CN117183901A - Front luggage compartment including an opening and closing member providing increased headroom and shielding - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a front luggage compartment including an opening and closing member that provides increased headroom and shielding. In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle comprising: a front luggage compartment that establishes a cargo space; and an shutter assembly configured to move between a closed position and an open position to selectively cover and uncover the front luggage compartment, wherein the shutter assembly includes a cover section and a grille section, wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section in a direction away from the ground when the shutter assembly is not in the closed position.

Description

Front luggage compartment including an opening and closing member providing increased headroom and shielding

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/347,704 filed on 1, 6, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a front luggage compartment including an opening and closing member that provides increased headroom and shielding.

Background

Electrically powered vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. With the advent of motorized vehicles, many existing components in the vehicle engine compartment may become unnecessary. The available space obtained by removing these components leaves room for a front luggage compartment, which is a storage compartment located near the front of the vehicle, and is commonly referred to using the hybrid term "front trunk".

Disclosure of Invention

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle comprising: a front luggage compartment that establishes a cargo space; and an shutter assembly configured to move between a closed position and an open position to selectively cover and uncover the front luggage compartment, wherein the shutter assembly includes a cover section and a grille section, wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section in a direction away from the ground when the shutter assembly is not in the closed position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section as the shutter assembly moves between the closed position and the open position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section about an axis adjacent a front edge of the cover section.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grille section is rotatable about an axis that is substantially parallel to the ground.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grille section protrudes from the cover section at a first angle measured from an inner surface of the cover section to an inner surface of the grille section when the shutter assembly is in the closed position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein the first angle is substantially 90 °.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grille section protrudes from the cover section at a second angle greater than the first angle when the shutter assembly is in the open position, wherein the second angle is measured from the inner surface of the cover section to the inner surface of the grille section.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein the second angle is greater than 90 °.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein the second angle is less than 180 °.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grid sections are inclined at an acute angle above a plane extending parallel to the ground.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle wherein the grill section is inclined at an angle of about 10 ° measured from the plane to the inner surface of the grill section.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein: a powertrain is configured to move the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position, and the powertrain is further configured to rotate the grille section from the first angle to the second angle as the powertrain moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein: an electronic visual display is rotatably mounted to an underside of the cover section and the power assembly is further configured to rotate the electronic visual display such that the electronic visual display is substantially perpendicular to the ground when the power assembly moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is a battery electric vehicle.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a method comprising: moving the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position to expose a front trunk of the motor vehicle; and rotating a grill section of the shutter assembly relative to a cover section of the shutter assembly in a direction away from the ground when the shutter assembly is not in the closed position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a method, wherein: when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the grill section protrudes from the cover section at a first angle measured from an inner surface of the cover section to an inner surface of the cover section, and the step of rotating the grill section includes rotating the grill section such that the grill section protrudes from the cover section at a second angle greater than the first angle, wherein the second angle is measured from the inner surface of the cover section to the inner surface of the grill section.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method wherein the step of rotating the grid section occurs at least in part during the moving step.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a method wherein a powertrain moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position, and the powertrain further rotates the grid section relative to the grid section as the powertrain moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a method, the method further comprising: an electronic visual display mounted to the underside of the cover section is rotated such that the electronic visual display is substantially perpendicular to the ground.

In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a method wherein the electronic visual display rotates when the shutter assembly moves from the closed position to the open position.

Drawings

Fig. 1 schematically shows an electrically powered vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary front luggage compartment of an motorized vehicle with the shutter assembly of the front luggage compartment in an open position.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat schematic side view illustrating an exemplary front luggage compartment with the shutter assembly in a closed position.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat schematic side view showing an exemplary front luggage compartment with the shutter assembly between an open position and a closed position.

Fig. 5 is a somewhat schematic side view showing an exemplary front luggage compartment with the shutter assembly in an open position.

