Birds beak bracket system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368442-A1
Application number	US-201514743096-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Jun 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An attachment system for connecting a vehicle fascia birds beak element to a vehicle front end module bolster includes a bracket having a fascia-engaging portion and a bolster-engaging portion. The bolster-engaging portion includes one or more bracket locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bolster to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation. The system further includes a vehicle front end module bolster having a bracket-engaging portion that includes one or more bolster locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bracket to self-orient the bracket in the predetermined orientation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A bracket for connecting a vehicle fascia element to a vehicle front end module bolster, comprising:
a fascia-engaging portion; and a bolster-engaging portion including one or more locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bolster to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation.

2 . The bracket of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle fascia element is a birds beak portion of the vehicle fascia.

3 . The bracket of claim 1 , wherein the locator structures include a locator receiver configured for engaging a cooperating pin disposed on a portion of the bolster.

4 . The bracket of claim 1 , wherein the locator structures include one or more locator tabs disposed on a bottom surface of the bracket and configured for engaging one or more cooperating structures disposed on the vehicle bolster.

5 . The bracket of claim 1 , including one or more reinforcing structures.

6 . The bracket of claim 5 , wherein the one or more reinforcing structures include one or more reinforcing ribs disposed on a bottom surface of the bracket.

7 . The bracket of claim 5 , wherein the one or more reinforcing structures include a reinforced midsection.

8 . The bracket of claim 7 , wherein the reinforced midsection comprises a plurality of ribs defining a honeycomb structure.

9 . A vehicle front end module bolster having a bracket-engaging portion comprising one or more locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on a bracket to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation.

10 . The bolster of claim 9 , wherein the locator structures include a locator pin configured for engaging a cooperating receiver disposed on the bracket.

11 . The bolster of claim 10 , wherein the locator pin is a four-way locator pin.

12 . The bolster of claim 9 , wherein the locator structures include one or more ribs configured for restricting movement of the bracket in a Z direction.

13 . The bolster of claim 12 , wherein the ribs include one or more tabs configured for releasably engaging cooperating tabs disposed on a bottom surface of the bracket.

14 . A vehicle including the bolster of claim 9 .

15 . An attachment system for connecting a vehicle fascia birds beak element to a vehicle front end module bolster, comprising:
a bracket including a fascia-engaging portion and a bolster-engaging portion, the bolster-engaging portion including one or more bracket locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bolster to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation; and a vehicle front end module bolster having a bracket-engaging portion comprising one or more bolster locator structures configured for engaging cooperating structures disposed on the bracket to self-orient the bracket in a predetermined orientation.

16 . The attachment system of claim 15 , including a bracket bolster-engaging portion locator receiver disposed on the bracket and configured for engaging a cooperating locator pin disposed on the bolster bracket-engaging portion.

17 . The attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the locator pin is a four-way locator pin.

18 . The attachment system of claim 15 , including one or more bracket bolster-engaging portion locator tabs disposed on a bottom surface of the bracket and configured for engaging one or more cooperating bolster bracket-engaging ribs to restrict movement of the bracket in a Z direction.

19 . The attachment system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more cooperating bolster bracket-engaging ribs include one or more tabs configured for releasably engaging the one or more bracket bolster-engaging portion locator tabs.

20 . A vehicle including the attachment system of claim 15 .

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dubey Prashant
• Godette Flondezi
• Sharif Irfan
• Carnes Vincent S

Classifications

• B62D25/085

  Front-end modules · CPC title

• B60R2019/525

  Radiator grilles · CPC title

• F16B5/0607

  joining sheets or plates to each other (F16B5/0692, F16B21/082 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R19/52 Primary

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

• B62D27/023

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title