Vehicle front trunk access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926705-B2
Application number	US-201816172232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Oct 26, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle having front body structure including a grille opening adjacent to a front trunk. A hood is pivotally mounted to the structure over the front trunk. A grille is mounted to the body structure or the hood via a horizontal hinge, the grille pivotable from a closed position in the grille opening to an open position extending from the body structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
front body structure including a grille opening adjacent to a front trunk;
a hood pivotally mounted to the structure over the front trunk; and
a grille mounted to the body structure via a horizontal hinge, the grille pivotable from a closed position in the grille opening to an open position extending forward from the body structure.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the grille includes a latch configured to selectively secure the grille to the body structure.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the latch releasably secures to a vertical side of the grille opening.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the horizontal hinge is secured to a bottom edge of the grille adjacent to a front bumper.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the grille, in the closed position, covers the entire grille opening.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the grille, includes an upper portion secured to the hood and a bottom portion pivotally secured to the hinge, with the bottom portion, in the closed position, covering a lower portion of the grille opening.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the horizontal hinge is secured to a top edge of the grille adjacent to the hood.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the grille, in the closed position, covers the entire grille opening.

9. A vehicle comprising:
front body structure including a grille opening adjacent to a front trunk;
a hood, pivotally mounted to the structure over the front trunk, and including a horizontal hinge extending laterally to create a front portion and a rear portion; and
a grille, secured to the hood, pivotable with the front portion from a closed position in the grille opening to an open position out of the grille opening.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the grille includes a latch configured to selectively secure the grille to the body structure.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the latch releasably secures to a vertical side of the grille opening.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the grille, in the closed position, covers the entire grille opening.

13. A vehicle comprising:
front body structure including a grille opening adjacent to a front trunk;
a hood pivotally mounted to the structure over the front trunk; and
a grille mounted to the hood via a horizontal hinge, the grille pivotable from a closed position in the grille opening to an open position extending forward from the body structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the grille includes a latch configured to selectively secure the grille to the body structure.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the grille, in the closed position, covers the entire grille opening.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hoffman Colleen Marie
• Laakso Dennis P
• Stojkovic Dragan B

Classifications

• B60K11/08 Primary

  Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor · CPC title

• B62D25/105

  for motor cars · CPC title

• B60R2019/525

  Radiator grilles · CPC title

• B60R5/02 Primary

  arranged at front of vehicle {(B60R5/003 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R19/52

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title