Support structure of vehicle front cover
By designing the angle setting of the support structure and the weakening holes, the problem that the existing support structure cannot be crushed when a pedestrian's head collides is solved, achieving the effects of reducing damage and lightening weight.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZHEJIANG LEAPMOTOR TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
The existing vehicle hood support structure cannot be effectively crushed in the event of a pedestrian head collision, which exacerbates the pedestrian's head injury, and the overall rigidity is too high, which is not conducive to the lightweight design of the vehicle.
Design a support structure comprising a first support segment, a transition segment, and a second support segment connected in sequence, with weakening holes provided. By setting the angle and designing the weakening holes, the structure can be controlled to crush the pedestrian's head upon impact, thereby reducing injury to the pedestrian's head and reducing the overall weight.
It achieves effective crushing in the event of a pedestrian's head collision, reducing injury, and the weakened hole design reduces the overall weight of the support structure, which is beneficial for vehicle lightweighting.
Smart Images
Figure CN224225154U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, specifically to a bracket structure for a vehicle hood. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of vehicle manufacturing, the hood, as an important component of the vehicle's appearance, not only affects the overall shape of the vehicle but also has a significant impact on its safety and functionality. A vehicle hood typically consists of an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel. Due to the large cavity size between the outer and inner hood panels, the outer hood panel suffers from poor local rigidity. To ensure the structural strength and stability of the outer hood panel, a support structure needs to be installed between the outer and inner hood panels.
[0003] While existing support structures can provide structural support for the hood's outer panel, they also result in limited deformation of the hood's head upon impact, making it unable to effectively crush in a frontal collision. This exacerbates head injuries to pedestrians when their heads collide with the vehicle's hood. For example, when the support structure is U-shaped, the excessive rigidity due to the supports at both ends makes it difficult for the U-shaped support structure to crush a pedestrian's head upon impact, thus hindering efforts to reduce head injuries. Utility Model Content
[0004] This application provides a support structure for a vehicle hood, which not only provides sufficient support for the outer panel of the hood, but also helps to reduce the injury to the pedestrian's head when the pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle hood.
[0005] This application provides a bracket structure for a vehicle hood, the bracket structure being disposed between an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel. The bracket structure includes a first support section, a transition section, and a second support section connected in sequence. The first support section is connected to the outer hood panel, and the second support section is connected to the inner hood panel. The first support section and the transition section, as well as the transition section and the second support section, are both angled. The bracket structure is provided with weakening holes.
[0006] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the first support segment onto the plane where the second support segment is located and the orthographic projection of the transition segment onto the plane where the second support segment is located are spaced apart from each other, and the second included angle between the second support segment and the transition segment is greater than or equal to 90°; or...
[0007] The orthographic projection of the first support segment onto the plane where the second support segment is located overlaps at least partially with the orthographic projection of the transition segment onto the plane where the second support segment is located, and the second included angle between the second support segment and the transition segment is less than 90°.
[0008] In some embodiments, the weakening hole is disposed in at least one of the first support section, the transition section, and the second support section.
[0009] In some embodiments, the weakening hole extends from the first support section to the second support section.
[0010] In some embodiments, the weakening hole is one or more of a circular through hole, an elliptical through hole, or a polygonal through hole.
[0011] In some embodiments, the number of weakening holes is one or more. When the number of weakening holes is one, the weakening hole is disposed close to the center of the support structure. When the number of weakening holes is multiple, the multiple weakening holes are evenly distributed on the support structure.
[0012] In some embodiments, a connecting portion is provided between the first support segment and the outer front cover panel, the first support segment and the outer front cover panel are connected through the connecting portion, and the second support segment is fixedly connected to the inner front cover panel.
[0013] In some embodiments, the connecting portion is an elastically deformable structure, so that the first support segment is elastically connected to the outer front cover plate.
[0014] In some embodiments, the first support segment has a groove on the side facing the outer front cover, and a portion of the connecting portion is located in the groove.
[0015] In some embodiments, the first support segment, the transition segment, and the second support segment are integrally formed structures.
