Bonnet or hood retention apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle hood retention system comprises a flap 110 mounted longitudinally to the chassis, and articulated to open with a mouth longitudinally aligned with the chassis. The hood is typically a butter

Description

The present invention relates to bonnets or hoods for automobiles and particularly those having a “butterfly” or side opening configuration, wherein one or both sides open. The invention is of particular relevance to use in automobiles, in particular cars. The front part of a car is covered by a bonnet. An alternative name for a car bonnet is a hood. Typically a bonnet comprises at least one hinged panel that covers all or a portion of the engine bay or space lying forward of the front bulkhead of the passenger cabin in an automobile. Very early cars, in particular those in the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s and 1940s had a bonnet that included a central strut running the length of the front of the car, with bonnet sections hingedly attached to each side thereof. When both sections are open, the appearance is of a butterfly, with the central strut equating to the body of the butterfly and the open bonnet sections equating to the wings of the butterfly. Hence, this style of bonnet is known as a “butterfly bonnet.” As cars developed, another type of bonnet became more popular, namely the back-edge hinged bonnet with the hinges of the bonnet mounted in proximity to the A pillars. Having the hinge at the back of the bonnet means that the locks and / or catches for the bonnet are typically located towards the front of the vehicle. It is this type of bonnet that is generally found on most cars today. While the butterfly bonnet is aesthetically more pleasing, and can allow better to access to areas or compartments in larger engine bays, there are disadvantages associated with this type of bonnet. The back-edge hinged bonnet has an advantage in high-speed frontal collisions, wherein during the collision the hinges are forced towards the windshield (windscreen) and will open as the bonnet deforms. A back-edge hinged bonnet typically will under crash conditions absorb the energy of impact by virtue of folding into two to three sections along one to two folding lines that are formed substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the automobile. Furthermore, the bonnet itself is forced towards the windshield. Most particularly, the corner of the bonnet by virtue of its shape can act as a focus for the force as it moves towards the windshield during a crash. However, in the case of a back-edge hinged bonnet the corners of the bonnet impinge on the A-pillar of the car rather than directly on the windshield. In contrast, a butterfly bonnet typically has three parts. As noted above, these are a fixed central strut running the length of the front of the car, with bonnet sections hingedly attached to each side thereof. An alternative configuration for a butterfly bonnet does not include a central strut, that is two bonnet sections are comprised, which are hingedly attached to the car or each other. In a further alternative configuration the central section running the length of the front of the car can also open, typically with the hinge located proximally to the windscreen. Accordingly, a butterfly bonnet structure may have four or six corners of sections of the bonnet close to the windshield. Four of these comers are located more centrally and thus during a high-speed frontal collision (referred to herein as “crash conditions”) the corners will be forced towards the windshield and may penetrate and / or break the windshield. In extreme circumstances the corners might be forced to penetrate the passenger cabin. Necessarily, this is less safe for the occupants of the vehicle during such a collision The two remaining corners are more in line with the A-pillars of a car. Thus in consideration of the safety of the vehicle occupants the potential for the comers of the butterfly bonnet to impact upon or damage the windshield during a high-speed frontal collision should be addressed and preferably ameliorated. Thus an object of the invention is to provide an improved butterfly bonnet. In particular an object of the invention is to provide a butterfly bonnet with improved characteristics during a vehicle collision (“car crash”). Thus a problem addressed by the invention is the prevention or amelioration of movement of the rearward comers of the butterfly bonnet panels and / or central strut towards the windscreen (windshield) and / or cabin of a vehicle during a vehicle collision (“car crash”). This is particularly case for the more centrally located rearward comers of the butterfly bonnet components. The invention provides a vehicle comprising: A flap mounted substantially longitudinally to the chassis of the vehicle and having forward and rearward edges, wherein the flap is articulated to move between open and closed positions such that the mouth of the opening is substantially longitudinally aligned with the chassis of the vehicle, wherein a portion of the rearward edge of the flap is longitudinally in line with part of the windscreen of the vehicle, a first member mounted on the underside of the flap, and a second member mounted on the chassis, wherein all or part of the first and second members are longitudinally and vertically aligned in spaced separation with respect to the chassis when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the position of the members does not block the flap from moving from the open position to the closed position, or vice versa. Preferably the flap is a panel or leaf of a bonnet or hood having a “butterfly bonnet” configuration as described herein. Thus the flap