Abstract:
A method and article of manufacture for an automotive grille facing. Tracks or grooves are formed in the fins of a radiator grille on the exterior side of the grille. The track is adapted to receive an insert having a bead that fits within the groove.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This patent application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/479,673 filed on Jun. 18, 2003, entitled Grille Facing Method and Article of Manufacture, and incorporated herein. 
     
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE  
       [0002]     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     This invention pertains to grille facings and more particularly to a method and article of manufacture for an automotive grille.  
         [0004]     Grilles are typically constructed from aluminum, plastic or other rigid material as a number of parallel members or perhaps a cage or screen of members arranged in a decorative fashion. The grille may be placed in the opening surrounding an object in order to protect the object from physical intrusion, channel or deflect air flow, or simply to supply a decorative front for covering the object. In the case of an automotive vehicle an opening is formed about the radiator for a given model of vehicle. The grille is sized to fit within an opening of the subject radiator.  
         [0005]     It may be desirable to a have a viewable exterior surface for the grille made from a different material than is the grille itself. Although the grille itself is made from plastic or aluminum it may be desirable to cover the front with a more attractive material, such as stainless steel. In the past there have been various methods to achieve an attractive grille, such as grinding the exterior surface of the individual members or the grille or using and adhesive to connect a facing to the grille. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a vehicle radiator grille.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a cutaway side view of a radiator grille of the prior art  
         [0008]      FIGS. 3 and 3 A- 3 B are cutaway side views of radiator grilles of embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0009]     FIGS.  4 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]     FIGS.  4 E-H are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a facing insert for a grille to be used with the type of billet of FIGS.  4 A-D.  
         [0011]     FIGS.  5 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5E  is a perspective view of an insert joined to the billet of FIGS.  5 A-D.  
         [0013]     FIGS.  6 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]     FIGS.  6 E-H are side schematic and perspective views of an insert for a grille of the embodiment of the present invention, to be used with the type of billet of FIGS.  6 A-D.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7A -D are side, front, top and perspective schematic views an insert for a grille of the embodiment of the present invention, to be used with the type of billet of FIGS.  6 A-D. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     A method and construction for applying a facing to a vehicle radiator grille, the method includes the steps of providing a radiator grille having fins and an insert member having a bead. Tracks or grooves are formed in the fins of the radiator grille on the viewable exterior side of the grille, the side that is visible to persons at a distance from the vehicle. The track or groove is adapted to receive the bead, and the bead is inserted into the groove to retain the insert in the groove. The aggregate one or more facing inserts affixed to the radiator comprise the facing of the radiator grille.  
         [0017]     A radiator grille is typically made of a number of parallel fin members held together in common on the rear side by one or more supporting members. Alternatively a grille and fins can be formed from a solid piece of material, a plate of aluminum or plastic for example, with slots being machined in the plate to form the fins.  
         [0018]     The present invention includes forming a track or groove on the front face of one or more fins or billets. The insert has an insert track or bead portion to fit in the groove and an insert face portion. The groove is complementary to a facing insert, including its bead, and otherwise formed to receive the insert.  
         [0019]     The grooves in the fins are typically extruded in the part as it is being made, without the need for machining. Alternatively the track or groove may machined into the front face side of a single plate. A stainless steel facing insert can be likewise extruded but is typically drawn on a wire machine.  
         [0020]     After the groove is formed a complementary facing insert made of a desirable metal, such as stainless steel, is then inserted into the groove to on the face of the fin to finish the face. A length of facing insert having a complementary track or bead to the groove is slid into the groove. In the preferred embodiment the facing insert is then swedged into place by a roller that pinches or swedges. Staking will also work to place the facing insert into the groove.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     The following description, and the figures to which it refers, are provided for the purpose of describing example(s) and specific embodiment(s) of the invention only and are not intended to exhaustively describe all possible examples and embodiments of the invention. In the following various figures identical elements and features are given the same reference number, and similar or corresponding elements and features are or may be given the same reference numbers followed by an a, b, c, and so on as appropriate for purposes of describing the various embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0022]     The present invention discloses a method and construction for applying a facing to an a automotive radiator grille. Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in  FIG. 1 a  front perspective view of an exemplary metallic radiator grille  11  of the prior art for an automobile is shown, the radiator is made of a number of parallel members, fins  13 , here flat metal billets (rectangular lengths) held together in common on the rear side by supporting members  14 . Fins are typically produced by being formed individually and then made into a grille by inserting a round or square shape through the fins at a 90-degree angle to temporarily hold them equidistant, then welded together or to the supporting member to or to each other form the grille.  
