A car hood inner panel structure and a car

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automotive hood technology, and discloses an automotive hood inner panel structure and an automobile, including a hood central structure located in the middle of the inner panel. The hood central structure forms a grid structure through several horizontal beams and several vertical beams. A cross-shaped concave arc is provided at the intersection of the two ends of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam located in the middle position. A cross-shaped rib is provided at the cross intersection of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam, and the cross-shaped rib is located between the two cross-shaped concave arcs. Weight reduction and weakening holes are provided on each vertical beam near its two ends and on the horizontal beams on the front and rear sides of the first horizontal beam. The edges of the hollowed-out parts of the grid structure form flanges. This invention optimizes the steps of the hood central structure, improves the dent resistance by setting cross-shaped ribs and cross-shaped concave arc structures at corresponding positions of the horizontal and vertical beams, and sets weight reduction and weakening holes on this basis, ultimately achieving a balance between pedestrian protection requirements and the hood's dent resistance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive hood technology, and in particular to an automotive hood inner panel structure and an automobile. Background Technology

[0002] The hood system is a relatively independent assembly in the car body structure. With a large longitudinal and lateral span, it's one of the most noticeable components for car buyers and users. The hood not only needs an aesthetically pleasing design but also must meet various performance requirements. When choosing a car, buyers often unconsciously press the edges and center of the hood to check for deformation and accompanying noises, thus judging the sturdiness of the hood's sheet metal. Furthermore, during vehicle demonstrations or use, buyers may lean or sit on the hood for photos. These situations can all cause dents, deformations, and unusual noises on the hood's outer panel, directly impacting the buyer's subjective evaluation and purchase intention.

[0003] Due to the large longitudinal and lateral spans of the hood, it requires not only rigid support around its perimeter but also performance requirements for its central frame structure. Traditional design principles prioritize structural strength, particularly dent resistance, while meeting the demands of lightweight vehicles. However, the latest safety regulations introduce a pedestrian protection evaluation system. To achieve a five-star pedestrian protection rating, lower hood stiffness is desirable. Therefore, to meet pedestrian protection requirements, existing hood inner panel beams typically need to be reduced in size to decrease overall stiffness. This creates a significant conflict between pedestrian protection needs and dent resistance, making it impossible to achieve a balance between the two. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide an inner panel structure for a car hood and a car in general. By optimizing the structural steps of the middle section of the hood, cross ribs and cross concave arc structures are set at corresponding positions of the horizontal and vertical beams to improve dent resistance. Based on this, weight reduction and weakening holes are set, ultimately achieving a balance between pedestrian protection requirements and the hood's dent resistance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0006] Firstly, a hood inner panel structure for automobiles includes a hood central structure located in the middle of the inner panel. The hood central structure forms a grid structure through several horizontal beams and several vertical beams. A cross-shaped concave arc is provided at the intersection of the two ends of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam located in the middle position. A cross-shaped rib is provided at the cross intersection of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam, and the cross-shaped rib is located between the two cross-shaped concave arcs. Weight reduction and weakening holes are provided on each vertical beam near its two ends and on the horizontal beams on the front and rear sides of the first horizontal beam. The edges of the hollowed-out parts on the grid structure are formed into flanges.

[0007] The central structure of the front hatch forms a grid structure through horizontal and vertical beams, and cross ribs and cross concave arcs are set at the grid intersections to ensure the dent resistance of the central structure. Based on pedestrian protection considerations, if the central stiffness is weakened, the cross ribs are located between the two cross concave arcs. At the same time, by setting weight-reducing weakening holes and flange structures, the central structure is weakened while compensating for the overall bending resistance of the central structure, thus achieving a balance between the dent resistance of the front hatch and pedestrian protection.

[0008] As a further implementation, the edge of the inner panel is a closed structure formed by side beams, and the central structure of the front hatch is located inside the closed structure.

[0009] As a further implementation, the two ends of the side beam on the rear side of the inner plate are provided with hinge reinforcement plate mounting surfaces for mounting hinge reinforcement plates.

[0010] As a further implementation, a middle outer plate support plate and a gas spring reinforcing plate are provided at the middle position of the left and right beams of the inner plate.

[0011] As a further implementation, the inner plate is provided with a lock outer plate support plate and a lock reinforcement plate at the middle position of the front side beam.