can be moved from an open position to a closed position with respect to the bodywork of the car whereby the form of the flap is consistent with (e.g. in line with) the form of the components of the vehicle installed around it and / or on the vehicle as a whole. Conversely, when the flap is in the open position then typically access is enabled to regions of the vehicle that would otherwise be obscured by the flap. The vehicle may be an automobile, preferably a car, and a portion of the rearward edge of the flap may be located between the A-piIlars of the car. Advantageously, the first and second members are longitudinally aligned to prevent block or ameliorate rearward movement of the flap from its mounted location under crash conditions. Under normal conditions the first and second members never contact one another. In contrast, under crash conditions (i.e. a high-speed frontal collision) the first and second members are forced into contact to prevent longitudinal passage of one member past the other. Thus yields the advantage of the corners and / or edges of the flap not impacting upon the windscreen or entering the passenger cabin. The articulation may be a hinge. The portion of the rearward edge of the flap may have at least one corner. Preferably the corner is substantially right angular. Advantageously, during a vehicle collision (“car crash”) movement of the rearward corners and / or portions of the flap (bonnet) is prevented, restricted, or ameliorated. This is particularly advantageous for the more centrally located rearward corners of the butterfly bonnet components whose movement may not be affected by other components of the vehicle, such as the A-pillars of the car. The first member may be located on the rearward half of the flap. Preferably the first member is located on the rearward third of the flap. Location of the restraining members in this way maintains the advantageous impact-absorbing effect of the flap or bonnet folding into three sections along two substantially transverse lines. That is the folding behaviour during crash conditions is similar to that seen for a rear-hinged automobile bonnet. Without wishing to be bound by theory, restraining the middle section of the flap (bonnet) causes the advantageous folding of the bonnet into three sections under crash conditions. Further, and while not wishing to be bound by theory, this also makes crash test data and regulatory criteria for the butterfly bonnet comparable and / or compatible with the data and regulatory criteria for a rear-edge hinged bonnet. The first member may comprise a bar (a “striker”) mounted transversely, that is the bar is preferably mounted horizontally and substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the bar is longitudinally and vertically aligned with the second member. Alternatively, the positions of the first member and second member may be reversed, i.e. the second member may comprise a bar (a “striker”) mounted transversely, that is the bar is preferably mounted horizontally and substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the bar is longitudinally and vertically aligned with the first member. Under crash conditions the alignment of the first and second members causes the bar mounted on either the first member or the second member to come into contact (“to strike”) the other (second or first) member and thus restrict the rearward movement of the portion of the bonnet that the second member is mounted upon. Preferably the bar is a section of a closed loop mounted on one of the members. Most preferably the loop is “U-shaped.” This has the advantage of ease of manufacture and reliable and accurate placement. The first or second member may be a hook, depending on whether the first or second member is a bar. The use of the hook has the advantage of catching the member as it passes through the throat of the hook and then restraining vertical movement of the member thereafter. The interacting members, that is the first and second members may be a pair of hooks. Preferably the shape of the hook or hooks comprise a member in the mouth or throat of the hook that prevents release of the hook or member from the interior of the hook in the event of a crash. That is, the shape of the hook yields the effect of a one-way passage for a member or hook entering the throat of the hook. Preferably, a multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks may be used as first and second members. Preferably the multiplicity of aligned bars are mounted on a single member. Similarly, preferably the multiplicity of aligned hooks are mounted on a single member. The use of a multiplicity of movement arresting members has the advantage of yielding increased stiffness of the overall retaining mechanism. Most preferably, two (a pair) of aligned strikers and hooks. Without wishing to be bound by theory the use of two or more pairs of bars and hooks is sufficient to yield sufficient stiffness to the bonnet cause the desired retention and / or folding of the bonnet flap under crash conditions. The multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks may be mounted so as to be vertically separated from one another. The multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks may be mounted so as to be horizontally separated from one another. The multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks may be mounted so as to be vertically and horizontally separated from one another. Preferably the aligned bars and hooks are mounted in a stepped array. Arranging the bars and hooks in a stepped array, i.e. vertically and horizontally displaced from one another increases the reliability under crash conditions in case deformation of the vehicle causes one of the bars not to pass through