Abstract:
A vehicle hood apparatus includes a hood member, an actuating mechanism, a vehicle collision detecting sensor, vehicle speed sensor, and a control unit. The actuating mechanism couples said hood member to the vehicle and is operable to position said hood member between a first position where said hood member is not shielding at least a portion of a windshield of the vehicle, and a second position where said hood member is shielding at least a portion of the windshield of the vehicle. The vehicle collision detecting sensor is operable to output a collision signal corresponding to a detected collision with the vehicle. The vehicle spend sensor is operable to output a speed signal corresponding to the speed at which the vehicle is moving. The control unit operates said actuating mechanism to move said hood member from said first position to said second position upon receiving said collision signal indicating a collision with the vehicle, and receiving said speed signal corresponding to a vehicle speed above a threshold speed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to vehicle occupants, and more particularly, relating to a vehicle hood apparatus arranged such that when a vehicle hits an obstacle presenting a significant threat of injury to the vehicle occupants, the vehicle hood is moved to shield the vehicle windshield against debris from braking and passing through it. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    When a vehicle strikes an obstacle at a high rate of speed there is a significant chance of debris from the obstacle or of the entire obstacle being projected into and through the windshield and causing significant injury and possible death to the vehicle occupants. This is particularly a problem in rural areas where large wild animals are forced to cross roadways to migrate within their environment. Unfortunately, when a vehicle strikes an animal in the road way the animal is more often killed. When the unfortunate animal is a large animal, such as a moose or deer, a significant amount of damage is caused to the vehicle and the animal is often projected through the windshield severely injuring or killing the vehicle occupant(s). 
         [0003]    The prior art includes numerous devices and systems of myriad of constructions that include raising a portion of a vehicle hood and/or the deployment of air bags to dampen in the impact of a pedestrian against the vehicle and hood when struck by a moving vehicle. However, heretofore there has been little attention given to protecting the vehicle occupants from struck objects being projected through the windshield by exteriorly shielding the windshield against impact. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a device that operates to shield the vehicle windshield against an object, such as a large animal, from being projected into the vehicle cabin through the windshield when the object is stuck by the vehicle traveling at a speed sufficient to present a significant threat of injury to the vehicle occupants by the object. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention addresses this need by providing a vehicle hood apparatus which functions to at least partially shield a portion of the vehicle windshield against debris from being projected into the occupant cabin through the windshield. 
         [0006]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a vehicle hood apparatus which operates to position the vehicle hood in front of the windshield to provide the shielding. 
         [0007]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention further provide a vehicle hood apparatus including a control unit and actuator assembly for quickly and safely deploy the vehicle hood to shield the windshield upon detecting a collision with an object. 
         [0008]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention further provide a vehicle hood apparatus that operates to position a vehicle hood to shield the vehicle windshield against an object struck by the vehicle only when a significant threat to the vehicle occupants is determined. 
         [0009]    To achieve these and other advantages, in general, in one aspect, a vehicle hood apparatus for, when a vehicle collides with an object, shielding the windshield of the vehicle to protect vehicle cabin occupants from injury that otherwise may be caused by the object being projected through the windshield is provided. The vehicle hood apparatus includes a hood member, an actuating mechanism, a vehicle collision detecting sensor, vehicle speed sensor, and a control unit. The hood member is configured to close an upper opening of a chamber space portion formed in front of a cabin of a vehicle. The actuating mechanism couples said hood member to the vehicle and is operable to position said hood member between a first position where said hood member is not shielding at least a portion of a windshield of the vehicle, and a second position where said hood member is shielding at least a portion of the windshield of the vehicle. The vehicle collision detecting sensor is operable to output a collision signal corresponding to a detected collision with the vehicle. The vehicle spend sensor is operable to output a speed signal corresponding to the speed at which the vehicle is moving. The control unit operates said actuating mechanism to move said hood member from said first position to said second position upon receiving said collision signal indicating a collision with the vehicle, and receiving said speed signal corresponding to a vehicle speed above a threshold speed. 
