Patent Description:
Moreover, the present disclosure is directed to a hood assembly for a vehicle, comprising a hood part and a storage assembly as mentioned before.

Additionally, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle comprising a storage assembly as mentioned above and/or a hood assembly as mentioned above.

The present disclosure is also directed to a method for operating a hood assembly.

The storage assembly may form a front luggage compartment of the vehicle. Such a luggage compartment may be called a frunk. Front luggage compartments are often used in electric vehicles.

Especially if the storage assembly and the luggage compartment formed therewith is accessible from an exterior, care has to be taken that the storage assembly is reliably sealed when closed. In doing so, water, humidity, dirt and other undesired substances are stopped from entering an interior of the storage assembly. Of course, the storage assembly shall also be simple and comfortable in use, i.e. the handling and manipulation of the storage assembly shall require comparatively low forces. Consequently, a human user can handle and manipulate the storage assembly with comparatively low effort.

Beyond that, modern vehicles are often equipped with active safety systems configured to reduce an impact on a pedestrian in case of a collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian. Such active safety systems may comprise a mechanism for selectively lifting a hood part in case of the collision.

<CIT> shows a a storage assembly for a front luggage compartment of a vehicle with a storage receptacle for luggage according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. <CIT> shows a housing for an electronic device. <CIT> and
<CIT> show containers for food usable in a kitchen. <CIT>, that falls under Art. <NUM>(<NUM>) EPC, shows a storage assembly for a vehicle.

In vehicles having both a front luggage compartment and an active safety system with a mechanism for selectively lifting a hood part, the corresponding components need to be arranged in the same space or adjacent to one another. It has been found that a certain conflict of objectives exists between the tight and reliable sealing and the comfortable use of a storage compartment on the one hand and a reliable and smooth operation of the mechanism for selectively lifting the hood part on the other hand.

Consequently, the problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to alleviate or solve this conflict of objectives.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a storage assembly for a front luggage compartment of a vehicle. The storage assembly comprises a storage receptacle for luggage. The storage assembly being delimited by a bottom and a number of lateral walls. Moreover, the storage assembly comprises a lid being configured to selectively move between a closed position in which it closes the storage receptacle and an open position. The storage assembly additionally comprises a sealing arrangement being positioned at the storage receptacle or at the lid such that in the closed position of the lid, the sealing arrangement seals the storage receptacle with respect to the lid. At least one of the bottom, one of the lateral walls and the lid comprises a movable wall section. The movable wall section is movable with respect to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively. The movable wall section is connected to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively by means of a flexible connection zone, wherein the flexible connection zone circumferentially encloses the movable wall section. The storage assembly for example forms part of a front luggage compartment of the vehicle. Using the sealing arrangement, the storage receptacle can be reliably sealed with respect to an environment. To this end, the sealing arrangement is at least partially compressed between the storage receptacle and the lid, if the lid is in the closed position. Thus, the interior of the storage receptacle and objects being located therein, are reliably protected from environmental influences. In a case in which the storage assembly is used in combination with an active safety system comprising a mechanism for selectively lifting a hood part, it may be necessary to open the lid within a very short period of time. The movable wall section avoids that the opening of the lid is hindered or slowed down by an underpressure occurring when opening the lid while the sealing arrangement still contacts both the storage receptacle and the lid. In other words, the movable wall section is configured to compensate such an underpressure such that the lid may be opened within a very short period of time without being hindered. In this context, the movable wall section can move towards the interior of the receptacle. Due to the flexible connection zone circumferentially enclosing the movable wall section, the movable wall section is reliably connected to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively. At the same time, the flexible connection zone only creates a very small resistance with respect to a movement of the movable wall section that is performed in order to compensate the underpressure. It is noted that the movable wall section can be designed to be relatively large. Consequently, already a comparatively small movement of the movable wall section creates a comparatively large volume change of the interior of the receptacle. This allows an underpressure to be compensated with particularly high reliability within a particularly short period of time.

