VEHICLE GRILLE DRAWER

• US 20200130751A1
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Glickman, David Brian, Wisneski, Mark A., Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 10,633,033 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/00 Arrangement in connection with cooling of propulsion units heating the interior space B60H; cooling internal combustion engines per se F01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/52 Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles cooling aspects B60K11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/525 Radiator grilles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/02 arranged at front of vehicle B60R5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/065 Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. trunks
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/12 Parts or details thereof locks E05B, E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; springs, e.g. pneumatic springs F16F
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/662 Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/536 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

A vehicle and method of operating that includes a body structure having hood and front bumper, a grille, mounted between the hood and front bumper, including an opening, and a drawer mounted in the opening, slidable forward to an open position in front of the vehicle and rearward to a closed position within the vehicle. A controller may receive various inputs for controlling the operation of the drawer.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body structure including hood and front bumper;

a grille, mounted between the hood and front bumper, including an opening; and

a drawer mounted in the opening, slidable forward to an open position in front of the vehicle and rearward to a closed position within the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further including an actuator configured to slide the drawer.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a video display pivotally mounted relative to the drawer.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a lighting system mounted to the drawer.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the lighting system is configured to change color of light when the drawer is sliding in or out of the grille.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drawer includes a user interface device mounted to a front surface thereof and configured to activate the drawer to move between the open and closed positions.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a user interface device mounted to the body structure and configured to activate the drawer to move between the open and closed positions.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a vehicle mounted camera configured to take a picture of one standing in front of the drawer when in the open position.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 further including vehicle mounted sensors configured to move the drawer to the closed position when no motion is detected in front of the vehicle for a predetermined time.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a wireless device in communication with a vehicle controller and configured to move the drawer to the closed position when the wireless device moves more than a predetermined distance from the vehicle for greater than a predetermined amount of time.

11. A method for operating a vehicle comprising:

receiving a user input requesting opening of a drawer mounted in a grille at a front of the vehicle; and

after receiving the request, automatically sliding the drawer forward through an opening in the grille.

12. The method of claim 11 further including:

automatically pivoting a video display upward from the drawer when the drawer is in an open position.

13. The method of claim 11 further including:

automatically activating a lighting system mounted to the drawer as the drawer moves from a closed position behind the grille to an open position extending forward from the grille.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the lighting system changes color of the light when the drawer is moving between the open and closed positions.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the user input is mounted to a front surface of the drawer.

16. The method of claim 11 further including:

taking a picture with a vehicle mounted camera of a user standing in front of the drawer when the drawer is in an open position.

17. The method of claim 11 further including:

automatically closing the drawer after detecting no motion in front of the vehicle for a predetermined time.

18. The method of claim 11 further including:

automatically closing the drawer after detecting that a wireless device moves more than a predetermined distance from the vehicle for greater than a predetermined time.