Vehicle front-end assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214107-B2
Application number	US-201816118782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle front-end assembly includes a vehicle frame, a first tow hook and a skid plate. The first tow hook has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The rearward portion of the first tow hook is attached a front-end portion of a first front side member of the vehicle frame by a mechanical fastener. The skid plate has a main section and a first attachment flange that extends from the main section. The first attachment flange is attached to the front-end portion of the first front side member by the mechanical fastener. The first attachment flange has a first alignment projecting surface. During installation of the skid plate to the first front side member, the first alignment projection contacts a surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook moving the first tow hook into alignment with the first front side member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle front-end assembly, comprising
a vehicle frame having a first front side member with a front-end portion;
a first tow hook having a forward portion and a rearward portion, the rearward portion of the first tow hook being attached the front-end portion of the first front side member by at least one first mechanical fastener; and
a skid plate having a main section, a first attachment flange extending from a first lateral side of the main section, the first attachment flange also being attached to the front-end portion of the first front side member by the at least one first mechanical fastener, the first attachment flange having a first alignment projecting surface configured such that during installation of the skid plate to the first front side member, the first alignment projection contacts a surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook moving the first tow hook into alignment with the first front side member.

2. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first attachment flange defines a first plane with the first alignment projection being angularly offset from the first plane.

3. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first plane and the first alignment projection define an angle therebetween that is between 20 degrees and 90 degrees.

4. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the angle is one of the following: 25±5 degrees; 45±5 degrees; 60±5 degrees; or 90±5 degrees.

5. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook contacted by the first alignment projecting surface of the first attachment flange of the skid plate is an outboard lateral surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook.

6. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook contacted by the first alignment projecting surface of the first attachment flange of the skid plate is an inboard lateral surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook.

7. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one first mechanical fastener has a head portion and a threaded portion, the head portion having an overall diameter larger than the diameter of the threaded portion,
the rearward portion of the first tow hook defining a rearward opening having a narrow portion and a wide portion, the wide portion being dimensioned such that the head portion of the at least one first mechanical fastener can pass therethrough and the narrow portion being dimension such that the threaded portion of the at least one first mechanical fastener can pass therethrough with the head portion being prevented from passing therethrough, and
the surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook contacted by the first alignment projecting surface of the first attachment flange of the skid plate is defined within the narrow portion of the rearward opening of the rearward portion of the first tow hook.

8. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the front-end portion of the first front side member of the vehicle frame having a rearward fastener receiving opening and a forward fastener receiving opening spaced apart from one another, the rearward fastener receiving opening being positioned to receive the at least one first mechanical fastener, the forward fastener receiving opening being positioned to receive a second mechanical fastener,
the rearward portion of the first tow hook defining a forward opening and a rearward opening spaced apart from the forward opening, and
the first attachment flange having a rearward slot and a forward opening spaced apart from the rearward slot, with the at least one first mechanical fastener extending through the rearward slot, the rearward opening in the first tow hook and the rearward fastener receiving opening in the front side member after installation, and with the second mechanical fastener extending through the forward opening of the first attachment flange, the forward opening in the first tow hook and the forward fastener receiving opening in the front side member after installation.

9. A vehicle front-end assembly, comprising
a vehicle frame having a first front side member and a second front side member laterally spaced apart from one another, each of the first and second front side members having a corresponding front-end portion;
a first tow hook and a second tow hook, each of the first and second tow hooks having a forward portion and a rearward portion, the rearward portion of the first tow hook being attached the front-end portion of the first front side member by at least one first mechanical fastener and the rearward portion of the second tow hook being attached to the front-end portion of the second front side member by another first mechanical fastener; and
a skid plate having a main section, a first attachment flange extending from a first lateral side of the main section and a second attachment flange extending from a second lateral side of the main section, the first attachment flange having a first alignment projection configured such that during installation of the skid plate to the first front side member, the first alignment projection contacts a surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook moving the first tow hook into alignment with the first front side member with the at least one first mechanical fastener attaching the first attachment flange and the first tow hook to the first front side member, the second attachment flange having a second alignment projection configured such that during installation of the skid plate to the second front side member, the second alignment projection contacts a surface of the rearward portion of the second tow hook moving the second tow hook into alignment with the second front side member with the another first mechanical fastener attaching the second attachment flange and the second tow hook to the second front side member.

10. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the first attachment flange defines a first plane with the first alignment projection being angularly offset from the first plane, and the second attachment flange defines a second plane with the second alignment projection being angularly offset from the second plane.

11. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 10 , wherein
the first plane and the first alignment projection define a first angle therebetween that is between 20 degrees and 90 degrees and the second plane and the second alignment projection define a second angle therebetween that is between 20 degrees and 90 degrees.

12. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 11 , wherein
the first angle is one of the following: 25±5 degrees; 45±5 degrees; 60±5 degrees or 90±5 degrees, and
the second angle is one of the following: 25±5 degrees; 45±5 degrees; 60±5 degrees or 90±5 degrees.

13. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook contacted by the first alignment projecting surface of the first attachment flange of the skid plate is one of: an outboard lateral surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook or an inboard lateral surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook.

14. The vehicle front-end assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the surface of the rearward portion of the first tow hook contacted by the first alignment projecting surface of the first attachment flange of the skid plate is defined within a na

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Greggs Alan

Classifications

• B62D25/2072

  Floor protection, e.g. from corrosion or scratching (floor mats B60N3/04, armour F41H7/042, insulation B60R13/08, streamlining B62D35/02) · CPC title

• B60D1/50

  resiliently mounted (B60D1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60D1/485 Primary

  mounted by means of transversal members attached to the frame of a vehicle · CPC title

• B60D1/143

  characterised by the mounting of the draw-gear on the towed vehicle (B60D1/187 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title