FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTES RULES, 2005
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10, rule 1.3)

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION
"Energy Absorbing Plastic Bracket for Interior Head Impact"
2. APPLICANT(S)
(a) Name : MAHIND.RA & MAHINDRA LIMITED
(b) Nationality : Indian Company registered under The provisions
of the Companies Act, 1956
(c) Address : R&D Center, Automotive Sector,
89, M.I.D.C, Satpur, NASHIK-422 007
Maharashtra State, India
3. PREAMBLE OF THE DESCRIPTION

PROVISIONAL COMPLETE
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION The following specification particularly
DESERIBES THE INVENTION describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Energy Absorbing Plastic Bracket for Interior Head Impact Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive vehicle body structure especially an assembly for mounting pillar trim over the pillar of an automotive vehicle. More particularly it is related to a bracket which get secured on the 'A' pillar inner body panel of the automotive vehicle and absorbs energy in case of occupant head impact.
Background and Prior Art
In modern automotive vehicle design, it has become necessary to provide body structures which can manage absorption of energy in response to impact loads. It is a well established practice to mount pillar trim (a plastic moulded part) which extends up to the roof trim on the sides of the windshield. The pillar is generally known as :A: pillar. Pillar trim makes the interior of the vehicle more aesthetically pleasing by masking the pillar from view. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a bracket interposed between the pillar and the trim. The body pillar and trim is spaced to permit energy absorbing excursion of the trim towards the pillar by deforming the bracket put between them under the occupant impact against it.
In the art Oflex tube, foam spacers, energy absorbing ribs, etc. are well known to reduce head injury criteria (HIC). Oflex tube is a readily available product for use in between pillar and trim to absorb energy during the head impact. But to accommodate it in existing vehicle, it needs space in between pillar trim and panel. This leads to change in design of the existing part.
US Patent No 6705669 Bl disclose the impact energy absorber is a flexible pipe or tube made from mate! foil provided with substantially sequential spiral-shaped

concavities and conve.xes about a periphery of the pipe along a length pf the pipe. There energy absorbing pipe defines a cross-section that includes a flat segment for attachment to an inner or outer body pane!.
US Patent No. 6679544 Bl disclose a moulded energy absorber for use in the interior of the vehicle that comprises a first section having an inner surface and an outer surface and at least one longitudinal edge. Integrally moulded onto a surface of the first section is a plurality of telescopically crushable tubular elements that are sufficiently telescopically crushable to absorb impact energy. The energy absorber also includes a second section having an inner surface and an outer surface at least one longitudinal edge. Disposed along a longitudinal edge of the two sections is a hinge element that forms an axis of rotation for folding the two sections together.
US Patent 2005/0052054 Al disclose the invention as embodied and broadly described here in the preferred embodiment, energy absorbing bracket is provided. The energy absorbing bracket: may comprise an anchor plate, an extension arm continuous with and extending from the anchored piate and a support foot linked to the extension arm by a flex region and positioned adjacent to the anchor plate. There component may be formed as region of continuous sheet of material or assembled from individually-produced parts. Resulting bracket is an incompletely tubular structure in which the support foot is configured to translate upon impact to contact a rigid surface such as the anchor plate to assume a stabilized supporting configuration.
EP 0676315 Ai. an improved structure is provided for supporting pillars of automotive vehicle which provides energy absorption through provision of three stamped metallic panels defining first and second absorbing chambers there between and an interior trim cover joined to all the panels and defining a third chamber between it and the interior of the three panels and selected energy absorbing media carried between the trim cover and interior of the panels.

Generally C-shaped spring structures and plastic honeycomb structure are preferred for the energy absorbing media.
Deficiencies of the Prior Art
• Requires adhesive tape to fix the bracket with the moulding.
• Manufactured by forming process which is very costly process.
• Prone to catch fire easily
• Not a cost effective solution
Objects of the Invention
Object of the present invention is to provide an energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of a passenger during head impact in the vehicle, which is capable to absorb the impact load coming when occupant head hitting on a trim of an vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of a passenger during head impact in the vehicle, which is able to manage the absorption of energy in response to imposition of load by deformation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of a passenger during head impact in the vehicle, which can be accommodated in a space between an interior trim and a pane! of an automobile vehicle more particularly the body in white.
Statement of Invention
According to the present invention an energy absorbing plastic bracket is provided for cushioning head of a passenger during the head impact by absorbing energy, the bracket comprising:

a plurality of cups configured thereon:
a plural ity' of ribs configured on each of the cups;
an opening configured on at least one cup of the plurality of cups, the opening enables to secure the bracket with the body of the vehicle and also enables escape of air therethrough, thereby defprming the bracket on impact thereon.
Typically, wherein the plurality of ribs configured on an outer surface of each of the cup of the plurality of the cups.
Typically, wherein the opening is a dog house.
Typically, wherein the energy absorbing plastic bracket is made of materia! selected from the group of LDPE (low density poly ethylene) and PPEPBM (polypropylene / ethylerte-propylene-diene monomer blend) and EPDM (Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) and combination thereof.
Typically, wherein the energy absorbing plastic bracket are produced by injection moulding.
Brief Description of the Drawing
The present invention is now described with the help of following figures.
Figure 1 shows front perspective view of an energy absorbing plastic bracket in accordance with the present invention in un-deformed condition;
Figure 2 shows bottom perspective view of the energy absorbing plastic bracket of figure !;