the throat of the hook correctly. Under such circumstances there is redundancy in the system so that an alternative bar is caught by its cognate hook and the bonnet flap is thus retained under crash conditions. A particular advantage of the system of aligned members (e.g. hook and bar system described above, is that the parts are mounted in a static condition without interaction under normal circumstances. Accordingly, this system has effectively no moving parts until the vehicle encounters crash conditions. Accordingly, the system is reliable and long-lasting. Indeed, the system would be expected to match the service life of the vehicle. The hook (and also the bar?) do not necessarily have to be separate components that are screwed onto the butterfly bonnet. The first and / or the second members, e.g. a paired hook and bar, may not be separate components mounted to the bonnet or other structure. The structures forming the first and / or second members may be integral with other components of the car. That is the first and / or the second members are part of a larger component and the structures of the first and / or the second members are formed during the process of manufacturing the larger component. Preferably, the component formed to comprise a hook, bar, or equivalent structure is a bonnet inner panel or a reinforcement member within the bonnet or bonnet structure. The first and / or the second member so formed may be produced by embossing or debossing, preferably to form a structure that impinges on a cooperating structure under crash conditions. An advantage of forming the first and / or the second members from a larger component is simplification and increased efficiency of installation by eliminating an additional component. Similarly, there may be an advantage in saving weight from the installed component. The first or second member may be a carabiner, depending on whether the first or second member is a bar. The use of the carabiner has the advantage of catching the member as it passes through the gate of the carabiner and then restraining movement of the member once it is caught within the loop or shackle of the carabiner. A particular advantage of the use of a system comprising a carabiner catching and restraining the member mounted on bonnet flap with respect to the vehicle chassis is reduced initial movement required under crash conditions in order to engage portions of the retention system during the collision. The use of a carabiner in these circumstances means that movement is restrained immediately following passage of the bar through the gate of the carabiner. Preferably, a multiplicity of aligned bars and carabiners may be used as first and second members. Preferably the multiplicity of aligned bars are mounted on a single member. Similarly, preferably the multiplicity of aligned carabiners are mounted on a single member. The use of a multiplicity of movement arresting members has the advantage of yielding increased stiffness of the overall retaining mechanism. Most preferably, two (a pair) of aligned strikers and carabiners. Without wishing to be bound by theory the use of two or more pairs of bars and carabiners is sufficient to yield sufficient stiffness to the bonnet cause the desired retention and / or folding of the bonnet flap under crash conditions. The multiplicity of aligned bars and carabiners may be mounted so as to be vertically separated from one another. The multiplicity of aligned bars and carabiners may be mounted so as to be horizontally separated from one another. The multiplicity of aligned bars and carabiners may be mounted so as to be vertically and horizontally separated from one another. Preferably the aligned bars and carabiners are mounted in a stepped array. Arranging the bars and carabiners in a stepped array, i.e. vertically and horizontally displaced from one another increases the reliability under crash conditions in case deformation of the vehicle causes one of the bars not to pass through the throat of the carabiner correctly. Under such circumstances there is redundancy in the system so that an alternative bar is caught by its cognate carabiner and the bonnet flap is thus retained under crash conditions. A particular advantage of the system of aligned members (e.g. bar and carabiner system described above, is that the parts are mounted in a static condition without interaction under normal circumstances. Accordingly, this system has effectively no moving parts until the vehicle encounters crash conditions. Accordingly, the system is reliable and long-lasting. Indeed, the system would be expected to match the service life of the vehicle. The first member may be a structure yielding articulated movement between the chassis and the bonnet flap, preferably this structure is a hinge. Thus the first member may be the arm of the hinge mounted on the underside on the bonnet flap. The second member is preferably a wall or other structure, e.g. a retaining bulkhead, mounted on the chassis or in the engine bay Under crash conditions the alignment of the first and second members causes a part of the hinge to come into contact (“to strike”) the second member and thus restrict the rearward movement of the portion of the bonnet that the first member is mounted upon. Preferably, the wall or other structure comprises an overhang to retain the member mounted on the underside of the flap in order to additionally restrict its vertical movement under crash conditions. The invention further provides a vehicle comprising: A flap mounted substantially longitudinally to the chassis of the vehicle and having forward and rearward edges, wherein the flap is articulated to move between open and closed positions such that the mouth of the opening is substantially