[0012] As a further implementation, the number of crossbeams on the front and rear sides of the first crossbeam is the same, and the cross concave arc is set at the intersection of the vertical beam near the side and the first crossbeam.

[0013] As a further implementation, the two horizontal beams near the front and rear sides of the inner panel are connected to the two ends of the vertical beam, and the connection is provided with vibration isolation adhesive grooves.

[0014] As a further implementation, on the crossbeam with weight-reducing and weakening holes, the weight-reducing and weakening holes and the vibration-damping adhesive grooves are distributed alternately.

[0015] As a further implementation, a crossbeam is provided on the front side and the rear side of the first crossbeam.

[0016] Secondly, an automobile includes a hood, the hood employing an inner panel structure of a hood as described above.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0018] 1. The front hatch of this invention forms a grid structure in the middle through horizontal and vertical beams, and sets cross ribs and cross concave arcs at the grid intersections to ensure the dent resistance of the middle structure. Based on pedestrian protection considerations, if the stiffness of the middle section is weakened, the cross ribs are located between the two cross concave arcs. At the same time, by setting weight-reducing weakening holes and flange structures, the middle section is weakened while compensating for the overall bending resistance of the middle section, thus achieving a balance between the dent resistance of the front hatch and pedestrian protection.

[0019] 2. This invention uses cross-shaped reinforcement at the cross joint of the horizontal and vertical beams to locally strengthen the weakest area in the center of the front hood, avoiding the weakness in the center and abnormal noise caused by the lack of characteristic arrangement at the existing beam intersections; the cross-shaped reinforcement occupies less area than the cross concave arc structure, reducing costs, and can also reduce the weight of the front hood, meeting the design requirements of lightweighting.

[0020] 3. The weight-reducing and weakening holes of the present invention can reduce weight and cost on the one hand, and weaken the rigidity of the corresponding beam on the other hand, increasing the possibility of sheet metal collapse when the head collides in this area, thereby improving the pedestrian protection score in this area.

[0021] 4. The internal structure of this invention has strong versatility. It can be developed according to this idea for the front hood structure of different car models, reducing the time spent on repeated modifications in the later stage. This can not only shorten the project development cycle, but also reduce development costs. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the inner panel of the car front hood in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the inner panel of the car front hood in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the central structure of the inner panel of the car front hood in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is an isometric schematic diagram of the inner panel of the car hood in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the middle part of the inner panel of the car front hood in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] The diagram exaggerates the spacing or dimensions between parts to show their positions; the diagram is for illustrative purposes only.

[0029] The components include: 1. Inner panel; 2. Middle outer panel support plate; 3. Front outer panel support plate; 4. Hinge reinforcement plate; 5. Lock outer panel support plate; 6. Lock reinforcement plate; 7. Gas spring reinforcement plate; 11. Side beam concave rib; 13. Vibration isolation adhesive groove; 41. Hinge reinforcement plate mounting surface; 71. Gas spring mounting point; 121. Rear side beam protruding rib; 8. Cross concave arc; 9. Cross rib; 10. Vertical beam; 12. Horizontal beam; 14. Weight reduction and weakening hole; 15. Flanged edge; 16. Front hatch middle structure. Detailed Implementation

[0030] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0031] As mentioned in the background section, traditional design requirements prioritize structural strength, especially dent resistance, while meeting automotive lightweighting needs. However, to meet vehicle warranty regulations, the stiffness of the hood needs to be reduced, making it difficult to balance these two aspects. This initial imbalance between dent resistance and warranty performance will later affect the vehicle's dent resistance assessment and star rating. This leads to numerous and repeated modifications to the hood design, causing not only time and cost issues but also hindering the project's progress. Even for models on the same platform, repeated modifications to the inner panel's central structure due to warranty regulations make it difficult to achieve universality for the hood's inner panel structure. This necessitates a complete redesign and rearrangement of the hood's central frame structure.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] In a typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figures 1-5 As shown, an inner panel structure for a car hood includes a central hood structure 16 located in the middle of the inner panel. The central hood structure 16 forms a grid-like perforated structure through several horizontal beams 12 and several vertical beams 10. A cross-shaped concave arc 8 is provided at the intersection of the two ends of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam 10 located in the middle position. A cross-shaped rib 9 is provided at the cross intersection of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam 10, and the cross-shaped rib 9 is located between the two cross-shaped concave arcs 8. Weight reduction and weakening holes 14 are provided on each vertical beam 10 near both ends and on the horizontal beams on both sides of the first horizontal beam. The edges of the perforated parts on the grid-like perforated structure form flanges 15.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the edge of the inner panel 1 is a closed structure formed by side beams, and the central structure of the front hatch is located inside the closed structure. The side beams are the main edge structure of the front hatch, including a front side beam, a rear side beam, a left side beam, and a right side beam. The front and rear ends of the left and right side beams are connected by the front and rear side beams to form a rectangular closed structure.

