Active hood locking device for motor vehicles

Abstract

An active hood locking device for a vehicle for raising a front end area of ​​a hood of the vehicle, wherein the active hood locking device comprises: an actuator (120) for generating energy or a force for raising a locking bar (S) which is locked by means of a passive lock (110); an actuator interaction area (130) which is installed to connect the locking bar (S) to the actuator (120) and to raise the locking bar (S) with the assistance of the actuator (120) when the actuator (120) is actuated and / or depressed, and which has a fold-out guide (132);an electronic control unit for actuating the actuator (120) upon receiving a signal and / or touch signal from a collision sensor detecting a collision with a pedestrian, wherein the active hood locking device further comprises an emergency stop element (133) for locking and unlocking a locking guide pin (113) of the passive lock (110), wherein the emergency stop element (133) is rotatably mounted on a mounting base (100), the mounting base (100) having a front mounting plate (101), and wherein the emergency stop element (133) is rotatably installed in the front mounting plate (101) in a state where the rotation of the emergency stop element (133) is prevented by the fold-out guide (132), and wherein the emergency stop element (133) is rotated to unlock the locking guide pin (113) when the actuator (120) is activated.;

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the InventionThe present invention relates to an active hood closure device for a vehicle, e.g., an automobile, for reducing pedestrian injury or for reducing the number of pedestrian injury by smoothly raising a front end portion of the hood, such as the hood, of the vehicle in the event of a collision of the vehicle with a pedestrian (pedestrian collision for short).Description of the Related ArtA hood of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, is a part which opens and closes an engine compartment of the vehicle and blocks or dampens noise of the engine, in particular an internal combustion engine. Recently, an active hood system for vehicles has been developed.The active hood system lifts the hood to protect a pedestrian in the event of a pedestrian collision accident. During the occurrence of a pedestrian collision accident, the active hood system lifts the hood and prevents a secondary impact between the head of the pedestrian and an engine part of the hood or in the region of the hood and thereby reduces injuries to the pedestrian. Therefore, the active hood system may also be referred to as a pedestrian protection device.To respond to pedestrian protection regulations that have recently been reinforced with respect to vehicles, vehicle manufacturers have studied an active hood closure for uniformly raising a front end portion of the hood by deployment under the techniques relating to an active hood system as part of a pedestrian protection system.A conventional active hood latch is configured to raise a front end portion of the hood by directly raising many parts among the components. However, the active hood latch has a complex structure resulting in significant cost, weight and size, and thus is less suitable for mass production.DE 10 2008 012 048 A1 discloses a pedestrian protection device on the front flap of a motor vehicle, having a sensor which can detect a collision of an object with the motor vehicle and then forwards a signal to a device which points the rear and / or front region of the front flap upwards into a protection position in which the front flap is supported elastically and / or in a damped manner in the vertical direction downwards. The movement of the front flap into the protective position is braked and / or damped by a braking and / or damping device at least in an adjustment range before or when the protective position is reached.DE 10 2007 021 840 A1 discloses a device for raising a vehicle door, in particular a motor vehicle front flap, in an accident situation, comprising a vehicle door lock which has a rotary latch and a pawl cooperating with the rotary latch, and an actuator element which can be triggered in the accident situation, wherein the pawl releases the rotary latch as a result of a triggering of the actuator element. The special feature is, among other things, that the pawl can be decoupled from the triggered actuator element.DE 10 2006 012 090 B3 discloses a device for erecting a vehicle door in an accident situation, comprising a structural unit which can be displaced between a rest position and a working position for erecting the vehicle door and which is prestressed into its working position by an energy store, in particular a spring element, and is held by a locking element. The special feature consists in that a pyrotechnic triggering device is assigned to the locking element, which device interacts with an actuation region of the locking element via an extendable piston, wherein the extending piston displaces the locking element into a release position, whereby the structural unit is released for transfer into its working position, and wherein the actuation region of the locking element located