Bumper system with face-abutting energy absorber

摘要

A vehicle bumper system (20) includes a bumper beam (21) and a polymeric energy absorber (22) positioned on a front of the bumper beam (21). The energy absorber (22) has multiple box-shaped sections and also has interconnecting sections positioned along the length that interconnect adjacent ones of the box-shaped sections (27). The box-shaped sections (27) of the energy absorber (22), when cross-sectioned by a transverse plane, include top (27') and bottom (27') U-shaped sections formed by top parallel legs (41, 42) and a top vertical leg (45) and by bottom parallel legs (41A, 42A) and a bottom vertical leg (45A), respectively. End walls (43A, 44A) close ends of the box-shaped sections and stabilize the top and bottom U-shaped sections. The interconnecting sections include a tying wall (28) that connects the end walls (43A, 44A) together. By this arrangement, the box-shaped sections (27) provide a stable and reliable energy absorbing mechanism.