Inflatable bumper and installation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an inflatable bumper and a mounting method thereof.The inflatable bumper comprises a bumper assembly and a connecting assembly, the bumper assembly comprises a bumper body and a plurality of connecting pieces, the bumper body is provided with a mounting surface, the connecting pieces are arranged on the mounting surface at intervals, and each connecting piece has a first contraction state and a first expansion state; the connecting piece can be inflated or deflated to be switched to a first expansion state or a first contraction state; the connecting assembly is fixed to the vehicle and provided with a plurality of mounting holes, when the connecting pieces are in the first contraction state, the connecting pieces correspondingly penetrate through the mounting holes, the connecting pieces are switched to the first expansion state through inflation, the connecting pieces are in interference fit with the mounting holes, and the bumper assembly is connected to the connecting assembly. When the inflatable bumper is installed, connection can be achieved only by penetrating the connecting piece in the first contraction state into the installation hole and then inflating to enable the connecting piece to be switched to the first expansion state, and installation time and labor cost are greatly saved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle accessories, in particular to an inflatable bumper and a mounting method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] The bumper is a key safety and functional component of a vehicle. In the event of a low-speed collision of the vehicle, the bumper can absorb impact energy through its own deformation, reduce the degree of vehicle damage, and reduce repair costs. In the event of a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian, the bumper can reduce the direct impact on the pedestrian's legs and reduce the harm caused to the pedestrian.

[0003] In the conventional technology, the bumper is usually fixedly connected to the vehicle by multiple screws, and most of the screws are hidden inside the vehicle, resulting in a large amount of manpower and time required for the installation of the bumper and low installation efficiency. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the present application provides an inflatable bumper and a mounting method thereof to improve the installation efficiency.

[0005] An inflatable bumper comprises:

[0006] A bumper assembly comprises a bumper body and multiple connecting pieces, the bumper body has a mounting surface, and the multiple connecting pieces are arranged at intervals on the mounting surface, the connecting pieces have a first contracted state and a first expanded state, and the connecting pieces can be inflated or deflated to switch to the first expanded state or the first contracted state.

[0007] A connecting assembly is fixed to a vehicle, the connecting assembly has multiple mounting holes, when the multiple connecting pieces are in the first contracted state, the multiple connecting pieces are correspondingly arranged in the multiple mounting holes, the connecting pieces are inflated to switch to the first expanded state, and the connecting pieces are interference-fitted in the mounting holes to connect and fix the bumper assembly to the connecting assembly.

[0008] In one of the embodiments, the connecting piece comprises a connecting portion and a limiting portion arranged in sequence, when the connecting piece is in the first expanded state, at least part of the limiting portion has an outer diameter greater than that of the connecting portion, the connecting portion is interference-fitted in the mounting hole, and the limiting portion is limited to abut against one side of the connecting assembly away from the connecting portion.

[0009] In one of the embodiments, the bumper body has a second contracted state and a second expanded state, and the bumper body is inflated or deflated to switch to the second expanded state or the first contracted state, and the connecting assembly comprises:

[0010] A mounting plate extends in a first direction, and multiple mounting holes are formed in the mounting plate.

[0011] Two limiting plates, arranged on both sides of the mounting plate along the first direction;

[0012] Inflating to switch the bumper body to a second expanded state, the mounting surface of the bumper body abuts against the mounting plate, and both ends of the bumper body along the first direction abut against two limiting plates respectively.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, a plurality of the connectors are arranged at intervals along the first direction on the mounting surface of the bumper body.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the bumper body has a first cavity, the connector has a second cavity, and the first cavity and the second cavity are in communication, the bumper body has a first inflation valve in communication with the first cavity, and the first cavity and the second cavity can be inflated or deflated through the first inflation valve.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, the bumper body and the connector are integrally formed.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the bumper body has a first cavity, the connector has a second cavity, the bumper body has a second inflation valve in communication with the first cavity, the connector has a third inflation valve in communication with the second cavity, the first cavity can be inflated or deflated through the second inflation valve, and the second cavity can be inflated or deflated through the third inflation valve.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, the bumper body is made of rubber.

[0018] In one of the embodiments, the connector assembly is made of metal.

