Hinge structure for engine hood, engine hood assembly and vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a hinge structure used for an engine hood, an engine hood assembly and a vehicle, the hinge structure comprises a rotating arm, a locking claw and a hinge seat, the locking claw and the rotating arm are rotationally connected to the hinge seat, an elastic piece is arranged between the locking claw and the hinge seat, and the elastic piece is connected with the rotating arm. The rotating arm rotates to a preset angle in the first direction so that the locking claw and the rotating arm can be locked with each other. According to the engine hood hinge structure, the locking and unlocking functions after the engine hood is opened can be achieved, compared with a supporting rod type structure, the engine hood hinge structure is small in occupied space, parts in a cabin cannot be shielded, maintenance operation in the cabin is facilitated, additional structures such as receding grooves do not need to be arranged, and design of the appearance of the cabin is facilitated; compared with a structure adopting an air pressure type supporting rod, the maintenance cost is low, and the common maintenance problems of air leakage, oil leakage and the like do not exist.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile accessories, and in particular to a hinge structure for an engine hood, an engine hood assembly and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] When the engine hood of existing vehicles is opened, some low-end models (or models with lighter engine hoods) are usually supported by mechanical struts, and some high-end models (or models with heavier engine hoods) are supported by pneumatic struts. This type of strut structure occupies a large space and will block some components in the cabin, making it inconvenient for maintenance operations; moreover, its layout conditions are relatively strict, and it is usually necessary to add avoidance grooves on the cabin decorative panels, which reduces the aesthetics of the cabin and makes the design more difficult; in addition, pneumatic struts may also have problems such as air leakage and oil leakage, and after-sales maintenance is more frequent. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a hinge structure for an engine hood, an engine hood assembly and a vehicle, so as to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the strut-type structure occupies a large space, has strict layout conditions and suffers from many after-sales problems.

[0004] The present invention provides a hinge structure for an engine hood, comprising a rotating arm, a stopping claw and a hinge seat, wherein the stopping claw and the rotating arm are respectively rotatably connected to the hinge seat, an elastic member is arranged between the stopping claw and the hinge seat, and the rotating arm is rotated along a first direction to a predetermined angle so that the stopping claw and the rotating arm are locked with each other.

[0005] Furthermore, a first tooth is disposed on the first end of the rotating arm, and a second tooth is disposed on the stopping claw. When the first tooth and the second tooth are meshed, the stopping claw and the rotating arm are locked with each other.

[0006] Furthermore, the first tooth includes a first meshing surface and a first transition surface that engage with each other, and the second tooth includes a second meshing surface and a second transition surface that engage with each other, and when the rotating arm rotates along the first direction, the first transition surface slides on the second transition surface until the first meshing surface engages with the second meshing surface.

[0007] Furthermore, an operating handle is provided on the locking claw, and the operating handle is used to drive the locking claw to rotate along the second direction under pressure so that the first tooth and the second tooth are out of meshing.

[0008] Furthermore, a first limiting portion is provided on the rotating arm, and a second limiting portion is provided on the hinge seat, and the first limiting portion is used to abut against the second limiting portion to limit the rotating arm from rotating in the first direction.

[0009] Furthermore, a third limiting portion is provided on the stopping claw, and a fourth limiting portion is provided on the hinge seat, and the third limiting portion is used to abut against the fourth limiting portion to limit the stopping claw from rotating along the second direction.

[0010] Furthermore, a fifth limiting portion is provided on the stopping claw, and the fifth limiting portion is used to abut against the first tooth to limit the stopping claw from rotating along the second direction.

[0011] Furthermore, a plurality of the first teeth are arranged on the first end of the rotating arm corresponding to the plurality of the predetermined angles.

[0012] The present invention also provides an engine hood assembly, comprising an engine hood, a cabin and the above-mentioned hinge structure, wherein the second end of the rotating arm of the hinge structure is connected to the engine hood, and the hinge seat is connected to the cabin.

[0013] The present invention also provides a vehicle, comprising the above-mentioned engine hood assembly.

