US 10,207,578 B2Granted

Active grille shutter multi part modular frame

AssigneeMagna Exteriors Inc.

InventorsKathy Cosmo, Jeffrey B. Manhire, Anthony J. Povinelli, Stefan Kleinfeld, Bernd Knauer, Paul Cipkar

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Abstract

An active grille shutter arrangement having a modular frame. The active grille shutter arrangement includes a primary frame piece defining a width and height of an aperture of the modular frame, wherein in the primary frame piece has a motor housing, and upper frame portion having a first end and a second end, a lower frame portion having a first end and a second end and the motor housing extends between the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion. There is a plurality of secondary frame pieces that are adjustably connected to the primary frame pieces, thereby allowing the width of the modular frame to be adjusted.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An active grille shutter arrangement having an modular frame comprising:

a primary frame piece defining a width and height of an aperture of the modular frame;
at least one adjustable end cap connectable to the primary frame piece, wherein the primary frame piece and the at least one adjustable end cap form the modular frame having at least one aperture capable of allowing air to pass through the modular frame;
a sliding joint between the at least one adjustable end cap and the primary frame that allows a portion of the at least one adjustable end cap or a portion of the primary frame to slide into the at least one adjustable end cap, wherein the sliding joint provides a plurality of lock positions for providing a plurality of widths of the active grille shutter arrangement;
and
a resilient tab located on the primary frame piece, where the resilient tab is configured to engage one of two or more position tabs formed on the at least one adjustable end cap to prevent the at least one adjustable end cap from sliding out of the hollow of the primary frame piece.

2 more elements

An active grille shutter arrangement having a modular frame comprising:

a primary frame piece defining a width and height of one or more apertures of the modular frame, wherein the primary frame piece has an upper frame portion having a first end and a second end, a lower frame portion having a first end and a second end and a motor housing extending between the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion;
a plurality of adjustable end caps including a first end cap, connectable to the respective first end of the upper frame portion and first end of the lower frame portion by an upper bar end joint formed on the first end of the upper frame portion and a lower bar end joint formed on the first end of the lower frame portion, and a second end cap of the plurality of secondary frame pieces connectable to both the second end of the upper frame portion and the second end of the lower frame portion by an upper bar end joint formed on the second end of the upper frame portion and a lower bar end joint formed on the second end of the lower frame portion;
the modular frame of the active griller shutter arrangement formed by the connection of the primary frame piece and the plurality of adjustable end caps, wherein the modular frame defines the one or more apertures;
at least one sliding joint between each of the plurality of adjustable end caps and the primary frame that allows a portion of each of the plurality of adjustable end caps or a portion of the primary frame to slide into the one of the plurality of adjustable end caps, wherein the sliding joint provides a plurality of lock positions for providing a plurality of widths of the active grille shutter arrangement;
and
a plurality of resilient tabs located on the primary frame piece, where the plurality of resilient tabs are each configured to engage one of two or more position tabs formed on the at least one adjustable end cap to prevent the at least one adjustable end cap from sliding out of the hollow of the primary frame piece;
and
wherein the motor housing of the primary frame piece extends between the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/902,247Filed 22 Feb 2018 · continuation
Priority: 31 Aug 2012
Published: US 2018/0201121 A119 Jul 2018
Granted: 19 Feb 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B60K 11/085
Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor: with adjustable shutters or blinds
B60R 19/52
Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions: radiator or grille guards ;…
B60R 2019/525
Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles: radiator grilles
Y02T 10/88
Technologies aiming to reduce greenhouse gasses emissions common to all road transportation technologies: optimized components or subsystems, e.g.…

Family

Application61/695,489Us provisional application · filed 31 Aug 2012
PCT/US2013/057572Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Aug 2013
Application15/136,180Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Apr 2016
US 9,333,850 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 May 2016
Application15/611,191Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Jun 2017
US 9,694,669 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jul 2017
Application15/662,716Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jul 2017
US 2018/0201121 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jul 2018
US 9,931,926 B2Parent of this continuation
Application15/662,716Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application15/611,191Parent of this continuation
Application14/422,923Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application15/136,180Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,202,034 B2Related patent
US 2015/0231962 A1Published application
US 2016/0236563 A1Published application
US 2017/0267095 A1Published application
US 2017/0326971 A1Published application
US 10,207,578 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.