Articulation system for a motor vehicle bonnet

Abstract

The invention relates to an articulation system (S) for a bonnet (20) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising at least one articulation device (100) comprising first and second elements (110, 120) cooperating in an articulated manner and rigidly connected to said bonnet (20) and to the body structure (10) of said vehicle (1), respectively, or vice versa; characterized in that said first and second elements (110, 120) of each said articulation device (100) respectively comprise at least one follower pin (113, 114) and at least one cam track (120) in which said at least one follower pin (113, 114) is able to travel, said system (S) being able to occupy a stable open configuration in which the cooperation between the follower pin(s) (113, 114) and the cam track(s) (120) of each said articulation device (100) ensures that said bonnet (20) is held in the open position.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Articulation system for a motor vehicle hood [Technical field] [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2307144 filed on July 5, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. [2] The present invention relates generally to motor vehicle hoods. It relates in particular to a hinge system for such a hood. [Prior technique] [3] Most motor vehicles have a bonnet hinged in its rear part to the body structure of the vehicle by means of two hinges arranged respectively on the right and left of the bonnet, said hinges being attached to bodywork elements such as for example the front wing linings. [4] Each of these hinges comprises by definition a first so-called “mobile” knuckle rigidly linked to the hood, as well as a second so-called “fixed” knuckle rigidly linked to the body structure of the vehicle. [5] Classically made from a metallic material, these two fixed and mobile hinges are articulated relative to each other around a pivot axis. [6] Each hinge is previously attached, by means of the movable knuckle, to a lateral end of the hood by screwing. It is then secured to the vehicle body structure by screwing its fixed knuckle onto a lateral wing. [7] Such a setup process is relatively complex because it requires multiple assembly operations on the final assembly line. In addition, this process may require adjustment of the relative position of the different parts, including adjustment of the hinges, in order to obtain correct referencing of the parts relative to each other. As a result, the time assembly is quite long. In addition, to perform such operations, rather expensive tools are usually required. [8] In order to keep the hood in the open position tilted upwards so as to leave free access to the engine compartment and allow possible intervention on it, it is also necessary to equip the vehicle with a generally metallic prop, pivotally mounted on the body structure at a point of the latter located under the tilting hood and capable of being raised into the active position to lock under this hood at a specific location. [9] These hinges and this metal crutch have a relatively large mass and their manufacturing cost is not negligible.

[0010] It is known, for example from patent application EP 1 097 856 A1, to eliminate the hinge elements by fixing an engine hood on a rail so that it slides towards the front of the vehicle. Such an engine hood does not, however, allow access to the entire engine compartment, unless the hood is completely removed by separating it from the rail.

[0011] Also known from document FR 2 986 766 A1 is a hood support intended to cooperate with a hood at least in a closed position in which this hood closes the engine compartment of the motor vehicle. This hood support comprises positioning elements which can be activated to cooperate with the hood so as to maintain it in the closed position and configured so that: - their activation is obtained by sliding the hood relative to the hood support, in particular in a substantially horizontal direction, - and / or their cooperation with the hood is such that the positioning elements prohibit any movement having a vertical component, between the hood support and the hood.

[0012] However, such a system does not ensure that the hood remains in the open position. [Statement of the invention]

[0013] The present invention aims to provide a hood hinge system that is both functional and economical.

[0014] To this end, it proposes a hinge system for a motor vehicle hood comprising at least one hinge device comprising a first and a second element cooperating in an articulated manner and rigidly connected respectively to said hood and to the body structure of said vehicle or vice versa; characterized in that said first and second elements of each said hinge device respectively comprise at least one follower pin and at least one cam path in which said at least one follower pin is able to travel, said system being able to occupy a stable opening configuration, in which the cooperation between the follower pin(s) and the cam path(s) of each said hinge device ensures that said hood is kept in the open position.

[0015] The articulation system for a motor vehicle hood according to the invention thus makes it possible to provide the same functionalities as a conventional articulation system equipped with hinges and a crutch, with significantly lower production and assembly costs due to its simplicity.

[0016] This articulation system also has the advantage of being lighter than a conventional articulation system, so that the invention also contributes to the overall reduction of the mass of the vehicle.