[0016] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the vehicle hood support structure provided in this application embodiment has a first support section connected to the outer panel of the hood and a second support section connected to the inner panel of the hood. This provides sufficient support for the outer panel of the hood, ensuring its structural strength and stability. By setting angles between the first support section and the transition section, as well as between the transition section and the second support section, the support structure can effectively crush when a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle hood, thereby reducing injury to the pedestrian's head. The weakening holes on the support structure can induce controllable crushing of the support structure, further reducing the contact stiffness of the pedestrian's head and further reducing injury to the pedestrian's head. In addition, the weakening holes can also reduce the overall weight of the support structure, which is beneficial to the lightweight design of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bracket in this application when it is installed on the outer cover and the inner cover of the front cover;
[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the support structure of this application;
[0020] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the bracket structure of this application when it is installed on the outer cover and the inner cover of the front cover.
[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Bracket structure; 11. First support section; 111. Groove; 12. Transition section; 13. Second support section; 14. Weakening hole; 2. Outer front cover plate; 3. Inner front cover plate; 4. Connecting part; 5. Welding point; α. First included angle; β. Second included angle. Detailed Implementation
[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of this application and are not intended to limit this application. In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up," "down," "left," and "right" generally refer to up, down, left, and right in the actual use or working state of the device, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings.
[0023] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," "stacked," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0024] This application provides a bracket structure for a vehicle hood, which will be described in detail below. It should be noted that the order of description of the following embodiments is not intended to limit the preferred order of the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis; parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to in the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.
[0025] Reference Figure 1 One embodiment of this application provides a support structure 1 for a vehicle hood. The vehicle hood is usually composed of an outer hood panel 2 and an inner hood panel 3. Due to the large cavity size between the outer hood panel 2 and the inner hood panel 3, the outer hood panel 2 has insufficient local rigidity. The support structure 1 is used to be set between the outer hood panel 2 and the inner hood panel 3 to improve the rigidity of the outer hood panel 2.
[0026] Please refer to the details as well. Figure 2 The support structure 1 can be made of metal, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel. While providing support, the metal support structure 1 can also deform when subjected to external impact, thereby achieving crushing of the support structure 1.
[0027] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The bracket structure 1 may include a first support section 11, a transition section 12, and a second support section 13 connected in sequence. The first support section 11 is connected to the outer front cover plate 2, and the second support section 13 is connected to the inner front cover plate 3. The first support section 11, transition section 12, and second support section 13 are preferably integrally formed, for example, by stamping, die casting, or laser cutting processes. The integrally formed structure of the bracket structure 1 eliminates the weld stress concentration problem of traditional splicing processes, simplifies the production process, and thus reduces manufacturing costs and improves production efficiency.
[0028] Reference Figure 2 The first support section 11 and the transition section 12, as well as the transition section 12 and the second support section 13, are set at an angle so that the support structure 1 can be roughly Z-shaped. The Z-shaped support structure 1 can disperse the impact load and reduce local stress concentration. For example, when a pedestrian's head collides with the hood of a vehicle, the support structure 1 can be effectively crushed, thereby reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head.
[0029] Reference Figure 2The support structure 1 may be provided with weakening holes 14. Weakening holes 14 can induce controllable crushing of the support structure 1, further reducing the contact stiffness with the pedestrian's head and further reducing injury to the pedestrian's head. The weakening hole 14 can be one or more of a circular through-hole, an elliptical through-hole, or a polygonal through-hole. In this application, the weakening hole 14 is an elongated through-hole, preferably a polygonal through-hole. As an example, the orthographic projection of the polygonal through-hole onto the plane where the second support section 13 is located is a quadrilateral.
[0030] Reference Figure 2 The number of weakening holes 14 can be one or more. When there is only one weakening hole 14, it is located close to the center of the support structure 1. When there are multiple weakening holes 14, they are evenly distributed throughout the support structure 1. In this embodiment, there are multiple weakening holes 14, which ensures a more uniform distribution of structural strength of the support structure 1. When a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle hood, the support structure 1 can be effectively crushed, thereby reducing injury to the pedestrian's head.
