Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VEHICLE BUMPERS HAVING OVAL CROSS-SECTION MEMBERS
FIELD
This invention relates generally to vehicle bumpers and particularly to
bumpers
utilized in police, emergency or service type vehicles.
BACKGROUND
A number of different vehicles utilize some type of enhanced front bumper
structure
suitable for pushing other vehicles. Typically, emergency vehicles such as
police vehicles,
tow trucks and other emergency response vehicles are provided with a suitably
strengthened
front bumper which allows the vehicle to push another vehicle for limited
distances. In most
instances, the pushing activities engaged in by police and other service
vehicles involves
short distance pushing from behind to allow a disabled or encumbered vehicle
to be pushed
out of a hazardous or high use position such as a street or freeway lane to a
more suitable off
the road such as shoulder position.
The typical enhanced bumper utilized by police vehicles and the like comprises
a
pair of vertical enlarged bumper members which are joined by one or more cross
bars. The
vertical members and cross bar combination are supported in front of the
conventional
bumpers of the vehicle. In some instances, the enhanced high strength bumpers
are secured
to a suitable support or suitable support points provided in the vehicle
structure. In other
instances, the bumpers are secured to the conventional bumper attachment
points within the
vehicle. In either event, the object is to provide a suitably robust high-
strength front bumper
structure which allows the host vehicle to be able to push inoperative
vehicles for short
distances. While presently available enhanced front bumpers utilized by police
vehicles and
other emergency responders have enjoyed some success, they remain subject to
several
limitations.
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The most common type of enhanced bumper utilized by police and other emergency
vehicles includes a pair of robust vertical structural members positioned
ahead of the
conventional front bumper of the vehicle. The robust vertical structural
members are
secured to the vehicle support system. The vertical members are further
supported by a
plurality of cross members which may also be utilized to support one or more
emergency
lights or sounding apparatus.
One of the serious limitations of the conventional vertical member type
enhanced
bumpers described above arises in that the entire strength of the enhanced
bumper system
resides in the two vertical spaced apart structural members. The cross bars
are frequently
lighter in scale and often function primarily to support auxiliary apparatus
such as lights and
sounding devices. In addition, such vertical structural member type enhanced
bumper
systems often fail to "match up" with certain types of vehicle rear bumpers or
certain
"atypical" structured vehicles such as small service trucks, pickups or vans.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,153 issued to Murray, et al. sets forth a PUSH BUMPER
having
a pair of vertical structural members together with apparatus for securing the
vertical
members to a conventional vehicle bumper. The vertical members are joined by a
generally
planar cross member which defines a generally V-shaped frontal portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,164 issued to Setina sets forth an AUXILIARY PUSH BUMPER
FOR MOTOR VEHICLE which is clamped to the original bumper of the host vehicle
by
brackets attached to bumper guards on the push bumper. The push bumper is
fabricated of a
plurality of bumper sections formed of extruded aluminum and having ends which
are
releasibly attached to the bumper guards for easy repair of the push bumper.
In one
embodiment, the push bumper includes a center section formed of an extruded
aluminum U-
shaped channel with a diagonal stiffening plated inserted into the channel.
The center
section is fastened at its opposed ends to a pair of bumper guards. A pair of
curved side
sections are fastened at their inner ends to the bumper guard plates and are
further fastened
at their outer ends to the frame of the host vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,773 issued to Storer sets forth a PUSH BAR MOUNTING
SYSTEM for mounting a push bar to a vehicle bumper without significant damage
to the
bumper. The system includes a front and rear bracket mounted to an inner
bumper of the
vehicle and having top and bottom mounting tabs extending away from the inner
bumper.
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The brackets are configured to attach to the inner bumper of the vehicle
without drilling
mounting holes therein. Additionally, the mounting tabs are configured to
extend through a
bumper fascia that surrounds the inner bumper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,466 issued to Norlin sets forth a VEHICLE BUMPER
ASSEMBLY having at least one profiled preferably U-shaped beam or the like
adapted to
be securely mounted to the frame and/or the bumper of a host vehicle. This
mounting is
carried forward whereby the outer contours of the bumper are located outside
the vehicle
body and are active in the shock absorbing capacity. The beam is provided with
a plurality
of stays or plates which extend transversely between the longitudinally
extending limb
portions of the beam and which divide the beam into pocket-like sections in
which the
inserts are individually mounted and arranged. The inserts preferably comprise
cellular
blocks and consist of a number of tubes of semi-elastic or plastic material.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved
the art
and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains
nonetheless a
continuing and unresolved need in the art for evermore improved robust vehicle
bumper
apparatus suitable for use in pushing other vehicles.