in the release position is spaced apart from the extended piston, so that the structural unit, which is displaced back into its rest position, can be locked by the locking element when the piston is extended.DE 10 2012 105 268 A1 discloses an active engine hood apparatus for a vehicle, which has a main frame, an engine hood locking device and an engine hood raising / lowering apparatus. The main frame is mounted on the vehicle body. The hood latch is disposed at a rear side of the main frame to latch and unlatch a hood. The hood raising / lowering device is provided between the rear side of the main frame and the hood latch to move the hood latch substantially vertically according to a control signal of a control unit which receives a detection signal of a pedestrian collision sensor.DE 10 2011 076 770 A1 discloses a securing device on a lock for a front flap of a motor vehicle, which can be raised into an elevated pedestrian protection position, having a catch or locking element, which, after unlocking the lock and a lifting movement of the front flap caused by the prestressing force of at least one spring element, is adjusted into a lifting position or an raising movement of the front flap caused by an actuator into a pedestrian protection position, is adjusted into a catch or locking position preventing the front flap from opening. With a hinge device which, after opening the lock and releasing the catch or locking element, enables opening of the front flap. The pawl can be adjusted manually or by motor via an adjustment device into a release position in which the front flap can be opened when a securing element of the adjustment device, which securing element is adjusted at least indirectly into a securing position by the actuator, is adjusted into an unlocking position or, in the securing position of the securing element, a blocking element on the securing element is removed from the securing element or adjusted into an unlocking position.The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information already forms prior art known to those skilled in the art.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide an active hood closure device for a vehicle such as an automobile, which actively reduces pedestrian injuries (pedestrian injuries for short) by uniformly raising a front end portion of a hood, particularly a hood, of the vehicle such as an automobile by directly folding a striker in the event of a pedestrian collision accident.To achieve the object, the present invention provides an active hood latch device for a vehicle for raising a front end portion of a hood of the vehicle, the active hood latch device including an actuator for generating energy or a force for raising a striker locked by a passive latch, and an actuator interaction portion installed to connect the striker to the actuator and raise the striker under the action of the actuator when the actuator is operated and / or operated, and having a pop-out guide, and an electronic control device for operating the actuator upon receiving a signal and / or a sensing signal from a collision sensor that detects a collision with a pedestrian, wherein the active hood shutter device further comprises an emergency stop member for locking and unlocking a shutter guide pin of the passive shutter, wherein the emergency stop member is rotatably mounted on a mounting base, wherein the mounting base comprises a front mounting plate, and wherein the emergency stop member is rotatably installed in the front mounting plate in a state where the rotation of the emergency stop member is prevented by the pop-up guide, and wherein the emergency stop member is rotated to unlock the shutter guide pin when the actuator is operated.For example, the actuator may be a shot powder cylinder device that moves a piston forward by means of an explosive force when the shot powder explodes in the actuator, and a front end portion of the piston may be positioned adjacent to a side of the actuator cooperation portion.The actuator interaction portion may include and / or form a release portion (release angle for short) that is adjacent to a side of the actuator to cooperate with the actuator and a pop-up guide (pop-up guide for short), the pop-up guide being positioned below the striker and being adjacent to a side of the release angle to cooperate with the release angle, and when the actuator is operated, the pop-up guide may rotate in a direction to push the striker upward.The emergency stop may be installed such that a stop part return spring (a stop part return spring for short) is installed in a compressed form in a rotation axis (a rotation axis for short) of the emergency stop.The passive shutter may be rotatably mounted on or on the mounting base, wherein a shutter guide pin of the passive shutter moves along a guide hole formed in the mounting base.The pop-up guide may be installed such that a guide rotation preventing spring in a compressed state is installed in a rotation axis (briefly, about a rotation axis) of the pop-up guide, and the guide rotation preventing spring may exert a spring force in an opposite direction to the rotation direction that occurs when the actuator