[0019] A mounting method of an inflatable bumper, based on the inflatable bumper as described above, comprising:

[0020] S1, fixing and connecting the connector assembly to a vehicle;

[0021] S2, correspondingly inserting a plurality of the connectors in a first contracted state into a plurality of the mounting holes;

[0022] S3, inflating a plurality of the connectors to switch to a first expanded state, so that the connectors are interference connected in the mounting holes.

[0023] The inflatable bumper provided by the embodiment of the present application has the following advantages: the connecting piece has a first contracted state and a first collision state, and the connecting piece is connected by being inserted into the mounting hole in the first contracted state and being inflated to expand the connecting piece, i.e., switching to the first expanded state, so that the operation is simple, and the installation time and labor cost are greatly saved. When the bumper assembly needs to be repaired, the connecting piece is only needed to be deflated to switch to the first contracted state, so that the bumper assembly can be detached from the connecting assembly without the need of tediously detaching a plurality of screws as in the traditional way, thereby improving the repair efficiency and reducing the repair difficulty. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the inflatable bumper provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of the bumper assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of the connecting assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 A structural schematic diagram of the connecting assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 A flowchart of the installation method of the inflatable bumper provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0029] In the above drawings, the following reference signs are included:

[0030] 1, bumper assembly; 11, bumper body; 111, first inflation valve; 12, connecting piece; 121, connecting part; 122, limiting part;

[0031] 2, connecting assembly; 21, mounting plate; 211, mounting hole; 22, limiting plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the above objectives, characteristics and advantages of the present application more apparent, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a lot of specific details are set forth in order to fully understand the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the scope of the present application, so the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0033] In the description of the application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the application.

[0034] In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited.

[0035] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection", "fixing" and the like should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or it can be integrated; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the first feature is "on" or "under" the second feature, which can be direct contact between the first and second features, or indirect contact between the first and second features through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature "above", "above" and "above" the second feature can be directly above or obliquely above the first feature, or only indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature "below", "below" and "below" the second feature can be directly below or obliquely below the first feature, or only indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0037] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0038] like Figures 1-3 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an inflatable bumper, including a bumper assembly 1 and a connecting assembly 2. The bumper assembly 1 includes a bumper body 11 and a plurality of connectors 12. The bumper body 11 has a mounting surface, and the plurality of connectors 12 are spaced apart on the mounting surface. The connectors 12 have a first contracted state and a first expanded state, and the connectors 12 can be inflated or deflated to switch to the first expanded state or the first contracted state. The connecting assembly 2 is fixed to the vehicle and has a plurality of mounting holes 211. When the plurality of connectors 12 are in the first contracted state, the plurality of connectors 12 are correspondingly inserted into the plurality of mounting holes 211. Inflating the bumper allows the connectors 12 to switch to the first expanded state, and the connectors 12 are interference-fitted into the mounting holes 211 so that the bumper assembly 1 is connected and fixed to the connecting assembly 2.

[0039] When this inflatable bumper is applied to a vehicle, the connecting component 2 is first fixed to the vehicle. Then, multiple connectors 12 in the first contracted state are inserted into multiple mounting holes 211. The multiple connectors 12 are then inflated, causing them to switch to the first expanded state. At this time, the connectors 12 are interference-fitted into the mounting holes 211, thereby achieving a stable connection between the bumper component 1 and the connecting component 2, so that the inflatable bumper can be installed on the vehicle.

[0040] Traditional bumpers are secured with multiple screws hidden inside the vehicle, requiring significant manpower and time for installation. This inflatable bumper, however, features a connector 12 with first collapsed and first impact states. Simply insert the connector 12 (in its first collapsed state) into the mounting hole 211, then inflate it to expand it, thus switching to the first expanded state for connection. This simple operation significantly reduces installation time and labor costs. When the bumper assembly 1 needs repair, simply deflate the connector 12 to return it to its first collapsed state, allowing the bumper assembly 1 to be detached from the connector 2. This eliminates the need for the cumbersome removal of multiple screws required in traditional methods, improving repair efficiency and reducing repair difficulty.

