Patent Abstract:
A hood elevation system and method are provided for a vehicle. The system includes a first member configured to couple with a body member within an engine compartment of a vehicle and a second member configured to couple with a hood latch of the vehicle and the first member. The second member is releasably slideable away from the first member upon activation of an actuator. In this way, the hood latch is elevated by the actuator moving the second member to elevate the hood of the vehicle. The method includes activating (via a controller) an actuator coupled to a first member, causing the actuator to release and slide a second member relative to the first member, the second member coupled to a hood latch engaging a hood of a vehicle to elevate the hood responsive to the controller detecting a condition.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The technical field generally relates to hood assemblies for vehicles, and more particularly to a hood assembly capable of rapidly elevating the hood of the vehicle for the protection of pedestrians. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Legal requirements with respect to pedestrian protection in the event of an accident with a motor vehicle are evolving. In order to decrease the consequences of injuries in the event of an impact of the pedestrian&#39;s head on the hood of a vehicle, it is desirable that the pedestrian (or his/her head) be slowed down as gradually as possible, for instance, by allowing a deformation of the hood. There must, however, be a sufficiently large space below the hood for such deformation. However, providing a large space between the hood and the underhood components can bring negative consequences into the design and performance of the vehicle (e.g., reduced aerodynamic efficiency, reduced visual appeal, reduced fuel efficiency or reduced outward visibility). To avoid the large space under the hood of the vehicle, devices are needed for automatically raising the hood in the event of an impact (or detected impending impact) to increase the distance between the hood and the engine allowing more hood deformation to occur. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a hood elevation feature for a vehicle. Also, it is desirable to provide a rapid hood elevation feature that facilitates the hood being re-latched so that the vehicle may be driven after an impact. Additionally, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with exemplary embodiments, a hood elevation system is provided for a vehicle. The system comprises a first member configured to be coupled to a body member within an engine compartment of a vehicle. Also included is a second member configured to be coupled to a hood latch of the vehicle, and is also coupled to the first member in a first position. The second member is releasably slideable away from the first member to a second position upon activation of an actuator. In this way, the hood latch is elevated by the actuator moving the second member (and the hood latch) to the second position to elevate the hood of the vehicle. 
         [0005]    In accordance with exemplary embodiments, a hood elevation method is provided for a vehicle. The method comprises activating (via a controller) an actuator coupled to a first member, which causes the actuator to release and slide a second member relative to the first member, the second member is coupled to a hood latch engaging a hood of a vehicle to elevate the hood responsive to the controller detecting a condition. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The subject matter will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a vehicle suitable for using exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of one embodiment of a hood latch elevation mechanism suitable for use with the hood latch assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a rear illustration of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of the hood latch elevation mechanism of  FIG. 2  including a hood latch member; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a magnified partial view of  FIG. 3  illustrating the re-latch feature of the hood latch elevation mechanism according to one embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a illustration of another embodiment of a hood latch elevation mechanism suitable for use with the hood latch assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  a magnified partial view illustrating the latch release and re-latch feature of the hood latch elevation mechanism of  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of the hood latch elevation mechanism of  FIG. 6  in the separated (hood elevated) position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the subject matter of the disclosure or its uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
         [0016]    In this document, relational terms such as first and second, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. Numerical ordinals such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. simply denote different singles of a plurality and do not imply any order or sequence unless specifically defined by the claim language. 
         [0017]    Additionally, the following description refers to elements or features being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, “connected” may refer to one element/feature being directly joined to (or directly communicating with) another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, “coupled” may refer to one element/feature being directly or indirectly joined to (or directly or indirectly communicating with) another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. However, it should be understood that, although two elements may be described below, in one embodiment, as being “connected,” in alternative embodiments similar elements may be “coupled,” and vice versa. Thus, although the schematic diagrams shown herein depict example arrangements of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an actual embodiment. 
         [0018]    Finally, for the sake of brevity, conventional techniques and components related to vehicle electrical and mechanical parts and other functional aspects of the system (and the individual operating components of the system) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the invention. It should also be understood that  FIGS. 1-7  are merely illustrative and may not be drawn to scale. 