SUMMARY
Described below are various implementations of a vehicle bumper that addresses
shortcomings of the prior art.
According to one implementation, a vehicle push bumper comprises a tubular
member and a plurality of attachment members. The tubular member is configured
in a loop
and has a generally oval cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis. The
tubular
member comprises upright sections extending between first and second lateral
sections, and
the upright sections slant outwardly between the first and second lateral
sections. The
plurality of attachment members are secured to the tubular member.
The tubular member can have a generally trapezoidal shape. The upright
sections
can slant outwardly by about 7 to about 15 degrees from vertical. The upright
sections can
slant outwardly by about 10 degrees from vertical.
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The plurality of attachment members can include at least a pair of attachment
members adjacent one of the first and second lateral sections. The plurality
of attachment
members can include at least a pair of attachment members positioned between
the first and
second lateral members.
An intermediate lateral member can be positioned between the first and second
lateral sections. The intermediate lateral member can have ends mounted at
respective
mounting portions of the pair of attachment portions positioned between the
first and second
lateral members.
The vehicle push bumper can have a U-shaped resilient pad mounted to the
tubular
member. The U-shaped resilient pad can be configured to extend from one
upright section,
over one of the lateral sections to the other upright section.
One of the first and second lateral sections can be formed with openings
shaped to
receive lights for recessed mounting within the bumper. At least one of the
upright sections
can be formed with holes for mounting auxiliary lights and running wiring for
the auxiliary
lights through the tubular member.
The tubular member can be formed by bending, and its ends can be partially
joined
together by welding. The tubular member can be formed with a drain opening.
The tubular
member can be formed of any suitable material, e.g., aluminum or steel.
When the vehicle push bumper is installed on a vehicle, the major axis of the
oval
cross section is generally level and the minor axis is generally vertical. The
generally oval
cross section can include generally semicircular forward and rearward portions
and
generally straight intermediate portions connecting the forward and rearward
portions.
It is desired to provide improved vehicle bumpers for use with police and
other
emergency type vehicles, particularly vehicle bumpers with a robust high
strength pushing
member combination which is able to interact with a great variety of
differently configured
vehicle rear portions during pushing activity. It is desirable for such
bumpers to be as light
in weight as is practical.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other features and advantages will become more apparent from
the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying
figures.
FIG. 1 sets forth a front view of a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance
with the
present invention;
FIG. 2 sets forth a section view of the vehicle bumper shown in FIG. 1 taken
along
section lines 2-2 therein;
FIG. 3 sets forth a partial front perspective view of a typical host vehicle
supporting
a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 sets forth a partially sectioned partial front perspective view of a
host vehicle
supporting a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 5 sets forth a partial front perspective view of a host vehicle
supporting a
vehicle bumper constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6 sets forth a section view of a vehicle bumper attachment supporting a
vehicle
bumper constructed in accordance with the present invention upon the front
bumper of a
host vehicle;
FIG. 7 sets forth a section view of a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance
with
the present invention taken along section lines 7-7 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 sets forth a section view taken along section lines 7-7 in FIG. 1
showing an
alternate embodiment attachment for the resilient pad portion of the present
invention
vehicle bumper;
FIG. 9 sets forth a front and left side perspective view of a vehicle bumper
constructed in accordance with another implementation;
FIG. 10 sets forth a rear and right side perspective view of the vehicle
bumper of
FIG. 9;
FIG. 11A sets forth a front elevation view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11B sets forth a section view of the tubular loop of FIG. 9 taken along
the line
11B-11B in FIG. 11A;
FIG. 12 sets forth a left side elevation view of the push bumper of FIG. 9;
FIG. 13 sets forth a rear elevation view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 9;
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FIG. 14 is a front and left side perspective view of the vehicle bumper of
FIG. 9,
together with an intermediate cross-member and an attached resilient pad;
FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 is a left side elevation view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 14;
FIG. 17 is a rear elevation view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 14;
FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle bumper of FIG. 14;
FIG. 19 is a front elevation view of an implementation of the resilient pad;
FIG. 20 is a front and left side perspective view of the resilient pad of FIG.
19;
FIG. 21 is a rear and left side perspective view of the resilient pad of FIG.