[0031] Reference Figure 1 One or more support structures 1 can be provided between the outer front cover panel 2 and the inner front cover panel 3. In this embodiment, multiple support structures 1 are provided between the outer front cover panel 2 and the inner front cover panel 3. These multiple support structures 1 can provide sufficient support for the outer front cover panel 2, ensuring the structural strength and stability of the outer front cover panel 2. The structural strength of a single support structure 1 can be reduced, so that when a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's front cover, the support structure 1 is more likely to be crushed, thereby further reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head.
[0032] In this application, the first support section 11 is connected to the outer panel 2 of the front cover, and the second support section 13 is connected to the inner panel 3 of the front cover. This provides sufficient support for the outer panel 2 of the front cover, ensuring the structural strength and stability of the outer panel 2 of the front cover. By setting the first support section 11 and the transition section 12, as well as the transition section 12 and the second support section 13, at an angle, the support structure 1 can effectively crush when a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's front cover, thereby reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head. The support structure 1 is provided with a weakening hole 14, which can induce the support structure 1 to crush in a controllable manner, further reducing the contact stiffness of the pedestrian's head and further reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head. In addition, the weakening hole 14 can also reduce the overall weight of the support structure 1, which is beneficial to the lightweight design of the vehicle.
[0033] In one specific implementation, refer to Figure 2The orthographic projections of the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 on the plane of the second support segment 13 are spaced apart, meaning there is no overlap between them. The second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 is greater than or equal to 90° and less than 180°. In this case, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is less than 180°. Preferably, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is greater than or equal to 90°. More preferably, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is greater than 90°. For example, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 can be any value among 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 180°, etc., or any value between any two. The second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 is greater than 90°. For example, the second included angle β between the second support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is greater than 90°. The second included angle β between segments 12 can be any value among 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 180°, or any value between two of them. Furthermore, the first support segment 11 and the second support segment 13 are arranged parallel or approximately parallel to each other. Thus, the support structure 1 forms a cantilever structure. When a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle's hood, the support structure 1 is more likely to be crushed, thereby reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head.
[0034] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2The orthographic projection of the first support segment 11 onto the plane where the second support segment 13 is located at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the transition segment 12 onto the plane where the second support segment 13 is located, and the second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 is less than 90°. At this time, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is less than 180°. Preferably, the difference between the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 and the second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 is less than 90°. More preferably, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 is less than 90°. For example, the first included angle α between the first support segment 11 and the transition segment 12 can be any value among 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, or any value between any two. The second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 is less than 90°. For example, the second included angle β between the second support segment 13 and the transition segment 12 can be any value among 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, or any value between any two. Furthermore, the first support segment 11 and the second support segment 13 are arranged parallel or approximately parallel to each other. Thus, the support structure 1 forms a more compact folding structure, suitable for scenarios with interior space of the front cover, and the smaller second included angle β can enhance the lateral deformation resistance of the support structure 1. At the same time, the stress concentration design of the projected overlapping area guides the deformation path during collision.
[0035] As a preferred method, refer to Figure 2 The weakening hole 14 can be provided in at least one of the first support section 11, the transition section 12, and the second support section 13. That is, the weakening hole 14 can be provided independently in one of the first support section 11, the transition section 12, and the second support section 13. The weakening hole 14 can also be provided in two of the first support section 11, the transition section 12, and the second support section 13 simultaneously. The weakening hole 14 can also be provided in the first support section 11, the transition section 12, and the second support section 13 simultaneously.
[0036] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 2 The weakening hole 14 extends from the first support section 11 to the second support section 13. As an example, the weakening hole 14 can extend to a part of the first support section 11 and a part of the second support section 13. The weakening hole 14 passes through the transition section 12 and communicates with the weakening holes 14 located in the first support section 11 and the second support section 13. In this way, while ensuring that the support structure 1 has a certain structural strength, the weakening hole 14 can also be aligned with the stress direction of the support structure 1, avoiding structural failure caused by stress concentration at the edge of the weakening hole 14, thereby ensuring that the deformation expands along a preset path during a collision.
