Bumper Mounting System with Pre-Set Support Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual installation of heavy-duty vehicle bumpers requires significant time and labor, as it typically necessitates subjective determination of the bumper's position relative to the hood and involves two people to secure the bumper to the vehicle frame, leading to increased assembly time and reduced output.
Innovation Solution
A bumper mounting system comprising a chassis support member pivotally and adjustably mounted to the vehicle hood and chassis, featuring a set and go feature with bumper support flanges that temporarily holds the bumper in position, allowing for accurate alignment and single-person installation by utilizing a three-part assembly with a chassis support member, a bumper mounting member, and a hood support, enabling consistent gap maintenance between the hood and bumper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual positioning of the bumper is used to achieve accurate alignment with the hood, then positioning accuracy is improved, but assembly time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-installing a hood support member to the hood and a chassis support member to the chassis before bumper installation. These support members establish predetermined spacing relationships that automatically ensure accurate hood-to-bumper gaps when the bumper is installed, eliminating the need for manual measurement and positioning during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing support members (hood support member and chassis support member) as mediating elements between the hood, chassis, and bumper. These intermediaries carry the spacing information and transfer it during assembly, ensuring accurate positioning without requiring the installer to perform subjective visual assessments.
2Manufacturing precision
If two persons are used to install the bumper, then positioning accuracy and installation stability are improved, but labor requirements increase and assembly cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the support members to automatically maintain predetermined spacing relationships during installation. The hood support member and chassis support member work together to self-position the bumper at the correct location and orientation, eliminating the need for one installer to hold the bumper while another secures it.
3Ease of operation
If subjective determination by installer is used to position the bumper, then installation simplicity is maintained, but positioning consistency decreases and quality varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the spacing information in advance by pre-configuring the support members with predetermined spacing dimensions. This allows the installer to simply install the components without needing to make subjective judgments, while still achieving consistent, high-precision results.
Data Source
AI summary
A bumper mounting system (10) for locating and installing a bumper (14) on a vehicle having a chassis and a hood (18) includes a chassis support member (42) pivotally mountable to a portion of the vehicle hood (18) and adjustably mountable to a portion of the vehicle chassis. The system also includes a bumper mounting member (46) mountable to both an interior portion of the bumper (14) and a portion of the chassis support member (42). The system further includes a first bumper support feature (114) formed on the chassis support member (42) and a second bumper support feature (118) formed on the bumper mounting member (46). The second bumper support feature (118) is engageable with the first bumper support feature (114) to at least temporarily position the bumper (14) relative to the hood (18).