19;
FIG. 22 is a section view of the resilient pad taken along the line 22-22 in
FIG. 19;
FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of an alternative vehicle bumper having
showing
bracket member connections to a vehicle's impact absorbing bumper;
Fig. 24 is a left side and rear elevation view of the bumper of Fig. 23; and
Fig. 25 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 24.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 sets forth a front view of a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance
with the
present invention and generally referenced by numeral 10. Vehicle bumper 10 is
formed as
a tubular loop or member 11 having a generally trapezoidal shape and rounded
corner
portions 14, 15, 16 and 17. As is better seen in FIG. 2, the cross-section
shape of tubular
loop 11 comprises an oval rather than the circular cross-section employed by
conventional
prior art structures.
Returning to FIG. 1, bumper 10 further includes a pair of resilient pads 12
and 13
secured to the front portion of the vertical members of tubular loop 11.
Resilient pads 12
and 13 are preferably fabricated of a rubber material and are preferably
secured to the
underlying surfaces of tubular loop 11 utilizing a conventional high strength
adhesive
attachment. Alternatively, pads 12 and 13 may be secured utilizing a fastener
attachment as
shown in FIG. 8. While pads 12 and 13 are preferably fabricated of a resilient
rubber
material, pads 12 and 13 may if desired be fabricated of a different suitably
resilient and
durable material such as molded plastic or the like. The important functional
aspect
provided by pads 12 and 13 is the provision of padded resilient surfaces upon
the front
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engaging edges of tubular loop 11 which avoid damage to paint or underlying
surfaces of
vehicles being pushed while providing sufficient friction to enhance the
control exercisable
by the vehicle operator during pushing operations.
It will be noted that FIG. 1 shows the present invention vehicle bumper in its
simplest embodiment in which the bumper makes use of the novel oval cross-
section tubular
structure. The present invention enhanced and improved vehicle bumper for use
on
emergency and police type vehicles provides a substantially lighter weight and
higher
strength vehicle bumper through this use of oval cross-section tubular
material rather than
the conventional circular cross-section tubular material employed by prior art
bumpers. This
use of oval cross-section tubular material provides a substantially greater
strength for any
selected bumper weight or material thickness compared to the strength provided
by
corresponding typical circular cross-section tubular bumpers. In addition,
because the major
axis of the oval cross-section bumper material of the present invention is
oriented forward to
rearward with respect to the vehicle, the vehicle bumper is substantially
"thinner" in visual
appearance when viewed from the front of the host vehicle than are similar
strength circular
cross-section tubular bumpers. The thinner profile of the present invention
bumper together
with its greater strength and reduced weight substantially enhances the appeal
and efficiency
of the present invention bumper system. Additionally, the provision of a
plurality of hard
rubber pads secured upon the forward surfaces of the tubular loop provide
protection for the
bumper structure as well as protection of the surfaces of the vehicle being
pushed.
In the fabrication of the present invention, the resilient pads are
sufficiently hard to
be durable while nonetheless sufficiently resilient to avoid damage to paint
and other vehicle
surfaces during pushing operations. In addition and as is mentioned above, the
rubber pad
materials utilized, which may alternatively be formed of a rubber substitute
such as resilient
plastic or the like, also enhance the friction between the vehicle bumper and
the surfaces of
the vehicle being pushed. This enhanced friction in turn contributes to
greater control being
exercisable by the vehicle operator during pushing activities. The present
invention vehicle
bumper is securable to existing vehicle supports in any of the selected
available bumper
attachment methods of the type utilized in prior art presently available
bumpers. It will be
further noted by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 3 that the present invention bumper
may be
fabricated in an alternative manner to provide additional resilient pads on
the top and bottom
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portions of the tubular loop and may also include a horizontal cross bar
within the tubular
loop to support light and sound apparatus as needed.
FIG. 2 sets forth a section view of vehicle bumper 10 taken along section
lines 2-2 in
FIG. 1. As described above, vehicle bumper 10 includes a tubular loop 11
formed to define
an oval cross-section. As is also described above, vehicle bumper 10 further
supports a pair
of resilient pads such as pad 13. Vehicle bumper 10 further includes an upper
attachment 30
and a lower attachment 31 secured to tubular loop 11 by conventional welding
attachment.
Returning to FIG. 1, it will be noted that an additional upper attachment 32
and lower
attachment 33 are also supported upon tubular loop 11.
As is better seen in FIGS. 3 through 5, tubular loop 11 of vehicle bumper 10
is
secured to the front portion of a host vehicle by attachment of suitably
fabricated brackets to
engage attachments 30 through 33 of vehicle bumper 10.