         [0010]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
         [0011]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0012]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0013]    For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention, in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a typical passenger vehicle employing a vehicle hood apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present invention, showing the hood of the vehicle partially raised at rearward end thereof; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic left side elevation view of the passenger vehicle employing the vehicle hood apparatus, showing the hood of the vehicle moved into position covering and shielding a portion of the vehicle windshield by the vehicle hood apparatus to protect the vehicle occupants, the right side elevation is a mirror of the this view; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the connection between a control unit, various sensors and actuators; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing the flow of control of a control unit; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of a passenger vehicle showing the vehicle hood in a first position where the hood is in normal operating position covering the engine compartment and not covering or shielding any portion of the windshield; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a passenger vehicle employing the vehicle hood apparatus shortly after striking an object, with the vehicle hood in a second position covering and shielding the vehicle windshield. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is illustrated a vehicle  10  employing a vehicle hood apparatus  100  according to the principals of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the vehicle  10  has as a chamber space, such as the engine compartment  12  in front of an occupant cabin  16  and a windshield  18 . The engine compartment has an opening  20  covered by a hood  22 . The windshield  18  includes a forward edge  30  and a rearward edge  32 . The hood  22  includes a forward edge  34 , a rearward edge  36  and opposed left and right side edges  38  and  40 , respectively. In  FIG. 1 , the hood  22  is shown partially lifted, and in  FIG. 2 , the hood  22  is shown moved into position by the vehicle hood apparatus  100  to at least partially cover and shield the windshield  18 . 
         [0022]    The hood apparatus  100  comprises an actuator mechanism  102 , one or more vehicle collision detecting sensors  104 , a control unit  106 , and a vehicle velocity sensor  108 . The one or more vehicle collision detecting sensors  104  are position at the forward end  24  of the vehicle  10 , such as for example within a bumper  26 . The vehicle velocity sensor  108  can be part of the vehicle electronic control system, such as for example an electronic vehicle speed sensor typically installed in a modern transmission, or can be a separate sensor operably attached to the vehicle to determine the traveling velocity of the vehicle. Sensors  104  and  108  are well known in the related technical fields of the invention, and as such do not require a technical description herein. 
         [0023]    When the vehicle  10  collides with a forward obstacle  28 , the collision is detected by one or more of the collision sensors  104 , which then output a corresponding collision signal. The actuator mechanism  102  upwardly lifts and moves the hood  22  at least partially over the windshield  18  to prevent any portion of the obstacle  28  from entering the cabin  16  through the windshield. The control unit  106  controls the actuator mechanism  102  on the basis of signals outputted from the vehicle collision detecting sensors  104  and the vehicle velocity sensor  108 . The present invention may only include the vehicle collision detection sensor  104 , or may include the vehicle collision detection sensor and a vehicle acceleration sensor (not shown). 
         [0024]    The actuator mechanism  102  includes left and right forward actuators  110  and  112 , left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116 , left and right first guide members  118  and  120 , and left and right second guide members  122  and  124 . 
         [0025]    The left and right first guide members  118  and  120  are attached to the vehicle to be positioned at opposite left and right sides of the engine compartment  12 . First guides  118  and  120  are fixedly attached to the vehicle and are stationary with respect thereto. The first guides  118  and  120  extend along the vehicle  10  in a direction from the front towards the rear. A forward end  30  of the hood  22  is slidingly attached at opposite left and right sides thereof to the left and right first guide members  118  and  120 , respectively. The left and right second guide members  122  and  124  are fixedly attached to opposite left and right sides of the hood  22 , respectively. Guides  122  and  124  are attached to the hood  22  to be stationary with respect thereto and to move with the hood. The left and right second guide members  122  and  124  extend along the hood  22  in a direction from the rearward edge  36  of the hood towards the forward edge  34  of the hood, and generally parallel to the left and right side edges  38  and  40  respectively. 
         [0026]    The left and right forward actuators  110  and  112  each include first and second ends  126  and  128  respectively. The first ends  126  are connected to the opposite left and right sides of the hood  22  by rotating couplings  130 . The second ends  128  are connected to the opposite left and right sides of the vehicle  10 , respectively, by rotating couplings  132 . The left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116  each include first and second ends  134  and  136 , respectively. The first ends  134  are slidably connected to the left and right second guide members  122  and  124 , respectively, for movement therealong. The first ends  134  may be rotatably connected to the left and right second guide members  122  and  124 , respectively, by rotating couplings  138 . The second ends  136  of the left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116  are attached to opposite left and right sides of the vehicle  10 , respectively, by rotating couplings  140 . 
         [0027]    The left and right forward actuators  110  and  112 , and the left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116  are linear displacement actuators that operate to adjust the spaced distance between their respect first and second ends. The left and right forward actuators  110  and  112 , and the left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116  can be pneumatic linear displacement actuators that are operated by a gas under pressure. Such linear displacement actuators are well known in the fields of the invention, and a such a detailed technical description of the actuators is not required herein. 