[0035] The inner panel 1 has hinge reinforcement plate mounting surfaces 41 at both ends of the rear side beam for mounting hinge reinforcement plates 4. The hinge reinforcement plates 4 connect the hood to the vehicle body via hinges. The hinge reinforcement plates 4 are connected to the inner panel 1 by bolts and welds. The hinge reinforcement plates 4 are provided with reinforcing ribs to improve the rigidity of the local mounting points of the hinges.

[0036] Both the left and right side beams are equipped with intermediate outer plate support plates 2 at their midpoints. Each intermediate outer plate support plate has a gas spring mounting point 7 on one side for mounting a gas spring reinforcing plate 71. The intermediate outer plate support plate supports the outer plate at these locations. The gas spring reinforcing plate 71 and the intermediate outer plate support plate 2 positively contribute to improving modal dynamics and dent resistance.

[0037] The front ends of the left and right beams are equipped with front outer plate support plates 3 to support the outer plates at the front ends. The middle of the front side beam is equipped with a lock-type outer plate support plate 5 and a lock reinforcement plate 6. The lock-type outer plate support plate supports the outer plate at that position, improving its anti-dent effect. The lock reinforcement plate is used to install the lock structure.

[0038] Side beam recessed ribs 11 are provided at the middle position of the left and right beams. The side beam recessed ribs 11 are located on one side of the middle outer plate support plate 2. Rear side beam protruding ribs 121 are provided on one side of the hinge reinforcement plate 4 at both ends of the rear side beam to ensure the anti-dent performance of the front hatch side beam closed structure. The overall front and rear end and side beam structure design of the front hatch can meet the performance requirements. However, the middle structure 16 of the front hatch is the weakest in terms of anti-dent resistance and its performance needs to be improved. On the other hand, the structure needs to be weakened. A balance needs to be achieved between the two.

[0039] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the central structure 16 of the front hatch is located in the middle of the inner panel and is connected to the closed structure formed by the side beams. The central structure 16 of the front hatch forms a grid structure through several horizontal beams 12 and several vertical beams 10. In this embodiment, there are six vertical beams 10 and three horizontal beams 12.

[0040] To ensure the dent resistance of the central structure 16 of the hood, the number of vertical beams should be as large as possible. Six vertical beams are generally the limit in common vehicle models; therefore, this embodiment uses six vertical beams 10. If too few vertical beams are used, the central structure 16 of the inner hood panel will be less rigid, resulting in weaker support and substandard dent resistance. In severe cases, both the outer and inner panels 1 will deform simultaneously upon pressure, accompanied by noise, and the dent-resistant oil can effect may occur. The number and width of the beams are prerequisites for improving the overall torsional and bending resistance of the hood. The width of the horizontal and vertical beams is preferably 60mm, and the thickness is preferably 15mm.

[0041] Of the three crossbeams 12, the middle crossbeam 12 is the first crossbeam. The first crossbeam is located in the middle of the front hatch. The crossbeams on the front and rear sides of the first crossbeam are set close to the front and rear side beams.

[0042] In this embodiment, it is necessary to ensure that the number of crossbeams on the front and rear sides of the first crossbeam is the same. Based on the front and rear length of the front hatch, three crossbeams are set laterally.

[0043] Six vertical beams 10 are arranged in parallel and are of the same length. It can be understood that the area of ​​the grid structure formed by the horizontal and vertical beams of the central structure 16 of the front hatch is smaller than the area of ​​the hollow inside the side beams of the inner panel, but the two areas are close. The grid structure is connected to the side beams by connecting beams, which can be structures extending from the horizontal and vertical beams.

[0044] To ensure the anti-dent performance of the central structure 16 of the front hatch, cross-shaped concave arcs are provided at the intersections of the two ends of the first crossbeam and the vertical beam, and cross-shaped ribs are provided at the cross intersection of the first crossbeam and the vertical beam located in the middle position. Figure 3 As shown, the cross reinforcement 9 is located between the two concave cross arcs 8. There are four sets of cross reinforcement 9, located at the intersection of the four middle vertical beams and the first horizontal beam.

