IP Library Granted Patent US 12698040
Granted Patent B2
US 12698040 · App. 18/283,073 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Automotive exterior component

Inventors: Yasunori Sawa (Tokyo, JP); Ryuichi Nishimura (Tokyo, JP); Koichi Hamada (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
B62D25/10B62D25/12B62D27/026B62D29/007B62D29/008F16B5/0621F16B5/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698040
App. No.
18/283,073
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automobile hood 1 has a first-direction joint row 30 in which a plurality of joints 20 are arranged at an interval from each other in a cross direction X, and a second-direction joint row 40 in which a plurality of the joints 20 are arranged at an interval from each other in a longitudinal direction Y. A curvature 1 /R 1 in a direction along the first-direction joint row 30 in a region of the outer panel 3 corresponding to the first-direction joint row 30 is smaller than a curvature 1 /R 2 in a direction along the second-direction joint row 40 in a region of the outer panel 3 corresponding to the second-direction joint row 40 . An interval X 1 between the joints 20 in the first-direction joint row 30 is greater than an interval Y 2 between the joints 20 in the second-direction joint row 40.

Claims (46)

1 . An automotive exterior component, comprising:

an outer panel,

an inner that is arranged along the outer panel on an inner side of a vehicle body relative to the outer panel, and

a plurality of joints having a spot shape that join the outer panel and the inner,

the plurality of joints arranged forming a first direction joint row in a first direction and a second direction joint row in a second direction, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the first direction joint row and the second direction joint row including at least three joints of the plurality of joints,

joints of the plurality of joints forming the first direction joint row being arranged at an interval from each other in an aligned relationship in the first direction, and

joints of the plurality of joints forming the second direction joint row being arranged at an interval from each other in an aligned relationship in the second direction-,

wherein:

a curvature in a direction along the first-direction joint row in a region of the outer panel corresponding to the first-direction joint row is smaller than a curvature in a direction along the second-direction joint row in a region of the outer panel corresponding to the second-direction joint row; and

the interval between the plurality of joints in the first-direction joint row is greater than the interval between the joints in the second-direction joint row.

2 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 1 , wherein:

the inner includes a plurality of units;

the units each include an annular flange which is arranged adjacent to the outer panel, an inclined wall that extends from the flange so as to separate from the outer panel, and a bottom portion that is continuous with the inclined wall and is separated from the flange; and

the joint is arranged at the flange in the unit.

3 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 2 , wherein:

the units each are formed in a polygonal shape or a circular shape as viewed from a sheet thickness direction of the outer panel, and

the automotive exterior component includes a configuration in which the plurality of units are disposed in a close-packed arrangement.

4 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 3 , wherein:

the polygonal shape is a hexagonal shape.

5 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 3 , wherein:

the joints of the first-direction joint row and the joints of the second-direction joint row are arranged in one of the plurality of polygonal or circular units.

6 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 2 , wherein:

three, four, or six of the joints are arranged at the flange in the unit.

7 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 6 , wherein:

the joints are arranged in a predetermined pattern at each of the flanges where the first-direction joint row and the second-direction joint row are arranged.

8 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 2 , wherein:

at the flange where the first-direction joint row and the second-direction joint row are arranged, the joints are arranged at an equal pitch in a circumferential direction of the flange.

9 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 2 , wherein:

a joint-equipped unit as the unit in which the joint is provided, is provided in plurality, the joint-equipped units have centers, respectively, and

a distance between the centers as viewed in the sheet thickness direction of two of the joint-equipped units that are adjacent to each other is 200 mm or less.

10 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 9 , wherein:

15 or more of the joint-equipped units in which the joints are arranged in a predetermined pattern are arranged.

11 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 1 , further having:

an oblique-direction joint row in which the plurality of joints are arranged in an aligned relationship in a direction that obliquely intersects with the first-direction joint row.

12 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 11 , wherein:

each of the joints in the oblique-direction joint row is one of the joints of the first-direction joint row and is one of the joints of the second-direction joint row.

13 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 1 , wherein:

the outer panel is a hood outer panel.

14 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 13 , wherein:

the first direction is a vehicle body cross direction.

15 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 1 , wherein:

the outer panel is a steel sheet having a sheet thickness of 0.60 mm or less, and

the inner is a steel sheet having a sheet thickness of 0.50 mm or less.

16 . The automotive exterior component according to claim 1 , wherein:

the outer panel is an aluminum sheet having a sheet thickness of 0.75 mm or less, and

the inner is an aluminum sheet having a sheet thickness of 0.75 mm or less.