Hood lining for motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a hood lining for a motor vehicle comprising a main part (2) designed to be located directly above the engine compartment of said vehicle, this main part being delimited at the front by a support track (3) extending continuously over the entire width of said lining and being intended to come to rest against a sealing gasket extending along the front edge of said engine compartment;said lining also comprising a front end part (4) extending in front of said support track, this part comprising two lateral portions (4C) running along the two lateral sections (3C) of this support track and intended to be located directly above the headlights of said vehicle, each lateral portion comprising at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) extending in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral section of said support track and being connected thereto by its rear end. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 2;

Description

Title of the invention: Hood lining for a motor vehicle Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to motor vehicle hoods. It relates in particular to a lining for such a hood. Prior art

[0002] The hood of a motor vehicle is conventionally mounted to pivot about a transverse axis at its rear edge located near the windshield of the vehicle and by means of articulation means.

[0003] Such a cover is generally made up of an outer panel made of sheet metal or plastic, and of an inner metal lining connected to the periphery of the outer panel of the cover, in particular by crimping, so as to define a hollow body with the outer panel.

[0004] Such a lining conventionally comprises a main part designed to be located directly above the engine compartment of the vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood and being delimited at the front by a support track extending continuously over the entire width of this lining.

[0005] This support track is intended to come to rest, when the hood is closed, against a seal extending along the front edge of the engine compartment behind the headlights, so as to prevent air or water from infiltrating into this engine compartment during the driving phases and generating drag, noise and / or corrosion.

[0006] Such a lining also comprises a front end portion extending in front of the support track and the two lateral portions of which are intended to be located directly above the two headlights of the vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood.

[0007] When closing the hood, this front end part of the lining moves with a greater speed than its main part since its amplitude of movement is significantly greater.

[0008] As a result, it commonly happens when this hood is over-slammed that the two lateral portions of this front end part deform by pivoting around the corresponding sections of the support track and then come into contact with the top of these headlights.

[0009] Such repeated contact between the hood lining and the top of the vehicle's headlights tends to cause scratches on the glass of these headlights, which has a negative impact on the level of quality perceived by users. Statement of the invention

[0010] The present invention therefore aims to improve the situation.

[0011] To this end, it proposes a hood lining for a motor vehicle comprising: - a main part designed to be located directly above the engine compartment of said vehicle in the closed configuration of said hood, this main part being delimited at the front by a support track extending continuously over the entire width of said lining and being intended to come to rest, when said hood is closed, against a seal extending along the front edge of said engine compartment behind the headlights of said vehicle; and - a front end part extending in front of said support track, this part comprising two lateral portions running along the two lateral sections of this support track and intended to be located directly above the two headlights of the vehicle in the closed configuration of said hood; characterized in that each lateral portion of said front end part comprises at least one stiffening rib extending in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral section of said support track, being connected thereto by its rear end.

[0012] The addition of at least one such stiffening rib thus makes it possible to stiffen the lateral portions of said front end part of the lining, so as to prevent, in the event of the hood being over-slammed, the latter from deforming by pivoting around the corresponding lateral sections of the support track and coming into contact with the top of the vehicle's headlights.

[0013] According to preferred characteristics of said hood lining according to the invention: - each said at least one stiffening rib extends in relief with respect to the upper face of said lining; - each said at least one stiffening rib is produced by stamping; - each said at least one stiffening rib comprises an inclined peripheral face extending to a top wall; - each said at least one stiffening rib has, at the level of its top wall, a cutout extending along this top wall; - the cutting of each said at least one stiffening rib extends forward on its inclined peripheral face; - each lateral portion of said front end part comprises several said stiffening ribs; - each lateral portion of said front end part comprises, between two said stiffening ribs, at least one other cutout extending parallel to these ribs; and / or - said main part has at least one curved shape projecting in relief from the upper face of this lining, each said at least one curved shape comprising an inclined peripheral face extending to a substantially horizontal flat strip surrounding a corresponding openwork area formed in said lining.

[0014] The invention also relates, under a second object, to a hood for a motor vehicle comprising an outer hood panel and such a hood lining connected to the periphery of said outer hood panel so as to define with this outer panel a hollow body. Brief description of the drawings

[0015] The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of several exemplary embodiments, given below for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0016] [Fig-1] is a perspective view from below of a vehicle hood liner automobile according to the invention; and

[0017] [Fig.2] represents an enlargement of detail II of [Fig.l]. Description of the embodiments

[0018] [Fig.l] illustrates a hood lining 1 for a motor vehicle intended to be connected to the periphery of an external hood panel not shown, in particular by crimping, so as to define with this external panel a hollow body.