Returning to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the cross-section shape of tubular
loop 11
defines an oval having flat portions 20 and 21 joined by a pair of cylindrical
portions 22 and
23. This oval fabrication of tubular loop 11 greatly increases the strength of
vehicle bumper
10 without increasing its weight. Stated otherwise for any given weight of
tubular loop 11,
substantial greater strength is provided by the oval cross-sectional shape
thereof than would
be provided by a corresponding weight circular cross-section vehicle bumper.
As mentioned
above, resilient pad 13 is preferably fabricated of a resilient rubber
material or its equivalent.
Resilient bumper 13 defines a cylindrical portion 25 which is secured in
contact with the
cylindrical portion 23 of tubular loop 11. Resilient pad 13 further defines a
generally planar
front surface 26 intended to engage vehicles during pushing activity. With
temporary
reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be noted that FIG. 7 shows a cross-section
view of pad 13
utilizing an adhesive attachment between pad 13 and tubular loop 11.
Examination of FIG.
8 shows that an alternate form of attachment may be utilized in securing
resilient pad 13 to
semi-cylindrical portion 23 of tubular loop 11 utilizing a conventional
fastener.
Returning to FIG. 2, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the
remaining
pads utilized on vehicle bumper 10 (resilient pad 12 seen in FIG. 1) are
secured to tubular
loop 11 in a similar fashion.
FIG. 3 sets forth a partial front perspective view of a typical police vehicle
supporting vehicle bumper 10. As described above, vehicle bumper 10 is formed
of a
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tubular loop 11 defining an oval cross-section as shown in FIG. 2. Tubular
loop 11 defines a
generally trapezoidal shaped having straight side, top and bottom portions and
rounded
corners 14, 15, 16 and 17. As is also described above, vehicle bumper 10
supports resilient
pads 12 and 13. In FIG. 3, vehicle bumper 10 is shown supporting additional
resilient pads
18 and 19 secured to the upper and lower horizontal segments of tubular loop
11. Vehicle
bumper 10 further includes a pair of upper attachment brackets 30 and 32 and a
pair of lower
attachment brackets 31 and 33. In the manner shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6,
attachment
brackets 30 through 33 are utilized in securing bumper 10 upon the host
vehicle.
Vehicle 35 is shown to represent a typical police vehicle often described in
the art as
a "cruiser" in which a more or less conventional vehicle has been adapted for
use as a police
vehicle. While numerous modifications are typically made to vehicles utilized
as cruises by
police officers, for the most part the outer appearance of vehicle 35 is
substantially normal.
Thus, vehicle 35 supports an outer front bumper 36 defining a bumper vent 39
extending
along the lower portion of bumper 36. Vehicle 35 further includes a grille 37
and a hood 38.
As is better seen in FIG. 4, a convenient gap exists in the frontal portion of
vehicle 35
between the lower edge of grille 37 and the upper adjacent surface of outer
bumper 36. This
gap is utilized to extend an appropriate support member therethrough and
secure
attachments 30 and 32 to be internal collision bumper of vehicle 35 in the
manner shown in
FIG. 6. Additionally, bumper vent 39 is utilized to provide a similar
attachment between the
internal crash bumper of vehicle 35 and lower attachments 31 and 33 also in
the manner
shown in FIG. 6. The attachment of bumper 10 upon vehicle 35 is set forth
below in FIGS.
4, 5 and 6 and described in greater detail therein. However, suffice it to
note here that
vehicle bumper 10 supporting resilient pads 12, 13, 18 and 19 is securely
mounted upon
vehicle 35 forwardly from outer bumper 36. In most vehicles, outer bumper 36
is a resilient
bumper fabricated of a resilient plastic material or the like. Thus in a
typical application, it
is anticipated that vehicle bumper 10 is supported upon vehicle 35 by
attachment to the
crash absorbing inner bumper (seen in FIG. 4) or, alternatively, is coupled to
the supporting
frame of the host vehicle (not shown). It will be noted that in the support of
vehicle bumper
10 upon vehicle 35 shown in FIG. 3 that attachment is made to attachments 30
and 32 by
support members extending through a gap 40 formed between grille 37 and the
upper
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surface of outer bumper 36. In addition, it will be noted that attachment is
made to lower
attachments 31 and 33 by structural elements extending through bumper vent 39.