According to the disclosure, a stiffness of the movable wall section is bigger than a stiffness of the flexible connection zone. Consequently, when transferring the movable wall section between the first state and the second state, it is ensured that this movement is permitted by a deformation of the flexible connection zone and not by a deformation of the movable wall section. The different stiffness may be achieved by a different thickness, different material and/or a different form.

The flexible connection zone may also be called a deformation zone since it is deformed if the movable wall section performs a movement. The flexible connection zone may be elastically or classically deformed.

In an example, the movable wall section is not deformed when being moved.

It is noted that for the present disclosure it is assumed that the lid of the storage assembly is configured to form part of a hood part or to be fixedly connected to a hood part. Thus, the lid has a mounting interface by which it may be mounted on the hood part.

In an example, the flexible connection zone comprises or forms a bistable positioning mechanism for the movable wall section. This means that the movable wall section may assume two distinct positions relative to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively. In both of these relative positions, the movable wall section is stable. This means that in the absence of exterior forces, the movable wall section stays in one of the distinct relative positions. The two stable relative positions may be chosen such that little energy is necessary in order to transfer the movable wall section from one of these positions into the other one of these positions. Moreover, one of these positions may be associated with an active safety system not yet having been activated. The other one of these positions may be associated with the active safety system having been activated. The latter position may be called an underpressure compensation position. Altogether, the bistable positioning mechanism allows the movable wall section to reliably compensate an underpressure.

In an example, the movable wall section is arranged in the same plane as the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively if the movable wall section is in a first state. The first state may be a stable state as mentioned above. Alternatively or additionally, the first state may be associated with the active safety system not yet being activated. Due to the fact that the movable wall section is arranged in the same plane as the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively, the interior volume of the receptacle is not reduced by the movable wall section. Thus, the usability of the storage assembly remains the same as for a storage assembly without the movable wall section.

In an example, in the first state of the movable wall section, the flexible connection zone comprises a folded sheet material. In this context, a sheet material is to be understood as a material having a thickness which is small when being compared to a length and a width of the material. In a folded state, the sheet material only requires a comparatively small space. Additionally, a comparatively large amount of sheet material may be provided which allows a comparatively large movement of the movable wall section.

In an example, a cross section of the flexible connection zone being arranged perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the movable wall section is V-shaped or U-shaped or has a V-shaped or U-shaped portion. This is the case if the movable wall section is in the first position. The V-shaped or U-shaped form allows to have a comparatively big amount of material in the flexible connection zone without requiring a large space. The comparatively large amount of material can be used to allow a comparatively big movement of the movable wall section.

In a case in which the flexible connection zone comprises a cross section with two or more V-shaped or U-shaped, the cross section may also be designated as wave-shaped or ondulated. Alternatively, such a cross section may be described as a zigzag pattern. In such a configuration, a particularly large amount of material may be provided in the flexible connection zone within a comparatively small space.

In an example, the movable wall section is arranged in parallel to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively, if the movable wall section is in a second state. The second state may also be a stable state as has been explained above. Moreover, the second state may be associated to the active safety system having been activated. It is understood, that being parallel implies that a distance between the movable wall section and the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively exceeds zero.

In an example, the flexible connection zone is extended with respect to the first state when in the second state. This means that the flexible connection zone is at least in one dimension larger when the movable wall section is in the second state as compared to the first state. In an example, a dimension of the flexible connection zone in a direction perpendicular to the movable wall section is larger if the movable wall section is in the second state than if the movable wall section is in the first state. This allows the movable wall section to reliably compensate an underpressure.

In an example, the flexible connection zone and the movable wall section are made from the same material. This renders the storage assembly structurally simple. Moreover, the flexible connection zone and the movable wall section may be produced together. In an example, the flexible connection zone at the movable wall section may be formed integrally. This is particularly efficient. The remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively may be made from a different material or the same material.