longitudinally aligned with the chassis of the vehicle, wherein a portion of the rearward edge of the flap is longitudinally in line with part of the windscreen of the vehicle, and a first member is mounted on the underside of the flap a second member is mounted on the chassis an elongate flexible member linking the first and second members, wherein the elongate flexible member is wound on a reel that is biased to rotate to wind the elongate flexible member on the reel. The vehicle may be an automobile, preferably a car, and a portion of the rearward edge of the flap may be located between the A-pillars of the car. The reel may be mounted in connection with the first or second member. A reel is defined as a cylinder on which film, wire, thread, or other flexible materials can be wound. In the present context the elongate flexible member may be a cable, wire, rope, cord, or string. The elongate flexible member may be wound on the reel so that the coils are substantially laterally aligned with the car chassis The articulation may be a hinge. The direction of the coils is suitable for allowing the substantially upward and downward movement of the bonnet during opening and closing as this movement is in substantially the same plane as the coils wound on the reel. This arrangement has an advantage under crash conditions of the of sudden impulse force being delivered substantially orthogonal to the plane of the wound coils. Thus, while under normal conditions the elongate flexible member is free to move, under crash conditions the elongate flexible member is tensioned orthogonally to the direction of movement of the reel which does not move / rotate and thus the tension in the elongate flexible member restricts the position of the first member with respect to the second member. The elongate flexible member may be wound on the reel such that the coils are wound rearward of the section of the elongate flexible member linking the first and second members. This arrangement has the advantage that under crash conditions the linking section of unwound elongate flexible member extending between the first and second members, preferably between the chassis and underside of the flap, is subjected to an impulse or sudden tension that is orthogonal to the plane the coils and of movement of the reel, and rearwards over (past the location of) the coils. Thus the elongate flexible member is additionally prevented from extending or deploying by the stack of coils rearwards of the linking section of the flexible member In addition, the reel may be equipped with an automatic clutch or braking system, preferably an inertial reel system. This yields the advantage of automatically restraining the first member with respect to the second member under crash conditions. A particular advantage of the use of a system comprising an elongate flexible member restraining the bonnet flap with respect to the vehicle chassis is that there is no initial movement required under crash conditions in order to engage portions of the retention system during the collision. The use of the elongate flexible member secured between first and second members means that movement is restrained immediately under crash conditions. The vehicle may be an automobile, train, boat, or aeroplane, preferably the vehicle is an automobile. The invention also provides methods of installing products and / or apparatuses of the invention in vehicles. Examples and Drawings The invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings and examples in which: Fig. 1 Figure 1a shows a diagram of a front view of a vehicle having a butterfly bonnet comprising two hatches 101, 105 and a central strut 103 in which in which the left-hand side of the butterfly bonnet 101 is shown as being open and the right-hand side of the butterfly bonnet 105 is shown as being closed. Figure 1b shows a perspective view of a vehicle chassis of Figure 1a from a point of view at the upper front left wherein the interior of the engine bay is shown without the engine or installed. In addition the storage trunk component 201 (Figure 2a) is not installed. Fig. 2 Figure 2a shows a perspective view of a vehicle chassis of Figure 1 with a trunk component 201 installed to lie beneath the closed hatch of the butterfly bonnet. Figure 2A and figure to be also shows bonnet retention components 203 and 205 in the relative positions that they occupy when the bonnet lid 101 is shut. Figure 2C shows a cutaway side view through components 203 and 205 in the relative positions they occupy when the bonnet lid 101 is shut. The two strikers 207 and 209 are located so that rearward movement causes them to strike the throat of the retention member 211 213 and be retained by the hooked portions 215 and 217 thereof. Examples Referring to Figures 1a and 1b, a butterfly-style bonnet 1 comprises a central strut 113, a pair of left and right bonnet flaps 101, 105 and a pair of front and rear crossbars 115, 116 for mounting of the butterfly bonnet 110 to the frame of the car. The central strut 113 is an elongate member that sits longitudinally on the front of a car in use, centrally between its sides, and is connected to the front and rear crossbars 115, 116. In use, the front crossbars 115 are attached directly or indirectly to the engine mount towers 117 / wheel supports 118, while the rear crossbars 116 are attached directly or indirectly to the rear strut towers 119 / windshield connector 120. The left and right bonnet flaps 101, 105 are hingedly connected to the front and rear crossbars 115, 116. When closed, the back edge of the left and right bonnet flaps 101, 105 rest against the rear cross-bar 116 and the windshield connector 120, while the front edge of each 101, 105 rests against the front cross-bar 115 and