Patent ID: 7896409

Claim:
A vehicle fascia assembly comprising: a plastic fascia panel having a back side and a forward facing show surface having a grille opening therein for receiving a grille frame, said grille opening being defined by an integrally molded flange extending rearward from the show surface toward the back side of the fascia panel at a peripheral edge of the grille opening, said flange having a plurality of flexure fingers molded integral therewith at spaced intervals along the flange, and a grille frame having a forward facing show surface and having a C-shaped channel molded integrally around an outer edge of the show surface and including a base leg and spaced apart channel legs; one of said legs having a plurality of abutment faces provided thereon at spaced intervals and registering with the plurality of flexure fingers of the grille frame so that upon the assembly of the grille frame onto the backside of the fascia panel the spaced apart channel legs fit onto the flange of the fascia panel, the flexure fingers are biased by the one leg and then engage with the abutment face to attach the grille frame to the back side of the fascia panel without exposing the show surface of the fascia panel to possible injury by the grille frame during the assembly operation.