IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,533,945
Granted Patent B2
US 12,533,945 · App. 18/123,638 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Cover assembly

Inventors: Yuan Sun (Shanghai, CN); Wenquan Sha (Shanghai, CN); Wei Liu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
B60K15/05B60K2015/0523B60K2015/0538B60K2015/0561
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,533,945
App. No.
18/123,638
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present application relates to a cover assembly including a housing, a cover, a drive member, a first transmission member, and a second transmission member. The housing has a cavity. The cover has a closed position and an open position. The cover closes a door plate opening of a door plate when the cover is in the closed position and the door plate opening is exposed when the cover is in the open position. The drive member is movable relative to the housing. The first transmission member is rotatably connected with the cover and is rotatably connected with the drive member. The second transmission member is rotatably connected with the cover and is rotatably connected with the drive member. The drive member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member and the cover collectively form a linkage and are configured to drive the cover to move relative to the housing between the closed position and the open position. The cover assembly of the present application can prevent the cover in a closed state from being opened due to external force, and no additional locking means need to be provided. Furthermore, a cover in the open position is arranged parallel to a cover in the closed position, which can save space occupied by the cover assembly in a vehicle.

Claims (64)

1 . A cover assembly comprising:

a housing having a cavity;

a cover having a closed position and an open position, the cover closing a door plate opening of a door plate when the cover is in the closed position, and the cover being received in the cavity and exposing the door plate opening when the cover is in the open position;

a drive member movable relative to the housing;

a first transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member; and

a second transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member

wherein the drive member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the cover collectively forming a linkage and being configured to drive the cover to move relative to the housing between the closed position and the open position, wherein

the linkage is configured such that, when the cover is in the closed position, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are substantially perpendicular to the cover and the drive member, thereby locking the cover in the closed position.

2 . The cover assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:

the housing has a height direction and a length direction; and

as the cover moves from the closed position to the open position, the cover moves downward in the height direction and left in the length direction.

3 . The cover assembly according to claim 2 , wherein:

the cover is provided above the drive member, and the first transmission member and the second transmission member are provided between the cover and the drive member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member being provided in parallel to each other; and

when the cover is in the closed position, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are disposed along the height direction and the drive member is disposed along the length direction.

4 . The cover assembly according to claim 3 , wherein:

a first end of the first transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the drive member, and a second end of the first transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the cover; and

a first end of the second transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the drive member, and a second end of the second transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the cover.

5 . The cover assembly according to claim 4 , wherein:

a guide slot is provided on the housing, the guide slot being in communication with the cavity; and

the cover assembly further includes a guide shaft connected with the cover, the guide shaft being received in the guide slot.

6 . The cover assembly according to claim 5 , wherein:

the guide slot includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being in communication with each other, the first portion formed extending in the height direction and the second portion formed extending in the length direction.

7 . The cover assembly according to claim 5 , wherein:

a first through hole is provided on the second end of the first transmission member, a cover through hole is provided on the first end of the cover, and the guide shaft is received in the first through hole and the cover through hole.

8 . The cover assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an auxiliary member movable along a length direction of the housing;

a first auxiliary transmission member-rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the auxiliary member;

a second auxiliary transmission member-rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the auxiliary member; and

the auxiliary member, the first auxiliary transmission member and the second auxiliary transmission member, and the drive member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are provided on two opposite sides of the cover, the first auxiliary transmission member, the second auxiliary transmission member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member being provided in parallel.

9 . The cover assembly according to claim 8 , wherein:

a first end of the first auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the auxiliary member, and a second end of the first auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with the first end of the cover; and

a first end of the second auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the auxiliary member, and a second end of the second auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with the second end of the cover.

10 . A cover assembly comprising:

a housing having a cavity;

a cover having a closed position and an open position, the cover closing a door plate opening of a door plate when the cover is in the closed position, and the cover being received in the cavity and exposing the door plate opening when the cover is in the open position;

a drive member movable relative to the housing;

a first transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member; and

a second transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member,

wherein the drive member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the cover collectively forming a linkage and being configured to drive the cover to move relative to the housing between the closed position and the open position,

wherein the housing has a height direction and a length direction,

wherein, as the cover moves from the closed position to the open position, the cover moves downward in the height direction and left in the length direction,

wherein the cover is provided above the drive member, and the first transmission member and the second transmission member are provided between the cover and the drive member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member being provided in parallel to each other,

wherein, when the cover is in the closed position, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are disposed along the height direction and the drive member is disposed along the length direction,

wherein a first end of the first transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the drive member, and a second end of the first transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the cover,

wherein a first end of the second transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the drive member, and a second end of the second transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the cover,

wherein a guide slot is provided on the housing, the guide slot being in communication with the cavity, and

wherein the cover assembly further includes a guide shaft connected with the cover, the guide shaft being received in the guide slot.

11 . The cover assembly according to claim 10 , wherein:

the guide slot includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being in communication with each other, the first portion formed extending in the height direction and the second portion formed extending in the length direction.

12 . The cover assembly according to claim 10 , wherein:

a first through hole is provided on the second end of the first transmission member, a cover through hole is provided on the first end of the cover, and the guide shaft is received in the first through hole and the cover through hole.

13 . A cover assembly comprising:

a housing having a cavity;

a cover having a closed position and an open position, the cover closing a door plate opening of a door plate when the cover is in the closed position, and the cover being received in the cavity and exposing the door plate opening when the cover is in the open position;

a drive member movable relative to the housing;

a first transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member;

a second transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the drive member, wherein the drive member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the cover collectively forming a linkage and being configured to drive the cover to move relative to the housing between the closed position and the open position;

an auxiliary member movable along a length direction of the housing;

a first auxiliary transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the auxiliary member;

a second auxiliary transmission member rotatably connected with the cover and rotatably connected with the auxiliary member; and

the auxiliary member, the first auxiliary transmission member and the second auxiliary transmission member, and the drive member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are provided on two opposite sides of the cover the first auxiliary transmission member, the second auxiliary transmission member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member being provided in parallel.

14 . The cover assembly according to claim 13 , wherein:

a first end of the first auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with a first end of the auxiliary member, and a second end of the first auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with the first end of the cover; and

a first end of the second auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with a second end of the auxiliary member, and a second end of the second auxiliary transmission member is rotatably connected with the second end of the cover.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: SUN, YUAN; SHA, WENQUAN; LIU, WEI; SHANGHAI ITW PLASTIC & METAL CO., LTD.
To: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 063039/0146 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202210345368.6 · Mar 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230311642A1 · Oct 5, 2023
References Cited (6)
US 10577845B2 · Herczeg · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 12006751B2 · Schaafsma · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12252006B2 · Kaneko · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20240383327A1 · Ning · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240384585A1 · Sun · 2024 [cited by examiner]
DE 202018106081U1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]