FIG. 4 sets forth a partial perspective view of vehicle 35 which is partially
sectioned
to show a typical attachment for vehicle bumper 10. In the example shown in
FIG. 4, the
attachment is made to the vehicle's crash absorbing inner bumper 50. It will
be understood,
however, that the present invention vehicle bumper may be secured to either
crash bumper
50 or a suitable portion of the vehicle supporting frame (not shown) without
departing from
the scope of the present invention. It has been found that attachment to crash
absorbing
bumper 50 provides advantage in that vehicle bumper 10 then is afforded the
energy
absorbing characteristic provided by interior bumper 50 should a severe impact
to bumper
10 be received. It will also be noted by comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 that
vehicle bumper 10
is shown in FIG. 4 without resilient pads 18 and 19. This is a matter of
choice in the
utilization of vehicle bumper 10. It will be noted in FIGS. 3 and 4 that a
cross member 41
extends horizontally within the interior of tubular loop 11. Cross member 41
is secured to
the interior of tubular loop 11 using conventional fabrication such as welding
attachment or
using suitable brackets (not shown). Cross member 41 provides a convenient
area within
vehicle bumper 10 for mounting apparatus such as lights or sound producing
equipment
such as a "hailer" or the like. Additionally, a sound producing apparatus such
as a siren
may, if desired, be supported upon cross member 41.
More specifically and as is described above, vehicle 35 includes an outer
bumper 36,
a grille 37 and a hood 38. As is also described above, a gap 40 is formed
between the lower
edge of grille 37 and the upper surface of outer bumper 36. FIG. 4 also shows
an internal
crash absorbing bumper 50 supported within the interior of vehicle 35 in
accordance with
conventional fabrication techniques. Thus, while not shown in FIG. 4, it will
be understood
that crash absorbing bumper 50 is positioned behind outer bumper 36 and is
coupled to the
supporting frame of vehicle 35 (not shown) through an energy absorbing
structure. Such
internal crash absorbing bumpers are well known in the art and have been
utilized in
vehicles for many years. Suffice it to note here that crash absorbing bumper
50 is supported
with sufficient strength to provide a convenient attachment point for
attaching the support
apparatus utilized to further support vehicle bumper 10. The structure
utilized in coupling
vehicle bumper 10 to crash absorbing internal bumper 50 is set forth below in
FIG. 6 in
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greater detail. However, suffice it to note here that this apparatus includes
a U-shaped
bracket 51 which is fitted upon crash absorbing bumper 50 and which is secured
by a back
plate 54 (seen in FIG. 6). In addition, U-shaped bracket 51 further supports
an upper arm 62
which passes forwardly through gap 40 and beyond and which is secured to
attachment 32
of bumper 10 (seen in FIG. 3). Finally, U-shaped bracket 51 further supports a
lower arm
65 which extends forwardly through bumper 39 and is secured to attachment 33
of vehicle
bumper 10. It will be understood that a corresponding structure is secured on
the remaining
side of vehicle bumper 10 securing attachments 30 and 31 to crash absorbing
bumper 50.
As is described above, vehicle bumper 50 includes a generally trapezoidally
shaped
tubular loop 11 having corner portions 14, 15, 16 and 17 and further
supporting a pair of
resilient pads 12 and 13. In accordance with the present invention, tubular
loop 11 is formed
to define a generally oval cross-section seen for example in FIG. 2. It will
also be noted that
in FIG. 4 vehicle bumper 10 does not utilize resilient pads 18 and 19. It will
be understood,
however, that resilient pads 18 and 19 may, if desired, be secured to vehicle
bumper 10 in
the manner shown in FIG. 3. A cross member 41 is supported by the interior of
tubular loop
11 and occupies a generally horizontal position which, as described above, may
be utilized
for supporting additional apparatus such as lights and sound apparatus.
In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, the attachment of
vehicle bumper 10 to internal crash absorbing bumper 50 is carried forward
substantially in
accordance with conventional fabrication techniques. As mentioned above, the
attachment
of vehicle bumper 10 supports to internal crash bumper 50 is opportune in that
it provides an
energy absorbing support for vehicle bumper 10.
FIG. 5 sets forth a partial perspective view of vehicle 35 supporting vehicle
bumper
10. As described above, vehicle 35 includes an outer bumper 36 defining a
bumper vent 39.
As is also described above, vehicle 35 includes a hood 38 and a grille 37. A
gap 40 is
formed between the lower edge of grille 37 and the upper surface of outer
bumper 36.