[0045] In this embodiment, considering the large area at the intersections of the first crossbeam and the vertical beam at both ends, a cross-shaped concave arc 8 structure is adopted to improve the dent resistance at the edges of the front hatch central structure 16 and avoid the problem of the central part being too soft. The area at the cross intersection of the first crossbeam and the vertical beam in the middle position is small. Furthermore, considering that while enhancing the bending resistance of the front hatch central structure 16, the weight should not be increased too much, a small-area cross-shaped rib 9 structure is provided at the four sets of cross intersections in the middle. The small area occupied by the cross-shaped rib 9 structure also improves the dent resistance of the central structure.

[0046] It is understandable that the advantage of the grid-like hollow structure formed by the crossbeams and vertical beams in this embodiment is that the weakening is strengthened, and the local reinforcement that needs to enhance the rigidity does not affect the overall frame performance of the front hatch middle structure 16.

[0047] like Figure 5 As shown, by setting the cross rib 9 structure and the cross concave arc 8 structure, the dent resistance of the front hatch middle structure 16 is improved. However, in order to meet the pedestrian protection standard and achieve a balance between dent resistance and pedestrian protection, it is necessary to weaken the rigidity of the front hatch middle structure 16.

[0048] Cross-shaped concave arcs 8 are arranged at both ends of the first crossbeam. The cross-shaped concave arcs are located at the intersection of the vertical beam and the first crossbeam near the side to support the large deformation caused by the stress on the central structure 16 of the front hatch. In order to balance with the airbag, the central structure 16 of the front hatch needs to be weakened. The large concave arcs 8 have good rigidity and are arranged at the edge of the central structure 16 of the front hatch to support the four vertical beams in the central structure of the front hatch. The cross-shaped concave arcs 8 have a large area and good rigidity. In order to compensate for the problem that the central structure 16 of the front hatch is too soft, cross-shaped ribs 9 are raised at the cross joint of the horizontal and vertical beams to locally reinforce the weakest area of ​​the central structure 16 of the front hatch, so as to avoid the weakness in the middle and abnormal noise caused by the lack of characteristic arrangement.

[0049] Although four sets of cross ribs 9 are set in the middle to locally enhance the weakest area of ​​the front hatch 16, the cross ribs 9 in this embodiment are set based on the relative balance between the descent protection and dent resistance performance of the middle structure. This is because the strength improvement of the four sets of cross ribs 9 in the middle is weaker than that of the cross concave arc 8 structure, so that the front hatch middle structure 16 has a certain dent resistance capability, but the stiffness is moderate, which can meet the descent protection requirements and achieve a balance between dent resistance performance and descent protection requirements, which is beneficial to the descent protection head impact score of the front hatch middle structure 16.

[0050] Compared to the concave arc cross structure, the four sets of cross ribs 9 in the middle have a smaller area, higher material utilization, and lower cost. Compared to the front hatch of the same platform, it is also 0.16-0.22kg lighter.

[0051] Through CAE simulation analysis, the arrangement of the central structure 16 of the front hatch not only meets the requirements of lightweighting, but also avoids the dent resistance of the central structure 16 of the front hatch being too soft and causing abnormal noise, thus balancing the dent resistance and pedestrian head protection scores.

[0052] In this embodiment, while meeting the anti-dent performance of the central structure 16 of the front hood, in order to further consider the requirements of vehicle safety, weight reduction and weakening holes 14 are set on the beam. The principle of setting the weight reduction and weakening holes 14 is to maximize the number of holes. The more holes there are, the better the vehicle lightweighting standard can be met, which is beneficial to the vehicle safety head score.

[0053] In this embodiment, each vertical beam has weight-reducing and weakening holes 14 near both ends, and each horizontal beam also has weight-reducing and weakening holes 14 at both ends. The weight-reducing and weakening holes 14 at both ends of the first horizontal beam are located on the connecting beam outside the cross concave arc 8. The space in the middle of the first horizontal beam is occupied by the cross reinforcement 9, so no weight-reducing and weakening holes are provided there.