         [0019]    Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,  FIG. 1  shows a vehicle  10  suitable for use with the exemplary mechanical embodiments of the present disclosure. The vehicle  10  may be any one of a number of different types of vehicle, such as, for example, a sedan, a wagon, a truck, or a sport utility vehicle (SUV), and may be two-wheel drive (2WD), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD). The vehicle  10  may also incorporate any one of, or combination of, a number of different types of engines, such as, for example, a gasoline or diesel fueled combustion engine, a flex fuel vehicle (FFV) engine (i.e., using a mixture of gasoline and alcohol), a gaseous compound (e.g., hydrogen and/or natural gas) fueled engine, a combustion/electric motor hybrid engine, and an electric motor. 
         [0020]    The vehicle  10  includes a hood  12  that provides closure to a front compartment. In some embodiments, the vehicle engine, powertrain and other components reside in the front compartment. In embodiments having a mid or rear mounted engine, the front compartment may house other components such as spare tires, batteries, etc. Typically, the hood  12  is attached to the vehicle body with at least one, preferably a pair of, laterally spaced hinges  14 . The hood  12  is held in a closed position (shown in solid lines) by a striker (not shown) coupled to the hood engaging a hood latch assembly  16 . In some embodiments the hood  12  has hinges  14  mounted to its rearward portion (as illustrated) with a latch mounted in the forward portion. Alternately, the hood  12  can be configured having the hinges  14  mounted in the forward portion of the hood and latch(es) mounted in the rearward portion. According to exemplary embodiments, a sensor  18  is positioned to detect an impending or actual impact (such as with a pedestrian) and a controller  20  then activates (via conductor  22 ) a hood latch elevation mechanism (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the hood latch assembly  16  to rapidly elevate or raise the hood to a partly open position  24  (shown in dashed lines). The controller  20  may be any one of a variety of controllers typically found on modern vehicles, such as an engine controller or may be a separate controller dedicated to the hood latch assembly  16 . The controller  20  is programmed to analyze the sensor  18  data and determine if one or more conditions indicative of an impending risk of vehicle impact under the predetermined conditions exists. Elevation of the hood  12  creates more space between the hood and the underhood components (not shown) of the vehicle  10 , which facilitates a more gradual deceleration of the pedestrian (or other obstacle) by allowing the hood to deform and absorb energy. According to exemplary embodiments discussed in more detail below, the hood  12  may be released by operation of an actuator that comprises a pyrotechnic or gas actuator that can rapidly elevate the hood  12  to the partly open position  24 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an illustration of one embodiment of a hood latch elevation mechanism  30  that in various embodiments of the present disclosure forms a supporting part of the hood latch assembly ( 16  in  FIG. 1 ). The hood latch elevation mechanism  30  includes a first member  32  that is attached to a vehicle body member (e.g., tie bar) via fasteners  34 . A second member  36  is coupled to the first member  32  by destructible fasteners  38  (e.g., aluminum rivets). The second member  36  includes attachment points  40  where a hood latch may be attached to the hood latch elevation mechanism  30  as part of the hood latch assembly ( 16  in  FIG.1 ). The first member  32  also includes guide pins  42  that are configured in slots  44  in the second member  36 . In normal operation, the first member  32  and the second member  36  are held in a coupled arrangement via destructible fasteners  38 , facilitating the hood ( 12  in  FIG. 1 ) to be latched or unlatched as desired by an operator of the vehicle  10 . 
         [0022]    However, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in the event of an impending or detected collision, an actuator  46  is activated by the controller ( 20  in  FIG. 1 ) via conductor  22  causing a rapid release and separation of the second member  36  from the first member  32 . The force of the actuator  46  is sufficient to sufficiently deform destructible fasteners  38  and driving the second member  36  slideably away from the first member  32  to become separated as permitted by the guide pins  42  and slots  44 . 
