Front trunk including closure providing increased headroom and shade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023391268-A1
Application number	US-202217892279-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Jun 1, 2022
Publication date	Dec 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a front trunk including a closure providing increased headroom and shade. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a motor vehicle, including: a front trunk establishing a cargo space; and a closure assembly configured to move between a closed position and an open position to selectively cover and uncover the front trunk, wherein the closure assembly includes a hood section and a grille section, wherein, when the closure assembly is not in the closed position, the grille section is rotatable relative to the hood section in a direction away from a ground surface.

First claim

1 . A motor vehicle, comprising:
a front trunk establishing a cargo space; and a closure assembly configured to move between a closed position and an open position to selectively cover and uncover the front trunk, wherein the closure assembly includes a hood section and a grille section, wherein, when the closure assembly is not in the closed position, the grille section is rotatable relative to the hood section in a direction away from a ground surface.

2 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the hood section while the closure assembly is moving between the closed and open positions.

3 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the hood section about an axis adjacent a front edge of the hood section.

4 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the grille section is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the ground surface.

5 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein, when the closure assembly is in the closed position, the grille section projects from the hood section at a first angle measured from an inner surface of the hood section to an inner surface of the grille section.

6 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first angle is substantially 90°.

7 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 5 , wherein, when the closure assembly is in the open position, the grille section projects from the hood section at a second angle greater than the first angle, wherein the second angle is measured from the inner surface of the hood section to the inner surface of the grille section.

8 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 7 , wherein the second angle is greater than 90°.

9 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second angle is less than 180°.

10 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the grille section is inclined at an acute angle above a plane extending parallel to a ground surface.

11 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the grille section is inclined at an angle of about 10° measured from the plane to the inner surface of the grille section.

12 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein:
a powered assembly is configured to cause the closure assembly to move from the closed position to the open position, and the powered assembly is also configured to cause the grille section to rotate from the first angle to the second angle as the powered assembly is causing the closure assembly to move from the closed position to the open position.

13 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 11 , wherein:
an electronic visual display is rotatably mounted to an underside of the hood section, and the powered assembly is also configured to cause the electronic visual display to rotate such that the electronic visual display is substantially perpendicular to a ground surface as the powered assembly is causing the closure assembly to move from the closed position to the open position.

14 . The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle is a battery electric vehicle.

15 . A method, comprising:
moving a closure assembly from a closed position to an open position to uncover a front trunk of a motor vehicle; and rotating a grille section of the closure assembly relative to a hood section of the closure assembly in a direction away from a ground surface when the closure assembly is not in the closed position.

16 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein:
when the closure assembly is in the closed position, the grille section projects from the hood section at a first angle measured from an inner surface of the hood section to an inner surface of the grille section, and the step of rotating the grille section includes rotating the grille section such that the grille section projects from the hood section at a second angle greater than the first angle, wherein the second angle is measured from the inner surface of the hood section to the inner surface of the grille section.

17 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the step of rotating the grille section occurs at least partially during the moving step.

18 . The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein a powered assembly causes the closure assembly to move from the closed position to the open position, and the powered assembly also causes the grille section to rotate relative to the hood section as the powered assembly is causing the closure assembly to move from the closed position to the open position.

19 . The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
rotating an electronic visual display mounted to an underside of the hood section such that the electronic visual display is substantially perpendicular to a ground surface.

20 . The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the electronic visual display is rotated as the closure assembly moves 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

Classifications

• B60R5/02 Primary

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

• B60L50/60

  using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) · CPC title

• B60L1/00

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• B60R11/0229

  for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes · CPC title

• B60R19/52

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