Fig. 6 is another perspective view of the exemplary front luggage compartment with the shutter assembly in an open position.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure relates to a front luggage compartment including an opening and closing member that provides increased headroom and shielding. The disclosed features increase the usability of the front luggage compartment, and thus the vehicle as a whole, among other benefits that will be appreciated from the following description. In particular, many of the features discussed below are intended to make the front luggage compartment more available at a job site, travel picnic event, or the like.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a motor vehicle, which is here an motorized vehicle 10 ("vehicle 10"). The vehicle 10 may include any type of motorized driveline. In one embodiment, the vehicle 10 is a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV). However, the concepts described herein are not limited to BEVs and may be extended to other motorized vehicles, including, but not limited to, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell vehicles, and the like. Thus, although not specifically shown in this embodiment, the vehicle 10 may be equipped with an internal combustion engine that may be employed alone or in combination with other energy sources to propel the vehicle 10. In particular, certain aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to vehicles other than motorized vehicles including a front trunk, such as a mid-engine or rear-engine vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 is an electric-only vehicle propelled solely by electric power (such as by one or more electric machines 12), without any assistance from an internal combustion engine. The electric machine 12 may operate as an electric motor, a generator, or both. The electric machine 12 receives electrical power and provides rotational output torque to one or more drive wheels 14, such as through a transmission gearbox (not shown).

A voltage bus 16 electrically connects the motor 12 to a battery pack 18. The battery pack 18 is an exemplary motorized vehicle battery. The battery pack 18 may be a high voltage traction battery pack including one or more battery arrays 20 (i.e., a group of rechargeable battery cells) capable of outputting electrical power to operate the motor 12 and/or other electrical loads of the vehicle 10. Other types of energy storage devices and/or output devices may also be used to power the vehicle 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 is a pickup truck. However, the vehicle 10 may also be an automobile, van, sport utility vehicle, or any other type of vehicle.

As shown in fig. 1, the vehicle 10 includes a passenger compartment 22, a truck cargo compartment 24 positioned rearward of the passenger compartment 22, and a front luggage compartment 26 positioned forward of the passenger compartment 22. The truck cargo compartment 24 may establish a first cargo space of the vehicle 10 and the front luggage compartment 26 may establish a second cargo space of the vehicle 10. The front luggage compartment 26 may be referred to, or more broadly referred to, as the front cargo space using the hybrid term "front trunk".

The front luggage compartment 26 may provide additional cargo space that is not conventionally available in most conventional internal combustion powered vehicles. The present disclosure includes various features that increase the usefulness and usability of the front luggage compartment 26.

The front luggage compartment 26 is selectively covered by an opening and closing member assembly 28. In this example, the shutter assembly 28 includes two sections, a cover section 30 and a grille section 32, which are movable to cover and uncover the front luggage compartment 26. The cover section 30 and the grid section 32 may each include one or more panels. While the shutter assembly 28 includes sections that provide a cover and grille for the vehicle 10, the entire shutter assembly 28 may be generally referred to as a "cover" for the vehicle 10.

In the example shown, the cover section 30 provides a cover for the vehicle 10, and specifically covers the front trunk 26 from the top. The grill section 32 protrudes downwardly from a location adjacent the front edge of the hood section 30 and provides a grill for the vehicle 10. The grill section 32 covers the front luggage compartment 26 from the front. The size and shape of the grill section 32 may be designed to match grills in engine-driven vehicle models (such as pick-up trucks) in order to maintain the same appearance and allow the overall vehicle lineup to have substantially the same front end body structure. The grill section 32 presents a solid surface configured to prevent water from entering the front luggage compartment 26. In this example, a solid surface is possible in the vehicle 10 because no engine cooling airflow is required.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the cover section 30 and the grill section 32 may be about an axis a via a pair of hinges 34 ₁ Rotated together to selectively cover (fig. 1) and uncover (fig. 2) the front luggage compartment 26. The shutter assembly 28 generally rotates upward and rearward when moving from the closed position (fig. 1) to the open position (fig. 2). The hinge 34 may be provided by a stranded hinge, wherein one of the strands is curved. The hinge 34 may alternatively be provided by another type of hinge (such as a barrel hinge) or a link (such as a four bar link).

The cover section 30 includes a first surface 38 and a second surface 40 opposite the first surface 38. When the cover section 30 is closed, the first surface 38 faces the forward luggage compartment 26, and thus the first surface 38 may be referred to as the underside or inner surface of the cover section 30. The second surface 40 provides an exterior of the vehicle 10, and in this example specifically provides a top of the cover section 30. When the cover section 30 is open, the first surface 38 may be referred to as a front surface and the second surface 40 may be referred to as a rear surface. The first surface 38 and the second surface 40 extend laterally between the opposite sides 42, 44 and also extend between edges 46, 48. When the cover section 30 is closed, the edge 46 is a front edge and the edge 48 is a rear edge. When the cover section 30 is open, the edge 46 may be referred to as a top edge and the edge 48 may be referred to as a bottom edge.

