Patent Application
20140000066
The present disclosure relates to resilient material dampers or cushions used to absorb component impact forces from automobile vehicle trunk lid or door opening/closing operations.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Automobile trunk lids are normally manually opened with the assistance of a mechanism including opposed trunk arms that are connected between the trunk lid and panel or structure of the vehicle body. Trunk lids may have their motion assisted to reduce the lifting force required by the operator and/or may contact rubber or resilient material bumpers at the end of arm travel to stop trunk lid travel. At present, if a vehicle trunk lid is opened too quickly, and particularly when newer design reduced resistance trunk lid mechanisms are used, the lid will rebound or bounce off away from the rubber stops used to absorb and dampen this travel, and can either block access to the trunk, requiring a second opening action, or strike the operator.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
According to several aspects, a cushion member includes a resilient material body having multiple different diameters defining a bell-shape. The body includes a substantially solid first portion having a first diameter coaxially aligned with a body longitudinal axis. A through-aperture extends through the first portion and is oriented perpendicular to the body longitudinal axis. A substantially hollow second portion defining a hollow chamber is in communication with the through-aperture. The second portion has a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter of the first portion. A flange is oppositely positioned with respect the first portion. The differing first and second diameters of the body induce the body to longitudinally compress when a force is applied to the flange and to return to an uncompressed state after the force is dissipated.
According to further aspects, a cushion member includes a resilient material body having multiple different diameters defining a body bell-shape. The body includes a substantially solid first portion having a first diameter. A through-aperture extends through the first portion transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body. A hollow second portion defining a hollow chamber is in communication with the through-aperture, the second portion having a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter of the first portion. A third portion has a third diameter smaller than the second diameter. An end flange is connected to the third portion. The differing first, second, and third diameters of the body induce the body to elastically compress when a force is applied to the end flange and to return to an uncompressed state after the force is dissipated. A flow rate of air from the hollow chamber forced out of the hollow chamber during compression of the second and third portions and out the through-aperture is restricted by a diameter of the through-aperture.
According to still further aspects, a cushion member includes a resilient material body having multiple different diameters defining a body bell-shape. The body includes a substantially solid first portion having a minimum first diameter. A conical shaped connector is integrally connected to the first portion and extends from a planar shoulder end of the first portion. A through-aperture extends through the first portion and is oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body such that no portion of the through-aperture extends into or through the connector. A substantially hollow second portion defining a hollow chamber is in communication with the through-aperture, the second portion having a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter of the first portion. A third portion integrally connected to the second portion has a third diameter smaller than the second diameter. An end flange is connected to the third portion. The first and third diameters, being smaller than the second diameter, induce the body to elastically and longitudinally compress when a force is applied to the end flange, thereby discharging air in the hollow chamber out through the through-aperture and to return to an uncompressed state after the force is dissipated.
According to further aspects, a vehicle component energy dampening system includes a cushion member connected to a body panel of the vehicle. The cushion member includes a resilient material body having multiple different diameters defining a bell-shape. The body includes: a substantially solid first portion having a first diameter coaxially aligned with a body longitudinal axis; a through-aperture extending through the first portion and oriented perpendicular to the body longitudinal axis; a substantially hollow second portion defining a hollow chamber in communication with the through-aperture, the second portion having a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter of the first portion; and a flange oppositely positioned with respect to the first portion, the differing first and second diameters of the body inducing the body to longitudinally compress when a force is applied to the flange and to return to an uncompressed state after the force is dissipated. A vehicle component is movable with respect to the vehicle body panel such that the vehicle component contacts the cushion member to impart the force.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
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A slot or bore 40 extends partially into the otherwise solid material of first portion 16 and communicates with both chamber 24 and through-aperture 18, which will be shown in greater detail in reference to
Body 11 is designed to absorb energy from contact by the trunk lid arm using several different features. The third portion of body 11 includes a body wall 45 provided in multiple sections each having a different thickness. During initial contact with flange 22, a first section 45a having a minimum thickness T1 located proximate to flange 22 initially deflects and absorbs a first portion of the contact energy. As displacement of body 11 continues, a second section 45b having an intermediate thickness T2 extending toward first portion 16 subsequently deflects and absorbs a second larger portion of the contact energy. Intermediate thickness T2 is greater than minimum thickness T1. During a following stage of deflection, a third section 45c having an maximum thickness T3 defining the transition of body wall 45 into first portion 16 subsequently deflects and absorbs a third and largest portion of the contact energy. Third section 45c thickness T3 is greater than both intermediate thickness T2 and minimum thickness T1. A rate of energy absorption (e.g., newtons per second) of trunk cushion 10 provided by increasing the thickness of body wall 45 from first section 45a to second section 45b and finally to third section 45c therefore can also be “tuned” by initial selection of the thicknesses T1, T2, and T3.
