Accessory assembly for a bumper region of a vehicle and a vehicle bumper accessory assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11130376-B2
Application number	US-201916444655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

An accessory assembly for a bumper region of a vehicle includes a support disposed in the bumper region, and an accessory mounted to the support. The accessory is accessible from the bumper region. The accessory assembly includes a cover attached to the accessory to conceal the accessory in a use position, and the cover is detachable from the accessory to provide access to the accessory in a removed position. A vehicle bumper accessory assembly includes a bumper defining an accessory region, and the support disposed in the accessory region of the bumper. The vehicle bumper accessory assembly includes the accessory that is accessible outside of the bumper. The vehicle bumper accessory assembly includes the cover attached to the accessory to conceal the accessory when the accessory is not in use, and the cover is detachable from the accessory to provide access to use the accessory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory assembly for a bumper region of a vehicle, the accessory assembly comprising:
a support disposed in the bumper region;
an accessory mounted to the support and the accessory is accessible from the bumper region;
a cover attached to the accessory to conceal the accessory in a use position, and the cover is detachable from the accessory to provide access to the accessory in a removed position;
wherein the accessory includes a nudge bar fixed to the support, and the cover conceals the nudge bar when in the use position;
wherein the accessory includes a tow hook attached to the support, and the cover conceals the tow hook when in the use position;
wherein the nudge bar includes an outer side and an inner side opposing the outer side;
wherein the support and the nudge bar are fixed together along the inner side; and
wherein the tow hook is disposed along the outer side of the nudge bar.

2. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the support includes a first attachment portion, and the nudge bar is fixed to the support at the first attachment portion.

3. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the support includes a second attachment portion spaced from the first attachment portion, and the tow hook is attached to the support at the second attachment portion.

4. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the tow hook includes an attachment end and a loop that extends outwardly from the attachment end, and wherein the tow hook is attached to the support at the attachment end.

5. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tow hook is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the nudge bar when the tow hook is in a retracted position, and the tow hook is movable away from the outer side of the nudge bar when the cover is in the removed position such that the tow hook is in a deployed position.

6. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cover includes a first cover attachment feature, and the accessory includes a first accessory attachment feature, and the first cover attachment feature and the first accessory attachment feature engage each other to secure the cover to the accessory.

7. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein the cover includes a second cover attachment feature spaced from the first cover attachment feature, and the accessory includes a second accessory attachment feature spaced from the first accessory attachment feature, and the second cover attachment feature and the second accessory attachment feature engage each other to secure the cover to the accessory.

8. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first cover attachment feature of the cover includes a tab, and the first accessory attachment feature of the accessory defines a first recess, and wherein the tab engages the accessory in the first recess when the cover is in the use position.

9. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second cover attachment feature of the cover includes a protrusion, and the second accessory attachment feature of the accessory defines a second recess, and wherein the protrusion engages the accessory in the second recess when the cover is in the use position.

10. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein:
the nudge bar includes a proximal end fixed to the support and a distal end spaced from the support; and
the distal end of the nudge bar defines the first recess, and the proximal end of the nudge bar defines the second recess.

11. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein:
the tow hook includes a loop defining an opening; and
the protrusion of the cover is disposed through the opening when the cover is in the use position.

12. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the cover defines a pocket that conceals both of the nudge bar and the tow hook when in the use position.

13. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein:
the cover includes an external side and an internal side opposing the external side;
the internal side defines the pocket;
the cover includes a first cover attachment feature and a second cover attachment feature spaced from each other; and
the first and second cover attachment features protrude into the pocket when the cover is in the use position.

14. The accessory assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein:
the first cover attachment feature includes a tab that protrudes in a first direction to a distal point inside the pocket;
the second cover attachment feature includes a protrusion that protrudes in a second direction to a distal point inside the pocket; and
the first and second directions are different from each other.

15. A vehicle bumper accessory assembly comprising:
a bumper defining an accessory region;
a support disposed in the accessory region of the bumper;
an accessory mounted to the support and the accessory is accessible outside of the bumper;
a cover attached to the accessory in a use position to conceal the accessory when the accessory is not in use, and the cover is detachable from the accessory in a removed position to reveal the accessory and provide access to use the accessory;
wherein:
the accessory includes a nudge bar fixed to the support, and the cover conceals the nudge bar when in the use position;
the support includes a first attachment portion, and the nudge bar is fixed to the support at the first attachment portion;
the accessory includes a tow hook attached to the support, and the cover conceals the tow hook when in the use position;
the support includes a second attachment portion spaced from the first attachment portion, and the tow hook is attached to the support at the second attachment portion; and
the tow hook includes an attachment end and a loop that extends outwardly from the attachment end, and wherein the tow hook is attached to the support at the attachment end.

16. The vehicle bumper accessory assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein:
the cover includes a tab and a protrusion spaced from each other;
the accessory defines a first recess and a second recess spaced from each other;
the tab engages the accessory in the first recess when the cover is in the use position; and
the protrusion engages the accessory in the second recess when the cover is in the use position.

17. The vehicle bumper accessory assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein
the cover defines a pocket that conceals both of the nudge bar and the tow hook when in the use position.

18. An accessory assembly for a bumper region of a vehicle, the accessory assembly comprising:
a support disposed in the bumper region;
an accessory mounted to the support and the accessory is accessible from the bumper region;
a cover attached to the accessory to conceal the accessory in a use position, and the cover is detachable from the accessory to provide access to the accessory in a removed position;
wherein:
the cover includes a first cover attachment feature, and the accessory includes a first accessory attachment feature, and the first cover attachment feature and the first accessory attachment feature engage each other to secure the cover to the accessory;
the cover includes a second cover attachment feature spaced from the first cover attachment feature;
the accessory includes a second accessory attachment feature spaced from the first accessory attachment feature, and the second cover attachment feature and the second accessory attachment feature engage each other t

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Pulleyblank Mark
• Grabowski Thomas P
• Talley Leroy R

Classifications

• B60D1/60

  Covers, caps or guards {, e.g. comprising anti-theft devices} · CPC title

• B60D1/54

  collapsible or retractable when not in use, e.g. hide-away hitches · CPC title

• B60D1/565 Primary

  having an eyelet · CPC title

• B60R19/48

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B60D3/00

  Fittings to facilitate pushing · CPC title