[0041] It should be noted that the connecting assembly 2 can be fixed to the vehicle by welding, gluing or through connecting pieces 12 such as bolts or screws. It can be understood that the connecting assembly 2 is usually fixed to the front end or the rear end of the vehicle to achieve the installation of the inflatable bumper to the front end or the rear end of the vehicle.

[0042] Optionally, as shown in Figure 2 , the connecting piece 12 comprises a connecting portion 121 and a limiting portion 122 arranged in sequence, the outer diameter of at least part of the limiting portion 122 is greater than the connecting portion 121 when the connecting piece 12 is in the first expanded state, the connecting portion 121 is interference fitted in the mounting hole 211, and the limiting portion 122 is limited to abut against the side of the connecting assembly 2 away from the connecting portion 121. When the connecting piece 12 is in the first expanded state, the connecting portion 121 is interference fitted in the connecting hole, which ensures that the bumper assembly 1 has a certain connection strength in the axial direction of the mounting hole 211, and at the same time, the limiting portion 122 is limited to abut against the side of the connecting assembly 2 away from the connecting portion 121, which further limits the movement of the bumper assembly 1 in the axial direction of the mounting hole 211, prevents the bumper assembly 1 from loosening or falling off due to vibration during vehicle driving, and enhances the stability and reliability of the installation.

[0043] In some embodiments, the limiting portion 122 is in a cylindrical shape, and the outer diameter of the limiting portion 122 is greater than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 121; in other embodiments, as shown in Figure 2 , the limiting portion 122 is in a conical shape, and the diameter of the base circle of the conical shape is greater than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 121. It should be noted that as long as the outer diameter of at least part of the limiting portion 122 is greater than the connecting portion 121, the specific shape of the limiting portion 122 is not limited in this embodiment.

[0044] Optionally, as shown in Figure 1 , Figure 4 , the bumper body 11 has a second contracted state and a second expanded state, and the bumper body 11 is inflated or deflated to switch to the second expanded state or the first contracted state, and the connecting assembly 2 comprises a mounting plate 21 and two limiting plates 22, the mounting plate 21 extends in a first direction, and a plurality of mounting holes 211 are formed in the mounting plate 21; the two limiting plates 22 are arranged on both sides of the mounting plate 21 in the first direction; the bumper body 11 is inflated to switch to the second expanded state, the mounting surface of the bumper body 11 abuts against the mounting plate 21, and the two ends of the bumper body 11 in the first direction abut against the two limiting plates 22, respectively. In this embodiment, the first direction is the X direction indicated by Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0045] In the installation, not only the connecting pieces 12 are in the first contracted state, but also the bumper body 11 is in the second contracted state. At this time, the bumper body 11 is close to the connecting assembly 2, and the plurality of connecting pieces 12 are arranged in the corresponding mounting holes 211. Since the volume of the bumper body 11 is small at this time, the operation and positioning are facilitated. After the bumper body 11 is inflated to switch to the second expanded state, the installation surface is attached to the mounting plate 21, and the two ends of the bumper body 11 are respectively abutted to the two limiting plates 22, so that the bumper body 11 and the connecting assembly 2 are also stably connected, further making the connection between the bumper assembly 1 and the connecting assembly 2 more stable. In the process of driving the vehicle, the bumper assembly 1 can effectively resist various vibrations and external force impacts, avoid loosening or falling off of the bumper assembly 1, and improve the structural stability of the entire inflatable bumper.

[0046] In some embodiments, the two limiting plates 22 are integrally formed with the mounting plate 21. In other embodiments, the two limiting plates 22 are fixed to the two ends of the mounting plate 21 by welding, gluing, or connecting pieces 12 such as screws or bolts.

[0047] Optionally, the plurality of connecting pieces 12 are arranged on the installation surface of the bumper body 11 in the first direction. This arrangement, that is, the fixing points between the bumper assembly 1 and the connecting assembly 2 are arranged in the extension direction of the connecting assembly 2, significantly improves the stability of the connection between the bumper assembly 1 and the connecting assembly 2, so that the bumper assembly 1 is not prone to loosening or falling off.