[0014] The engine hood hinge structure of the present invention is connected to the engine hood through a rotating arm. When the user applies force to make the engine hood rotate to a predetermined angle in a first direction and the user no longer applies force to the engine hood, the rotating arm and the locking claw achieve a locking effect and can transmit supporting force to each other, thereby achieving a locking and supporting effect on the engine hood. The user can manually press the locking claw to release the lock between the locking claw and the rotating arm, thereby achieving the effect of unlocking the engine hood. Compared with the structure using a strut type, the engine hood hinge structure of the present invention occupies less space and will not block the components in the cabin, which is beneficial to the maintenance operations in the cabin. There is no need to set additional structures such as avoidance grooves, which is beneficial to the design of the cabin appearance. Compared with the structure using a pneumatic strut, the maintenance cost of the present invention is lower, and there are no common maintenance problems such as air leakage and oil leakage.

[0015] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the drawings that are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views. The same reference numerals with letter suffixes or different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar parts. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example and not limitation, and together with the specification and claims, are used to illustrate the disclosed embodiments. When appropriate, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Such embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive embodiments of the present apparatus or method. The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The illustrative embodiments of the present invention and their description are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the hinge structure of the engine hood provided by the present invention when it is opened and closed;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the hinge structure of the engine hood provided by the present invention when it is closed;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the hinge structure of the engine hood provided by the present invention during the opening or closing process;

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The enlarged schematic diagram of point Ⅰ in the middle;

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the engine hood assembly provided by the present invention (the cabin is not shown).

[0022] The above drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0023] 1. rotating arm; 11. first tooth; 111. first meshing surface; 112. first transition surface; 12. first limiting portion; 2. locking claw; 21. second tooth; 211. second meshing surface; 212. second transition surface; 22. operating handle; 23. third limiting portion; 24. fifth limiting portion; 3. hinge seat; 31. second limiting portion; 32. fourth limiting portion; 4. elastic member; 100. engine hood. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0025] It should be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the above description should not be considered as limiting, but only as an example of an embodiment. Other modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0027] These and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] It should also be understood that, although the invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, those skilled in the art will be able to realize many other equivalent forms of the invention that have the characteristics recited in the claims and are therefore within the scope of protection defined thereby.

[0029] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Specific embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, which may be implemented in a variety of ways. Well-known and / or repeated functions and structures are not described in detail to avoid unnecessary or redundant details that obscure the present invention. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, but merely serve as a basis and representative basis for the claims to teach those skilled in the art to use the present invention in a variety of ways with substantially any suitable detailed structure.

[0031] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0032] This specification may use the phrases "in one embodiment," "in another embodiment," "in a further embodiment," or "in other embodiments," which may all refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments according to the present invention.

[0033] An embodiment of the present invention provides an engine hood hinge structure, including a rotating arm 1, a stopping claw 2 and a hinge seat 3, wherein the stopping claw 2 and the rotating arm 1 are respectively rotatably connected to the hinge seat 3, an elastic member 4 is arranged between the stopping claw 2 and the hinge seat 3, and the rotating arm 1 is rotated along a first direction to a predetermined angle so that the stopping claw 2 and the rotating arm 1 are locked with each other.

[0034] Combination Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the rotating arm 1 is used to connect with the engine hood 100, and the rotating arm 1 is rotatably connected to the hinge seat 3 through a rotating shaft, and the stopping claw 2 is rotatably connected to the hinge seat 3 through another rotating shaft. The first direction is the counterclockwise direction with a small viewing angle in the figure, and the predetermined angle can be determined according to the design plan of the actual vehicle model. An elastic member 4 is arranged between the stopping claw 2 and the hinge seat 3. The elastic member 4 can be a coil spring, a torsion spring, a tension spring, etc., which can provide a certain elastic force for the rotation of the stopping claw 2. Different elastic members 4 can be selected according to actual needs.

