Work surfaces for front trunk

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975688-B2
Application number	US-202217892360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Jun 1, 2022
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

The techniques described herein relate to a motor vehicle, including: a front trunk; a housing adjacent a floor of the front trunk; and a panel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein, when in the panel is in the deployed position, the panel provides a work surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a front trunk;
a housing adjacent a floor of the front trunk; and
a panel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein, when in the panel is in the deployed position, the panel provides a work surface, wherein, when the panel is in the deployed position, the panel projects at least partially forward of the front trunk and the panel is supported from below by a sill of the motor vehicle, wherein the housing includes a slot in a front of the housing, wherein the slot leads to an interior of the housing, and wherein, when the panel is in the deployed position, the panel projects at least partially out of the slot.

2. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a closure assembly including a hood panel and a grille panel, wherein the grille panel is configured to move to an open position in which the grille panel is below the panel.

3. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 2 , wherein the hood panel and grille panel are moveable independent of one another to respective open and closed positions.

4. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing is a housing of a cartridge, and wherein the cartridge is removable from the front trunk.

5. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a front trunk;
a housing adjacent a floor of the front trunk; and
a panel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein, when in the panel is in the deployed position, the panel provides a work surface, wherein, when the panel is in the deployed position, the panel projects at least partially forward of the front trunk and the panel is supported from below by a sill of the motor vehicle, wherein a bottom surface of the housing directly contacts a floor of the front trunk and a top surface of the housing provides a surface for supporting items stored in the front trunk.

6. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the panel includes a handle.

7. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a front trunk; and
an assembly including at least two panels moveable relative to one another between an unfolded condition and a folded condition, wherein, in the unfolded condition, the at least two panels provide a work surface, wherein the at least two panels includes a first panel connected to a first side of a second panel via a first hinge, and a third panel connected to a second side of the second panel opposite the first side via a second hinge, wherein, in the folded condition, the first, second, and third panels are substantially parallel to one another, wherein a surface of each of the first, second, and third panels includes a groove configured such that, when in the unfolded condition, the grooves are able to interface with a sill of the motor vehicle.

8. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 7 , wherein, in the unfolded condition, the assembly exhibits an increased an effective surface area relative to the folded condition.

9. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 7 , wherein the assembly is configured to attach to a rear wall of the front trunk when the assembly is in the folded condition and, when the assembly is attached to the rear wall of the front trunk, the first, second, and third panels are substantially parallel to the rear wall.

10. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 9 , wherein the rear wall includes perforated hardboard, and wherein the assembly is attachable to the perforated hardboard.

11. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein a top edge of the sill directly contacts a bottom surface of the panel when the panel is in the deployed position.

12. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 2 , wherein, when the grille is in the open position, a top edge of the sill and a top edge of the grill lie in a common plane.

13. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 12 , wherein the common plane is below a plane containing a bottom surface of the panel.

14. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 7 , wherein, in the folded condition, the first panel contacts a first surface of the second panel and the third panel contacts a second surface of the second panel opposite the first surface of the second panel.

15. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sill is a portion of a body of the motor vehicle extending perpendicular to a centerline of the motor vehicle and arranged adjacent both a bottom of the front trunk and a front edge of the front trunk.

16. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 3 , wherein the grille panel moves downward toward a ground surface when moving from the closed position to the open position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Harmon Michael John
• Tajmahal Hussain Z
• Howard Benjamin
• Cezar Kathryn N
• Shaw Sarah
• Qian Charlie

Classifications

• B60R5/02 Primary

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

• B60R19/52 Primary

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

• B62D25/087

  Luggage compartments · CPC title

• B62D25/10

  Bonnets or lids {, e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles (for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38)} · CPC title

• B60J5/02

  arranged at the vehicle front {(lids or bonnets B62D25/10)} · CPC title