# US 11,305,742 B2 · Vehicle grille assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,742 B2 - Document ID: US11305742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/383,260 - Filed: 2019-04-12 - Published: 2020-10-15 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-12 - Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc. - Applicants: Nissan North America, Inc. - Inventors: Jasvir Singh; Andrew Kornblatt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305742B2 ## CPC - B60S 1/66: for cleaning vehicle exterior - B08B 3/04: Cleaning involving contact with liquid - B60S 1/0848: {Cleaning devices for cameras on vehicle} - B60S 1/528: {the spreading means being moved between a rest position and a working position (B60S1/526 takes precedence)} - B62D 25/085: {Front-end modules} - B60R 13/005: {Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor} - B60R 2019/525: {Radiator grilles} - B60S 1/52: Arrangement of nozzles; {Liquid spreading means}(nozzles per se B05B) - B60S 1/56: specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle grille assembly includes a vehicle grille, a grille badge and a washer assembly. The grille has an interior side and an exterior side. The grille badge is supported on a surface of the exterior side of the grille. The washer assembly is disposed adjacent to the grille badge and has a nozzle being configured to move between a stowed position and an operating position. The nozzle is stowed on the interior side of the vehicle grille in the stowed position. The nozzle is on the exterior side of the vehicle grille in the operating position to dispense cleaning fluid toward the grille badge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle grille assembly comprising: a vehicle grille having an interior side and an exterior side; a grille badge supported on a surface of the exterior side of the grille; and a washer assembly disposed adjacent to the grille badge, the washer assembly having a nozzle being configured to move between a stowed position and an operating position, the nozzle having an elongated tube and an aperture fluidly connected to the elongated tube to spray fluid when the nozzle is in the operating position, the nozzle being stowed on the interior side of the vehicle grille in the stowed position, the nozzle being on the exterior side of the vehicle grille in the operating position to dispense cleaning fluid toward the grille badge, the washer assembly further comprises a cover movably attached to the grille to expose the nozzle when the nozzle moves into the operating position, the cover being aligned with the grille when the nozzle is in the stowed position, the cover being spaced with respect to the grille when the nozzle is in the operating position, a first supporting structure having an interior space that receives the nozzle, the first supporting structure being fixed to the nozzle to move with the nozzle as the nozzle moves between the stowed position and the operating position so that the nozzle is not movable relative to the first supporting structure, and a second supporting structure having an interior space that telescopically receives the first supporting structure, the nozzle and the first supporting structure together being movable relative to the second supporting structure, wherein, the nozzle extends interiorly beyond the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 1, wherein the grille has a cavity disposed below the grille badge, the nozzle extending from the cavity when moving from the stowed position to the operating position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first supporting structure is operatively connected to the nozzle to form a recessed mounting surface for the nozzle on the interior side of the grille. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 3, wherein the second supporting structure is fixedly mounted to the interior side of the grille. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 4, wherein the washer assembly further comprises a biasing member operatively connected to the nozzle and the second supporting structure to bias the nozzle into the stowed position. ### Claim 6 A vehicle cleaning system comprising: a washer assembly supported to a vehicle grille and being disposed adjacent to a vehicle grille badge of the vehicle grille, the washer assembly having a nozzle being configured to move between a stowed position and an operating position, the nozzle being stowed on an interior side of the vehicle grille in the stowed position, the nozzle being on an exterior side of the vehicle grille in the operating position to dispense cleaning fluid toward the grille badge, the nozzle having an elongated tube and an aperture fluidly connected to the elongated tube to spray fluid when the nozzle is in the operating position, a cover configured to be movably supported with respect to the vehicle grille, the cover being openable to expose the nozzle when the nozzle moves into the operating position, the cover being aligned with the grille when the nozzle is in the stowed position, the cover being spaced with respect to the grille when the nozzle is in the operating position; a first supporting structure having an interior space that receives the nozzle, the first supporting structure being fixed to the nozzle to move with the nozzle as the nozzle moves between the stowed position and the operating position so that the nozzle is not movable relative to the first supporting structure, and a second supporting structure having an interior space that telescopically receives the first supporting structure, the nozzle and the first supporting structure together being movable relative to the second supporting structure, wherein, the nozzle extends interiorly beyond the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure, and a reservoir tank configured to store cleaning solution, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the reservoir tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 6, further comprising a controller that controls the vehicle cleaning system to move the nozzle between the stowed and operating positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 7, further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir tank, the controller activating the pump to supply water to the nozzle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 8, further comprising a timer electrically connected to the controller to control a period of operation of the washer assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 6, wherein the first supporting structure is operatively connected to the nozzle to form a recessed mounting surface for the nozzle on the interior side of the grille. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 10, wherein the second supporting structure is fixedly mounted to a surface of the interior side of the grille. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle cleaning system according to claim 11, wherein the washer assembly further comprises a biasing member operatively connected to the nozzle and the second supporting structure to bias the nozzle into the stowed position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A vehicle having the vehicle grille assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a detector disposed on the interior side of the grille and behind the grille badge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a reservoir tank configured to store cleaning solution, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the reservoir tank. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising a controller that controls the vehicle cleaning system to move the nozzle between the stowed and operating positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aperture sprays fluid upward away from the nozzle toward the grille badge when the nozzle is in the operating position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 5) The vehicle grille assembly according to claim 5, wherein a first end of the biasing member is operatively fixed to the nozzle and a second end of the biasing member is fixed to the grille to bias the nozzle into the stowed position.