Motor vehicle with a front hood having a cover

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (10) with a front hood (11) which is connected to a body of the motor vehicle (10) via a hinge mechanism (20), and at least one cover (16) attached to the hinge mechanism (20) comprising plastic, carbon fibers and / or glass fibers, wherein the cover (16), in a closed state of the front hood (11), covers a recess (15) in a cowl (13) of the motor vehicle (10), into which a trailing edge of the front hood (11) dips when the front hood (11) is opened.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with a front hood having a cover, in particular for preventing leaves from entering via an opening between the front hood and a cowl.

[0002] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of a cowl 1 of a passenger car and a front hood 2 or a bonnet, respectively, which is shown in its fully open position. Especially in the case of front hoods 2 that are pivotable via a hinge mechanism that is somewhat further away from a rear end of the front hood 2, the effect is that a rear edge of the front hood 2, when opened, plunges downwards into an area in which the cowl 1 is arranged. For this reason, a side wall of the cowl 1, as shown in Fig. 1, a recess 3 (dashed line) is provided. When the front hood 2 is closed, this recess 3 forms a passage opening to a front area or engine compartment of the passenger car, through which dirt, particularly leaves, can enter.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least partially eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages. This object is achieved by a motor vehicle according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the invention, a motor vehicle is provided, having a front hood which is connected to a body of the motor vehicle via a hinge mechanism, and at least one cover which is fastened to the hinge mechanism and which comprises plastic, carbon fibers and / or glass fibers (i.e. one, two or all three of these materials), wherein the cover, when the front hood is closed, covers a recess in a cowl of the motor vehicle, into which recess a rear edge of the front hood dips when the front hood is opened. This makes it easy to prevent or at least greatly reduce leaves from getting into a front area or engine compartment through the recess. Because the cover is a separate component, the manufacturing process of the front hood or engine hood is not affected. In addition, the choice of material for the cover reduces crash and impact costs.Safety requirements are not negatively affected, as, for example, plastic could easily break in the event of a pedestrian collision to avoid endangering pedestrians.

[0005] The term "cowl" refers to an upwardly open channel located below an end section (as seen along the vehicle's longitudinal axis) in front of a motor vehicle's windshield. More specifically, a cowl is a channel with a bottom from which two side walls extend upwards at essentially right angles.

[0006] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the hinge mechanism comprises two hinge joints spaced apart relative to a vehicle's transverse axis, each of which has two articulated arms that are attached to the front hood via pivot points spaced apart relative to a vehicle's longitudinal axis. A cover is attached to each of the hinge joints, between the pivot points. In this way, the cover can be provided and attached without having to adapt existing front hoods.

[0007] In particular, the cover is detachably attached to the hinge mechanism, allowing for easy replacement.

[0008] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cover is fastened by means of a click fastening, in particular a fastening in which the cover has projections provided with hooks which are pushed onto a strut on the hinge mechanism so that the hooks snap into place on the strut and the hooks hold the cover to the strut by means of undercut(s).

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a section of the cover covering the recess extends substantially in an xz plane, ie the plane of the motor vehicle, which is spanned by a vehicle longitudinal axis and a vehicle vertical axis.

[0010] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the cover is made of plastic, in particular entirely of plastic. This allows for cost-effective and simple production. Furthermore, the material breaks very easily in a pedestrian collision.

[0011] Alternatively, the cover could be (completely) made of carbon fiber or glass fiber.

[0012] According to a further embodiment, the cover is connected to the hinge mechanism with a non-destructively removable press-in bolt. This makes the cover even more secure and easy to install on the hinge mechanism.

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings show the following: Fig. 1 shows a section of a cowl according to the prior art; Fig. 2 shows a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 shows a section of a cowl of the motor vehicle from Fig. 2, in which a recess is covered by a cover; Fig. 4 shows the cover according to the embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 shows a side view of the cover from Fig. 4 in an assembled state; Fig. 6 shows a three-dimensional view of the cover of Fig. 4 from above in an assembled state; Fig. Figure 7 shows a three-dimensional view of the cover of Fig. 4 from above, from a different perspective than Fig. 6, in an assembled state; Fig. 8 shows a side view of a variant of the cover with a press-in bolt, in an assembled state; Fig. 9 shows the cover from Fig. 8 in the same side view as Fig. 8, but without the components to which the cover is mounted, and Fig. 10 shows a side view of the cover of Fig. 8 from the opposite direction as in Fig. 8, in an assembled state.