         [0028]    When the left and right forward actuators  110  and  112 , and the left and right rearward actuators  114  and  116  are pneumatic linear displacement actuators, the actuator mechanism further includes a compressed gas tank  142  having contained therein a gas under pressure, a valve manifold  146  or the like fluidically connected to the compressed gas tank  142 , and gas distribution lines  144  connecting the actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116  to the valved manifold. Preferably, the gas contained in the compressed gas tank  142  is an inert gas. Most preferably, the gas contained in the compressed gas tank  142  is an inert fire retarding or suppressing gas. The valved manifold  146  contains one or more electrically operated valves  152 , as best seen in  FIG. 3 , that are controllable by the control unit  106  to effect distribution of compressed gas from the compressed gas tank  142  to the actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , and discussed above, the control unit  106  is operably connected to the one or more vehicle collision detecting sensors  104  to receive the outputted collision signal  148 , is operably connected to the vehicle velocity sensor  108  to receive the outputted vehicle velocity signal  150 , and is operatively connected to the actuator mechanism  102  to control the actuator mechanism to move the hood  22  into position to shield the windshield  18 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the actuator mechanism  102  includes pneumatic actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116 , the compressed gas tank  142  and the valved manifold  146  containing valves  152 . In this embodiment, the control unit  106  is operatively connected to the valves  152  to control the valves to distribute compressed gas contained in the compressed gas tank  142  to the actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116  via fluid lines  160 . In other embodiments, the actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116  could be electrically operated actuators, in which case, the control unit  106  would be operatively connected to the actuators to control them. 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , the operation of the control unit  106  can be described. STEP (hereinafter simply “ST”) 01: Determination is made as to whether the vehicle speed Vc detected by the vehicle velocity sensor  108  is higher than a threshold speed Vt (e.g. higher than 50 km/hr). When the detected vehicle speed Vc is higher than the threshold speed Vt, the control unit  106  proceeds to ST 02. When the detected vehicle speed Vc si lower than the threshold speed Vt, the control return to ST 01. 
         [0031]    ST 02: Determination is made as to whether one or more of the vehicle collision sensors  104  are ON, that is, whether one or more of the vehicle collision sensors outputting a collision signal corresponding to a detected collision. When one or more of the vehicle collision sensors  104  are ON, the control proceeds to ST: 03. When none of the one or more vehicle collision sensors  104  are ON, the control returns to ST: 01. 
         [0032]    ST 03: Operation of the actuator mechanism  102  is effected to position the hood  22  to shield the windshield. 
         [0033]    As can be appreciated from the above discussion, only when all determinations in ST 01 to ST 02 are Yes, it is determined that the vehicle  10  has collided with an obstacle at a sufficient speed to result in a significant threat of injury to the vehicle occupants in the vehicle cabin  16  by the obstacle or any part thereof being projected into and through the windshield. 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the operation of the hood apparatus  100  can be discussed. In  FIG. 5 , the vehicle  10  is shown with the hood  22  in a first position where the hood is in normal operating position covering the engine compartment  12  and not covering or shielding any portion of the windshield. In this position, the rearward edge  36  of the hood is located forwardly and generally juxtaposed the forward edge  30  of the windshield  18 . In  FIG. 6 , the vehicle  10  is shown shortly after striking an object  28 , and with the hood  22  moved in a second position by the actuator mechanism  102  upon being operated or controlled by the control unit  106  upon receiving a vehicle collision signal corresponding to a detected collision from one or more of the vehicle collision sensors  104 , and receiving a vehicle speed signal corresponding from to a vehicle speed above the threshold speed from the vehicle velocity sensor  108 . Within the actuator mechanism  102  the actuators  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116  are operated to extend, and thus positioning the hood  22  in the second position, as shown. 
         [0035]    In this second position, the rearward edge  36  of the hood  22  is located above the windshield  18  and between the forward and rearward edges  30  and  32  thereof. Accordingly, the portion of the hood  22  extending between the rearward edge  36  thereof and the forward edge  30  of the windshield  22  is positioned cover the windshield and shielding a coextensive portion thereof. Further, in this position, the rearward edge  36  of the hood  22  is elevated at a height higher than the forward edge  34  such that the hood is angled in an upwardly direction from the forward edge  34  to the rearward edge  36 . The inclined positioning of the hood  22  further aids in shielding the windshield  22  from the object  28  by generally directing the object in an upwardly direction away from the windshield. 
         [0036]    A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.