Vehicle bumper 10 is formed of a generally trapezoidal tubular loop 11
defining straight
portions joined by curved corner portions 14, 15, 16 and 17. Vehicle bumper 10
further
supports resilient pads 12 and 13. In the manner described above, vehicle
bumper 10 is
secured to a selected internal portion of vehicle 35.
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FIG. 6 sets forth a partial section view of a typical attachment of vehicle
bumper 10
to an internal crash absorbing bumper 50 supported within vehicle 35 in
accordance with
conventional fabrication techniques. A generally U-shaped bracket 51 is fitted
upon crash
absorbing bumper 50 and includes a rearwardly extending upper end 53 and a
rearwardly
extending lower end 52. A generally planar doubly flanged back plate 54 is
fitted against
the rear portion of crash absorbing bumper 50 and is positioned against the
underside of
upper end 53 and the upper side of lower end 52. A conventional nut and bolt
fastener 69
secures the lower end of back plate 54 to lower end 52 of U-shaped bracket 51.
A lower
arm 65 is joined to the bottom surface of U-shaped bracket 51 at a weld joint
66. Lower arm
65 extends forwardly to support an arm bracket 67. An upper attachment bracket
60
includes a flange 61 received upon the upper surface of upper end 53. A pair
of
conventional nut and bolt fasteners 63 and 64 secure back plate 54 and flange
61 to upper
end 53 of U-shaped bracket 51. Upper attachment bracket 60 extends forwardly
forming an
upper arm 62.
As described above, vehicle bumper 10 includes a tubular loop 11 formed to
define
an oval cross-section and having an upper attachment 32 and a lower attachment
33. Upper
attachment 32 is secured to upper arm 62 by a conventional nut and bolt
fastener 70 while
lower attachment 33 is joined to arm bracket 67 by a conventional nut and bolt
fastener 68.
Vehicle bumper 10 also includes a cross member 41.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the structure shown in
FIG. 6 which
provides supports for attachments 32 and 33 of tubular loop 11 is repeated on
the opposite
side of vehicle 35 and provides corresponding support for attachments 30 and
31 (seen in
FIG. 3). Examination of FIG. 6 shows that tubular loop 11 is oriented such
that the major
axis of its oval cross-section extends front to rear while the minor axis
thereof extends top to
bottom. This orientation provides the slimmest appearance when observed from
the vehicle
front and provides the strongest force resisting structure to forces imparted
to the frontal
edge of tubular loop 11. In this manner, vehicle bumper 10 may be fabricated
as light as
possible and as strong as possible while maintaining a more attractive frontal
appearance.
FIG. 7 sets forth a section view of vehicle bumper 10 taken along section
lines 7-7 in
FIG. 1. As described above, vehicle bumper 10 includes a tubular loop 11
defining an oval
cross-section. As is also described above, resilient pad 13 defines a planar
surface 26 and a
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generally cylindrical interior surface 25. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7,
resilient pad
13 is received upon the forward portion of tubular loop 11 and is secured
thereto by an
adhesive material 27.
FIG. 8 sets forth a section view of vehicle bumper 10 utilizing an alternate
embodiment for securing a resilient pad to tubular loop 11. The embodiment
shown in FIG.
8 is substantially identical to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 in that tubular
loop 11 defines
an oval cross-section having a generally cylindrical frontal edge. A resilient
pad 55
fabricated in general similarity to resilient pad 13 defines an internal
cylindrical surface 57
for receiving the forward portion of tubular loop 11. The embodiment shown in
FIG. 8
differs from the embodiment of FIG. 7, however, in that it accommodates a
conventional nut
and bolt fastener for securing resilient pad 55 upon tubular loop 11.
Accordingly, to
accommodate this different form of attachment, tubular loop 11 defines an
aperture 45 in the
frontal portion thereof. Correspondingly, resilient pad 55 defines an aperture
58 extending
inwardly from planar face 56. A conventional nut and bolt fastener 46 extends
through
aperture 58 and aperture 45 and is secured in place by a conventional
cooperating threaded
nut. To maintain the resilient character of frontal surface 56 of resilient
pad 55 and to avoid
damage to a vehicle being pushed which might otherwise be caused by fastener
46, a
recessed plug 47 formed of a resilient rubber or plastic material is secured
to resilient pad 55
by snap-fit or adhesive attachment.
FIGS. 9-21 show an alternative vehicle bumper 110. In the figures, elements in
common with the previously described elements are generally numbered with the
same
reference numeral plus 100, in most cases.