[0035] In this embodiment, when the engine hood 100 is fully closed, there is no meshing relationship between the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2, and the user can smoothly open the engine hood 100. At this time, the elastic member 4 is in a compressed state, and its elastic force drives the locking claw 2 to press against the side of the rotating arm 1; in the process of the engine hood 100 from being fully closed to being fully opened and locked, the rotating arm 1 is Figure 1 , for example, a groove can be set on the side of the rotating arm 1 corresponding to a predetermined angle. When the rotating arm 1 rotates to the predetermined angle, the elastic member 4 releases a part of the potential energy, and the stop claw 2 is extended into the above-mentioned groove by the elastic force of the elastic member 4. At this time, the user can stop applying force, and the engine hood 100 is locked by the side wall of the groove with its own gravity. Correspondingly, the user can press the stop claw 2 so that the stop claw 2 is no longer locked with the rotating arm 1, and the engine hood 100 can be closed smoothly.

[0036] The engine hood hinge structure of the present invention is connected to the engine hood 100 through the rotating arm 1. When the user applies force to make the engine hood 100 rotate to a predetermined angle in a first direction and the user no longer applies force to the engine hood 100, the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2 achieve a locking effect and can transmit supporting force to each other, thereby achieving a locking and supporting effect on the engine hood 100. The user can manually press the locking claw 2 to release the lock between the locking claw 2 and the rotating arm 1, thereby achieving the effect of unlocking the engine hood 100. Compared with the structure using a strut type, the engine hood hinge structure of the present invention occupies less space and will not block the components in the cabin, which is beneficial to the maintenance operation in the cabin. There is no need to set additional structures such as avoidance grooves, which is beneficial to the design of the cabin appearance. Compared with the structure using a pneumatic strut, the maintenance cost of the present invention is lower, and there are no common maintenance problems such as air leakage and oil leakage.

[0037] Furthermore, a first tooth 11 is disposed on the first end of the rotating arm 1 , and a second tooth 21 is disposed on the locking claw 2 . When the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 are engaged, the locking claw 2 and the rotating arm 1 are locked with each other.

[0038] Combination Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the rotating arm 1 is integrally connected with a first tooth 11, and the locking claw 2 is integrally connected with a second tooth 21. The tooth shapes of the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 can be designed according to needs as long as the meshing and locking effects of the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 can be achieved.

[0039] Preferably, combined Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first tooth 11 includes a first meshing surface 111 and a first transition surface 112 that engage with each other, and the second tooth 21 includes a second meshing surface 211 and a second transition surface 212 that engage with each other. When the rotating arm 1 rotates along the first direction, the first transition surface 112 slides on the second transition surface 212 until the first meshing surface 111 engages with the second meshing surface 211.

[0040] The first transition surface 112 and the second transition surface 212 are usually smooth curved surfaces, which should be designed according to the relative motion trajectory of the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2 so that the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 will not interfere with each other when the engine hood 100 is not locked, so as to avoid affecting the rotation of the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2. The first transition surface 112 is engaged with the first meshing surface 111, and the second transition surface 212 is engaged with the second meshing surface 211. When the engine hood 100 is closed, when the first tooth 11 rotates relative to the second tooth 21 and the stop claw 2 with the rotating arm 1, the first transition surface 112 slides on the second transition surface 212, and the elastic member 4 plays a role in keeping the second tooth 21 of the stop claw 2 in contact with the first tooth 11. When the rotating arm 1 rotates to a predetermined angle, the first transition surface 112 and the second transition surface 212 no longer abut each other, and the elastic member 4 releases a part of the potential energy, so that the stop claw 2 rotates toward the rotating arm 1 by a certain angle to continue to contact the rotating arm 1. At this time, the first meshing surface 111 meshes with the second meshing surface 211, and the supporting force can be transmitted through the meshing relationship between the first meshing surface 111 and the second meshing surface 211 to lock the engine hood 100. Correspondingly, pressing the stop claw 2 releases the meshing relationship between the first meshing surface 111 and the second meshing surface 211, and the first transition surface 112 slides in the opposite direction along the second transition surface 212 as the engine hood 100 is closed, and finally the engine hood 100 is completely closed.

