a greater force can be transmitted by the deformation structure. The first and second layers are formed from a plurality of deformation base elements which are produced separately from one another and are interconnected.