Figure 3 shows front perspective view of an energy absorbing plastic bracket in accordance with the present invention in deformed condition;
Figure 4 shows bottom perspective view of the energy absorbing plastic bracket of figure 3; and
Figure 5 shows position of fitment of the energy absorbing plastic bracket in a body of a vehicle.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished and the shortcomings associated with the prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention described in the preferred embodiment.
The present invention provides an energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of a passenger by absorbing energy during head impact. The energy absorbing plastic bracket includes plurality of cups with ribs thereon. The combination of cup with ribs increases the energy absorbing capacity of the brackets, thereby cushioning the head of the passenger during head impact.
The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.
Referring now to figures 1 and 2, shows various perspective view of an energy absorbing plastic bracket (herein after referred as the bracket (I)) in accordance with the present invention. The bracket (1) is configured to include plurality of cups (2). with ribs (3) configured on the outer circumferential surface of each of the cup (2), and an opening (4). The combination of both the cups (2) and the ribs

(3) increases the energy absorbing capacity of the bracket (1). In an embodiment, the amount of energy absorbing capacity of the bracket (1) may be altered as per the requirement by changing the thickness of ribs (3) and cups (2) in combination.
Further, the opening (4) is configured on at least one cup (2) of the plurality of cups (2). In an embodiment, the opening (4) is configured on a cup (2) which is positioned centrally on the bracket (1) and acts as a dog-house. The opening (4) enables to secure the bracket (1) with the body of a vehicle (i.e. body in white). The opening (4) also enables escape of air therethrough on impact of a head of the passenger thereon, thereby absorbing the impact energy during deformation of cups (2) and ribs (3) of the bracket (1) (as shown in figures 3 and 4). In an embodiment, the bracket (1) is made of material selected from the group consisting of LDPE (low density poly ethylene) and PPEPEM (polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer blend) and EPDM (Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) and combination thereof.
Referring now to figure 5, shows a position of fitment of the bracket (1) on the body (5) of a vehicle (body in white) in accordance with the present invention. The fitment of the bracket (1) with the body (5) of the vehicle is done by a simple push pins effecting snap fitting or glued to a headliner of the vehicle. .In response to the head impact, the cups (2), and ribs (3) undergo absorb energy and then undergo deformation. The bracket (I) is designed for the A-pillar upper (API) location to meet the impact absorbing requirement. The impact energy is absorbed due to combined crushing/deformation of the cups (2), and the ribs (3) of the bracket (1). Since the bracket (I) has two variable one thickness of the cup (1) and second thickness of the ribs (3), by varying these thicknesses and the material, the bracket (1) can be produced according to the energy absorption requirement.
The bracket (]) may be used in any crashworthiness application, where impact energy needs to be absorbed to reduce injury to an occupant. Further, the bracket (1) of the present invention is more mass effective than the metallic energy

absorbers, PU foams and EPP frequently used in the automotive vehicles. The bracket (1) is simple in design and can be produced by injection moulding very easily.
Advantages of the Present Invention:
1. It is made from plastic material and requires less space to accommodate.
2. Easy to manufacture and manufactured in one operation.
3. Reduces extra operations, material, components and time.
4. Easy to affix in body panel.
5. Cost effective
6. More effective and efficient in performance
7. Predictive behaviour under impact load
The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention described in the present embodiment.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein; however, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or matter. The embodiments of the invention as described above and the methods disclosed herein will suggest further modification and alterations to those skilled in the art. Such further modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We Claim:
1. An energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of a passenger
by absorbing energy during head impact, the bracket comprising:
a plurality of cups configured thereon;
a plurality of ribs configured on each of the cups;
an opening configured on at least one cup of the plurality of cups, the opening enables to secure the bracket with the body of the vehicle and also enables escape of air therethrough during the deformation of the bracket on impact.
2. An energy absorbing plastic bracket as claimed in claim I, wherein the plurality of ribs configured on an outer surface of each of the cup of the plurality of the cups.
3. An energy absorbing plastic bracket as claimed in claim !, wherein the cup configured with the opening for fitment and escape of air is a dog house,
4. An energy absorbing plastic bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing plastic bracket is made of material selected from the group of LDPE (low density poly ethylene) and PPEPEM (polypropylene / ethylene-propylene-diene monomer blend) and EPDM (Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) and combination thereof.
5. An energy absorbing plastic bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing plastic bracket are produced by injection moulding.

6. An energy absorbing plastic bracket for cushioning head of passenger during the head impact in motor vehicles, substantially as hereinabove described in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.