operates.The release angle may be installed such that an angle rotation preventing spring (briefly, about a rotation axis) of the release angle is installed, and the angle rotation preventing spring may apply / apply a spring force in an opposite direction to the rotation direction that occurs when the actuator is operated.The devices of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from and are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.Brief Description of the FiguresFIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an active hood latch device for a vehicle according to the present invention; FIGS. 2A and 2B are assembled perspective views showing an active hood latch device for a vehicle according to the present invention; and FIGS. 3, 4 to 5 show an operation method of an active hood shutter device according to the present invention.Detailed DescriptionReference will now be made to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present invention is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended that the invention cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.The present invention relates to an active hood latch device that uniformly or substantially uniformly raises a hood, particularly a hood, by deploying a hood striker of the vehicle such that, in the event of an accident in which a pedestrian collision occurs, the striker locked by a passive latch is directly deployed to pivot the passive latch and raise a front end portion of the hood, and thus an optimum performance feature is implemented.As shown in FIGS. 1 to 2B, an active hood latch device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a passive latch 110 that holds and fixes (for example, locks) a striker of the front end portion of the hood (or a hood striker) S, an actuator 120 that generates power (force for short) for lifting the striker S, an actuator cooperation portion 130 that receives power from the actuator 120 and cooperates with the actuator 120 to lift the striker S, and an electronic control unit that generates a control signal for operating the actuator 120.The passive latch 110 is structured to lock and unlock the hood striker S. The passive shutter 110 is installed on, in particular, the mounting base 100 mounted on an inner side of a front end portion of the engine room in a manner to be moved up and down. The mounting base 100 includes a front mounting plate 101 and a rear mounting plate 102 coupled with the passive shutter 110 therebetween.As shown in FIG. 3, the passive lock 110 is mounted on a side of the mounting base 100 in a manner to rotate when in a locked state of holding and fixing a side of the lower end of the striker S. The passive lock 110 may include a claw 111 for holding and fixing the lower end side of the striker S, a latch 112 for locking and unlocking the holding part 111 and locking the striker by the holding part 111.Here, in the locked state of the striker S, the passive latch 110 is raised together with the striker S when the striker S is raised, and therefore, the passive latch 110 may be a known latch for locking and unlocking the striker S, and the present invention is not limited to this structure.The actuator 120 generates power during the operation of the actuator cooperation portion 130 or applies power to the actuator cooperation portion 130 to lift the hood striker S. Therefore, the left side and the right side of the actuator may extend longitudinally, and the actuator 120 is disposed at a side of the lower end portion of the mounting base 100 to operate the actuator cooperation portion 130 adjacent thereto when the actuator 120 is operated.The actuator 120 generates an operation force of the actuator cooperation portion 130 by an explosion of shot powder therein when the electronic control device outputs a control signal. For example, a shot powder type oscillator such as a shot powder type cylinder device and a piston cylinder device in which one of these parts such as the piston can be applied with a pressing force generated by shot powder, respectively, can be used as a shot powder type actuator. The actuator 120 actuates the actuator interaction portion 130 by explosion of the shot powder that occurs when the electronic control unit outputs a control signal.When the actuator 120 is configured as a shot powder type cylinder device in which a front end of a piston 121 is directly adjacent to the actuator cooperation portion 130, as shown in FIG. 2A, the piston 121 moves forward by the explosive force generated when the inner shot powder explodes, and at the same time actuates the actuator cooperation portion 130.The actuator cooperation portion 130 is installed to connect the hood striker S and actuator 120, and thus lift the striker S of the front end portion of the hood in cooperation with the operation actuator 120. The actuator interaction portion 130 includes a release bracket 131 and a fold-out guide 132.The release angle 131 is adjacent to a front end portion of the piston 121 of the actuator 120 for cooperation, and is rotatably mounted on one side of an intermediate portion of the front mounting plate 101. One side end of the release angle 131 is