The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 12, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 02, 2003
Sae U Park, Troy, MI (US);
Constantinos Sakatis, Oxford, MI (US);
Homyoung Kim, South Lyon, MI (US);
Mingchao Guo, Windsor, CA (US);
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A tow hook assembly for mounting to a front end of a vehicle. The tow hook assembly includes a base plate for mounting to the vehicle, the base plate having a central aperture for aligning over an opening in a mounting base on the vehicle. A tow hook has a shaft and an expanded base, with the aperture in the base plate receiving the shaft, and the expanded base being larger than the aperture to prevent the tow hook from being pulled through the base plate. In response to a frontal impact, however, the tow hook is released from the base plate, the shaft traveling freely through the aperture and the opening in the mounting base, so that minimal force of impact is transferred from the tow hook to the vehicle.