Vehicle hood structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688313-B2
Application number	US-201314761590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2013
Priority date	Feb 8, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle hood structure, which includes an outer panel that forms an outer surface of a vehicle, an inner panel that is disposed below the outer panel and fixedly attached to the outer panel and that has a plurality of beam portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, having a hat-shaped section opening downward, and being separated from each other in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and which covers a front part of the vehicle, the vehicle hood structure including: a reinforcing member that is disposed below the inner panel so as to extend in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to have clearance between the reinforcing member and the beam portions, that has a convex shape curved upward in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and that is fixedly fastened at its both ends in the lateral direction of the vehicle to the inner panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle hood structure, which includes an outer panel that forms an outer surface of a vehicle, an inner panel that is disposed below the outer panel and fixedly attached to the outer panel and that has a plurality of beam portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, having a hat-shaped section opening downward, and being separated from each other in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and which covers a front part of the vehicle, the vehicle hood structure comprising:
a reinforcing member that is disposed below the inner panel so as to extend in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to have clearance between the reinforcing member and the beam portions, that has a convex shape curved upward in the lateral direction of the vehicle, that is fixedly fastened at its both ends in the lateral direction of the vehicle to the inner panel, that has a dish-shaped section that has a dish shape, that opens upward, as taken perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member which is the lateral direction of the vehicle, and that is provided with a deformation facilitating portion that facilitates deformation of sidewalls on both sides of the dish shape in a corner of the dish shape.

2. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the reinforcing member has a bead protruding upward or downward and extending in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member which is the lateral direction of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the reinforcing member is disposed in such a tilted attitude that a size of the clearance between the reinforcing member and the beam portions changes in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a hood lock striker is attached to the reinforcing member or the inner panel on each of right and left sides of the vehicle hood structure.

5. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a coupling portion for a hood opening/closing damper is provided on each end in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member which is the lateral direction of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle hood structure, which includes an outer panel that forms an outer surface of a vehicle, an inner panel that is disposed below the outer panel and fixedly attached to the outer panel and that has a plurality of beam portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, having a hat-shaped section opening downward, and being separated from each other in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and which covers a front part of the vehicle, the vehicle hood structure comprising:
a reinforcing member that is disposed below the inner panel so as to extend in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to have clearance between the reinforcing member and the beam portions, that has a convex shape curved upward in the lateral direction of the vehicle, that has two ends and is fixedly fastened at both ends in the lateral direction of the vehicle to the inner panel, and that is disposed in such a tilted attitude that a size of the clearance between the reinforcing member and the beam portions changes in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and
a coupling portion for a hood opening/closing damper being provided on each end in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member which is the lateral direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 6 , wherein the reinforcing member has a bead protruding upward or downward and extending in a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member which is the lateral direction of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 6 , wherein a hood lock striker is attached to the reinforcing member or the inner panel on each of right and left sides of the vehicle hood structure.

Assignees

• CHIKADA Simpei
• Toyota Tekko Kk

Inventors

• CHIKADA Simpei

Classifications

• B60R21/34

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

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title

• B62D25/105 Primary

  for motor cars · CPC title

• B62D25/12 Primary

  Parts or details thereof (locks E05B, {E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042}; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; {checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; } springs, {e.g. pneumatic springs} F16F) · CPC title