adjacent to a front end portion of the piston 121 of the actuator 120, and the other side end of the release angle 131 is adjacent to one side of the fold-out guide 132.As shown in FIG. 4, the release angle 131 is pushed by the piston 121 moving forward to the left and right at a shot powder explosion into the actuator 120 such that the release angle 131 rotates in a predetermined direction. Therefore, the pop-up guide 132 rotates in cooperation with the release bracket 131 to raise the striker S.The pop-up guide 132 is positioned, particularly in cooperation with the release bracket 131, below the hood striker S and is adjacent to the release bracket 132. Therefore, the deploying guide 132 is rotatably mounted on one side of the one end portion of the front mounting plate 110, and one side of the deploying guide 132 is positioned near the lower portion of the striker S adjacent to a side end of the releasing angle 131. The pop-up guide 132 cooperates with the operation of the release angle 131 rotating in a predetermined direction during the operation of the actuator. In order to push the striker S upward and move it upward.Upon occurrence of a collision with a pedestrian, the electronic control unit receives a duty signal from a collision sensor for detecting a collision with a pedestrian to lift the striker. That is, the electronic control device outputs a control signal for operating the actuator 120, and upon receiving a sensing signal from the collision sensor for detecting, e.g., sensing, a pedestrian collision, outputs the control signal for operating the actuator 120.An emergency stop part 133 for locking and unlocking the rotation of the passive shutter 110 is adjacent to a side end (short: side end) of the pop-up guide 132. The emergency support part 133 is rotatably mounted on one side of the front mounting plate 101 (for example, a position adjacent to an upper portion of the actuator 120) in a shape for supporting and fixing the shutter guide pin 113 of the passive shutter 110 (or blocking and interrupting a movement path). When a collision with a pedestrian does not occur, the lock state in which rotation is blocked by a pop-up guide 132 is maintained. When a collision with a pedestrian occurs, the pop-up guide 132 rotates in a direction to raise the striker S, and thus enters an unlocked state.The emergency holding part (emergency holding part for short) 133 has a holding part return spring 134 in a compressed state in or about its rotational axis (rotational axis for short). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the locking of the pop-up guide 132 is released, and at the same time, the emergency holding part 133 rotates in a predetermined direction by means of a spring force, and thus releases the shutter guide pin 113. That is, the emergency support member 133 is rotatably installed in a side of the front mounting plate 101 in a state where the rotation of the emergency support member 133 is prevented by the folding guide 132.The shutter guide pin 113 guides and controls a rotation range of the passive shutter 110 according to a raising movement of the striker S, and as shown in FIG. 5, the shutter guide pin 113 is mounted to move along a guide hole (guide hole for short) 103 of the front mounting plate 101 and therefore to prevent the pop-up guide 132 from raising the striker S excessively.The shutter guide pin 113 is mounted on one side of the passive shutter 110 (for example, on opposite sides of the rotation axis) such that the shutter guide pin 113 is mounted through the guide hole 103 formed in one side of the front mounting plate 101 and moves upward along the guide hole 103 when unlocked.The above-mentioned active hood shutter device further comprises a guide rotation preventing spring 136 and an angular rotation preventing spring 135 for preventing an unintentional operation when a collision with a pedestrian does not occur.The guide rotation prevention spring 136 serves to prevent rotation of the pop-up guide 132 when the actuator 120 is not operated. Therefore, the guide rotation preventing spring on a hinge pin of the fold-out guide 132 (rotation axis) is in a compressed state.The angle rotation preventing spring 135 serves to prevent rotation of the release angle 132 when the actuator 120 is not operated. Therefore, the angle rotation preventing spring 135 is installed on a hinge pin of the release angle 131 (rotation axis) in a compressed state.Therefore, the pop-up guide 132 and the release angle 131 are subjected to a spring force in an opposite direction to the rotational direction that occurs when the actuator is operated (or the striker S is raised) such that rotation caused by an external force is prevented, and thus unintentional raising of the striker S is prevented when the actuator is not operated.The active hood shutter device for a vehicle structured as described above operates in the following manner in a case of an accident in which a pedestrian collision occurs:In a case of an accident in which a pedestrian collision occurs, a collision sensor senses a collision occurring in front of the vehicle and passes a pedestrian collision sensing signal to an electronic control device. