US Patent 7874601 Crash box for a vehicle

A crash box (11,12) is positioned high relative to the bumper beam (13) on, for example, an SUV. The underside (22) of the crash box has a profiled cross-section with upper (25,26) and lower (24) longitudinal portions. At least one upward profile portion (25,26) changes to being a downward-pointing profile portion (27,28) near to the outer end of the crash box, thereby increasing the vertical extent of the crash box. The underside of the crash box may have a hat profile which at its outer end changes to an inverted hat profile.