[0041] Furthermore, combined with Figure 2As shown, the locking claw 2 is provided with an operating handle 22, and the operating handle 22 is used to drive the locking claw 2 to rotate along the second direction under pressure so that the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 are out of meshing.

[0042] The operating handle 22 is mainly used to withstand manual pressure from the user to rotate the locking claw 2 away from the rotating arm 1 by a certain angle (i.e. Figure 2 The clockwise direction from the middle viewing angle, i.e., the second direction), thereby releasing the meshing relationship between the first meshing surface 111 and the second meshing surface 211, and finally closing the engine hood 100.

[0043] Optionally, a first limiting portion 12 is provided on the rotating arm 1, and a second limiting portion 31 is provided on the hinge seat 3, and the first limiting portion 12 is used to abut against the second limiting portion 31 to limit the rotating arm 1 from rotating in the first direction.

[0044] Combination Figure 1 As shown in the figure, when the rotating arm 1 rotates counterclockwise to a certain angle greater than a predetermined angle, the first limiting portion 12 and the second limiting portion 31 abut against each other, limiting the rotating arm 1 from continuing to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. Figure 1 Counterclockwise rotation at medium viewing angle.

[0045] In this way, it is possible to prevent the rotating arm 1 from rotating at an excessive angle, thereby preventing the engine hood 100 from being excessively opened.

[0046] Optionally, a third limiting portion 23 is provided on the stopping claw 2, and a fourth limiting portion 32 is provided on the hinge seat 3, and the third limiting portion 23 is used to abut against the fourth limiting portion 32 to limit the stopping claw 2 from rotating in the first direction.

[0047] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the elastic force of the elastic member 4 drives the stop claw 2 to rotate counterclockwise by a certain angle in the figure, the third limiting portion 23 abuts against the fourth limiting portion 32 to limit the stop claw 2 from continuing to rotate counterclockwise.

[0048] In this way, excessive rotation of the locking claw 2 during the opening or closing process of the engine hood 100 can be avoided, thereby ensuring the normal use of the engine hood hinge structure.

[0049] Preferably, a fifth limiting portion 24 is provided on the stopping claw 2 , and the fifth limiting portion 24 is used to abut against the first tooth 11 to limit the rotation of the stopping claw 2 .

[0050] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the fifth limiting portion 24 is integrally connected to the stop claw 2. When the first tooth 11 is meshed with the second tooth 21, the fifth limiting portion 24 is located at a certain distance below the first tooth 11. When the engine hood 100 is excessively opened, the meshing relationship between the first tooth 11 and the second tooth 21 may be unstable, causing the stop claw 2 to continue to rotate counterclockwise from the perspective of the figure. At this time, the fifth limiting portion 24 abuts against the first transition surface 112 below the first tooth 11, thereby limiting the stop claw 2 from continuing to rotate.

[0051] Optionally, compared with tension springs, coil springs, etc., torsion springs occupy less space, so the elastic member 4 is a torsion spring, one end of which is clamped on the hinge seat 3, and the other end is clamped on the stop claw 2 to provide rotational power for the stop claw 2.

[0052] Optionally, a plurality of first teeth 11 are arranged on the first end of the rotating arm 1 corresponding to a plurality of the predetermined angles.

[0053] The first end of the rotating arm 1 is a structure similar to a rotating shaft sleeve, and a plurality of first teeth 11 are arranged corresponding to different predetermined angles in its circumferential direction. Preferably, the tooth shape of the first teeth 11 can be designed with reference to the ratchet structure, so that the rotating arm 1 can be locked at a plurality of predetermined angles (the structure of the plurality of first teeth 11 of this embodiment is not shown in the figure).

[0054] The present invention also provides an engine hood assembly, including an engine hood 100, a cabin and the above-mentioned hinge structure, wherein the second end of the rotating arm 1 of the hinge structure is connected to the engine hood 100, and the hinge seat 3 is connected to the cabin.