The vehicle bumper 110 is formed as a tubular loop or member 111 having a
generally trapezoidal or "heart" shape with rounded corner portions 114, 115,
116 and 117.
As described above and best shown in Fig. 11B, the tubular loop 111 has a
generally oval
cross-sectional shape.
Referring to FIG. 11A, which shows a front elevation view of the vehicle
bumper
110, upright sections 190, 192 angle outwardly by an angle A as they rise from
the level of a
lower lateral or cross member 180 to an upper lateral or cross member 182.
Specifically, the
angle A is in the range of about 7 degrees to about 15 degrees. In the
illustrated
implementation, the angle A is approximately 10 degrees. It has been found
that the
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providing the generally trapezoidal shape of the loop 111 with the outwardly
angled upright
sections 190, 192 provides for greater operability of the bumper particularly
in maintaining
contact with vehicles that are being pushed with the bumper, particularly as
turns are
negotiated.
As indicated, the bumper 110 can include a pair of lower attachments 131, 133.
These attachments are configured to suit the particular vehicle to which the
bumper 111 is to
be mounted. In the illustrated implementation, the lower attachments 131, 133,
as best seen
in FIGS. 10 and 13, have upper ends attached to the upright sections 190,
192/rounded
corner portions 117, 118, and lower ends attached to the lower cross member
180. The
attachments 131, 133 are preferably connected to the tubular loop 111 by
welding. The
attachments 131, 132 may have outer extents that protrude beyond the periphery
of the
tubular loop 111, as best shown in Fig. 11.
Upper attachments 130, 132 extend from the upper upright sections 190, 192 at
respective intermediate points and have a flange-like configuration. The
attachments 130,
132 are preferably attached to the tubular loop 111 by welding. The
attachments 131, 133,
130, 132 preferably include mounting apertures for receiving bolts or other
suitable
fastening arrangement.
Along the upper cross member 182, openings 142, 144 can be optionally provided
to
receive lights, and in particular flashing strobe lights. The rectangular
openings are sized for
receiving the housings of the lights within the hollow space of the tubular
loop 111 and
allowing at least a majority of the lenses to be visible. Among other possible
mounting
arrangements, the lights may be secured to the vehicle bumper 110 using
fasteners extending
through apertures formed in a rear side of the upper cross member 182. Wiring
for the lights
can be routed through the hollow interior of the tubular loop 111 as desired.
FIGS. 14-17 are additional views of the vehicle bumper 111 together with an
intermediate lateral member 150 and a U-shaped resilient pad 160. As shown,
the U-shaped
pad 160 can be configured to extend from the left upright section 192 and
along the bottom
cross member 180 to the right upright section 190.
In some circumstances, providing the resilient pad 160 in a single piece has
advantages, including an improved aesthetic appearance and better retention of
the pad over
time. As can be seen in Figs. 19-22, the pad 160 can be provided with a
substantially flat
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front surface as shown. A rear surface 168 can be contoured to complement the
bumper
111, such as by having a curved surface as shown (see Fig. 22). In the
illustrated
implementation, the pad 160 is attached to the tubular loop 111 by pressing
one way plastic
fasteners extending from the rear surface of the pad 160 into corresponding
holes in the front
surface of the tubular loop 111. If needed, an adhesive can be applied to make
the
attachment more secure. As indicated, a logo, message or other insignia can be
formed into
the 160 as its front and center location on the vehicle is highly visible. In
the illustrated
implementation, the pad 160 can be made of a non-marking rubber having a
durometer of 70
to 90. For example, a EPDM synthetic rubber having a durometer of
approximately 80 can
be used. Materials other than rubber having a sufficient resiliency and
durability can also be
used.
It should be emphasized that the pad can be provided in configurations other
than the
single piece configuration shown in Figs. 19-22. As described above and shown
somewhat
schematically in Fig. 1, the bumper can be provided with two pads, each of
which is
mounted to one of the upright members (see Fig. 2) or three pads (see Fig. 3).
More
specifically, as shown in Figs. 23-25, an alternative bumper 210 has two pads
112, 113
mounted to the respective upright sections of the tubular loop 111 and a third
pad 119
mounted to the lower lateral member.
