Front hood latch apparatus

Abstract

To provide a front hood latch apparatus which can improve convenience while securing the safety of a front hood upon an opening operation.SOLUTION: A front hood latch apparatus 1 comprises a latch 21, a primary pole 22, a secondary pole 23, a reversible electric motor 41, and an open lever 35 operating by the driving of the electric motor 41. The open lever 35 releases an engagement state of the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 by the rotation of the electric motor 41 in a first direction to move a front hood FP from a fully closed position to a half-closed position, and releases the engagement state of the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 and an engagement state of the latch 21 and the secondary pole 23 by the rotation of the electric motor 41 in a second direction to move the front hood FP from the fully closed position to a fully opened position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a latch device for a front hood. [Background technology]

[0002] In some vehicles, such as electric vehicles and rear-engine vehicles with engines mounted at the rear of the vehicle, the front of the vehicle body is used as a front trunk (also called a frunk). The front hood that opens and closes the frunk is properly locked by a latch device.

[0003] Latch devices are sometimes provided with an actuator that electrically opens and closes the front hood. For example, the latch device described in Patent Document 1 includes a latch that engages with a striker, a locking mechanism that engages with the latch to lock the hood in a fully closed state, a hook that holds the hood in a partially engaged state between the fully closed and fully open states, and an actuator that operates the locking mechanism and the hook. When the actuator rotates in a first direction while the hood is in a fully closed state, the locking mechanism and the latch are disengaged, and the hood enters a partially engaged state. When the actuator rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the partially engaged state of the hood, the hook rotates, allowing the hood to be fully opened.

[0004] In the latch device of Patent Document 1, the hood passes through a half-engaged state when being opened from a fully closed state, which prevents the hood from unintentionally becoming fully open, for example, while driving, thereby ensuring safety. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102018214355 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The latch device of Patent Document 1 is configured such that when opening the hood from a fully closed state, the actuator is first rotated in a first direction and then rotated in a second direction, which requires two operations and makes the operation cumbersome.When the front of the vehicle body is used as a frunk, the front hood is opened and closed relatively frequently, so it is desirable to be able to open the front hood with fewer operations when there is no problem with the front hood being fully open, such as when the vehicle is stopped.

[0007] The present invention provides a latch device for a front hood that improves convenience while ensuring safety during the opening operation of the front hood. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides A front hood latch device that is engageable with a striker provided on a front hood of a vehicle and controls opening and closing of the front hood, a latch that engages with the striker when the front hood is closed and is biased by a biasing member in a direction to disengage from the striker; a primary pawl that engages with the latch when the latch engaged with the striker is positioned at a predetermined primary latch position, thereby maintaining the front hood in a fully closed position; a secondary pawl that engages with the latch when the latch, disengaged from the primary pawl, is positioned at a predetermined secondary latch position to maintain the front hood in a partially engaged position; a motor capable of rotating forward and backward; a release mechanism that is operated by driving the motor and can release an engaged state between the latch and the primary pole and an engaged state between the latch and the secondary pole, The release mechanism includes: By rotating the motor in a first direction, the engagement between the latch and the primary pole is released, and the front hood is moved from the fully closed position to the half-closed position. Rotation of the motor in a second direction opposite to the first direction releases the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole, allowing the front hood to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, convenience can be improved while ensuring safety when opening and closing the front hood. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a vehicle to which a front hood latch device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, with the front hood in a fully open position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch device 1 as seen from the base plate 11 side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the housing member 10. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the latch device 1. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the internal configuration of the latch device 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a view showing the actuator unit 40 housed in an actuator housing 40H. [Figure 7] 10(a) to 10(d) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when the electric motor 41 is rotated in the second direction from a state in which the front hood FP is in the fully closed position. [Figure 8] 10(a) to 10(d) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when the electric motor 41 is rotated in the first direction from a state in which the front hood FP is in the fully closed position. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the latch device 1. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of opening the front hood FP when the vehicle is in a first state (a stopped state, etc.). [Figure 11]10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for opening the front hood FP when the vehicle is in a second state (a traveling state, etc.). [Figure 12] 10 is a flow chart showing the operation of opening the front hood FP using the handle 31 in the flank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A front hood latch device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the front of the vehicle is designated as Fr, the rear as Rr, the right as R, the left as L, the top as U, and the bottom as D.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, a front hood latch device 1 (sometimes simply referred to as the latch device 1) is applicable to a four-wheeled vehicle such as an electric vehicle equipped with a front trunk (hereinafter referred to as the frunk FT) between the left and right front wheels FW in front of a vehicle body B, and controls the opening and closing of a front hood FP that opens and closes an upper opening of the frunk FT. The example shown in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the front hood FP is in a fully open position. In this embodiment, a striker S is provided at the lower front edge of the front hood FP. The latch device 1 controls the front hood FP to be kept closed relative to the vehicle body B or to open the frunk FT by switching between an engaged state with the striker S and a disengaged state. The specific configuration of the latch device 1 will be described in detail below. For convenience, the respective directions will be specified below based on the orientation of the device mounted on the vehicle body B.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the latch device 1 includes a housing member 10, a latch 21, a primary pole 22, a secondary pole 23, an open lever 35, and an actuator unit 40. The housing member 10 includes a base plate 11, a case 12, and a cover 14. The case 12 houses the actuator unit 40 and is covered from the rear by the cover 14. The case 12 and the cover 14 form an actuator housing 40H that houses the actuator unit 40. The base plate 11 is a plate-shaped steel member. The base plate 11 is disposed opposite the case 12 and is fixed to the case 12. The latch 21, the primary pole 22, the secondary pole 23, and the open lever 35 are disposed between the base plate 11 and the case 12. A striker entrance groove 13 is formed in the base plate 11 on one side of the upper portion. The striker entrance groove 13 is a notch into which the striker S enters when the front hood FP is closed relative to the frunk FT, and is formed to extend in the vertical direction and open at the upper edge of the base plate 11. The dimension of the striker entrance groove 13 is formed to a length that allows the front hood FP to be positioned in the fully closed position relative to the frunk FT.