[0037] In one specific implementation, please refer to the following: Figure 3 A connecting part 4 can be provided between the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the hood, and the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the hood are connected by the connecting part 4. The connecting part 4 is an elastically deformable structure to allow the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the hood to be elastically connected. The connecting part 4 is, for example, vibration damping rubber. This elastic connection method can effectively buffer the road bumps and vibrations of the hood during vehicle operation, reduce the vibration amplitude and abnormal noise of the hood, and provide a more comfortable driving environment for passengers. At the same time, when a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle hood, the elastic connecting part 4 can first undergo elastic deformation to absorb some of the collision energy, buying time for the subsequent deformation and energy absorption of the support structure 1, thereby improving the safety performance of the hood. In addition, compared with a fixed connection between the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the hood, when a pedestrian's head collides with the vehicle hood, the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the hood are more likely to separate from each other, the first support section 11 is more likely to deform, and the support structure 1 is more likely to be crushed, thereby reducing the injury to the pedestrian's head.
[0038] Reference Figure 3 The second support section 13 is fixedly connected to the inner front cover plate 3. The second support section 13 and the inner front cover plate 3 can be connected by welding point 5. This not only ensures the stability of the connection between the second support section 13 and the inner front cover plate 3, but also simplifies the operation, improves production efficiency and reduces production costs.
[0039] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first support section 11 has a groove 111 on the side facing the outer panel 2 of the front cover, and part of the connecting part 4 is located in the groove 111. This not only better fixes the connecting part 4 and makes the connection between the connecting part 4 and the first support section 11 more stable, but also provides a certain degree of protection for the connecting part 4, preventing it from being displaced or damaged by external factors during vehicle operation. In addition, it can increase the thickness of the connecting part 4 between the first support section 11 and the outer panel 2 of the front cover, thereby improving the connection and shock absorption effect of the connecting part 4. At the same time, it can also limit the distribution of the connecting part 4, thereby further improving the shock absorption effect of the connecting part 4.
[0040] The above provides a detailed description of a vehicle hood support structure provided by this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
Claims
1. A bracket structure for a vehicle hood, characterized in that, The bracket structure (1) is used to be installed between the outer front cover plate (2) and the inner front cover plate (3). The bracket structure (1) includes a first support section (11), a transition section (12) and a second support section (13) connected in sequence. The first support section (11) is connected to the outer front cover plate (2), and the second support section (13) is connected to the inner front cover plate (3). The first support section (11) and the transition section (12) and the transition section (12) and the second support section (13) are both set at an angle. The bracket structure (1) is provided with a weakening hole (14).
2. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the first support segment (11) onto the plane where the second support segment (13) is located and the orthographic projection of the transition segment (12) onto the plane where the second support segment (13) is located are spaced apart from each other, and the second included angle (β) between the second support segment (13) and the transition segment (12) is greater than or equal to 90°; or, The orthographic projection of the first support segment (11) onto the plane where the second support segment (13) is located overlaps at least partially with the orthographic projection of the transition segment (12) onto the plane where the second support segment (13) is located, and the second included angle (β) between the second support segment (13) and the transition segment (12) is less than 90°.
3. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weakening hole (14) is provided in at least one of the first support section (11), the transition section (12) and the second support section (13).
4. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 3, characterized in that, The weakening hole (14) extends from the first support section (11) to the second support section (13).
5. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weakening hole (14) is one or more of a circular through hole, an elliptical through hole, or a polygonal through hole.
6. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of weakening holes (14) is one or more. When the number of weakening holes (14) is one, the weakening hole (14) is located close to the middle of the support structure (1). When the number of weakening holes (14) is multiple, the multiple weakening holes (14) are evenly distributed on the support structure (1).
7. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting part (4) is provided between the first support section (11) and the outer front cover plate (2). The first support section (11) and the outer front cover plate (2) are connected through the connecting part (4). The second support section (13) is fixedly connected to the inner front cover plate (3).
8. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connecting part (4) is an elastically deformable structure so that the first support section (11) is elastically connected to the front cover outer plate (2).
9. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first support section (11) has a groove (111) on the side facing the front cover outer plate (2), and part of the connecting part (4) is located in the groove (111).
10. The support structure for the vehicle hood according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first support section (11), the transition section (12) and the second support section (13) are integrally formed structures.