         [0023]     Alternatively a grille can be formed from a solid piece of material ( 18  in  FIG. 3A ) a plate of aluminum or plastic for example, with slots being machined in the plate. The face of the grille may be finished by polishing the face of the grille. In the prior art, shown in  FIG. 2 , radiator grille fins  13  might be finished by being powder-coated or painted, then the front face  17  of the fins might be ground evenly and/or polished with a grinder (shown at  20  being moved to face  17  in direction of arrow) to produce an attractive face.  
         [0024]     The present invention includes forming a track or groove  15  on the front face  17  of one or more fins or billets  13  of a grille  11 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Referring generally to all figures, the groove  15  is fitted complementary to a portion of a facing insert  19  (shown with cross-section, magnified bead portion  21  and facing insert face portion  23 ) made from a desirable facing material, such as stainless steel. The facing insert has a facing insert track or bead portion  21  to fit in the groove and a facing insert face portion  23  that protrudes over the fin  13 . The grooves  15  in the fins  13  are typically extruded in the part as it is being made, without the need for machining. Alternatively the track or groove  15  may machined into the front face side  17  of a single plate  18 , shown in  FIG. 3B  leaving each individual fin of the radiator grille to receive a facing insert. A stainless steel facing insert can be likewise extruded but is typically drawn on a wire machine.  
         [0025]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not be limited to simple parallel arrangements of aluminum fins however, which are presented herein by way of example and not as a limitation. The same method can be used to produce grilles made of other materials, such as plastic or other metals, and further used to produce grilles with facings forming any design, such as aluminum shapes and filigrees. A plastic grille, for example, could be formed to have a groove to accept a complex design incorporating a stainless steel facing insert.  
         [0026]     After the groove  15  is formed a complementary facing insert  19 , made of a desirable metal, such as stainless steel, is then inserted into the groove to on the face of the fin to finish the face. A length of facing insert  19 , shown at  FIG. 3A , having a complementary track or bead  21  and facing  23  is slid into the groove and retained. The facing insert  19  is then swedged into place by a roller that pinches or swedges. Staking will also work to place the facing insert  19  into the groove  15 .  
         [0027]     In this manner the fins may be made of one metal, for example aluminum, and the facing insert may be made of a more desirable material, for example stainless steel. Therefore instead of finishing the face  17  by grinding, polishing or other manner, it is finished by inserting a length of the facing insert into the groove of each fin.  
         [0028]      FIGS. 4-6  are more detailed and specific drawings showing embodiments of the present inventions, including machine drawings, dimensions shown are in inches.  
         [0029]     FIGS.  4 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIGS.  4 E-H are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a facing insert for a grille to be used with the type of billet of FIGS.  4 A-D.  
         [0030]     FIGS.  5 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes an E-Channel  25  cut in the billet  13  to produce a lighter billet and therefore a lighter grille.  FIG. 5E  is a perspective view of a facing insert  21  joined to the billet of FIGS.  5 A-D.  
         [0031]     FIGS.  6 A-D are side, rear and top schematic and perspective views of a billet for a grille of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes a central channel  27  that, like the E-Channel, produces a lighter billet and therefore a lighter grille. FIGS.  6 E-H are side schematic and perspective views of a facing insert  19  for the this embodiment of the present invention, to be used with the type of billet  13  of FIGS.  6 A-D.  
         [0032]     FIGS.  7 A-D are side, front, top and perspective schematic views a facing insert  19  of the type to be used with the type of billet  13  of  FIGS. 6A-6D . This embodiment show the use of an slat  29 , made for example of aluminum, that is inserted into the groove  15  prior to inserting the facing insert  19 . This provides for more secure retention of the facing insert  19 , especially when a softer material such as plastic is used to form the billet  13 . After, for example a stainless steel facing insert  19  is inserted into an aluminum slat  29 , the two edges may to crimped to hold the units in place.