[0014] Fig. 2 shows a motor vehicle 10, in particular a passenger car, with a front hood 11 or a hood, a windshield 12 and a cowl 13. In Fig. 2, a vehicle longitudinal axis x, a vehicle transverse axis y, and a vehicle vertical axis z are indicated, which are perpendicular to each other. The cowl 13 denotes an upwardly open channel arranged below an end section (seen along the vehicle longitudinal axis x) and arranged in front of the windshield 12. More precisely, the cowl 13 is a channel with a bottom and two side walls 14 extending from it, essentially at right angles upwards, along the vehicle vertical axis z (see Fig. 3).

[0015] Fig. 3 shows a section of the cowl 13 of the motor vehicle 10 from Fig. 2. The cowl 13 has a recess 15 in a side wall 14, as already described in connection with Fig. 1, which is provided for the reasons already mentioned. In particular, the recess 15 is larger than 5 cm. 2 , especially larger than 10 cm 2 According to the invention, the recess 15, when the front hood 11 is closed, is covered or closed with a cover 16 that is attached to the front hood 11. When the front hood 11 is fully open, the recess 15 is not covered by the cover 16.

[0016] Fig. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the cover 16 according to an embodiment of the invention. The cover 16 is a component manufactured separately from the front hood 11 and made of a different material than the front hood 11. The cover 16 is made of plastic, in particular entirely of plastic, and is produced, for example, by injection molding. The cover 16 essentially has the shape of an angled plate with a larger section 17 for covering the recess 15 and a comparatively smaller section 18 which serves for fastening. For fastening, a plurality of projections 19 are provided, which are equipped with hooks and / or other locking elements.

[0017] Fig. 5 shows a side view (seen along a vehicle transverse axis y) of the cover 16 and its fastening. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 each show a three-dimensional view of the cover and its fastening from different perspectives. The front hood 11 is connected to a body of the motor vehicle 10 via a hinge mechanism 20. The hinge mechanism 20 has two hinge joints 21 which are arranged on opposite sides and in a rear region of the front hood 11, i.e. one hinge joint 21 on the left, one hinge joint on the right when viewed along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. Each hinge joint 21 has two articulated arms 22 which are connected to the front hood 11 at pivot points 23 spaced apart along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. More precisely, the pivot points 23 are provided on a strut 24 of the front hood 11. The strut 24 is in particular a longitudinal strut which runs substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction x.

[0018] As in the Fig. As can be seen in Figures 5 to 7, the cover 16 is attached between the pivot points 23 to the front hood 11, in particular to its strut 24. The cover 16 is fixed to the strut 24 by means of a click fastener. If only the click fastener is provided on the cover 16, then it is a detachable fastening.

[0019] The Fig.8 to 9 show a cover 16a which differs from the cover 16 described above only in that, in addition to the click fastening in the assembled state, it is fastened to the strut 24 with a press-in bolt 25. This press-in bolt 25 is made in particular of plastic and, after the cover 16a has been clicked on, is pressed through corresponding through holes in the cover 16a and in the strut 24, whereby the press-in bolt 25 (and thus the cover 16a) is non-destructively detachably connected to the strut 24. The press-in bolt 25 functions like a rivet, ie, when pressed in, a tip of the press-in bolt 25 is widened, thereby preventing the press-in bolt 25 from being pulled out or loosened from the assembled state.

[0020] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, this illustration and description is to be understood as illustrative and not restrictive, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiment. The mere fact that certain features are recited in various dependent claims is not intended to suggest that a combination of these features could not also be used to advantage.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle (10) with a front hood (11) which is connected to a body of the motor vehicle (10) via a hinge mechanism (20), and at least one cover (16; 16a) attached to the hinge mechanism (20) comprising plastic, carbon fibers and / or glass fibers, wherein the cover (16; 16a), in a closed state of the front hood (11), covers a recess (15) in a cowl (13) of the motor vehicle (10), into which a rear edge of the front hood (11) dips when the front hood (11) is opened. [2] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism (20) has two hinge joints (21) spaced apart from a vehicle transverse axis (y), each of which has two articulated arms (22) which are fastened to the front hood (11) via pivot points (23) spaced apart from a vehicle longitudinal axis (x), and wherein a cover (16; 16a) is attached to each of the hinge joints (21), between the pivot points (23). [3] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (16; 16a) is releasably attached to the hinge mechanism (20). [4] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 3, wherein the cover (16; 16a) is fastened via a click fastening. [5] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the cover (16; 16a) covering the recess (15) extends substantially in an xz plane of the motor vehicle (10). [6] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (16; 16a) is made of plastic. [7] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (16a) is connected to the hinge mechanism (20) by a non-destructively detachable press-in bolt (25).

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