Rupturable type hood hinge device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9481340-B2
Application number	US-201514938695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A rupturable type hood hinge device is provided on a vehicle body for opening or closing an engine room and reduces injury to a walker by reducing impact caused from collision with a hood. The hinge device includes a hinge bracket disposed on the engine room and fixed to the vehicle body and a hinge arm fixed to the hood to be rotatable with respect to the hinge bracket. A lowering lever link-connects one side of the hinge arm and one side of the hinge bracket. A rupturable bolt hinge-connects a connection portion of the lowering lever and the hinge bracket and is configured to sense the impact caused when the walker collides with the hood and at the same time to rupture such that the hood and the hinge arm fall and thereby the impact of the walker is dampened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rupturable active hood hinge device provided on a vehicle body for opening or closing an engine room and reduces injury to a walker by reducing an impact caused by collision with a hood, the device comprising:
a hinge bracket disposed on the engine room and fixed to the vehicle body, the hinge bracket having opposing first and second sides;
a hinge arm fixed to the hood to be rotatable with respect to the hinge bracket;
a lowering lever link-connecting one side of the hinge arm to the first side of the hinge bracket; and
a rupturable bolt hinge-connecting a connection portion of the lowering lever and the hinge bracket and configured to sense the impact caused when the walker collides with the hood and at substantially the same time to rupture such that the hood and the hinge arm fall and thereby the impact of the walker is dampened,
wherein the rupturable bolt comprises:
a body section that is penetration-inserted so as to link-connect the hinge bracket and the lowering lever;
a bolt section extending from one end of the body section and fastened to the hinge bracket;
a main charge that is provided inside the body section and is configured to separate the body section and the bolt section with an explosion;
an initiator that is provided on one side of the body section and is configured to ignite the main charge when a vehicle collides with a walker; and
a connection gun powder that is provided inside the body section and is configured to transfer the fire of the initiator to the main charge.

2. The rupturable active hood hinge device of claim 1 , further comprising a load sensor provided on one side of the body section of the rupturable bolt, the load sensor configured to sense a collision impact force when a vehicle collides with a walker and transmit a rupture signal to the initiator.

3. The rupturable active hood hinge device of claim 1 , further comprising a damping lever link-connected between the hinge arm and the hinge bracket and provided with an impact damping section configured to dampen with elastic force an impact force due to falling of the lowering lever due to the rupture of the rupturable bolt, wherein
the hinge bracket has opposing first and second main surfaces, the lowering lever is disposed on the first main surface of the hinge bracket, and the damping lever is disposed on the second main surface of the hinge bracket.

4. The rupturable active hood hinge device of claim 3 , wherein the impact damping section comprises: a spring provided on one of the opposing first and second sides of the hinge bracket, the spring having an extension section formed thereon; and a damping connect pin that protrudes from the damping lever and is configured to push down the extension section and dampen the impact force due to the falling of the lowering lever.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Sang Il
• Hong Seong Tae

Classifications

• B60R21/38

  using means for lifting bonnets · CPC title

• E05Y2900/536

  Hoods · CPC title

• B60R21/34 Primary

  Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B62D25/10

  Bonnets or lids {, e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles (for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38)} · CPC title

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title