Vehicle hood assemblies including a hood reinforcement strap with lobe structures and vehicles including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914485-B2
Application number	US-201615065130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle hood assembly includes an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel coupled to and positioned below the outer hood panel in a vehicle vertical direction. A hood reinforcement strap is coupled to at least one of the outer hood panel and the inner hood panel. The hood reinforcement strap includes a strap base and lobe structures spaced-apart along a length of the strap base that extend outward from the strap base in the vehicle vertical direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle hood assembly comprising:
an outer hood panel;
an inner hood panel coupled to and positioned below the outer hood panel in a vehicle vertical direction; and
a hood reinforcement strap coupled to at least one of the outer hood panel and the inner hood panel, the hood reinforcement strap comprising a strap base and lobe structures spaced-apart along a length of the strap base that extend outward from the strap base in the vehicle vertical direction;
wherein the inner hood panel comprises a plurality of ribs that extend generally in a vehicle longitudinal direction within a central portion of the inner hood panel and the strap base is connected to the plurality of ribs.

2. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hood reinforcement strap is coupled to an inner side of the inner hood panel.

3. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strap base spans multiple ribs of the plurality of ribs.

4. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the strap base is substantially planar.

5. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lobe structure comprises
an outer end;
a first laterally facing leg located at a first laterally facing edge of the outer end; and
a second laterally facing leg located at a second, opposite laterally facing edge of the outer end.

6. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second laterally facing legs each include a bend that divides the respective first and second laterally facing legs into an end portion and a base portion.

7. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lobe structure comprises
an outer end;
a first longitudinally facing leg located at a first longitudinally facing edge of the outer end; and
a second longitudinally facing leg located at a second, opposite longitudinally facing edge of the outer end.

8. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lobe structure is formed of material forming the strap base.

9. A vehicle comprising:
an engine bay;
a drive unit positioned in the engine bay;
a vehicle hood assembly selectively positioned over the engine bay, the vehicle hood assembly comprising an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel positioned below the outer hood panel in a vehicle vertical direction; and
a hood reinforcement strap coupled to at least one of the inner hood panel and the outer hood panel, the hood reinforcement strap comprising a strap base and lobe structures spaced-apart along a length of the strap base that extend outward from the strap base in the vehicle vertical direction;
wherein the inner hood panel comprises a plurality of ribs that extend generally in a vehicle longitudinal direction within a central portion of the inner hood panel and the strap base is connected to the plurality of ribs.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcement strap is coupled to an inner side of the inner hood panel.

11. The vehicle hood assembly of claim 9 , wherein the strap base spans multiple ribs of the plurality of ribs.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the strap base is substantially planar.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lobe structure comprises
an outer end;
a first laterally facing leg located at a first laterally facing edge of the outer end; and
a second laterally facing leg located at a second, opposite laterally facing edge of the outer end.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first and second laterally facing legs each include a bend that divides the respective first and second laterally facing legs into an end portion and a base portion.

15. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lobe structure comprises
an outer end;
a first longitudinally facing leg located at a first longitudinally facing edge of the outer end; and
a second longitudinally facing leg located at a second, opposite longitudinally facing edge of the outer end.

16. A hood reinforcement strap that couples to an inner hood panel of a vehicle hood assembly, the hood reinforcement strap comprising:
a strap base being a substantially planar member; and
lobe structures that are spaced-apart along a length of the strap base and that extend outward from the strap base to an outer end that opposes the strap base;
a first leg located at a first edge of the outer end;
a second leg located at a second edge of the outer end that is opposite the first edge;
a third leg located at a third edge of the outer end that is perpendicular to and extends between the first edge and the second edge; and
a fourth leg located at a fourth edge of the outer end that is perpendicular to and extends between the first edge and the second edge.

17. The hood reinforcement strap of claim 16 , wherein adjacent ones of the first leg, the second leg, the third leg and the fourth leg are separated by a gap.

18. The hood reinforcement strap of claim 17 , wherein the first and second legs each include a bend that divides the respective first and second legs into an end portion and a base portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Hammer Jeremiah T
• Steinhilb Aaron R

Classifications

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · 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

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title

• B62D25/105

  for motor cars · CPC title

• B60R21/34

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