In the present disclosure, the grill section 32 is rotatably attached to the cover section 30. Specifically, the grill section 32 may be rotated relative to the cover section 30 when the shutter assembly 28 is not in a closed position (such as in a partially open or fully open position, which may be referred to simply as an open position). The grill section 32 may be about the axis a via a hinged connection 35 positioned adjacent the first surface 38 and the edge 46 ₂ And (5) rotating. In this example, axis A ₂ Parallel to axis A ₁ And axis A ₁ 、A ₂ Perpendicular to the centerline of the vehicle 10. The hinge connection 35 may be provided by a hinge or link of a known type.

As shown in fig. 2, the grid section 32 includes a first surface 54 and a second surface 56 opposite the first surface 54. The first surface 54 faces the forward luggage compartment 26 and may be referred to as an inner surface when the shutter assembly 28 is in the closed position. When the shutter assembly 28 is in the open position, the first surface 54 may be referred to as a bottom surface of the grill section 32 and the second surface 56 may be referred to as a top surface of the grill section 32. The second surface 56 provides an exterior of the grille of the vehicle 10. The first surface 54 and the second surface 56 extend laterally between opposite sides 58, 60, which in this example fit between opposite headlamps 62, 64. The first surface 54 and the second surface 56 also extend between edges 66, 68. When shutter assembly 28 is closed, edge 66 is the top edge and edge 68 is the bottom edge. When shutter assembly 28 is open, edge 66 may be referred to as the trailing edge and edge 68 may be referred to as the leading edge.

The hinged connection 35 is arranged adjacent to the second surface 56 and the top edge 66 such that a portion of the edge 66 rearward of the second surface 56 may be about the axis a relative to the cover section 30 ₂ And (5) rotating. Specifically, the hinged connection 35 is positioned adjacent the intersection of the second surface 56 and the edge 66, and adjacent the intersection of the first surface 38 and the edge 46. However, the hinged connection 35 may be positioned at another location along the top edge 66.

In this example, the shutter assembly 28 is movable between a closed position and an open position by a powertrain P (fig. 1). The locomotion assembly P may include one or more locomotion actuators, gears, and/or linkages configured to automatically move the shutter assembly 28 between the closed and open positions without requiring a user to apply a force to move the shutter assembly 28. The powertrain P includes a housing that allows the powertrain P to rotate the grid section 32 about the axis A ₂ A rotating mechanical connection. The power assembly P may include, for example, a linkage or gearing relationship such that movement of the shutter assembly 28 to the open position also causes corresponding rotation of the grill section 32, as discussed below. The opening and/or closing of the shutter assembly 28 may be initiated by a user initiating an open or close command on a key fob, on a user's mobile device, through a button on the exterior of the vehicle 10, and/or through a user interface in the passenger compartment 22. The actuator of the powertrain P may hold the shutter assembly 28 in the open and closed positions. Alternatively or additionally, the hinge 34 and hinge connection 35 may cooperate with one or more pawls and/or releasable latches configured to retain the shutter assembly 28 in the open and closed positions. For example, the edge 68 may include a releasable latch or protrusion configured to engage a corresponding protrusion or latch in the body of the vehicle 10 to retain the shutter assembly 28 in the closed position. Although reference is made to powertrain PIt is the shutter assembly 28 that may be configured to be manually opened and closed without the use of the power assembly P.

Further, the vehicle 10 includes a controller C (FIG. 1), which may be part of an overall vehicle control module, such as a Vehicle System Controller (VSC), or alternatively, a stand-alone controller separate from the VSC. The controller C may be programmed with executable instructions for interacting with and operating the various components of the vehicle 10. The controller additionally includes a processing unit and non-transitory memory for executing various control strategies and modes of the vehicle 10. As one example, the controller C may issue commands to the locomotion assembly P that initiate corresponding movements of the shutter assembly 28 in response to those commands.