a front panel of the car. The outside edge of each 101, 105 rest against the left and right side panels of the car. The central strut 113 is sized and shaped to align with the left and right bonnet flaps 101, 105 to create a bonnet surface when closed. Retention systems suitable for use with a butterfly bonnet that retains the bonnet leaf or cover on the car during a high-speed frontal collision (“car crash”) is described herein. Example 1 In an example, two U-shaped shackles are mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf comprising two closed loops pointing substantially downwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. The crossbars of the shackles are located so that they run substantially straight and laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. The crossbars of the shackles are the “striker” elements of the mounting. The strikers are mounted to be spaced from one another longitudinally and vertically with respect to the chassis. Preferably the strikers are aligned longitudinally with respect to the chassis. A cooperating component or assembly is mounted in the engine bay or on the chassis of the vehicle comprising two hooks with their shafts pointing substantially upwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. The throats (entrances or opening to the interior space) of the hooks point substantially downwards towards the chassis and are located so that they are aligned with the strikers of the cooperating component mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf. The throats of the hooks have a sloped surface at their entrance that runs into the curve of the base of the hook in order to direct the movement of the striker further into the hook under crash conditions. That is, the striker contacts the sloping service of the throat of the hook and the force of its movement causes it to follow the surface of the throat of the hook. The bonnet leaf can be opened or closed without the cooperating components coinciding or interfering with the movement of the bonnet leaf. In this example, the cooperating components are only brought or forced together during crash conditions when the deformation of the bonnet leaf brings the “striker” component into contact with the “hooked” component. Thus under crash conditions, such as a high-speed frontal collision the bonnet leaf is necessarily forced rearwards with respect to the chassis of the car and the corners, particularly the more centrally located comers of the three bonnet sleeves of a butterfly bonnet are necessarily forced towards the windscreen and the passenger compartment. Movement of the bonnet leaf is retarded or ameliorated by the retention system so that the edge and particularly the corners of the bonnet leaf do not impinge upon or penetrate the windscreen or passenger compartment. A further feature of this configuration is that retention of the bonnet from a point rearwards of the halfway or thirdway boundary of the bonnet leaf causes the bonnet leaf to fold into three sections with the folds being substantially laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. This is advantageous in terms of absorption of energy of the crash and restricting movement of the rear edge of the bonnet leaf under crash conditions. Example 2 In an example, one or more U-shaped shackles are mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf comprising two closed loops pointing substantially downwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. The crossbars of the shackles are located so that they run substantially straight and laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. The crossbar of the shackle is the “striker” element of the mounting. If two or more strikers are used, then the strikers are mounted to be spaced from one another longitudinally and vertically with respect to the chassis. Preferably the strikers are aligned longitudinally with respect to the chassis. A cooperating component or assembly is mounted in the engine bay or on the chassis of the vehicle comprising a number of carabiners corresponding to the number of strikers are mounted to point substantially upwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. The gates of the carabiners (entrances or opening to the interior space) are biased shut. The gates of the carabiners are located so that they are aligned with the strikers of the cooperating component mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf. The bonnet leaf can be opened or closed without the cooperating components coinciding or interfering with the movement of the bonnet leaf. In this example, the cooperating components are only brought or forced together during crash conditions when the deformation of the bonnet leaf brings the “striker” component into contact with the “carabiner” component. Thus under crash conditions, such as a high-speed frontal collision the bonnet leaf is necessarily forced rearwards with respect to the chassis of the car and the corners, particularly the more centrally located comers of the three bonnet sleeves of a butterfly bonnet are necessarily forced towards the windscreen and the passenger compartment. Movement of the bonnet leaf is retarded or ameliorated by the retention system so that the edge and particularly the corners of the bonnet leaf do not impinge upon or penetrate the windscreen or passenger compartment. The gates of the carabiners provide a sloped surface during the process of the striker being forced through the gate of the carabiner during a frontal collision. Thus the striker contacting the gate of the carabiner causes the gate of the carabiner to move and slope such that the movement of the striker further into the space / void within the carabiner under crash conditions. That is, the