Cast bumper system and method of manufacturing same

• Main Authors: Womack, Darren Andrew, Steinebach, Edward Karl, Jones, Mark Justin, Winfree, Richard Lee, Brady, Jeremiah John, Mellis, Jeffrey Jay
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.09.2019
• Subjects: CASTING; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

A bumper system including a bumper beam being cast from metal having a front panel and a back panel, extending between a first bumper beam end and a second bumper beam end. A plurality of reinforcing ribs integrally cast with the bumper beam extends between the front panel and the back panel defining a non-uniform cross-sectional profile along a portion of the bumper beam. The front panel includes a front center portion disposed between a pair of front side portions. The back panel includes a back center portion disposed between a pair of back side portions. The front center portion has a front center portion thickness greater than a back center portion thickness. Each of the front side portions has a front side portion thickness being less than a back side portion thickness of adjacent one of the back side portions. Method of manufacturing the bumper system is provided.