[0019] In the description which follows and by convention, the terms “lower”, “upper”, “longitudinal”, “lateral” and “transverse” will be defined in relation to the mounting position of this hood lining on such a vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood.

[0020] The terms "external" and "internal" will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle. 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.

[0021] Finally, the use of the term "substantially" will mean that a slight deviation is allowed from a predetermined nominal orientation, while remaining included within the scope of the invention. For example, "substantially perpendicular" will indicate that a deviation of the order of 10° from a strictly perpendicular orientation will be allowed within the scope of the invention.

[0022] The lining 1 is advantageously obtained from a thin steel or aluminum sheet plate (typically between 0.7 and 2 mm) previously cut to substantially the same dimensions as the outer panel of the hood.

[0023] The lining 1 may also have, in a manner known per se, stiffeners not shown, which take the form of reinforcing plates fixed, by any means known per se, in several zones of the hood.

[0024] By way of non-limiting example, the lining 1 may in particular have a striker stiffener located in the central zone of its front end and intended to support the striker. It may also have two articulation stiffeners located at its two rear corners and provided to support the articulation hinges of the hood.

[0025] The lining 1 comprises a main part 2 designed to be located directly above the engine compartment of the vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood and being delimited at the front by a support track 3 extending continuously over the entire width of this lining 2.

[0026] This support track 3 is intended to come to rest, when the hood is closed, against a seal extending along the front edge of the engine compartment behind the headlights, so as to prevent air or water from infiltrating into this engine compartment during the vehicle's rolling phases.

[0027] The support track 3 comprises a transverse central section 3A and two lateral sections 3B, 3C extending obliquely towards the rear on either side of this central section 3A.

[0028] The lining 1 also comprises a front end portion 4 extending in front of the support track 3. This front end portion 4 comprises a central portion 4A running along the central section 3A of the support track 3, as well as two lateral portions 4B, 4C running along the two lateral sections 3B, 3C of this same track 3 and designed to be located directly above the two headlights of the vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood.

[0029] The main part 2 of the lining 1 has a central curved shape 10 centered with respect to the median longitudinal axis A of the lining 1, as well as two lateral curved shapes 20, 30 extending symmetrically with respect to this median axis A on either side of the central curved shape 10.

[0030] Obtained by stamping, these three curved shapes protrude in relief from the upper face of this lining intended to extend opposite the lower face of the exterior panel of the hood.

[0031] Each of these curved shapes 10, 20, 30 comprises an inclined peripheral face 11, 21, 31 extending to a substantially horizontal flat strip 12, 22, 32, surrounding a corresponding openwork zone 13, 23, 33 formed in the lining 1, and designed to be fixed to the internal lower face of the external panel of the hood by means of a bead of glue or mastic not shown.

[0032] The presence of these curved shapes 10, 20, 30 on the lining 1 makes it possible to give a certain rigidity and good general cohesion to the hood, while making it possible to absorb part of the energy having relative flexibility for pedestrian impact.

[0033] Furthermore, their particular conformation allows them to deform in the event of an impact of the head of an adult pedestrian with the hood, so as to absorb part of the energy of this impact and to limit injuries to this pedestrian.

[0034] The inclined peripheral sides 11, 21, 31 of these curved shapes 10, 20, 30 also advantageously have rectangular cutouts 14, 24, 34 extending over the entire height of these sides and spaced apart from each other at regular intervals.

[0035] These cutouts 14, 24, 34 make it possible to reduce the mechanical resistance to deformation of these curved shapes 10, 20, 30 so as to ensure better absorption of pedestrian impacts.

[0036] By varying their dimensions and / or their number (for example, by punching), it will thus be easy to adjust this mechanical strength so as to obtain an optimum compromise between rigidity and flexibility.

[0037] According to the invention and as is clearly visible in [Fig. 2], each lateral portion 4B, 4C of the front end part 4 of the lining 1 comprises at least one stiffening rib 40, 50 (in this case two) extending in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral section 3B, 3C of the support track 3 while being connected thereto by its rear end.

