# US 11,440,378 B2 · Connection structure between windshield and cowl louver > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,378 B2 - Document ID: US11440378B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/186,801 - Filed: 2021-02-26 - Published: 2021-06-17 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-29 - Assignees: AGC Inc.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Agc Inc.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takafumi Inoue; Eiji Oki; Tohru Ono; Tomoyoshi Yoshizawa; Shota Anegawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440378B2 ## CPC - B60J 1/006: {characterised by fixation means such as clips, adhesive, etc. (incorporated in seal B60J10/70)} - B60J 1/02: arranged at the vehicle front {, e.g. structure of the glazing, mounting of the glazing (on windscreen mounted antenna wire H01Q1/1271)} - B62D 25/081: {Cowls (ventilating openings situated directly in front of the vehicle front window B60H1/28)} - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - 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) ## Abstract A windshield and a cowl louver are reliably connected together by effectively absorbing an error in shape or dimension of each of laminated glass, a clip and the cowl louver. A cowl louver includes a body portion, a first protrusion portion, an engageable portion, and a second protrusion portion. A clip in a plate shape includes a first plate portion, a second plate portion, a first bent portion, a third bent portion, a second bent portion and an engaged portion such that the second bent portion and the first protrusion portion are at least partly brought into contact with each other, and the engaged portion and the second protrusion portion are at least partly brought into contact with each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connection structure between a windshield and a cowl louver, comprising: laminated glass including a first glass plate disposed on an outer side of a vehicle, a second glass plate disposed on an inner side of the vehicle and an interlayer bonding the first glass and the second glass; a clip disposed on a forward end portion of the laminated glass; and a cowl louver including a body portion, a first protrusion portion disposed on a backward end portion of the body portion, an engageable portion disposed on an inner side surface of the body portion via a joint portion so as to extend toward the backward end portion of the body portion, and a second protrusion portion disposed on a backward end portion of the engageable portion; wherein the clip comprises a plate including: a first plate portion to be bonded to an inner side surface of the second glass plate, a second plate portion to be disposed adjacent a forward end portion of the laminated glass so as to extend along an end surface of the forward end portion of the laminated glass, a first bent portion connecting between the first plate portion and the second plate portion, a third plate portion extending in a front direction with respect to the forward end portion of the laminated glass, a second bent portion connecting between the second plate portion and the third plate portion, and an engaged portion disposed on a leading end portion of the third plate portion; and wherein the second bent portion and the first protrusion portion are at least partly brought into contact with each other, and the engaged portion and the second protrusion portion are at least partly brought into contact with each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the second bent portion and the first protrusion portion are resiliently engaged together by elastic deformation of the second plate portion, using the first bent portion as a fulcrum, and the engaged portion and the second protrusion portion are resiliently engaged together by elastic deformation of the third plate portion, using the second bent portion as a fulcrum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the third plate portion has an outer side surface flush with an extended surface of an outer side surface of the first glass plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the engage portion is formed in a U-shaped in section in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the third plate portion is formed in an L-shaped in section in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the end surface of the forward end portion of the laminated glass is disposed so as to be away from the first protrusion portion, and the end surface and the first protrusion portion form a gap therebetween, a softer member than the clip being disposed as a spacer in the gap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the first plate portion has a backward end portion formed in a folded-back shape so as to be folded back toward a forward end portion of the first plate portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the clip is made of metal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the clip has a surface at least partly subjected to surface treatment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The connection structure according to claim 9, wherein the surface treatment comprises resin film treatment; and the resin film has a smaller thickness than the clip in section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The connection structure according to claim 9, wherein a portion of the clip where the surface treatment is applied comprises a portion of the second bent portion in contact with the first protrusion portion and a portion of the engaged portion in contact with the second protrusion portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the first protrusion portion has a first guide surface sliding on the second bent portion so as to guide the first protrusion toward an engagement position with the second bent portion, and the second protrusion portion has a second guide surface sliding on the engaged portion so as to guide the second protrusion toward an engagement position with the engaged portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the bonded portion has a constricted portion permitting the engageable portion to be elastically deformed toward an inner side direction of the vehicle, using the bonded portion as a fulcrum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the cowl louver has an outer side surface flush with an extended surface of an outer side surface of the first glass plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the clip has a thickness of at most 1.2 mm.