A bumper assembly includes an elongated beam and a pair of crush cans. The elongated beam includes a plurality of reinforcing walls extending horizontally that define a gap in a central portion of the beam. The pair of crush can assemblies is attached to the beam at transversely spaced locations relative to the central portion of the beam. The central portion of the beam is structured to have less bending resistance than the right and left sides. The reinforcing walls span the crush can assemblies so that the gap facilitates bending the central portion of the beam. A method of making a bumper is also disclosed that includes the steps of selecting a bumper beam and partially removing an upper/central portion and a lower/central portion of the bumper beam.

A vehicle bumper reinforcement structure to increase energy absorption capacity is provided. The vehicle bumper reinforcement structure comprises a base member extending in the width direction of the vehicle that is attached to the vehicle at both width ends, and a first reinforcement member and a second reinforcement member attached to the base member at a width center of the vehicle. Widths of the reinforcement members are differentiated in such a manner to cause fracture of the base member at width ends of the reinforcement members by a predetermined collision impact applied to the width center of the base member.

An impact-absorbing compressible member includes a thin-walled enclosure defining an inner chamber containing a volume of fluid such as air. The enclosure includes one or more orifices which as sized and positioned to allow air to vent from the inner chamber in response to an impact on the member and to refill the inner chamber in response to an impact on the member and to refill the inner chamber after the impact is released. The enclosure is formed of a blow-molded thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material which is economical to make and durable in use. The compressible members can be used as building blocks for impact-absorbing shell structures for a wide variety of applications such as helmets, protective pads for body parts, sports arena wall padding, vehicular bumpers, dashboards and the like. The compressible member has impact-absorbing advantages over conventional foams currently used in those applications.

A crash impact attenuator system for deployment in front of a structure includes a rail and a plurality of diaphragms initially disposed in spaced relation along the length of the rail. Each of the plurality of diaphragms moves along the rail, so that when a front end of the crash attenuator system receives an impact force from a vehicle, a first one of the diaphragms moves rearwardly along the rail and impacts a second one of the diaphragms so that both the first and second diaphragms move further rearwardly along the rail, this process continuing with additional ones of the diaphragms until the impact forces have been fully attenuated. A tearing member on the crash attenuator system engages material forming a side or fender panel of the crash attenuator system, the tearing member tearing material forming the side panel to attenuate the impact force.

A vehicle bumper structure is provided with a functional component having a function other than an impact absorbing function, and an absorber is provided between a bumper cover and reinforcement. The absorber includes a first impact absorbing member that has a hole near the functional component, and a second impact absorbing member that is inserted into the hole and is more rigid than the first impact absorbing member. The second impact absorbing member may also have a protruding portion that protrudes outward on a side surface with respect to an insertion direction into the hole.

A bumper assembly includes a bumper upper member that is reinforced in a vehicle vertical direction against a bumper energy absorber structure. The bumper upper member includes a vertical rigidity flange that extends outwardly toward the bumper energy absorber that limits movement of the bumper upper member in response to a downward vertical force, which can improve static subjective rigidity, while maintaining pedestrian performance.

A protective member such as a helmet includes an outer layer and an inner layer interconnected by multiple connectors, such as extension springs, under tension along their longitudinal axis. The connectors absorb energy from an impact force by resisting further tension along their longitudinal axis and allow the outer layer and inner layer to move relative to each other. In the helmet application, the head of a user experiences less impact force, reduced change in momentum or position of the head and neck, reduced head and neck loads and reduced amounts of linear and rotational acceleration. The protective member can be used in numerous applications and environments, including for participants in sports, in applications including bumpers, passenger cabins, car seats and beds.

A vehicle including a bumper assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam that extends generally in a vehicle lateral direction. The bumper reinforcement beam has a front face, a rear face opposite the front face and a top extending between the front face and the rear face. A bumper cover is located above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction. A bumper cover reinforcement includes an anchor portion supported on the bumper reinforcement beam and a bumper cover support portion extending outwardly from the anchor portion toward the bumper cover. The bumper cover support portion is arranged and configured to resist a downward force applied to the bumper cover in the vehicle vertical direction.

A protective member such as a helmet includes an outer layer and an inner layer interconnected by multiple connectors, such as extension springs, under tension along their longitudinal axis. The connectors absorb energy from an impact force by resisting further tension along their longitudinal axis and allow the outer layer and inner layer to move relative to each other. In the helmet application, the head of a user experiences less impact force, reduced change in momentum or position of the head and neck, reduced head and neck loads and reduced amounts of linear and rotational acceleration. The protective member can be used in numerous applications and environments, including for participants in sports, in applications including bumpers, passenger cabins, car seats and beds.

A crash impact attenuator is adapted for deployment on a vehicle, and includes a cartridge portion having at least one energy absorbing module, as well as a backup system having a backup frame, which is adapted to attach the cartridge portion to the vehicle. The backup system includes an actuator configured to pivot the cartridge portion between a deployed orientation and a stored orientation about a pivot axis disposed on a lower half of the backup system. The backup system further includes a lockout frame member having a contact surface on one end thereof, the lockout frame member being actuatable between a deployed orientation wherein the contact surface engages a portion of the backup frame to support the backup frame against vehicular impact forces and a stowed orientation wherein the contact surface is not engaged with the backup frame.