[0017] According to preferred characteristics of said articulation system according to the invention: - said first element of each said articulation device is constituted by an arm comprising two rear and front follower pins spaced apart from each other; - said second element of each said articulation device comprises a single cam path in which said rear and front follower pins of a corresponding arm are able to travel; - said single cam path of each said articulation device has an access opening through which said rear and front follower pins of a respective arm can be extracted from this cam path or reintroduced inside the latter; - said single cam path of each said articulation device is in the form of an h oriented substantially horizontally, the latter comprising a lower rear section extending substantially horizontally, a lower front section extending substantially horizontally in the front extension of said lower rear section, an upper section extending substantially horizontally above said lower front section, as well as a connecting section extending obliquely from the rear end of said upper section and opening at the interface between said lower rear and lower front sections; - said system is capable of occupying a closing configuration in which said rear and front follower pins of the arm of each articulation device are respectively positioned in the rear lower section and the front lower section of the corresponding cam path, so as to prevent any rotational movement of said hood with respect to said body structure; - said system is capable of occupying, via a substantially horizontal sliding movement towards the rear of said hood operated from said closing configuration, a release configuration in which the front follower pin of the arm of each articulation device is positioned at the interface between the lower rear and lower front sections of the corresponding cam path, directly above the lower end of the connecting section; - said system is capable of occupying, via a lifting movement from the front of said hood operated from said release configuration, an unstable opening configuration in which the front follower pin of the arm of each articulation device is positioned at the interface between the connecting and upper sections of the corresponding cam track, the rear follower pin of the arm of each articulation device being positioned at the interface between the lower rear and lower front sections of the corresponding cam track, directly above the lower end of the connecting section; - said lower front and upper sections of the cam track of each articulation device are each extended at their front end by a respective descending notch, said system being capable of occupying, via a substantially horizontal sliding movement towards the front of said hood operated from said unstable opening configuration, said stable opening configuration in which the rear and front follower pins of the arm of each articulation device are positioned at the front ends of the lower front and upper sections of the corresponding cam track and are inserted by gravity into said notches; and / or - said system comprises two said symmetrical articulation devices provided to each connect a respective rear lateral part of the main panel of said hood to a corresponding front wing lining of said vehicle body structure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig 1] represents a schematic side view of the front of a motor vehicle comprising a hood mounted articulated on the body structure of this vehicle by means of an articulation system according to the invention occupying its closing configuration; - [Fig 2] is a perspective view of the arm of an articulation device that the articulation system according to the invention comprises; - [Fig 3] represents an enlarged view of the cam path of an articulation device which comprises the articulation system according to the invention; and - [Fig 4], [Fig 5], [Fig 6] and [Fig 7] represent views similar to figure 1 but illustrating different configurations of the articulation system according to the invention. [Detailed description]

[0019] Figure 1 represents a schematic side view of the front of a motor vehicle 1 comprising a hood 20 mounted hinged on the body structure 10 of this vehicle 1.

[0020] We define with respect to this vehicle 1 an orthogonal reference XYZ comprising three axes perpendicular two by two, namely: - an X axis, defining a longitudinal direction, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, - a Y axis, defining a transverse, horizontal direction, which with the X axis defines a horizontal XY plane, and - a Z axis, defining a vertical direction, perpendicular to the horizontal XY plane.

[0021] In the remainder of the description and with reference to the reference defined above, the terms "longitudinal" or "longitudinally" will refer to a direction parallel to the X axis, the terms "transverse" or "transversely" will refer to a direction parallel to the Y axis, and the terms "vertical" or “vertically” will refer to a direction parallel to the Z axis.

[0022] On the other hand, the terms "front" and "back" will be used to specify the longitudinal positioning of certain elements relative to the orientation of the X axis. Similarly, the terms "upper" and "lower" will be used to specify the relative position of certain elements relative to the orientation of the Z axis.

[0023] The terms "external" and "internal" will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the median vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle 1. The element closest to this plane will thus be described as internal as opposed to the other element further from this same plane which will be described as external.

[0024] Furthermore, the use of the term "substantially" will indicate that a slight deviation is permitted from a predetermined nominal orientation, while remaining included within the scope of the invention. For example, "substantially horizontal" indicates that a deviation of the order of 10° to 20° from a strictly horizontal orientation is permitted within the scope of the invention.

[0025] As illustrated in Figure 1, the hood 20 comprises a main panel 21 intended to cover the engine compartment of the vehicle 1 and advantageously molded from a thermoplastic material (such as polyamide or polypropylene) possibly reinforced with natural and / or synthetic fibers.

[0026] The hood 20 is mounted articulated on the body structure 10 by means of an articulation system according to the invention S comprising two articulation devices 100 each connecting a respective rear lateral part of the main panel 21 of the hood 20 to a corresponding front wing lining 11 of the body structure 10 of the vehicle 1.

[0027] Each articulation device 100 comprises an arm 110 shown alone in FIG. 2, this arm having a substantially L shape and extending along a vertical longitudinal average plane from the lower face of the main panel 21 of the cover 20 to which it is rigidly connected.