         [0023]    Accordingly to exemplary embodiments, the actuator  46  can be configured to activate upon a determination by the controller ( 20  in  FIG. 1 ) that a set of predetermined conditions has been met. The actuators  46  may activate upon the sensor ( 18  in  FIG. 1 ) sensing an impact with the vehicle body or determining that the possibility of impact with the vehicle is greater than a predetermined amount (e.g., such as upon sensing an object in the vicinity of the vehicle  10  or upon rapid deceleration of the vehicle). In the latter arrangement, the sensor  18  monitors the environment near the front of the vehicle  10  and provides data representing the vehicle&#39;s environmental conditions the controller  20 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of the hood latch elevation mechanism  30 , wherein like reference numbers refer to like components in previous figures, and includes an attached hood latch  50  of convention construction with an integrated secondary release apparatus  54  and secondary release lever  52 . As will be appreciated, since the hood latch  50  is coupled to the second member  36  at the attachment points  40 , the hood latch is elevated with the second member  36  and the hood ( 12  in  FIG. 1 ). Given that the destructible fasteners  38  have been destroyed, the hood cannot be returned to a closed position and remains in the partly open position with a re-latch apparatus. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a magnified partial view of  FIG. 3  illustrates a re-latch apparatus useful with exemplary embodiments of the hood latch elevation mechanism  30 . In operation, the re-latch apparatus includes of a spring member  56  that pivots about a post  58 , a pintle latch  60  coupled to the second member  36  via a post  62 , and two guide pins  64  and  66 . Prior to elevation, the spring member  56  is held out of the locking position by guide pin  64 . During elevation (that is, activation of the actuator  46 ), the pintle latch  60  and guide post  64  are also elevated since they are attached to the second member  36 . The post-elevation absence of guidepost  94  releases the spring  56  such that it rotates about post  58  until one end  64  of the spring member  56  contacts a positioning member  70 . With this arrangement, the hood ( 12  in  FIG. 1 ) may be re-latched via the vehicle operator pushing down on the hood surface over the latch. This action moves the hood, the hood striker, hood latch, the second member  36  and pintle  60  in a downward direction toward the first member  32 . As the ramped surface pintle  60  contacts the end  68  of the spring member  56 , the end  68  rotates away from positioning member  70 . When the pintle  60  is moved below the end  68  of the spring member  56 , the end  68  rotates back toward the positioning member  70  engaging the post  62 , which retains the hood in a closed (or near closed) position. This allows the vehicle to be driven (if not too damaged) to a service center for repairs and replacement of this embodiment of the hood latch assembly ( 16  in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the hood latch elevation mechanism  30 , wherein like reference numbers refer to like components in previous figures. In this embodiment the first member  32  and the second member  36  are coupled by releasable latches  80  that also comprise the re-latch member in this embodiment. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a magnified partial illustration of the hood latch elevation mechanism  30 , wherein like reference numbers refer to like components in previous figures. When the actuator  46  is activated by the controller ( 20  in  FIG. 1 ), a tab  82  coupled to the actuator  46  engages pins  84  of the latches  80  pushing them back to release the second member  36  from the first member  32  just as the actuator begins activation. As the actuator continues to activate, the force of the actuator (e.g., explosive force from a pyrotechnic cartridge), separates the second member  36  from the first member  32  causing the second member  36  to slide linearly away from the first member  32  via the guide pins  42  and arrangement of the slots  44  (see,  FIG. 5 ). The resulting separation  90  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 , which in some embodiments may be approximately thirty to forty millimeters, although other separation distances are possible. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 6-8 , since the latches  80  are opened and not destroyed, the hood ( 12  in  FIG. 1 ) may be closed merely by pushing the hood down to the closed position, where the latches  80  will re-couple the first member  32  to the second member  36  (see  FIG. 5 ). Once the hood is re-latched, the vehicle may be driven (if not too damaged) to a service center for repairs and replacement of this embodiment of the hood latch assembly ( 16  in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0028]    Accordingly, a hood elevation feature is provided for a vehicle. The exemplary embodiments of the disclosed hood elevation feature also facilitate the hood being re-latched so that the vehicle may be driven after an impact. Moreover, exemplary embodiments of the hood elevation feature may also be applied to other hood elements, such as, for example, the hinges ( 14  in  FIG. 1 ) so that they may also elevate by attaching the hood hinges to the attachment points  40  of the various disclosed embodiments. 
         [0029]    While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing summary and detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1