striker contacts the sloping service of the open gate of the carabiner and the force of its movement causes it to follow the surface of the gate to be more securely directed within the confines of the shackle of the carabiner. A further feature of this configuration is that retention of the bonnet from a point rearwards of the halfway or thirdway boundary of the bonnet leaf causes the bonnet leaf to fold into three sections with the folds being substantially laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. This is advantageous in terms of absorption of energy of the crash and restricting movement of the rear edge of the bonnet leaf under crash conditions. Example 3 In a further example, the arm of a hinge member used to allow the opening and closing of the bonnet leaf is mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf. Necessarily, the arm of the hinge mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf points substantially downwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. A cooperating component or assembly, preferably a wall or other structure, e.g. a retaining bulkhead, is mounted on the chassis or in the engine bay is mounted in the engine bay or on the chassis of the vehicle. Thus when the bonnet leaf is closed the hinge arm and at least a portion of the cooperating component are longitudinally and vertically aligned. The bonnet leaf can be opened or closed without the cooperating components coinciding or interfering with the movement of the bonnet leaf. In this example, the cooperating components are only brought or forced together during crash conditions when the deformation of the bonnet leaf brings the “striker” component into contact with the “carabiner” component. Thus, under crash conditions of the arm of the hinge mounted to the underside of the bonnet leaf is forced into contact with the cooperating component. Accordingly, under crash conditions, such as a high-speed frontal collision the bonnet leaf is necessarily forced rearwards with respect to the chassis of the car and the corners, particularly the more centrally located corners of the three bonnet sleeves of a butterfly bonnet are necessarily forced towards the windscreen and the passenger compartment. Movement of the bonnet leaf is retarded or ameliorated by the retention system so that the edge and particularly the corners of the bonnet leaf do not impinge upon or penetrate the windscreen or passenger compartment. A further feature of this configuration is that retention of the bonnet from a point rearwards of the halfway or thirdway boundary of the bonnet leaf causes the bonnet leaf to fold into three sections with the folds being substantially laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. This is advantageous in terms of absorption of energy of the crash and restricting movement of the rear edge of the bonnet leaf under crash conditions. Example 4 In a further example, a U-shaped shackle is mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf comprising a closed loop pointing substantially downwards with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. A cooperating component or assembly is mounted in the engine bay or on the chassis of the vehicle comprising a reel biased to wind a cable around the reel. The real is also an “inertia reel “ and so prevents sudden unwinding movement of the cable. Accordingly, the reel has a cable wound there round and having a shackle at its end. The shackle is linked to the closed loop mounted on the underside of the bonnet leaf. Thus the bonnet leaf can be opened and shut freely while pulling and thus extending the cable from the reel, and returning the cable to the real when the bonnet leaf is closed. Thus, the bonnet leaf can be opened or closed without the cooperating components coinciding or interfering with the movement of the bonnet leaf. Under crash conditions the cable secures the bonnet leaf to the engine bay or chassis and the inertia reel prevents movement due to the sudden impulse force of the frontal collision. Thus under crash conditions, such as a high-speed frontal collision the bonnet leaf is necessarily forced rearwards with respect to the chassis of the car and the corners, particularly the more centrally located corners of the three bonnet sleeves of a butterfly bonnet are necessarily forced towards the windscreen and the passenger compartment. Movement of the bonnet leaf is retarded or ameliorated by the retention system so that the edge and particularly the corners of the bonnet leaf do not impinge upon or penetrate the windscreen or passenger compartment. A further feature of this configuration is that retention of the bonnet from a point rearwards of the halfway or thirdway boundary of the bonnet leaf causes the bonnet leaf to fold into three sections with the folds being substantially laterally with respect to the chassis of the car. This is advantageous in terms of absorption of energy of the crash and restricting movement of the rear edge of the bonnet leaf under crash conditions. The invention is not limited by the details of the above-outlined specific embodiment. For example, the specific retention systems are not limited to those outlined above. Accordingly, the invention provides a system for retarding or ameliorating a bonnet leaf being forced rearwards during a frontal collision such that the rear edge of the bonnet is decelerated so that it does not impinge upon or penetrate the windscreen or passenger compartment of an automobile during such a collision. Reference List Butterfly-style bonnet (110) Central strut (113) Left bonnet flap (101) Right bonnet flap (105) Front crossbar (115) 5 Rear crossbar (116) Engine mount tower (117) Wheel support (118) Rear strut tower (119) Windshield connector (120) 10