[0038] Produced by stamping, the stiffening ribs 40, 50 extend in relief with respect to the upper face of the lining 1 (i.e. above this upper face), so as not to interfere with the corresponding headlight of the vehicle in the closed configuration of the hood.

[0039] Extending over a depth advantageously between 3 and 7 millimeters and over a width preferably between 20 and 40 millimeters, each stiffening rib 40, 50 comprises an inclined peripheral face 51, extending to a top wall 52.

[0040] The presence of these stiffening ribs 40, 50 thus makes it possible to stiffen the lateral portions 4B, 4C of the front end part 4 of the lining 1, so as to prevent, in the event of the hood being over-slammed, the latter from deforming by pivoting around the corresponding lateral sections 3B, 3C of the support track 3 and from coming into contact with the top of the vehicle's headlights.

[0041] Each of the stiffening ribs 40, 50 also has, at its top wall 52, a rectangular cutout 53 extending along this top wall and making it possible to reduce the mechanical resistance to deformation of these ribs 40, 50, so as to ensure better absorption of pedestrian impacts on the lateral portions 4B, 4C of the front end part 4 of the lining 1 and consequently to allow the approval of the vehicle with regard to the regulations relating to pedestrian impact.

[0042] In order to facilitate their deformation, the cutout 53 of each rib 40, 50 advantageously extends forward (i.e. opposite the support track 3) on the inclined peripheral face 51.

[0043] According to variants not shown, the number and / or the conformation of the stiffening ribs may differ.

[0044] Still with the aim of ensuring better absorption of pedestrian impacts, each lateral portion 4B, 4C of the front end part 4 of the lining 1 preferably comprises, between two said stiffening ribs 40, 50, at least one other rectangular cutout 63 extending parallel to these ribs 40, 50.

[0045] In this case, each lateral portion 4B, 4C of the front end part 4 comprises three said cutouts 63 distributed at regular intervals between the two stiffening ribs 40, 50.

[0046] By varying their dimensions and / or their number (for example, by punching), it will thus be easy to adjust this mechanical strength so as to obtain an optimum compromise between rigidity and flexibility.

[0047] Finally, it is recalled that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but also encompasses all variant embodiments within the reach of those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims

1. Hood lining (1) for a motor vehicle comprising: - a main part (2) intended to be located directly above the engine compartment of said vehicle in the closed configuration of said hood, this main part (2) being delimited at the front by a support track (3) extending continuously over the entire width of said lining (1) and being intended to come to rest, when said hood is closed, against a seal extending along the front edge of said engine compartment behind the headlights of said vehicle; and - a front end part (4) extending in front of said support track (3), this part (4) comprising two lateral portions (4B, 4C) running along the two lateral sections (3B, 3C) of this support track (3) and intended to be located directly above the two headlights of the vehicle in the closed configuration of said hood;characterized in that each lateral portion (4B, 4C) of said front end portion (4) comprises at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) extending in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the corresponding lateral section (3B, 3C) of said support track (3) by being connected thereto by its rear end, each at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) comprising an inclined peripheral face (51) extending to a top wall (52), each at least one stiffening rib (50, 60) having, at its top wall (52), a cutout (53) extending along this top wall (52), each lateral portion (4B, 4C) of said front end portion comprising several said stiffening ribs (40, 50), Characterized in that each lateral portion of said front end portion comprises, between two called stiffening ribs, at least one other cut extending parallel to these ribs.;

2. Hood lining (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each said at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) extends in relief with respect to the upper face of said lining (1).

3. Hood lining (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each said at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) is produced by stamping.

4. Hood lining (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cutout (53) of each said at least one stiffening rib (40, 50) extends forward on its inclined peripheral face (51).

5. Hood lining (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said main part (2) has at least one curved shape (10, 20, 30) projecting in relief from the upper face of this lining (1), each said at least one curved shape (10, 20, 30) comprising an inclined peripheral face (11, 21, 31) extending to a substantially horizontal flat strip (12, 22, 32) surrounding a corresponding openwork zone (13, 23, 33) formed in said lining (1).

6. Hood for a motor vehicle comprising an outer hood panel and a hood lining (1) connected to the periphery of said outer hood panel so as to define with this outer panel a hollow body, characterized in that said hood lining (1) conforms to one of claims 1 to 5.

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