In an example, the flexible connection zone and the movable wall section do not overlap. This means that the flexible connection zone and the movable wall section are geometrically separate from one another. This may also be the case if the flexible connection zone and the movable wall section are made from the same material.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a hood assembly for a vehicle. The hood assembly comprises a hood part and a storage assembly according to the present disclosure. The lid for the storage receptacle is formed by the hood part or fixedly connected to the hood part. Consequently, the hood assembly is formed in a structurally simple and compact manner. At the same time, the hood assembly may be used together with an active safety system comprising a mechanism for selectively lifting the hood part. The operation of such a mechanism is not at all hindered by the storage receptacle. Reference is made to the above explanations.

As has been mentioned before, the storage assembly may form a front luggage compartment.

In an example, the hood assembly further comprises a lifting actuator being drivingly connected to the hood part and being configured to selectively lift the hood part. The lifting actuator may form part of a mechanism for selectively lifting the hood part of an active safety system. As has already been mentioned above, the operation of the lifting actuator is not at all or just slightly influenced by the storage assembly, since an underpressure that might be generated when lifting the lid and the hood part together is compensated reliably by the movable wall section. Thus, it can be guaranteed that the hood part can be lifted by the lifting actuator within a comparatively short period of time.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a vehicle comprising a storage assembly according to the present disclosure and/or a hood assembly according to the present disclosure. As before, the storage assembly may form part of a front luggage compartment. Thus, such a vehicle may be equipped with both a front luggage compartment and an active safety system for selectively lifting a hood part in case of an accident with a pedestrian. The active safety system is not negatively influenced by the storage assembly.

According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a method for operating a hood assembly according to the present disclosure, comprising:.

Due to the fact that the underpressure is at least partially compensated by the movable wall section, the lifting of the hood part is not at all or just slightly inhibited, i.e. slowed down, by the underpressure being generated inside the receptacle. Thus, it can be guaranteed that the hood part can be lifted by the lifting actuator within a comparatively short period of time.

In an example, the movable wall section moves from a first state in which the movable wall section is arranged in the same plane as the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively into a second state in which the movable wall section is arranged parallel to the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively. It is understood that in the second state, a distance between the movable wall section and the remaining sections of the bottom, the one of the lateral walls or the lid respectively exceeds zero. In performing such a movement, the movable wall section can compensate a comparatively big underpressure by a comparatively small movement within a comparatively small time. In other words, smooth operation of an active safety system comprising a mechanism for selectively lifting the hood part is guaranteed.

In an example, both the first state and the second state are stable states. This means that no external forces or external energy is needed in order to keep the movable wall section in one of the first state and the second state.

Examples of the disclosure will be described in the following with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> shows a front portion of a vehicle <NUM>.

The vehicle <NUM> is equipped with a front luggage compartment that may also be called a frunk.

More precisely, the vehicle <NUM> comprises a hood assembly <NUM>.

The hood assembly <NUM> comprises a hood part <NUM> and a storage assembly <NUM> with a storage receptacle <NUM> and a lid <NUM>. Luggage or other objects may be placed inside the receptacle <NUM> and may be protected from environmental influences by closing the lid <NUM>.

In the present example, the lid <NUM> for the storage receptacle <NUM> is fixedly connected to the hood part <NUM>. This means that the lid <NUM> and the hood part <NUM> can only move together. In other words, the hood part <NUM> and the lid <NUM> need to be lifted in order to access the storage receptacle <NUM>.

The hood assembly <NUM> also comprises a lifting actuator <NUM> forming part of an active safety system for reducing an impact on a pedestrian in case of a collision between the vehicle <NUM> and the pedestrian.

The lifting actuator <NUM> is drivingly connected to the hood part <NUM> and a structural element of the vehicle <NUM>.

The lifting actuator <NUM> is configured to selectively lift the hood part <NUM> in case of a collision with the pedestrian. If possible, the hood part <NUM> is lifted shortly before the collision actually occurs. The lifting actuator <NUM> may be explosive-activated or pyro-technic.

If a contact between the pedestrian and the hood part <NUM> occurs once the hood part <NUM> has been moved into a lifted position, the hood part <NUM> can absorb crash energy by moving back down. This reduces the impact on the pedestrian.