Referring to
It is also noted that the orientation of through-aperture 18 is transverse to a longitudinal axis 47 of trunk cushion 10. This transverse orientation provides several advantages over known bumper designs. First, slot 40 is not continuous along longitudinal axis 47 and therefore does not extend through connector 12, which would structurally weaken connector 12. Second, the diameter of through-aperture 18 can be smaller, equal to, or larger than a diameter or cross sectional area of slot 40 because through-aperture 18 is divided into two discharge paths defined by first and second portions 18a, 18b of through-aperture 18 where slot 40 intersects through-aperture 18. The additional flow control provided by the ability to have different diameters for first and second portions 18a, 18b and further to provide different diameters between slot 40 and through-aperture 18 provides greater flexibility for tuning the air discharge rate compared to a single diameter path that would be available if slot 40 extended entirely through connector 12, which is common in known bumper designs.
It is further noted that although an EPDM material is one preferred material for trunk cushion 10, other resilient materials adapted for use in an injection molding process, including rubber or plastic composites, can be used. Also, although an exemplary use for absorbing the energy from a trunk lid during an opening operation is provided, trunk cushion 10 can be used in multiple similar energy absorbing/dissipation operations, including but not limited to vehicle door or hood opening/closing operations, as well as applications not limited to automobile vehicle uses.
Referring to
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A total air flow rate “K” of the air exiting hollow chamber 24 via the first and second portions 18a, 18b of through-aperture 18 is restricted or controlled by the diameter originally selected for slot 40 and diameter “J” of through-aperture 18. Flow frictional loss due to air exiting via through-aperture 18 thereby absorbs some of the energy of force “D” converted during compression of hollow chamber 24 which increased the air pressure to Pincr. The total flow indicated by flow rate “K” exiting hollow chamber 24 via slot 40 is divisible into first and second flow rates “M”, “N” through the individual first and second portions 18a, 18b.
Referring to
Trunk cushions of the present disclosure offer several advantages. Trunk cushion 10 provides a bell-shaped body having different thicknesses in successive portions of a body wall 45 that elastically compresses to absorb force “D”. Trunk cushion 10 includes a flange to initially spread the area of body 11 absorbing force “D” and includes hollow chamber 24 that decreases in volume, creating an increase in internal pressure within the hollow chamber during body compression. A flow path including the bore 40 and through-aperture 18 creates a restricted flow rate of air to escape the hollow chamber as it is compressed. By changing a diameter of the through-aperture 18 which is oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of trunk cushion 10, thereby creating two discharge portions of the through-aperture, a rate of energy absorption/dissipation can be tuned/modified for trunk cushions 10 having different sizes/geometries. A trunk cushion 10 having a hollow chamber portion at an energy receiving end and a substantially solid portion at a body panel connecting end allow the hollow chamber to compress while the solid portion substantially minimizes body expansion or contraction at its engagement location with the body panel, thereby retaining the geometry of the flow path provided by the through-aperture.
An injection molded material trunk cushion 10 replaces known rubber stops used for the purpose of absorbing trunk lid opening force and is inserted into an aperture of a vehicle body panel proximate to the trunk lid connecting arm. Trunk cushion 10 absorbs the energy of the trunk lid connecting arm when the trunk lid reaches its fully open position. The trunk cushion 10 partially compresses to absorb the impact energy and includes air passages to allow air present in the trunk cushion body to bleed out at a known or controlled rate to further dampen the impact load. The trunk cushion then elastically returns to its nominal or preloaded shape after the trunk lid opening event while the trunk lid stays at and does not rebound away from the fully open position.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
