IP Library Granted Patent US 12,203,308
Granted Patent B2
US 12,203,308 · App. 17/710,701 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Vehicle hood

Inventors: Steven C. Heinrichs (Dublin, OH); Patrick J. Ellison (Plain City, OH); Taiga Marukawa (Rochester Hills, MI); Kosaku Tomozawa (Utsunomiya, JP); Akira Futatsuhashi (Utsunomiya, JP); Gilberto Larrache-Irizarry (Delaware, OH); Stephen D Rosenkrantz (Columbus, OH); Keiichiro Tsuji (Novi, MI); Takashi Nakano (Utsunomiya, JP)
Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
E05D5/0207B60J5/10B62D25/105E05Y2600/51E05Y2600/62E05Y2600/626E05Y2900/536
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,203,308
App. No.
17/710,701
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hood for a vehicle is movable between an open position and a closed position for covering a vehicle compartment. The hood includes a hood body having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface. A first bracket attached to the interior facing surface of the hood body includes a bottom end having a downward opening slot a rotatable hinge attached to the vehicle in the vehicle compartment for moving the hood body between the open position and the closed position. A second bracket is attached to the vehicle in the vehicle compartment. The second bracket is attached to a distal end of the rotatable hinge and includes a weld stud extending laterally from a side of the second bracket. The first bracket is seated on the weld stud during installation of the hood.

Claims (51)

1. A hood for a vehicle movable between an open position and a closed position for covering a vehicle compartment, comprising:

a hood body having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface;

a first bracket attached to the interior facing surface of the hood body, the first bracket including a bottom end having a downward opening slot;

a rotatable hinge attached to the vehicle in the vehicle compartment for moving the hood body between the open position and the closed position

a second bracket attached to the vehicle in the vehicle compartment, the second bracket being attached to a distal end of the rotatable hinge, the second bracket including a weld stud extending laterally from a side of the second bracket;

a first fastener for attaching the first bracket to the second bracket;

wherein the first bracket is configured to be seated on the weld stud only during installation of the hood; and

wherein the first bracket is lifted upwardly off of the weld stud when the first fastener attaches the first bracket to the second bracket.

2. The hood of claim 1 wherein the first fastener comprises:

a bolt.

3. The hood of claim 1 further comprising:

a second fastener for attaching the second bracket to the rotatable hinge.

4. The hood of claim 3 wherein the second fastener comprises:

a rivet.

5. The hood of claim 3 wherein the bottom end of the first bracket further comprises:

a first angled extension defining a first side of the downward opening slot; and

a second angled extension defining a second side of the downward opening slot.

6. The hood of claim 5 wherein the first angled extension is bent at an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from the first bracket.

7. The hood of claim 6 wherein the second angled extension is bent at an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from the first bracket.

8. The hood of claim 7 wherein the first angled extension and the second angle extension are angled to avoid interference with the second fastener.

9. The hood of claim 8 wherein the first angled extension and the second angle extension are bent at an angle of 45 degrees from the first bracket.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a compartment;

a hood movable between an open position and a closed position for covering the compartment, comprising:

a hood body having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface;

a first bracket attached to the interior facing surface of the hood body, the first bracket including a bottom end having a downward opening slot;

a rotatable hinge attached to the vehicle in the compartment for moving the hood body between the open position and the closed position;

a second bracket attached to the vehicle in the compartment, the second bracket being attached to a distal end of the rotatable hinge, the second bracket including a weld stud extending laterally from a side of the second bracket;

a first fastener for attaching the first bracket to the second bracket;

wherein the first bracket is configured to be seated on the weld stud only during installation of the hood; and

wherein the first bracket is lifted upwardly off of the weld stud when the first fastener attaches the first bracket to the second bracket.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 further comprising:

a second fastener for attaching the second bracket to the rotatable hinge.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the bottom end of the first bracket further comprises:

a first angled extension defining a first side of the downward opening slot; and

a second angled extension defining a second side of the downward opening slot.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the first angled extension and the second angled extension are angled to avoid interference with the second fastener.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the first angled extension and the second angled extension are bent at an angle of 45 degrees from the first bracket.

15. A hood for a vehicle movable between an open position and a closed position for covering a vehicle compartment, comprising:

a hood body having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface;

a first bracket attached to the interior facing surface of the hood body, the first bracket including a bottom end having a downward opening slot;

a rotatable hinge attached to the vehicle in the vehicle compartment for moving the hood body between the open position and the closed position, the rotatable hinge including a weld stud extending laterally from a side of a second bracket;

a first fastener for attaching the first bracket to the second bracket;

wherein the first bracket is configured to be seated on the weld stud only during installation of the hood; and

wherein the first bracket is lifted upwardly off of the weld stud when the first fastener attaches the first bracket to the second bracket.

16. The hood of claim 15 further comprising:

a second fastener for attaching the first bracket to the rotatable hinge; and

wherein the bottom end of the first bracket further comprises:

a first angled extension defining a first side of the downward opening slot;

a second angled extension defining a second side of the downward opening slot; and

wherein the first angled extension and the second angled extension are bent at an angle of 45 degrees from the first bracket.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2022
From: ELLISON, PATRICK J; MARUKAWA, TAIGA; TOMOZAWA, KOSAKU; FUTATSUHASHI, AKIRA; LARRACHE-IRIZARRY, GILBERTO; ROSENKRANTZ, STEPHEN D; TSUJI, KEIICHIRO; NAKANO, TAKASHI
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059954/0217 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2022
From: HEINRICHS, STEVEN C
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059468/0274 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2022
From: ELLISON, PATRICK J.; MARUKAWA, TAIGA; TOMOZAWA, KOSAKU; FUTATSUHASHI, AKIRA; LARRACHE-IRIZARRY, GILBERTO; ROSENKRANTZ, STEPHEN D; TSUJI, KEIICHIRO; NAKANO, TAKASHI
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060265/0017 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230313579A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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