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the release angle 131 is rotated by the energy (explosion force) of the actuator 120, and the pop-up guide 132 is rotated to push and lift the striker S upward. In this case, the passive shutter 110 holding the striker S is rotated and moves upward, and thus lifts a front end portion of the hood by the amount of folding.The active hood latch according to the present invention structurally separates a function of holding the striker and a function of deploying the striker and directly deploys the striker, and therefore, the operation performance associated with the amount of deployment is improved, as well as a deploying force and an operation speed and a safety robustness.The active hood latch device for an automobile according to the present invention allows reducing the number of parts and size, and reducing cost and weight, and optimizes a hood deployment configuration.For purposes of explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper" or "lower", "front" or "rear", "inner" or "outer", etc. have been used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.Reference numerals denote reference numerals100 Mounting base 102 Rear mounting plate 103 Guide hole 110 Passive shutter 111 Holding part 112 Pawl 113 Shutter guide pin 120 Actuator 130 Actuator cooperation portion 121 Piston 131 Release angle 132 Deployment guide 133 Emergency holding part 134 Holding part return spring 136 Guide rotation prevention spring 135 Angle rotation prevention spring S Hood striker

Claims

An active hood closure device for a vehicle for raising a front end portion of a hood of the vehicle, the active hood closure device comprising: an actuator (120) for generating energy or a force for raising a striker (S) locked by a passive lock (110); an actuator cooperation portion (130) installed to connect the striker (S) to the actuator (120) and lift the striker (S) under cooperation of the actuator (120) when the actuator (120) is operated and / or operated, and comprising a pop-up guide (132); an electronic control device for operating the actuator (120) upon receiving a signal and / or a tactile signal from a collision sensor that detects a collision with a pedestrian, wherein the active hood shutter device further comprises an emergency stop member (133) for locking and unlocking a shutter guide pin (113) of the passive shutter (110), wherein the emergency stop member (133) is rotatably mounted on a mounting base (100), wherein the mounting base (100) comprises a front mounting plate (101), and wherein the emergency stop member (133) is rotatably installed in the front mounting plate (101) in a state where the rotation of the emergency stop member (133) is prevented by the pop-out guide (132), and wherein the emergency stop member (133) is rotated to unlock the shutter guide pin (113) when the actuator (120) is operated.The active hood shutter device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (120) is a shot powder cylinder device that moves a piston (121) forward by means of an explosive force when the shot powder explodes in the actuator (120), and a front end portion of the piston (121) is positioned adjacent to a side of the actuator cooperation portion (130).The active hood closure device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator interaction portion (130) has and / or forms a release angle (131) adjacent to a side of the actuator (120) to cooperate with the actuator (120), and wherein the pop-up guide (132) is positioned under the striker (S) and adjacent to a side of the release angle (131) to cooperate with the release angle (131), and when the actuator (120) operates, the pop-up guide (132) rotates in a direction to lift the striker (S).The active hood shutter device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the emergency stop member (133) is installed such that a stop return spring (134) is installed in a compressed form about a rotation axis of the emergency stop member (133).The active hood shutter device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the passive shutter (110) is rotatably mounted on the mounting base (100), wherein a shutter guide pin (113) of the passive shutter (110) moves along a guide hole (103) formed in the mounting base (100).The active hood shutter device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deploying guide (132) is installed such that a guide rotation preventing spring (136) is installed in a compressed shape about a rotation axis of the deploying guide (132), and the guide rotation preventing spring (136) exerts a spring force in an opposite direction to the rotation direction that occurs when the actuator (120) operates.The active hood shutter device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the release bracket (131) is installed such that an angle rotation preventing spring (135) is installed in a compressed shape about a rotation axis of the release bracket (131), and the angle rotation preventing spring (135) applies a spring force in an opposite direction to the rotation direction occurring when the actuator (120) operates.

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