[0028] Advantageously molded from a single piece of plastic material with this main panel 21, the arms 110 of the two articulation devices 100 each comprise a proximal branch 111 rigidly connected to the lower face of this main panel 21 and a rectilinear distal articulation branch 112 extending towards the rear.

[0029] Alternatively, the two arms 110 may be made up of two parts produced separately from the main panel 21 of the cover 20 (for example made of plastic or metal) and fixedly attached to the latter (for example by screwing or welding).

[0030] As is clearly visible in this figure 2, each arm 110 also comprises two rear 113 and front 114 cylindrical follower pins, each projecting transversely from the external side of the distal articulation branch 112 and being spaced from each other along the latter.

[0031] Each articulation device 100 also comprises a single cam path 120, rigidly connected to a respective front wing lining 11 of the body structure 10 of the vehicle, and designed to receive the two follower pins 113, 114 of a corresponding arm 110.

[0032] The cam tracks 120 of the two articulation devices 100 can each be formed in a plate, made for example of plastic or metal and fixedly attached by screwing onto a respective front wing lining 11.

[0033] Alternatively, the cam path 120 of each articulation device 100 may be formed in a pre-existing part of the body structure 10 located at the corresponding front fender liner 11.

[0034] The articulation devices 100 are symmetrical so as to ensure similar and simultaneous guidance of the follower pins 113, 114 of the two arms 110 along the two cam paths 120.

[0035] With reference to Figure 3, the cam path 120 of each articulation device 100 is in the form of an h oriented substantially horizontally, this cam path 120 comprising a rear lower section 121 extending substantially horizontally, a lower front section 122 extending substantially horizontally in the front extension of the lower rear section 121, an upper section 123 extending substantially horizontally above the lower front section 122 and projecting in front of the latter, as well as a connecting section 124 extending obliquely from the rear end of the upper section 123 and opening at the interface between the lower rear 121 and lower front 122 sections.

[0036] The lower front 122 and upper 123 sections are each further extended at their front end by a respective descending notch 122A, 123A. These two notches 122A, 123A extend in an aligned manner in an oblique direction advantageously parallel to that of the connecting section 124.

[0037] In order to allow the complete separation of the hood 20 from the body structure 10 of the vehicle 1 (so as, for example, to provide better access to the engine compartment during after-sales service or to facilitate the replacement of this hood 20), the cam track 120 of each articulation device 100 advantageously has an access opening 125 through which the follower pins 113, 114 of a respective arm 110 can be extracted from this cam track 120 or reintroduced inside the latter.

[0038] This access opening 125 is in this case arranged at the front end of the upper front section 123.

[0039] The articulation system S is capable of occupying a closing configuration, illustrated by FIG. 1, in which the rear follower pins 113 and front 114 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 are respectively positioned in the rear lower section 121 and the front lower section 122 of the corresponding cam path 120, so as to prevent any rotational movement of the hood 20 with respect to the body structure 10 of the vehicle 1.

[0040] To allow the pivoting opening of the hood 20, the latter must be slid substantially horizontally towards the rear until the rear follower pin 113 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 comes into abutment against the rear end of the rear lower section 121 of the corresponding cam track 120.

[0041] The articulation system S then occupies a release configuration illustrated by FIG. 4 and in which the front follower pin 114 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 is positioned at the interface between the lower rear 121 and lower front 122 sections of the corresponding cam path 120, directly above the lower end of the connecting section 124.

[0042] From this release configuration, the cover 20 can be lifted from the front, which causes the front follower pin 114 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 to enter the connecting section 124 of the corresponding cam track 120, and the rear follower pin 113 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 to advance along the rear lower section 121 of the corresponding cam track 120 (see figure 5).

[0043] This lifting movement from the front of the hood 20 can be continued until the front follower pin 114 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 comes to be positioned at the interface between the connecting 124 and upper 123 sections of the corresponding cam path 120, the rear follower pin 113 of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 coming to be positioned at the interface between the lower rear 121 and lower front 122 sections of the corresponding cam path 120, directly above the lower end of the connecting section 124.

[0044] The articulation system S then occupies an unstable opening configuration illustrated by figure 6. This configuration is said to be “unstable” because any release of the cover 20 from this position would automatically cause it to return by gravity to its release configuration.

[0045] In order to ensure that the cover 20 is kept open, it must be slid substantially horizontally forward so as to advance the front 114 and rear 113 follower pins of the arm 110 of each articulation device 100 respectively along the upper 123 and lower front 122 sections of the corresponding cam path 120.

