# US 11,077,811 B2 · Grille reinforcement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,811 B2 - Document ID: US11077811B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/241,433 - Filed: 2019-01-07 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-25 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Mohammed Shenaq; Sudip Sankar Bhattacharjee; Mustafa Ahmed; Neil Clarke; Richard Lisowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077811B2 ## CPC - B60R 19/12: vertically spaced - B60R 19/52: Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} - B60R 21/34: Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} - B60R 2019/527: {integral with bumpers} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## 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 ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle frame supporting the front-end support. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein the grille is supported by the front-end support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The front-end structure of claim 4, further comprising a vehicle frame, and the bumper is attached to the vehicle frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, further comprising a radiator, the front-end support being between the radiator and the grille. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The front-end structure of claim 6, further comprising an active grille shutter between the radiator and the grille. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein both legs of both brackets are attached to the front-end support. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein both of the bars are attached to both of the brackets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein the grille includes cavities receiving the bars. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein the grille is overmolded to the bars. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, further comprising a grille reinforcement including the two bars and a support overmolded to the bars. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The front-end structure of claim 12, wherein the bars have an open shape in cross section normal to the cross-vehicle axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The front-end structure of claim 1, wherein the two bars are parallel to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The front-end structure of claim 19, wherein the lower portion of the front-end support is attached to the vehicle frame.