IP Library Granted Patent US 7,661,496
Granted Patent B2
US 7,661,496 · App. 11/571,447 · Granted Feb 16, 2010

Motor vehicle comprising a pop-up hood

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,661,496
App. No.
11/571,447
Granted
Feb 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described here is a motor vehicle comprising a body, a bonnet and also at least one actuator which is supported on the body and engages with a first edge of the bonnet for the purposes of raising the first edge up to a stop means in the event of an impact. Prior to the striking of the stop means, the actuator accelerates the first edge to a speed which is such that the impulse received by the bonnet is sufficient to raise a second edge of the bonnet that is located opposite the first edge when the first edge strikes the stop means.

Claims (20)

1. A motor vehicle comprising a body and a bonnet of which a first edge is arranged to be raised from a rest position into a limit position by an actuator that is supported on the body and a second edge thereof is supported on the body, characterized in that a support point for the second edge on the body and the path followed during the process of raising the first edge from the rest position into the limit position are matched to one another in such a way that they permit a rise of the first edge without a simultaneous rise of the second edge, in that the second edge is arranged to be raised at least when the first edge is in the limit position, and in that the driving force of the actuator is of a magnitude that is sufficient to provide an impulse to the bonnet in the lifting direction until the limit position is reached, said impulse being sufficient to raise the second edge.

2. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the support point for the second edge and the path followed during the lifting process are matched to one another in that the path followed during the lifting process runs substantially in the form of an arc of a circle about the fixed support point on the body.

3. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the support point for the second edge exhibits play parallel to the surface of the bonnet.

4. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by a separating device that is arranged to be activated in the event of a pedestrian impact for the purposes of severing a connection between the body and the second edge.

5. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that the separating device is actuated pyrotechnically or electromagnetically, or in that it comprises at least one element incorporating a predetermined breaking point.

6. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by a bonnet lock by means of which the second edge is held on the body.

7. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 6 , characterized in that the bonnet lock is arranged to be unlocked by the separating device.

8. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 6 , characterized in that the bonnet lock comprise two parts that are arranged to be locked together, of which one is connected firmly to the bonnet or the body and the other is held on the body or the bonnet respectively by means of the severable connection.

9. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by at least one hinge with which the second edge is held on the body in pivotal manner.

10. A motor vehicle in accordance claim 9 , characterized in that the hinge is held either on the body or on the bonnet by means of the severable connection.

11. A motor vehicle in accordance claim 9 , characterized in that the hinge comprises two hinge parts that are connected together in articulated manner by means of a shaft which is arranged to be withdrawn by the separating device, wherein a first of the hinge parts, is firmly connected to the body and the second of the hinge parts is firmly connected to the bonnet.

12. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by at least one support means for supporting the second edge in a raised position.

13. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the support means is resilient when a body strikes the bonnet in the event of an impact.

14. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 13 , characterized in that the support means is a gas spring or a gas bag.

15. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the support means engages on the one hand with the part that is held on the body by the connection and on the other hand with the body, or, in that the support means engages on the one hand with the part that is held on the bonnet by the connection and on the other hand with the bonnet.

16. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that in the case where a hinge is held on the body by the connection, the support means is articulated to the hinge on the one hand and to the body on the other, or, in that in the case where the hinge is held on the bonnet by the connection, the support means is articulated to the hinge on the one hand and to the bonnet on the other.

17. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the support means is identical to a second actuator.

18. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that at least one second actuator engages with the second edge, said second actuator being arranged to produce a force (F r ) on the second edge which drives the second edge away from the body if the second edge is located at least at a predetermined activation height (z a ) above a rest position which the second edge occupies when the bonnet is closed.

19. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 17 , characterized in that the second actuator is arranged to produce on the second edge a force (F r ) which is directed towards the body if the second edge is located below the predetermined activation height, whereby the greatest possible absolute value (|F r1 |) of the force directed towards the body is smaller than the greatest possible absolute value (|F r2 |) of the force directed away from the body.

20. A motor vehicle in accordance with claim 18 , characterized by two second actuators arranged in mirror-symmetrical manner which, in the rest position, produce forces having mutually opposed components of force that are perpendicular to the raising direction of the second edge.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034184/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0041 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025314/0946 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0656 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0140 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0264 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0663 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0563 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022553/0540 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0448 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2007
From: SCHAFER, JOACHIM
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020179/0730 →