Adhesive hood reinforcement for pedestrian protection

1. A hood of a vehicle, comprising:

a hood outer panel having an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface;

a hood inner panel connected to the hood outer panel and configured to provide structural support to the hood outer panel, the hood inner panel having an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the hood outer panel and an interior surface; and

a reinforcing patch connected to the interior surface of the hood outer panel between the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, at a reinforcing location aligned with one or more structural components of the vehicle, the reinforcing patch configured to increase the rigidity and mass of the hood outer panel at the reinforcing location to absorb energy from a pedestrian struck by the vehicle and to reduce impact from the one or more structural components of the vehicle onto the pedestrian when the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel become compressed onto the one or more structural components of the vehicle, the reinforcing patch being unconnected to the hood inner panel.

2. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing patch is connected to the hood outer panel by an adhesive.

3. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing location is above a headlight compartment of the vehicle.

4. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing patch has an irregular shape corresponding to locations of the one or more structural components of the vehicle located underneath the reinforcing location of the hood outer panel.

5. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the one or more structural components have a higher rigidity, a higher mass, and a higher resistance to deformation than the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel.

6. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing patch has a uniform thickness.

7. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing patch has varying thicknesses based on locations of the one or more structural components of the vehicle located underneath the reinforcing location of the hood outer panel.

8. The hood of claim 1 , wherein the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel are made of a different material than the reinforcing patch.

9. A vehicle for improving pedestrian safety, comprising:

a hood having:

a hood outer panel having an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface, and

a hood inner panel connected to the hood outer panel and configured to provide structural support to the hood outer panel, the hood inner panel having an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the hood outer panel and an interior surface; and

a reinforcing patch connected to the interior surface of the hood outer panel between the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, at a reinforcing location aligned with one or more structural components of the vehicle, the reinforcing patch configured to increase the rigidity and mass of the hood outer panel at the reinforcing location to absorb energy from a pedestrian struck by the vehicle and to reduce impact from the one or more structural components of the vehicle onto the pedestrian when the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel become compressed onto the one or more structural components of the vehicle, the reinforcing patch being unconnected to the hood inner panel.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing patch is connected to the hood outer panel by an adhesive.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing location is above a headlight compartment of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing patch has an irregular shape corresponding to locations of the one or more structural components of the vehicle located underneath the reinforcing location of the hood outer panel.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the one or more structural components have a higher rigidity, a higher mass, and a higher resistance to deformation than the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel.

14. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing patch has a uniform thickness.

15. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing patch has varying thicknesses based on locations of the one or more structural components of the vehicle located underneath the reinforcing location of the hood outer panel.

16. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel are made of a different material than the reinforcing patch.

17. A hood outer panel assembly of a vehicle, comprising:

a hood outer panel having an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface; and

a reinforcing patch connected to the interior surface of the hood outer panel at a reinforcing location aligned with one or more structural components of the vehicle, the reinforcing patch configured to increase the rigidity and mass of the hood outer panel at the reinforcing location to absorb energy from a pedestrian struck by the vehicle and to reduce impact from the one or more structural components of the vehicle onto the pedestrian when the hood outer panel becomes compressed onto the one or more structural components of the vehicle, the one or more structural components of the vehicle having a higher rigidity, a higher mass, and a higher resistance to deformation than the hood outer panel, the reinforcing patch being unconnected to a hood inner panel.

18. The hood outer panel assembly of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcing patch is connected to the hood outer panel by an adhesive.

19. The hood outer panel assembly of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcing location is above a headlight compartment of the vehicle.

20. The hood outer panel assembly of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcing patch has a uniform thickness.