[0046] This forward sliding of the hood 20 must be continued until these rear 113 and front 114 follower pins of the arm 110 of each device articulation 100 are positioned at the front ends of the lower front 122 and upper 123 sections of the corresponding cam path 120.

[0047] These rear 113 and front 114 follower pins will then automatically be inserted by gravity respectively into the notches 122A, 123A, so that the articulation system S comes to occupy its stable opening configuration illustrated by figure 7 in which the cover 20 is held in the open position.

[0048] According to alternative embodiments not shown, the articulation system according to the invention may comprise a single articulation device such as 100.

[0049] Each articulation device may comprise a single follower pin associated with a differently shaped cam path.

[0050] Each articulation device can also include two cam paths, each associated with a respective follower pin.

[0051] It is also possible to envisage that the arm of each articulation device carrying the follower pin(s) is rigidly connected to the body structure of the vehicle while the cam path of this articulation device is rigidly connected to the hood.

[0052] Many other variants are conceivable and it is recalled in this regard that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but also encompasses all the variants of execution within the reach of those skilled in the art, i

Claims

Claims

1. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) comprising at least one articulation device (100) comprising a first and a second element (110, 120) cooperating in an articulated manner and rigidly connected respectively to said hood (20) and to the body structure (10) of said vehicle (1) or vice versa; characterized in that said first and second elements (110, 120) of each said articulation device (100) respectively comprise at least one follower pin (113, 114) and at least one cam path (120) in which said at least one follower pin (113, 114) is able to travel, said system (S) being able to occupy a stable opening configuration in which the cooperation between the follower pin(s) (113, 114) and the cam path(s) (120) of each said articulation device (100) ensures that said cover (20) is held in the open position.

2. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first element of each said articulation device (100) is constituted by an arm (110) comprising two rear (113) and front (114) follower pins spaced from each other.

3. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said second element (120) of each said articulation device comprises a single cam path (120) in which said rear (113) and front (114) follower pins of a corresponding arm (110) are able to travel.

4. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said single cam path (120) of each said articulation device (100) has an access opening (125) through which said rear (113) and front (114) follower pins of a respective arm (110) can be extracted from this cam path (120) or reintroduced inside the latter.

5. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said single cam path (120) of each said articulation device (100) is in the form of a substantially horizontally oriented h, the latter comprising a rear lower section (121) extending substantially horizontally, a front lower section (122) extending substantially horizontally in the front extension of said rear lower section (121), an upper section (123) extending substantially horizontally above said front lower section (122), as well as a connecting section (124) extending obliquely from the rear end of said upper section (123) and opening at the interface between said rear lower (121) and front lower (122) sections.

6. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that it is capable of occupying a closing configuration in which said rear (113) and front (114) follower pins of the arm (110) of each articulation device (100) are respectively positioned in the rear lower section (121) and the front lower section (122) of the corresponding cam path (120), so as to prevent any rotational movement of said hood (20) with respect to said body structure (10).

7. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that it is capable of occupying, via a substantially horizontal sliding movement towards the rear of said hood (20) operated from said closing configuration, a release configuration in which the front follower pin (114) of the arm (110) of each articulation device (100) is positioned at the interface between the lower rear (121) and lower front (122) sections of the corresponding cam track (120), directly above the lower end of the connecting section (124).

8. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that it is capable of occupying, via a lifting movement from the front of said hood (20) operated from said release configuration, an unstable opening configuration in which the front follower pin (114) of the arm (110) of each articulation device (100) is positioned at the interface between the connecting (124) and upper (123) sections of the corresponding cam path (120), the rear follower pin (113) of the arm (110) of each articulation device (100) coming to position itself at the interface between the lower rear (121) and lower front (122) sections of the corresponding cam path (120), directly above the lower end of the connecting section (124).

9. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said lower front (122) and upper (123) sections of the cam track (120) of each articulation device (100) are each extended at their front end by a respective descending notch (122A, 123A), said system (S) being able to occupy, via a substantially horizontal sliding movement towards the front of said hood (20) operated from said unstable opening configuration, said stable opening configuration in which the rear (113) and front (114) follower pins of the arm (110) of each articulation device (100) are positioned at the front ends of the lower front (122) and upper (123) sections of the corresponding cam track and are inserted by gravity into said notches (122A, 123A).

10. Articulation system (S) for hood (20) of motor vehicle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises two said symmetrical articulation devices (100) provided to each connect a respective rear lateral part of the main panel (21) of said hood (20) to a corresponding front wing lining (11) of said body structure (10) of the vehicle (1). i

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