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:A flap mounted substantially longitudinally to the chassis of the vehicle and having forward and rearward edges, wherein the flap is articulated to move between open and closed positions such that the mouth of the opening is substantially longitudinally aligned with the chassis of the vehicle, wherein a portion of the rearward edge of the flap is longitudinally in line with part of the windscreen of the vehicle,a first member mounted on the underside of the flap, anda second member mounted on the chassis,wherein all or part of the first and second members are longitudinally and vertically aligned in spaced separation with respect to the chassis when the flap is in the closed position, andwherein the position of the members does not block the flap from moving from the open position to the closed position, or vice versa.

2. A vehicle comprising:A flap mounted substantially longitudinally to the chassis of the vehicle and having forward and rearward edges, wherein the flap is articulated to move between open and closed positions such that the mouth of the opening is substantially longitudinally aligned with the chassis of the vehicle, wherein a portion of the rearward edge of the flap is longitudinally in line with part of the windscreen of the vehicle,a first member is mounted on the underside of the flap,a second member is mounted on the chassis, andan elongate flexible member linking the first and second members, wherein the elongate flexible member is wound on a reel that is biased to rotate to wind the elongate flexible member on the reel.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the flap is a panel or leaf of a bonnet or hood having a butterfly bonnet configuration.

4. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle is a car, and a portion of the rearward edge of the flap may be located between the A-pillars of the car.

5. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the means of articulation is a hinge.

6. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the first member comprises a transversely mounted bar.

7. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member is a hook.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the first and second members comprise a multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks.

9. A vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the multiplicity of aligned bars and hooks may be mounted so as to be vertically and horizontally separated from one another, preferably the aligned bars and hooks are arranged in a stepped array.

10. A vehicle according to any of claims 1 and 3 to 7, wherein the first member is a hinge, or part thereof.

11. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second member is a wall or bulkhead mounted on the chassis or in the engine bay.

12. A vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the reel is mounted in connection with the first or second member.

13. A vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 5 and 12, wherein the reel comprises an automatic clutch or braking system, preferably an inertia reel system.

14. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the elongate flexible member is wound on the reel such that the coils are wound rearward of the section of theelongate flexible member linking the member on which the reel is mounted to the other member.

15. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

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