Referring again to Figs. 14-17, the flange-like upper attachments 130, 132
provide
support for the intermediate lateral member 150, sometimes referred to as a
cross bar or a
shelf. In the illustrated implementation, the member 150 need not be
constructed to serve as
a structural member in conjunction with the loop 111, but rather as a mounting
location for
accessories and for improving the overall aesthetic appearance. The member 150
can be
shaped as shown to cover the attachments 130, 132, thus improving the
aesthetic appearance
of the bumper 111.
A right end 154 of the member 150 has apertures for mounting to the upper
attachment 130. Similarly, a left end 152 has apertures for mounting to a left
upper
attachment 132.
FIG. 18 is an exploded view showing the vehicle bumper 110 in relation to the
intermediate lateral member 150 and the U-shaped resilient pad 160.
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The tubular loop 111 may be configured to have one or more holes for mounting
accessories and providing access, such as for routing wires. For example,
referring to
FIG. 16, there may be mounting apertures 202, arranged in an upper pair and a
lower pair
and configured to receive fasteners for mounting axillary lights, on each of
the upright
sections 190, 192. There may be a larger aperture 204 for routing wire from
the lights.
Referring to FIG. 18, there may be an aperture 206 for routing wire positioned
on an inner
side of each of the upright sections.
The tubular loop 111 may have a junction, e.g., such as the junction 140. The
junction can be configured such that the ends of the tubular loop are touching
or nearly
touching. In FIG. 18, the ends of the tubular loop 111 are welded together so
that they are in
contact along at least an upper surface. In some implementations, the ends are
angled at 1 to
3 degrees from normal, and thus form a gap at the location of the junction.
For some implementations, including those with openings 142, 144, an opening
200
is provided at a lower surface of the lower cross bar, e.g., to allow any
water that may have
collected within the tubular loop 111 to be drained. Conveniently, the opening
200 may be
positioned at about the location of the junction 140.
Figs. 23-25 show additional details of brackets that extend through a
vehicle's fascia
(and/or other structure) for mounting the bumper 210 to the left and right
sides of the
vehicle's impact absorbing bumper, which is not shown in these figures, but
has a cross-
section that would occupy the space defined within the U-shaped bracket 151
and the back
plate member 154. At an upper end 153 of the bracket 151, an upper bracket
member 162 is
attached. The upper bracket member 162 extends to attach to the attachment 132
(on the left
side), or there can be a separate upper junction member 171 interposed between
the upper
bracket member 162 and the attachment 132 as shown in the figures. At a lower
end 152 of
the bracket 151, a lower bracket member 165 is attached. The lower bracket
member 165
extends to attach to the attachment 133 (on the left side), or there can be a
separate lower
junction member 173 interposed between the lower bracket member 165 and the
attachment
133 as shown in the figures. Preferably, the connections between the various
members are
made with conventional fasteners. The connections between the upper and lower
junction
members 171, 173 and the respective adjacent components can each be formed
with two
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threaded fasteners as shown, or with a single threaded fastener. Each upper
bracket
member 162 can be formed with a bent tab 175 as shown.
In some implementations, the tubular loop is formed of aluminum. The desired
cross-sectional shape may be formed by extruding aluminum. It is also possible
to fabricate
the tubular loop from steel or another suitable material. According to one
implementation,
the aluminum tubing would have outer dimensions of about 2.5 inches by about
3.4 inches
and a thickness of about 0.25 inch. If steel tubing with the same outer
dimensions is used,
then the thickness can be reduced to 0.083 inch. The attachments 130, 132 and
131, 133 are
preferably formed of aluminum.
According to some implementations of the method of making the bumper, the
tubing
is bent into the desired trapezoidal shape and then is heat treated. Any
openings and holes in
the bumper are preferably formed before heat treating.
What has been shown is a vehicle bumper for use with police and other
emergency
vehicles for pushing another vehicle which is fabricated of a tubular loop
defining a
generally oval cross-section. The oval cross-section tubular loop is oriented
such that the
major axis of the oval cross-section extends front to back with respect to the
host vehicle
while the minor axis extends up and down. The vehicle bumper further supports
one or
more resilient pads to aid in controlling the pushed vehicle and to cushion
impact transfer
between the bumper and the pushed vehicle. The inventive vehicle bumper is
substantially
stronger and substantially lighter in weight while simultaneously providing a
more attractive
front view cross-section when mounted on a host vehicle. A plurality of
attachments are
secured to the tubular loop and are used in securing the vehicle bumper to a
suitable portion
of a host vehicle.
In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the
present
disclosure can be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated
embodiments are only
examples and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the following
claims. We
therefore claim all that comes within the scope of these claims.
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