[0054] Weight reduction and weakening holes 14 are also provided on the front and rear sides of the first crossbeam, and are located on both sides of the intersection of the ends of the vertical beams. It can be understood that weight reduction and weakening holes can also be provided on the connecting beam as needed.

[0055] The design of the weight-reducing and weakening holes plays a role in mitigating the impact of the weight, thus helping to meet the requirements of vehicle safety and also satisfying the needs of automotive lightweight design.

[0056] To compensate for the overall bending resistance of the central part, flanges 15 are formed on the edges of the hollowed-out parts of the grid-like hollow structure. Each flange 15 is 6mm wide and 15mm deep. While weakening the bending resistance, the larger and deeper the flange 15 is, the better the bending resistance.

[0057] The weight-reducing and weakening hole 14 can reduce weight and cost on the one hand, and weaken the stiffness of the beam on the other hand, increasing the possibility of sheet metal crumpling during a head-on collision in this area, thus improving the pedestrian protection score in this area. On this basis, the flange 15 structure ensures the overall bending resistance of the middle section after considering the pedestrian protection by setting the weight-reducing and weakening hole 14.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the two horizontal beams 12 near the front and rear sides of the inner panel are connected to both ends of the vertical beam 10, and vibration isolation adhesive grooves are provided at the connection points. Furthermore, on the horizontal beams 12 with weight reduction and weakening holes 14, the weight reduction and weakening holes 14 and vibration isolation adhesive grooves 13 are staggered. Vibration isolation adhesive grooves 13 are also provided on the vertical beams, located on both sides of the cross-rib 9 structure and the cross-shaped concave arc 8 structure. It can be understood that vibration isolation adhesive grooves 13 can also be provided on the first horizontal beam between the cross-rib 9 structures or between the cross-rib 9 structure and the cross-shaped concave arc 8 structure.

[0059] In this embodiment, the vibration isolation adhesive groove 13 is arranged in a reasonable and uniform position on the grid structure composed of the horizontal and vertical beams at the middle structure 16 of the front hatch, which can achieve stable support for the outer panel and reduce abnormal noise.

[0060] Example 2

[0061] In a typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figures 1-5 As shown, an automobile includes a hood, which employs an inner panel structure as described in Embodiment 1. This inner panel structure achieves a balance between the hood's dent resistance and pedestrian protection. Furthermore, the design principles of the inner panel structure are highly versatile; hood structures for different vehicle models can be developed according to this design concept, reducing the time spent on repeated modifications later on. This not only shortens the project development cycle but also reduces development costs.

[0062] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A structure for the inner panel of a car hood, characterized in that, The front hatch includes a central structure located in the middle of the inner panel. The central structure of the front hatch forms a grid structure through several horizontal beams and several vertical beams. A cross-shaped concave arc is set at the intersection of the two ends of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam in the middle position. A cross-shaped rib is set at the intersection of the first horizontal beam and the vertical beam, and the cross-shaped rib is located between the two cross-shaped concave arcs. Weight reduction and weakening holes are set on each vertical beam near its two ends and on the horizontal beams on the front and rear sides of the first horizontal beam. The edges of the hollowed-out parts of the grid structure are formed into flanges. The number of crossbeams on the front and rear sides of the first crossbeam is the same, and the cross concave arc is set at the intersection of the vertical beam near the side and the first crossbeam; the two crossbeams near the front and rear sides of the inner plate are connected to the two ends of the vertical beam, and the connection is provided with vibration isolation adhesive grooves; on the crossbeam with weight reduction and weakening holes, the weight reduction and weakening holes and vibration isolation adhesive grooves are distributed alternately.

2. The automotive hood inner panel structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner panel has a closed structure formed by side beams at its edge, and the central structure of the front hatch is located inside the closed structure.

3. The automotive hood inner panel structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side beams on the rear side of the inner plate are provided with hinge reinforcement plate mounting surfaces at both ends for mounting hinge reinforcement plates.

4. The structure of the inner panel of a car hood according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner plate has a middle outer plate support plate and a gas spring reinforcing plate at the middle position of the left and right beams.

5. The structure of an inner panel of a car hood according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner plate is provided with a lock support plate and a lock reinforcement plate at the middle position of the front beam.

6. The automotive hood inner panel structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first crossbeam has one crossbeam on its front side and one crossbeam on its rear side.

7. A car, characterized in that, The automobile includes a hood, which adopts an inner panel structure for an automobile hood as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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