<FIG> and <FIG> show the storage assembly <NUM>. A detail view is provided in <FIG>, wherein, in contrast to reality, two states of a movable wall section of the storage assembly <NUM> are shown at the same time.

The storage receptacle <NUM> is delimited by a bottom <NUM> forming a stepped bottom surface in the present example, and a total of four lateral walls <NUM>.

Due to the fact that the storage assembly <NUM> is represented in a sectional view, only some of the lateral walls <NUM> are shown.

The lid <NUM> is configured to move between a closed position in which it closes the storage receptacle <NUM> and an open position in which it renders the storage receptacle <NUM> accessible by a user of the vehicle <NUM>.

As has been mentioned before, the lid <NUM> is fixedly connected to the hood part <NUM>. Consequently, when moving the lid <NUM> from the open position into the closed position or vice versa, also the hood part <NUM> needs to be moved.

In order to exclude environmental effects from acting on the interior of the storage receptacle <NUM> or objects being placed therein, a sealing arrangement <NUM> is positioned at the lid <NUM> such that in the closed position of the lid <NUM>, the sealing arrangement <NUM> seals the storage receptacle <NUM> with respect to the lid <NUM>.

It is noted that, in another example, a sealing arrangement <NUM> having the same functionality could be fixedly connected to the rim of the storage receptacle <NUM>.

In the present example, the lid <NUM> comprises a fixed wall section <NUM> which is shaped like a frame and a movable wall section <NUM> which has a substantially rectangular form.

The movable wall section <NUM> is located inside an opening of the frame-shaped fixed wall section <NUM>.

Moreover, the movable wall section <NUM> is connected to the fixed wall section <NUM> by means of a flexible connection zone <NUM>. The flexible connection zone <NUM> circumferentially encloses the movable wall section <NUM>, i.e. extends along the circumferential direction C. In other words, the flexible connection zone <NUM> completely fills the gap between the rectangular movable wall section <NUM> and the frame-shaped fixed wall section <NUM>.

It is noted that with respect to the entirety of the lid <NUM>, the fixed wall section <NUM> may also be referred to as a remaining section <NUM> of the lid <NUM>. The same reference sign <NUM> will, therefore, be used for the fixed wall section and the remaining section <NUM> of the lid <NUM>.

In the present example, the flexible connection zone <NUM> and the movable wall section <NUM> are made from the same material, e.g. a plastics material. However, a stiffness of the movable wall section <NUM> is bigger than a stiffness of the flexible connection zone <NUM>. This especially applies in a direction perpendicular to the movable wall section <NUM>.

The movable wall section <NUM> can assume two stable states, wherein a first stable state is shown in <FIG> (see also <FIG> for details).

In the first stable state, the movable wall section and <NUM> and the fixed wall section <NUM> are substantially arranged in the same plane.

In this first state, the flexible connection zone <NUM> comprises a folded sheet material.

More precisely, a cross section <NUM> of the flexible connection zone <NUM> has V-shaped or U-shaped portions <NUM>. The cross section is oriented perpendicular to a circumferential direction C of the movable wall <NUM>.

In the present example, the cross section <NUM> comprises a total of three V-shaped or U-shaped portions <NUM>. This can be seen best in <FIG>, wherein the movable wall section <NUM> and the flexible connection zone <NUM> being represented in solid lines correspond to the first state of the movable wall section <NUM>.

Thus, in the present example, the cross section of the flexible connection zone <NUM> can also be called ondulated, wave-shaped or zig-zagged.

It is noted that in other examples, the cross section <NUM> may comprises more or less than three V-shaped or U-shaped portions <NUM>.

Since the material of the flexible connection zone <NUM> is flexible, i.e. deformable, the movable wall section <NUM> may also assume a second stable state which is shown in <FIG>.

The second stable state is also represented in <FIG>, wherein dashed lines are used.