An exemplary movement of the shutter assembly 28 from the closed position (fig. 3) to the open position (fig. 5) will now be described with reference to fig. 3-5, with the shutter assembly 28 being shown somewhat schematically in fig. 3-5. In fig. 3, shutter assembly 28 is in the closed position. When in the closed position, the shutter assembly 28 seals and protects the interior of the front trunk 26 from the external environment. In this position, the grill section 32 is at a first angle X measured from the first surface 38 of the cover section 30 to the first surface 54 of the grill section 32 ₁ Protruding from the cover section 30. In one example, a first angle X ₁ Is substantially 90.

Fig. 4 shows the shutter assembly 28 in a partially open position, and in particular shows the shutter assembly 28 as the shutter assembly 28 moves from the closed position to the open position. The open position may be referred to as a "fully open" position to contrast with a partially open position such as that of fig. 4. In this position, shutter assembly 28 has been rotated about axis A ₁ Rotates upward and rearward and the grill section 32 has begun to rotate about axis a ₂ Rotated in a direction away from the ground G (fig. 1), which is generally an upward direction and clockwise with reference to fig. 4, such that the grid section 32 is at a second angle X measured from the first surface 38 to the first surface 54 ₂ Protruding from the cover section 30. The ground G is a surface immediately below the wheels 14 of the vehicle 10, and mayIs concrete, pavement, grass, soil, etc. Second angle X ₂ Is greater than a first angle X ₁ . In this example, the powertrain P moves the shutter assembly 28 from the closed position to the partially open position, and in particular, about the axis A at the shutter assembly ₁ The power assembly P also rotates the grid section 32 about the axis a ₂ And (5) rotating.

Fig. 5 shows the shutter assembly 28 in an open position, which again may be referred to as a "fully open" position. In this example, when the shutter assembly 28 is in the open position, the grill section 32 is at a third angle X measured from the first surface 38 to the first surface 54 ₃ Protruding from the cover section 30. Third angle X ₃ Is greater than a first angle X ₁ And a second angle X ₂ . When in the open position of fig. 5, the position of the grid section 32 relative to fig. 4 has additionally been about axis a ₂ In a direction away from the ground G (which is generally an upward direction and clockwise with respect to fig. 5). In one example, a third angle X ₃ Greater than 90 deg.. In another example, a third angle X ₃ Greater than 90 ° and less than 180 °. Also in this example, the shutter assembly 28 is configured such that the grid section 32 is at an acute angle X above a plane Z extending parallel to the ground G ₄ Tilting. In one example, angle X ₄ Is about 10 measured from plane Z to first surface 54. In the open position, the cover section 30 is inclined at an angle between 60 ° and 80 ° relative to the angle between the first surface 38 and the ground G, and in one example 70 °.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the power assembly P is configured to gradually rotate the grill section 32 to the open position of fig. 5 as the shutter assembly 28 gradually rotates to the open position. In another example, the cover section 30 and the grid section 32 have been wrapped around the axis A ₁ After rotation, the power assembly P may cause the grid section 32 to rotate about the axis A ₂ And (5) rotating. In this example, the cover section 30 and the grid section 32 will be about axis A ₁ Rotates until the cover section 30 is in the open position, and the powertrain P will then initiate the grille section 32 about axis A ₂ Until the cover section 30 and the grid section 32 are in the position of fig. 5. In another example, a user may be about axis A relative to the cover section 30 when the shutter assembly 28 is open ₂ The grid section 32 is manually rotated to set the desired position of the grid section 32.

With the shutter assembly 28 in the open position of fig. 5, the grill section 32 may protrude slightly forward from the front of the front luggage compartment 26. Thus, the grill section 32 is caused to surround the axis A ₂ Rotating away from the ground G provides increased clearance and shielding in the vicinity of the forward luggage compartment 26. The term increased clearance refers to an increase in space to stand, sit or move about the front luggage compartment 26, which in the present disclosure is provided by the location of the grill section 32. Referring to fig. 6, the user U stands near the front trunk 26. The user U is able to stand under the shutter assembly 28 without touching the shutter assembly 28 (i.e., the grill section 32), which allows the user U to stand closer to the front luggage compartment 26 than the user U would otherwise be able to stand. This increases the ability of the user U to load and unload items stored in the front luggage compartment 26. The user U itself can also easily utilize the shade formed by the shutter assembly 28 (and particularly the grill section 32) to block sunlight without squatting under the grill section 32.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to the presentation of an electronic visual display 86 (fig. 2), such as a television or computer monitor, that can display images and video for enjoyment by a user adjacent the front trunk 26, such as during a travel picnic or similar activity. In this example, an electronic visual display 86 is mounted to the first surface 38 of the cover section 30. When the shutter assembly 28 is open, as shown in fig. 2, the electronic visual display 86 is substantially perpendicular to the ground G, and in particular, the screen 88 of the electronic visual display 86 is substantially perpendicular to the ground G, which increases the ease with which the electronic visual display 86 can be viewed. The term substantially when used in reference to an angle of rotation is intended to include acceptable tolerances, such as + -3 deg..