[0055] The engine hood assembly of the present invention installs the engine hood 100 by means of a rotating arm 1. After the engine hood 100 is opened to a predetermined angle, the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2 engage with each other to lock the engine hood 100. By pressing the locking claw 2, the engagement relationship between the rotating arm 1 and the locking claw 2 can be released, thereby unlocking the engine hood 100 and achieving the closing of the engine hood 100. Compared with the strut type structure, the present invention occupies less space and does not require additional structures such as avoidance grooves, which is beneficial to the design of the interior appearance of the cabin. In addition, compared with the pneumatic strut structure, the present invention will not have problems such as air leakage and oil leakage, which is convenient for after-sales maintenance.

[0056] The present invention also provides a vehicle, comprising the above-mentioned engine hood assembly.

[0057] The vehicle of the present invention adopts the above-mentioned engine hood assembly, and can lock the engine hood 100 by engaging the rotating arm 1 with the locking claw 2. The engine hood 100 can be unlocked by pressing the locking claw 2 to release the engagement relationship between the locking claw 2 and the rotating arm 1, and then the engine hood 100 can be closed. The present invention occupies less space in the cabin and does not require additional structures such as avoidance grooves, so the design difficulty is relatively small. In addition, compared with the pneumatic strut structure, after-sales maintenance is more convenient and the maintenance cost is lower.

[0058] In the above embodiments of the present invention, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0059] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship between a device or feature and other devices or features as shown in the figure. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figure. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" may include both "above" and "below". The device may also be positioned in other different ways, rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations, and the spatially relative descriptions used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0060] In addition to the above, it should be noted that "one embodiment", "another embodiment", "embodiment", etc. mentioned in this specification refer to the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment included in at least one embodiment generally described in this application. The same expression appearing in multiple places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Further, when describing a specific feature, structure or characteristic in conjunction with any embodiment, it is claimed that the realization of such feature, structure or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments also falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0061] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0062] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hinge structure for an engine hood, characterized in that: It includes a rotating arm, a stopping claw and a hinge seat, wherein the stopping claw and the rotating arm are respectively rotatably connected to the hinge seat, an elastic member is arranged between the stopping claw and the hinge seat, and the rotating arm is rotated along a first direction to a predetermined angle so that the stopping claw and the rotating arm are locked with each other.

2. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first tooth is disposed at the first end of the rotating arm, and a second tooth is disposed on the stopping claw. When the first tooth and the second tooth are meshed, the stopping claw and the rotating arm are locked with each other.

3. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first tooth includes a first meshing surface and a first transition surface that engage with each other, and the second tooth includes a second meshing surface and a second transition surface that engage with each other. When the rotating arm rotates along the first direction, the first transition surface slides on the second transition surface until the first meshing surface engages with the second meshing surface.

4. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 2, characterized in that: An operating handle is provided on the locking claw, and the operating handle is used to drive the locking claw to rotate along the second direction under pressure to disengage the first tooth and the second tooth.

5. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating arm is provided with a first limiting portion, and the hinge seat is provided with a second limiting portion, and the first limiting portion is used to abut against the second limiting portion to limit the rotating arm from rotating along a first direction.

6. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stopping claw is provided with a third limiting portion, and the hinge seat is provided with a fourth limiting portion, and the third limiting portion is used to abut against the fourth limiting portion to limit the stopping claw from rotating along the first direction.

7. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stopping claw is provided with a fifth limiting portion, and the fifth limiting portion is used to abut against the first tooth to limit the stopping claw from rotating along the first direction.

8. The hinge structure for an engine hood according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of first teeth are arranged on the first end of the rotating arm corresponding to a plurality of the predetermined angles.

9. An engine hood assembly, characterized in that: It comprises an engine hood, a cabin and the hinge structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second end of the rotating arm of the hinge structure is connected to the engine hood, and the hinge seat is connected to the cabin.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: Includes the engine hood assembly as described in claim 9.

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