In the second stable state, the movable wall section <NUM> is arranged in parallel to the remaining sections, i.e. the fixed wall section <NUM> of the lid <NUM>, whereas a distance D in a direction perpendicular to the movable wall section <NUM> exceeds zero (cf.

When regarding again the cross section of the flexible connection zone <NUM>, the folded sheet material now is extended towards an interior of the storage receptacle <NUM>. The flexible connection zone <NUM> especially is extended when being compared to the first stable state.

Since both the first state and the second state are stable states, the flexible connection zone <NUM> may also be designated as a bistable positioning mechanism <NUM> for the movable wall section <NUM>.

The hood assembly <NUM> may be operated using a method for operating a hood assembly.

In an initial situation, the lid <NUM> is provided in a closed state, i.e. the lid <NUM> closes the storage receptacle <NUM>.

Then, in case an accident with the pedestrian is detected or expected, the hood part <NUM> and the lid <NUM> may be lifted by operating the lifting actuator <NUM>.

Due to the presence of the sealing arrangement <NUM> and due to the fact that in the closed state of the lid <NUM>, the sealing arrangement <NUM> is at least partially compressed between the storage receptacle <NUM> and the lid <NUM>, in the beginning of the lifting movement of the hood part <NUM> and the lid <NUM>, and an underpressure is temporarily generated inside the receptacle <NUM>.

The underpressure results from the fact that when lifting the hood part <NUM> and the lid <NUM> being fixedly connected thereto, a volume enclosed by the lid <NUM> and the storage receptacle <NUM> is increased. However, at the beginning of the lifting movement, the sealing arrangement <NUM> still reliably seals the lid <NUM> with respect to the storage receptacle <NUM> such that it is not possible that air from the exterior flows into the interior of the storage receptacle <NUM>.

This temporary underpressure has the effect that the movable wall section <NUM> is moved from the first stable state into the second stable state. This means that the movable wall section <NUM> is moved towards the interior of the storage receptacle <NUM>.

Thereby, the underpressure is at least partially compensated.

Since also the second state is a stable state, the movable wall section <NUM> stays in the second state even if the lid <NUM> and the hood part <NUM> are further lifted and the seal arrangement <NUM> does not provide an airtight connection between the lid <NUM> and the storage receptacle <NUM> anymore.

It is noted that in the present example the movable wall section <NUM> is arranged on the lid <NUM>. However, additionally or alternatively it is possible to provide the movable wall section <NUM> on the bottom <NUM> or on any one of the lateral walls <NUM>. The above explanations also apply to these alternatives.

Claim 1:
A storage assembly (<NUM>) for a front luggage compartment of a vehicle (<NUM>), comprising a storage receptacle (<NUM>) for luggage, the storage receptacle (<NUM>) being delimited by a bottom (<NUM>) and a number of lateral walls (<NUM>),
a lid (<NUM>) being configured to selectively move between a closed position in which it closes the storage receptacle (<NUM>) and an open position,
a sealing arrangement (<NUM>) being positioned at the storage receptacle (<NUM>) or at the lid (<NUM>) such that in the closed position of the lid (<NUM>), the sealing arrangement (<NUM>) seals the storage receptacle (<NUM>) with respect to the lid (<NUM>),
characterized in that
at least one of the bottom (<NUM>), one of the lateral walls (<NUM>) and the lid (<NUM>) comprises a movable wall section (<NUM>), that the movable wall section (<NUM>) is movable with respect to the remaining sections (<NUM>) of the bottom (<NUM>), the one of the lateral walls (<NUM>) or the lid (<NUM>) respectively and that the movable wall section (<NUM>) is connected to the remaining sections (<NUM>) of the bottom (<NUM>), the one of the lateral walls (<NUM>) or the lid (<NUM>) respectively by means of a flexible connection zone (<NUM>),
wherein the flexible connection zone (<NUM>) circumferentially encloses the movable wall section (<NUM>),
wherein a stiffness of the movable wall section (<NUM>) is bigger than a stiffness of the flexible connection zone (<NUM>).