Sports hoop for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533720-B1
Application number	US-201514804944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 21, 2015
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A sports hoop is provided for a motor vehicle. The sports hoop includes a one-piece internal frame, an outer cover received over an outer surface of the internal frame and an inner cover received over an inner surface of the internal frame. Slip joints and expansion joints are provided to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction to maintain a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A sports hoop for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a one-piece internal frame;
an outer cover received over an outer surface of said internal frame; and
an inner cover received over an inner surface of said internal frame.

2. The sports hoop of claim 1 , further including a first group of slip joints connecting said outer cover to said one-piece internal frame.

3. The sports hoop of claim 2 , further including a second group of slip joints connecting said inner cover to said one-piece internal frame.

4. The sports hoop of claim 3 , wherein said inner cover comprises a first end section, a center section and a second end section.

5. The sports hoop of claim 4 , further including a first expansion joint between said first end section and said center section and a second expansion joint between said center section and said second end section.

6. The sports hoop of claim 5 , wherein said outer cover is one continuous piece.

7. The sports hoop of claim 6 , wherein said one-piece internal frame is made from structural grade plastic material.

8. The sports hoop of claim 7 , wherein said structural grade plastic material is polypropylene long glass fiber 40%.

9. The sports hoop of claim 8 , wherein said outer cover and said inner cover are made from thermoplastic olefin.

10. The sports hoop of claim 6 , wherein said one-piece internal frame includes a motor vehicle mounting point at each end.

11. The sports hoop of claim 10 , further including a support bracket between said outer cover and said one-piece internal frame.

12. The sports hoop of claim 11 , wherein said support bracket is three pieces.

13. The sports hoop of claim 11 , further including adhesive foam between said support bracket and said one-piece internal frame.

14. The sports hoop of claim 13 , wherein said inner cover connects to said support bracket sandwiching said one-piece internal frame.

15. The sports hoop of claim 14 , wherein said inner cover is connected to said support bracket by a plurality of resilient fastening clips.

16. The sports hoop of claim 15 , further including two reinforced mounting brackets secured to said one-piece internal frame adjacent said motor vehicle mounting point at each end of said one-piece internal frame.

17. The sports hoop of claim 6 , further including a support bracket between said outer cover and said one-piece internal frame.

18. The sports hoop of claim 17 , wherein said support bracket is three pieces.

19. The sports hoop of claim 18 , further including adhesive foam between said support bracket and said one-piece internal frame.

20. The sports hoop of claim 19 , wherein said inner cover connects to said support bracket sandwiching said one-piece internal frame.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Luciew Simon
• Job David
• Rawnsley Ryan
• Yip Keong Fook
• Bhushan Shashi

Classifications

• B62D27/06

  readily releasable · CPC title

• B62D35/007 Primary

  Rear spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D35/00 Primary

  Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining · CPC title

• B62D35/001

  For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans · CPC title