Vehicle with articulating grille

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730441-B2
Application number	US-201816178992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a body structure defining a front trunk having a front opening. A grille coves the front opening in a closed position and is pivotable about a vertical hinge, or a horizontal hinge along a top edge, secured to the body structure to provide access to the front opening. The grille may include a bin mounted on an inner surface of the grille and pivotable with the grille, a heating/cooling duct or a video display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
body structure defining a front trunk having a front opening;
a grille covering the front opening in a closed position and pivotable about a vertical hinge secured to the body structure to provide access to the front opening;
a bin mounted on an inner surface of the grille and pivotable with the grille; and
a duct mounted in the front trunk behind a grille opening in the grille, a fan directing air through the duct, and a heating-cooling assembly for heating and cooling air flowing through the duct into the front trunk.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a temperature sensor in the front trunk and a controller configured to control the heating-cooling assembly to provide a desired temperature within the front trunk.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a movable cover to selectively block airflow through the grille opening.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vertical hinge is a gooseneck hinge.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vertical hinge is a four-bar linkage.

6. A vehicle comprising:
body structure defining a front trunk having a front opening; and
a grille covering the front opening in a closed position and pivotable upward about a horizontal hinge, secured between a top edge of the grille and the body structure to provide access to the front opening; wherein the grille includes a video display mounted on an inner surface that is visible in front of the vehicle when the grille is in an open position.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 further including a controller configured to prevent the vehicle from moving when the grille is in the open position.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the horizontal hinge is a gooseneck hinge.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the horizontal hinge is a four-bar linkage.

10. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the grille includes an upper portion that pivots about the horizontal hinge and a lower portion that is pivotable downward about a lower horizontal hinge, secured between a bottom edge of the lower portion and the body structure.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the upper portion is slidably retractable into the front trunk under a hood.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the lower portion is slidably retractable into the front trunk.

13. A vehicle comprising:
body structure defining a front trunk having a front opening; and
a grille covering the front opening in a closed position and pivotable upward about a horizontal hinge, secured between a top edge of the grille and the body structure to provide access to the front opening; wherein the grille includes an upper portion that pivots about the horizontal hinge and a lower portion that is pivotable downward about a lower horizontal hinge, secured between a bottom edge of the lower portion and the body structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the upper portion is slidably retractable into the front trunk under a hood.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the lower portion is slidably retractable into the front trunk.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Glickman David Brian
• Salter Stuart C
• Wisneski Mark A
• Dellock Paul Kenneth

Classifications

• E05Y2900/548

  Trunk lids · CPC title

• E05Y2900/536

  Hoods · CPC title

• E05Y2800/71

  Secondary wings, e.g. pass doors · CPC title

• E05F15/611

  for swinging wings · CPC title

• E05D15/582

  with horizontal swinging axis (E05D15/581 takes precedence) · CPC title