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US 12,741,581 B2Granted
Retractable fender member tie down
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMario Contreras Sosa, Luis Angel Becerril Cruz, Enrique Emanuel Farias, Martin D. Lopez, Paul Jonathan Alexander Wraith, Daniel J. Kangas, Brian Grover, Diego Santillan Gutierrez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes at least one fender member supported by a vehicle and a tie down member associated with the at least one fender member. The tie down member is movable between a use position and a stowed position.
Claims22
An apparatus comprising:
- at least one fender supported by a vehicle, the at least one fender having a fender opening defined through an exterior surface of the at least one fender, the exterior surface being external to a passenger compartment and a cargo area of the vehicle;
- a housing insertable through the fender opening and positioned within the at least one fender, the housing having a flange fitting flush against the exterior surface and surrounding the fender opening, and wherein the housing includes side walls defining a recessed area accessible through the fender opening;
- a tie down member received within the recessed area of the housing, wherein the tie down member is movable between a use position in which the tie down member extends outwardly through the fender opening and a stowed position in which the tie down member is flush with the exterior surface of the at least one fender;
- at least one resilient member to bias the tie down member to the stowed position;
- and
- at least one bracket that attaches the tie down member to an internal vehicle mount structure that is within an engine compartment with one or more fasteners wherein the at least one resilient member reacts between the tie down member and the at least one bracket, and wherein all fasteners associated with the at least one bracket are located within the engine compartment such that the exterior surface of the at least one fender is free from fasteners at the housing.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing at least one fender on a vehicle, the at least one fender having a fender opening defined through an exterior surface of the at least one fender, the exterior surface being external to a passenger compartment and a cargo area of the vehicle;
- inserting a housing through the fender opening and positioning the housing within the at least one fender, the housing having a flange fitting flush against the exterior surface and surrounding the fender opening, and wherein the housing includes side walls defining a recessed area accessible through the fender opening;
- positioning a tie down member within the recessed area of the housing such that the tie down member is movable between a use position in which the tie down member extends outwardly through the fender opening and a stowed position in which the tie down member is flush with the exterior surface of the at least one fender;
- biasing the tie down member to the stowed position with at least one resilient member;
- attaching the tie down member to an internal vehicle mount structure that is within an engine compartment with at least one bracket and with one or more fasteners, and wherein all fasteners associated with the at least one bracket are located within the engine compartment such that the exterior surface of the at least one fender is free from fasteners at the housing;
- and
- reacting the at least one resilient member between the tie down member and the at least one bracket.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a fender opening in an external surface of a fender, the external surface being external to a passenger compartment and a cargo area of a vehicle;
- inserting a housing through the fender opening and positioning the housing within the fender, the housing having a flange fitting flush against the external surface and surrounding the fender opening, and wherein the housing includes side walls defining a recessed area accessible through the fender opening;
- fixing at least a first bracket to a mount structure within an engine compartment of a vehicle with one or more fasteners;
- pivotally coupling a tie down member to a second bracket to form a sub-assembly with one or more fasteners, the tie down member having a handle body with at least one loop portion;
- installing at least one resilient member as part of the sub-assembly, such that the at least one resilient member reacts between the tie down member and the second bracket to bias the tie down member to a stowed position;
- inserting the sub-assembly into the housing such that the tie down member faces an external environment of the vehicle and one end of the second bracket extends through the fender opening and connects to the first bracket within the engine compartment;
- and
- fitting the housing against the external surface of the fender such that a flange of the housing surrounds the fender opening and such that the tie down member is moveable between a use position in which the tie down member extends outwardly through the fender opening and a stowed position in which the tie down member is flush with the external surface of the fender.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.