An electronic visual display 86 is mounted to the first surface 38 via a mount 89, which is schematically shown. The first surface 38 also includes a section that includes a mount, in this example a perforated hard fiber board (hardboard) 90, to facilitate mounting one or more items to the first surface 38. In this example, the electronic visual display 86 is mounted indirectly to the perforated hard fiberboard 90 via a mount 89. As an example, the perforated hard fiber board 90 may alternatively or additionally be used to store tools and equipment. In one example, a perforated hard fiber board 90 is mounted to the first surface 38. The perforated hard fiber board 90 includes equidistant holes configured to receive standard sized pegs, hooks, or other adapters configured to mount and store various items. In another example, the first surface 38 is integrally formed with equidistant holes corresponding to equidistant holes of a perforated hard fiber board.

The electronic visual display 86 is rotatably attached to the first surface 38 via a perforated hard fiberboard 90 and a mount 89 such that the electronic visual display 86 may be about an axis a adjacent the top of the electronic visual display 86 ₃ And (5) rotating. In one embodiment, the electronic visual display is about axis a ₃ Is governed by the powertrain P. The electronic visual display 86 may be configured to surround the axis a as the shutter assembly 28 moves from the closed position to the open position ₃ Gradually rotating such that the electronic visual display 86 is substantially perpendicular to the ground G when the shutter assembly 28 reaches the open position. In one example, when the shutter assembly 28 is in the open position, the first surface 38 is inclined at an angle between 60 ° and 80 ° relative to the ground G, and the electronic visual display 86 is configured about the axis a ₃ Rotated between 10 deg. and 30 deg.. When the shutter assembly 28 is in the closed position, the electronic visual display 86 is positioned substantially parallel to the first surface 38 under the power of the power assembly P. In another example, the user may manually rotate the electronic visual display 86. The positioning of the grill section 32 in the present disclosure allows unobstructed viewing of the electronic visual display 86 while also providing shielding adjacent the electronic visual display 86, which reduces glare on the electronic visual display 86.

The front luggage compartment 26 includes a number of additional features that in combination with the configuration of the shutter assembly 28 and in particular the grille section 32 increase the usability of the front luggage compartment 26. Referring to fig. 6, the front luggage compartment 26 includes a floor 94, a rear wall 96, and opposite lateral side walls 98, 100 that provide boundaries for the front cargo space of the vehicle 10. Various items such as a tool box and a tablet computer rest on the bottom plate 94, and various other items such as tools and chargers are attached to the rear wall 96.

The rear wall 96 includes a section that contains perforated hard fiber board 102. Various items, such as tools and chargers, are shown mounted to the perforated hard fiber board 102. The charger may be connected to a power source of the vehicle 10. As with the perforated hard fiberboard 90, the perforated hard fiberboard 102 may be used, as an example, for storing tools and equipment. Further, the perforated hard fiber board 102 may be mounted to the rear wall 96, or alternatively, the rear wall 96 may be integrally formed with equidistant holes corresponding to the equidistant holes of the perforated hard fiber board. The perforated hard fiber board 102 includes equidistant holes configured to receive standard sized pegs, hooks, or other adapters configured to mount and store various items.