[0048] The number of connecting pieces 12 is not limited and can be set according to actual needs. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the number of connecting pieces 12 in the embodiment is three. Figure 1 、 Figure 2

[0049] In an optional embodiment, the bumper body 11 has a first cavity, the connecting piece 12 has a second cavity, and the first cavity and the second cavity are in communication. The bumper body 11 has a first inflation valve 111 in communication with the first cavity, and the first inflation valve 111 can inflate or deflate the first cavity and the second cavity. When installing the bumper assembly 1 to the connecting assembly 2, since the first cavity of the bumper body 11 and the second cavity of the connecting piece 12 are in communication, only one restart operation through the first inflation valve 111 is needed to make the connecting piece 12 expand and be tightly connected with the connecting assembly 2. There is no need to independently inflate the bumper body 11 and the connecting piece 12, which greatly simplifies the installation process and saves installation time and labor cost.

[0050] ​Optionally, the first inflation valve 111 is located at a portion of the bumper body 11 which does not contact the connecting assembly 2. That is, the first inflation valve 111 is exposed to the outside, which is easier to access and operate, and facilitates the inflation and deflation of the bumper assembly 1, saving time and labor costs.

[0051] In the present embodiment, the bumper body 11 and the connecting member 12 are integrally formed. The integral design eliminates the obvious link gap or weak point between the bumper body 11 and the connecting member 12, preventing the bumper assembly 1 from leaking or bursting at the weak point during inflation, and ensuring the reliability of the bumper assembly 1. Moreover, the integral formation actually eliminates the intermediate assembly process, greatly simplifying the production process flow and improving production efficiency.

[0052] In another embodiment, the bumper body 11 has a first cavity, the connecting member 12 has a second cavity, the bumper body 11 has a second inflation valve communicating with the first cavity, the connecting member 12 has a third inflation valve communicating with the second cavity, the first cavity can be inflated or deflated through the second inflation valve, and the second cavity can be inflated or deflated through the third inflation valve. By inflating the first cavity and the second cavity through the second inflation valve and the third inflation valve respectively, the air pressure of the first cavity and the second cavity can be adjusted according to actual needs, so that the bumper body 11 and the connecting member 12 can be connected between the two limiting plates 22 and in the mounting hole 211 respectively in a better form. Moreover, when a part of the bumper assembly 1 is damaged, the bumper assembly 1 and the connecting member 12 can be inflated through the second inflation valve and the third inflation valve respectively to quickly locate the damaged part and improve the maintenance efficiency.

[0053] Optionally, the bumper body 11 is made of rubber. Rubber has good elasticity and flexibility, which can effectively absorb and disperse impact energy when impacted, protecting the vehicle and pedestrians; and rubber has good sealing performance, which can prevent the gas inside the bumper body 11 from leaking, thereby maintaining a stable form; in addition, rubber also has strong wear resistance and corrosion resistance, so that the service life of the bumper body 11 is longer.

[0054] In some embodiments, the connecting member 12 is also made of rubber. Rubber has good sealing performance, which can prevent the gas inside the connecting member 12 from leaking, thereby maintaining the stable interference connection of the connecting member 12 to the connecting assembly 2; in addition, rubber also has strong wear resistance and corrosion resistance, so that the service life of the connecting member 12 is longer.

[0055] Optionally, the material of the connecting assembly 2 is metal. The metal has good stability, and can keep the shape and size unchanged during long-term use, so as to provide stable support for the bumper assembly 1, and ensure that the connecting piece 12 can be connected with the mounting hole 211 with interference when the same amount of gas is filled each time. For example, the material of the connecting piece 12 is aluminum alloy.

[0056] As shown in Figure 5 The embodiment also provides a mounting method of the inflatable bumper, and specifically includes the following steps:

[0057] S1, fixing and connecting the connecting assembly 2 to the vehicle;

[0058] S2, correspondingly inserting the plurality of connecting pieces 12 in the first contracted state into the plurality of mounting holes 211;

[0059] S3, inflating the plurality of connecting pieces 12 to switch to the first expanded state, so that the connecting piece 12 is connected with interference in the mounting hole 211.

