IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,207,406
Granted Patent B1
US 7,207,406 · App. 09/979,237 · Granted Apr 24, 2007

Front hood assembly

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,207,406
App. No.
09/979,237
Granted
Apr 24, 2007
Kind
B1
Abstract

A front hood assembly has the front hood of a motor vehicle hinged to the chassis of the motor vehicle via at least one hinge, the front hood being lockable via at least one hood lock for locking the front hood with the body of a motor vehicle. To this end, the hood lock allows a horizontal displacement of the front hood even if it is locked. The locking element of the front hood allows a displacement of the front hood into horizontal escape space while the front hood remains locked.

Claims (48)

1. A front hood assembly for attachment to a vehicle, comprising

a front hood;

at least one hood lock for closing said front hood, and

at least one hinge for coupling said front hood to a frame of said vehicle,

wherein the at least one hinge, when the vehicle is ready to drive, is arranged in a resilient raised position, and

wherein the at least one hood lock, in its locked state, allows a horizontal displacement of the front hood towards said hinge,

wherein the frame comprises a front member disposed at a frontal portion of the frame, and

wherein the hood lock is arranged on a rear side, with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle, of the front member.

2. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one hood lock comprises a yielding space adjoining its closed position, and

wherein the yielding space defines a guide means for a substantially horizontal displacement in a direction toward the rear of one of the front hood and of a holding part connected to the front hood.

3. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage member that prestresses the at least one hood lock in the direction opposite to the direction of horizontal displacement,

wherein, in the event of an impact, the energy storage member can be stressed, such that some of the energy from said impact is absorbed, and

wherein the energy storage member comprises a spring that is designed so that it can be stressed.

4. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage member that prestresses the at least one hood lock in the direction opposite to the direction of horizontal displacement,

wherein, in the event of an impact, the energy storage member can be stressed, such that some of the energy from said impact is absorbed, and

wherein the energy storage member comprises a deformable component that converts the impact energy into deformation energy through plastic deformation of the deformable component.

5. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein, when a threshold load corresponding to a predetermined load is exceeded, said at least one hinge comprises means for allowing a vertical and horizontal displacement of the front hood.

6. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the multiple-joint hinge includes a four-joint assembly.

7. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one hinge is designed as a multiple-joint hinge.

8. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least two joints, and

wherein the multiple-joint hinge is arranged on the frame of the vehicle in a manner such that the front hood, when the hood lock is released, can be opened without the position of at least one joint of the multiple-joint hinge changing.

9. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least one link, and

wherein at least one link of the multiple-joint hinge is designed to change in length.

10. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least one link, and

wherein at least one link of the multiple-joint hinge is designed so that it can be separated into at least two parts.

11. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least one link, and

wherein at least one link of the multiple-joint hinge has at least one joint for coupling said at least one link to one of the front hood and the body, which can change in position.

12. The front hood assembly as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least two adjacent links, each having coupling points on at least one mounting part, and

wherein two coupling points of at least two adjacent links of the multiple-joint hinge on the same mounting part are separated by a distance that can be changed as a result of an overload.

13. A front hood assembly for attachment to a vehicle, comprising

a front hood;

at least one hood lock for closing said front hood, and

at least one hinge for coupling said front hood to a frame of said vehicle,

wherein the at least one hinge, when the vehicle is ready to drive, is arranged in a resilient raised position,

wherein the at least one hood lock, in its locked state, allows a horizontal displacement of the front hood towards said hinge,

wherein the at least one hinge is designed as a multiple-joint hinge,

wherein said multiple-joint hinge comprises at least one link, and

wherein at least one link of the multiple-joint hinge has at least one link that breaks under a predetermined load.

14. The front hood assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the multiple-joint hinge includes at least one link configured to provide a connection between the front hood and the frame under a load exceeding the predetermined load.