Patent Document

The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for controlling the opening or closing of a cover or hatch on a motor vehicle, and more particularly to an apparatus for conveniently controlling the opening or closing of a forward tilting hood of a medium- or heavy-duty truck or highway tractor. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Forward tilting truck hoods are typically attached to the body or frame of a truck by means of one or more hinges, pins, or other types of revolute joint. Latches, hooks, rubber straps, and the like are used to keep the hood shut during normal operation. Prior to opening the hood, the latches or other fastener must be unfastened. Because these fasteners typically are located on either side of the hood opposite the hinge, the operator must move to various locations to operate the fasteners. For example, an operator may have to unfasten an elastic hold down on each side of the truck cab near a rear portion of the hood. Other fasteners may be operated remotely from in the cab by a cable, solenoid, or other mechanism. 
   After operating the latches or fasteners that hold the hood shut, the operator then typically moves to the front of the truck. From this position the top front portion of the hood may be pulled so that the hood rotates forward about the hinge pivot axis, giving the operator access to the engine and other vehicle components located under the hood. 
   The weight of the hood of a typical large truck may easily exceed 100 pounds. A hood may also have sharp angular edges, protruding bolts, and the like. Thus, an unrestrained truck hood presents a risk of injury should it fall open or shut in an uncontrolled manner. For example, an open hood may be blown shut unexpectedly by a sufficiently strong wind. To prevent such occurrences, a locking mechanism is typically provided to prevent inadvertent closure of a forward tilting truck hood. 
   When closing the hood an operator first must release the locking mechanism that prevents inadvertent hood closure. Typically, this requires the operator to move to a position beside the hood so that he may reach the locking mechanism. Often the locking mechanism is located under the hood in the vicinity of the hinge. Thus, while releasing the locking mechanism the operator may be in a position in which he is vulnerable if the hood were to shut accidentally. 
   After releasing the locking mechanism, the operator moves to the front of the truck and lifts the hood so that it rotates up and back about the hinge pivot axis. When the hood is fully shut, the operator then moves to various other locations around the truck to operate one or more latches or other devices that keep the hood securely shut. 
   Thus, an operator desiring to open or shut a typical forward tilting hood of a large truck has to move to several locations around the truck to operate various securing mechanisms, to release locking mechanisms, and to open or shut the hood. It would therefore be desirable to provide a mechanism that enables the operator to conveniently operate securing and locking mechanisms and reposition the hood from a single convenient position near the front of the truck. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The above, and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by an operating mechanism located near a top front portion of a truck hood. The operating mechanism may be coupled to a release mechanism so that actuation of the operating mechanism releases the hood so that it may be opened. The release mechanism may also be coupled to a locking mechanism that prevents the hood from closing inadvertently. Thus, an operator is able to operate the latching and locking mechanisms, and open or shut the hood, from a single location near the front of the truck. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an oblique exploded view of an illustrative embodiment of an operating mechanism in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are two sectional views showing the operating mechanism of  FIG. 1  in normal and actuated positions, respectively; 
       FIG. 3  is an oblique view of a locking device for preventing unintended closure of a forward tilting truck hood, in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 4 through 6  are sectional views of locking device of  FIG. 3 , shown at various stages of opening a truck hood; 
       FIG. 7  is shows an alternative method of unlocking the locking device of  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1 , operating mechanism  10  includes movable handle  12 , disposed near hand recess  14  in hood  16 . Preferably, hand recess  14  is located along a top front edge of hood  16  and has a suitable size and shape to permit entry of an operator&#39;s hand. Movable handle  12  includes pivots  18  extending from opposite ends thereof, which are configured to fit corresponding recesses  20  in hood  16 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , link  26  is operatively coupled to movable handle  12  by means of pin  28 . In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a cable or other type of operative interconnect may also be used. Shrouds or guards  30  extending from movable handle  12  on both sides of link  26  may be provided to prevent an operator&#39;s hand or fingers from being pinched during operation of operating mechanism  10 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , movable handle  12  including pivots  18 , pin  28 , and shroud  30 , comprises a unitary structure preferably formed from injection molded plastic. Alternatively, movable handle  12  may comprise an assemblage of multiple parts. 
   Fixed handle  22  is disposed adjacent to movable handle  12  and is fastened to hood  16  using bolts  24 , or other suitable means, so that pivots  18  are retained in recesses  20 . An ornamental fascia such as grille work  32  of  FIGS. 2A and 2B  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be mounted to hood  16  so as to hide operating mechanism  10  from view. 
   When operating mechanism is not being used, the weight of link  26 , the elastic resilience of pivots  18 , a spring (not shown), or some other biasing means causes movable handle  12  to assume the position shown in  FIG. 2A . To use operating mechanism  10 , an operator grasps movable handle  12  and fixed handle  22 , for example, by inserting their fingers into hand recess  14 . Squeezing movable handle  12  toward fixed handle  22  causes movable handle  12  to rotate or pivot about pivots  18 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , this causes link  26  to be pulled upward by pin  28 . Movement of link  26  may in turn operate a remote mechanism or device. For example, link  26  may be coupled to latching device  36  of  FIG. 3 . When an operator releases his movable handle  12 , movable handle  12  returns to the position shown in  FIG. 2A  due to the biasing means described above. 