[0060] Firstly, the connecting assembly 2 is fixed and connected to the vehicle, wherein the connecting assembly 2 can be fixed to the vehicle by welding, gluing or connecting pieces such as screws and bolts, and the common fixing position is the front end of the vehicle or the rear end of the vehicle; then the plurality of connecting pieces 12 in the first contracted state are correspondingly inserted into the plurality of mounting holes 211, it should be noted that if the connecting piece 12 is in the first contracted state, it is directly inserted into the plurality of mounting holes 211, and if the connecting piece 12 is in the first expanded state, it is first deflated to switch to the first contracted state and then inserted into the mounting hole 211; finally, the plurality of connecting pieces 12 are inflated to switch to the first collision state, so that the connecting piece 12 is connected with interference in the mounting hole 211, that is, the installation is completed. By this mounting method, the inflatable bumper is installed on the vehicle, which is simple to operate and greatly saves the installation time and labor cost.

[0061] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily, and in order to make the description simple, all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are not described, however, as long as the combination of the technical features does not exist contradictory, it should be considered as the scope of the present application.

[0062] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several embodiments of the present application, and the description is more specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as the limitation of the scope of the patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An inflatable bumper, characterized in that, include: The bumper assembly (1) includes a bumper body (11) and a plurality of connectors (12). The bumper body (11) has a mounting surface, and the plurality of connectors (12) are spaced apart on the mounting surface. The connectors (12) have a first contracted state and a first expanded state, and the connectors (12) can be inflated or deflated to switch to the first expanded state or the first contracted state. A connecting component (2) is fixed to the vehicle. The connecting component (2) has multiple mounting holes (211). When the multiple connectors (12) are in the first contracted state, the multiple connectors (12) are correspondingly inserted into the multiple mounting holes (211). When inflated, the connectors (12) are switched to the first expanded state. The connectors (12) are interference-fitted into the mounting holes (211) so that the bumper assembly (1) is connected and fixed to the connecting component (2).

2. The inflatable bumper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector (12) includes a connecting part (121) and a limiting part (122) arranged in sequence. When the connector (12) is in the first expansion state, at least part of the outer diameter of the limiting part (122) is larger than that of the connecting part (121). The connecting part (121) is interference-fitted into the mounting hole (211), and the limiting part (122) is limited and abuts against the side of the connecting assembly (2) away from the connecting part (121).

3. The inflatable bumper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bumper body (11) has a second contracted state and a second expanded state. Inflating or deflating the bumper body (11) switches it to the second expanded state or the first contracted state. The connecting assembly (2) includes: Mounting plate (21) extends along a first direction, and a plurality of mounting holes (211) are provided on the mounting plate (21). Two limiting plates (22) are disposed on both sides of the mounting plate (21) along the first direction; Inflate the bumper body (11) to switch it to a second inflated state, with the mounting surface of the bumper body (11) adhering to the mounting plate (21) and the two ends of the bumper body (11) along the first direction respectively abutting against the two limiting plates (22).

4. The inflatable bumper according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plurality of connectors (12) are arranged at intervals along the first direction on the mounting surface of the bumper body (11).

5. The inflatable bumper according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bumper body (11) has a first cavity, the connector (12) has a second cavity, and the first cavity and the second cavity are connected. The bumper body (11) has a first inflation valve (111) connected to the first cavity, through which air can be inflated or deflated into the first cavity and the second cavity.

6. The inflatable bumper according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bumper body (11) and the connector (12) are integrally formed.

7. The inflatable bumper according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bumper body (11) has a first cavity, the connector (12) has a second cavity, the bumper body (11) has a second inflation valve communicating with the first cavity, and the connector (12) has a third inflation valve communicating with the second cavity. The second inflation valve can inflate or deflate the first cavity, and the third inflation valve can inflate or deflate the second cavity.

8. The inflatable bumper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bumper body (11) is made of rubber.

9. The inflatable bumper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting component (2) is made of metal.

10. A method for installing an inflatable bumper, based on the inflatable bumper according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, include: S1. Fix the connecting component (2) to the vehicle; S2. The plurality of connectors (12) in the first retracted state are respectively inserted into the plurality of mounting holes (211); S3. The plurality of connectors (12) are inflated to switch to a first expansion state so that the connectors (12) are interference-fitted into the mounting holes (211).

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