The side flanges 104, 106 are accessible and available laterally outboard of the side walls 98, 100 when the shutter assembly 28 is open. Side flanges 104, 106 extend laterally from an upper portion of a respective one of the side walls 98, 100 to the outside of the vehicle 10 and otherwise generally present a similar profile to the cover section 30 such that when the shutter assembly 28 is closed, the cover section 30 overlaps and covers the side flanges 104, 106. In one example, the cover section 30 directly abuts the side flanges 104, 106 when the shutter assembly 28 is closed. The side flanges 104, 106 are configured to provide space when the shutter assembly 28 is open. Referring to the side flange 106, the side flange 106 includes two cup holders 108 and a working surface 110. The side flanges 104 are similarly configured, but are opposed about the centerline of the vehicle 10. The work surface 110 is substantially parallel to the floor 94 of the front trunk 26. The working surface 110 may be formed as a textured or finished surface configured to resist sliding of items placed on the working surface 110. In this regard, the work surface 110 may be considered a storage tray. The working surface 110 may alternatively be configured to receive a rubber pad. The work surface 110 may alternatively or additionally be configured to include or receive a wireless charging pad configured to charge a computing device or a mobile device.

The front luggage compartment 26 may also include various electrical outlets. In this example, the rear wall 96 includes four 120 volt power outlets 112. The front luggage compartment 26 may include a different number or type of power outlets (including 240 volt power outlets, USB-C outlets, etc.). The power outlet 112 may conveniently charge items such as tools, computing devices, or mobile devices used with respect to the front luggage compartment 26. The front luggage compartment 26 may include an electrical outlet in additional locations than shown in the figures.

In both embodiments, the front luggage compartment 26 and various surfaces of the hood section 30 and the grill section 32 may be made of polymeric materials. However, other materials, including metallic materials, are also contemplated as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

The front luggage compartment 26 may be adapted to various work surfaces (including surface 110) that may include one or more embossments that establish one or more measurement scales to measure the article when positioned atop the work surface. Each of the working surfaces may include a cup holder, a storage tray, an electrical outlet, and the like. The front luggage compartment 26 may also be fitted with various storage compartments and other features, such as speakers for listening to music or other audio during travel picnics, work, or other activities, and interfaces for controlling the speakers. Any electronics, including an electrical outlet, may be electrically connected to and powered by the battery pack 18. The controller C may selectively direct power to the power outlet 112, charge the power tools mounted to the perforated hard fiber boards 90, 102, and/or command the power assembly P (if present) to move the shutter assembly 28 and the electronic visual display 86, among other functions.

It should be understood that terms such as "about," "substantially," and "substantially" are not intended to be borderless terms and should be construed as consistent with the manner in which those terms would be interpreted by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, directional terms such as "forward", "rearward", "upward", "downward", "vertical", "horizontal", and the like are used with reference to the normal operating orientation of the vehicle and are for explanation purposes only and should not be otherwise construed as limiting.

Although different examples have particular components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. Some of the features or components from one of the examples may be used in combination with features or components from another of the examples. In addition, the various figures of the disclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show certain details of particular components or arrangements.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and not limiting. That is, modifications of the present disclosure will fall within the scope of the claims. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine their true scope and content.

Claims (14)

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a front luggage compartment that establishes a cargo space; and

an shutter assembly configured to move between a closed position and an open position to selectively cover and uncover the front luggage compartment, wherein the shutter assembly includes a cover section and a grille section, wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section in a direction away from the ground when the shutter assembly is not in the closed position.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section as the shutter assembly moves between the closed position and the open position.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the grille section is rotatable relative to the cover section about an axis adjacent a front edge of the cover section.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the grill section is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the ground.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the grille section protrudes from the cover section at a first angle measured from an inner surface of the cover section to an inner surface of the grille section when the shutter assembly is in the closed position.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first angle is substantially 90 °.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein the grill section protrudes from the cover section at a second angle greater than the first angle when the shutter assembly is in the open position, wherein the second angle is measured from the inner surface of the cover section to the inner surface of the grill section.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein the second angle is greater than 90 °.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the second angle is less than 180 °.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the grill section is inclined at an acute angle above a plane extending parallel to the ground.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the grill section is inclined at an angle of about 10 ° measured from the plane to the interior surface of the grill section.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein:

a power assembly is configured to move the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position, and

the powertrain is further configured to rotate the grille section from the first angle to the second angle when the powertrain moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

an electronic visual display is rotatably mounted to the underside of the cover section, and

the power assembly is further configured to rotate the electronic visual display such that the electronic visual display is substantially perpendicular to the ground when the power assembly moves the shutter assembly from the closed position to the open position.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is a battery electric vehicle.