IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,077,811
Granted Patent B2
US 11,077,811 · App. 16/241,433 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Grille reinforcement

Inventors: Mohammed Shenaq (Dearborn, MI); Sudip Sankar Bhattacharjee (Novi, MI); Mustafa Ahmed (Canton, MI); Neil Clarke (Ann Arbor, MI); Richard Lisowski (Troy, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60R19/12B60R19/52B60R21/34B60R2019/527
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,077,811
App. No.
16/241,433
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A front-end structure includes a front-end support and a grille fixed relative to the front-end support. Two brackets are disposed between the front-end support and the grille. The two brackets are spaced from each other along a cross-vehicle axis. Each of the two brackets has two legs. Each of the legs extends from the front-end support toward the grille. Two bars are spaced from each other and are spaced from the front-end support. The bars are elongated along the cross-vehicle axis from one of the brackets to the other of the brackets.

Claims (24)

1. A front-end structure comprising:

a front-end support;

a grille fixed relative to the front-end support;

two brackets disposed between the front-end support and the grille and spaced from each other along a cross-vehicle axis, the two brackets each having two legs extending from the front-end support toward the grille; and

two bars spaced from each other and the front-end support, the bars elongated along the cross-vehicle axis from one bracket to the other bracket.

2. The front-end structure of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle frame supporting the front-end support.

3. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein the grille is supported by the front-end support.

4. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein the bars are spaced from the front-end support in a vehicle-longitudinal axis perpendicular to the cross-vehicle axis, and further comprising a bumper below the bars and substantially aligned with the bars along the vehicle-longitudinal axis.

5. The front-end structure of claim 4 , further comprising a vehicle frame, and the bumper is attached to the vehicle frame.

6. The front-end structure of claim 1 , further comprising a radiator, the front-end support being between the radiator and the grille.

7. The front-end structure of claim 6 , further comprising an active grille shutter between the radiator and the grille.

8. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein both legs of both brackets are attached to the front-end support.

9. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein both of the bars are attached to both of the brackets.

10. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein the grille includes cavities receiving the bars.

11. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein the grille is overmolded to the bars.

12. The front-end structure of claim 1 , further comprising a grille reinforcement including the two bars and a support overmolded to the bars.

13. The front-end structure of claim 12 , wherein the bars have an open shape in cross section normal to the cross-vehicle axis.

14. The front-end structure of claim 13 , wherein the support includes ribs disposed in the opening of the bars, the ribs spaced along the cross-vehicle axis.

15. The front-end structure of claim 12 , further comprising an active grille shutter between a radiator and the grille, wherein the grille reinforcement and the brackets are overmolded with the active grille shutter.

16. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein both bars and both brackets are rigid relative to a leg form during a pedestrian protection impact test.

17. The front-end structure of claim 1 , wherein the two bars are parallel to each other.

18. The front-end structure of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle frame and a vehicle body, the vehicle body including two rails each including an upper portion elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and each including a lower portion extending from the upper portion to the vehicle frame, the front-end support being attached to the lower portions.

19. The front-end structure of claim 18 , wherein the front-end support includes a lower portion abutting the lower portions of the two rails and includes arms abutting the upper portions and elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis.

20. The front-end structure of claim 19 , wherein the lower portion of the front-end support is attached to the vehicle frame.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: SHENAQ, MOHAMMED; BHATTACHARJEE, SUDIP SANKAR; AHMED, MUSTAFA; CLARKE, NEIL; LISOWSKI, RICHARD
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047921/0285 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62676623 · May 25, 2018
Related Publication 20190359155A1 · Nov 28, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,227,142