   The operating mechanism thus described in connection with  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B provides a convenient device for operating remote mechanisms such as hood release mechanisms and the like. Although operating mechanism  10  is shown with a single mechanical linkage, other arrangements may be used. For example, multiple movable handles and linkages may be provided so that several remote mechanisms may be operated. In addition, movable handle  12  may operate a switch that in turn activates a relay, solenoid, or the like. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 3  an oblique view is shown of latching device  36  which prevents inadvertent closure of a truck hood. Latching device  36  includes latch bar  38  pivotally coupled to vehicle frame cross member  40  and release lever  42  pivotally mounted to hood cross member  44 . For example, latch bar  38  may be attached by pin  45  to bracket  43  which may be bolted or welded to vehicle frame cross member  40 . Similarly, release lever  42  may be connected by pin  48  to bracket  46 , which in turn is connected to hood cross member  44 . Torsion spring  47  or other means biases latch bar  38  toward release lever  42  so that latch bar  38  fits into slot  50  therein. Pin  52  keeps latch bar  38  engaged within slot  50 . Preferably, slot  50  includes portion  54  that is wide enough to permit pin  52  to pass through when latching device  36  is being assembled or disassembled. Strut  56  may be used to hold latch bar  38  in a released position to facilitate assembly of the hood to the vehicle. 
   Operation of latching device  36  is now described in connection with  FIGS. 4 through 6 .  FIG. 4  shows latching device  36  when the hood is in a fully shut position. In the shut position, latch bar  38  is biased against hood cross member  44 . When the hood is pivoted open about pivot  58  of hinge  60  (shown in phantom) latch bar  38  slides in slot  50 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , torsion spring  47  keeps latch bar  38  biased against hood cross member  44 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , latch bar  38  includes notch  62  and projecting portion  64  in the free end thereof. When the hood is nearly fully open, hood cross member  44  slides under latch bar  38  into notch  62  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Projecting portion  64  of latch bar  38  comes to rest on an upper portion of hood cross member  44 . 
   With hood cross member  44  positioned in notch  62 , accidental closure of the hood is substantially prevented. If the hood is moved toward a closed position, either manually or due to a gust of wind or the like, a corner of hood cross member  44  contacts latch bar  38  at notch  62 . Contact with latch bar  38  hinders further closing of the hood. Preferably, the relative positions of latch bar  38  and hood cross member  44 , and the shape of notch  62  are designed so that any force of hood cross member  44  applied to notch  62  in latch bar  38  results in a small tangential force tending to further seat latch bar  38  against hood cross member  44 . Hood cross member  44  may include suitable reinforcement to withstand forces and wear caused by contact with notch  62  in latch bar  38 . 
   The release of latching device  36  is shown in  FIG. 7 . Link  26  is pivotally connected to release lever  42  by pin  70 , or other suitable means. When operated by a suitable mechanism, e.g., operating mechanism  10  of  FIG. 1 , link  26  causes release lever  42  to pivot on pin  48  to the position shown. An end of slot  50  contacts and lifts latch bar  38  so that notch  62  is clear of hood cross member  44 . With latch bar  38  in this raised position, the hood can then be closed. 
   Strut  56  provides an alternative means of releasing latch bar  38  if, for some reason, it is not possible to operate link  26 . For example, a vehicle may be parked such that access to operating mechanism  10  on the open hood is obstructed by another truck or other object. To release latching device  36 , latch bar  38  is lifted so that hood cross member  44  is clear of notch  62 . Strut  56  is then rotated upward and positioned so that an end of strut  56  fits into notch  66  in the lower edge of latch bar  38  as shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 7 . Strut  56  prevents torsion spring  47  from forcing latch bar  38  back down against hood cross member  44 , and thereby permits the hood to be moved to the shut position. When the hood is being shut, an upper portion of hood cross member  44  comes into contact with the lower edge of latch bar  38 , lifting it upward. The upward motion of latch bar  38  releases strut  56  from notch  66 , and strut  56  returns to its reset position as shown in  FIG. 4 . Additional notches may be provided in the lower edge of latch bar  38  to hold latch bar  38  in other positions. For example, notch  68  may be provided that holds latch bar  38  in a near vertical orientation so that it is out of the way while the hood is being mounted to the vehicle. 
   Thus, a latching device and remote operating mechanism particularly suited for use in opening or closing a forward tilting hood of a motor vehicle has been disclosed. It will be readily apparent that the mechanisms thus disclosed may be useful for other applications and that various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, one will understand that the description provided herein is provided for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and that the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 4