[0014] When the latch device 1 is attached to the vehicle body B, the base plate 11 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle, and the actuator housing 40H is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle. The base plate 11 is provided with a plurality of vehicle body mounting portions 11a, and is attached to the vehicle body B via fastening members such as bolts. Because the base plate 11 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle, the ease of assembling the flank cable 32 and emergency cable 34 (described below) and the ease of attaching them to the vehicle body B are improved. Furthermore, if luggage hits the latch device 1 when it is loaded into the flank FT, the luggage will hit the base plate 11 first, thereby protecting the actuator unit 40 housed in the actuator housing 40H. The latch device 1 attached to the vehicle body B in this way can operate stably for a long period of time.

[0015] The latch 21, primary pawl 22, and secondary pawl 23 are each supported on the base plate 11 via individual support shafts, and are capable of rotating around axes that are parallel to one another. In the illustrated example, a latch shaft 21a, which is the support shaft for the latch 21, is provided on the side of the striker entrance groove 13. The primary shaft 22a, which is the support shaft for the primary pawl 22, and the secondary shaft 23a, which is the support shaft for the secondary pawl 23, are provided around the latch 21 below the latch shaft 21a.

[0016] The latch 21 engages with the striker S and has a striker abutment portion 21b and a hook portion 21c on its outer periphery. The striker abutment portion 21b and the hook portion 21c extend radially from the latch shaft 21a, and can be disposed so as to cross the striker entrance groove 13 of the base plate 11, and are adjacent to each other with an accommodation groove 21d between them that can accommodate the striker S.

[0017] A latch spring 21e, which is a torsion coil spring, is provided between the latch 21 and the base plate 11. The latch 21 is constantly biased by the biasing force of the latch spring 21e in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4; hereinafter also referred to as the release direction) in which the latch 21 is disengaged from the striker S so as to return to a predetermined engagement standby position. The engagement standby position is a state in which the hook portion 21c is retracted laterally with respect to the striker entrance groove 13, the striker abutment portion 21b is positioned across the striker entrance groove 13, and the opening of the accommodation groove 21d is aligned with the striker entrance groove 13.

[0018] When the latch 21 is in the engagement standby position, the striker S can enter the striker entrance groove 13 when the front hood FP is closed. When the front hood FP moves in the closing direction from the fully open position (see FIG. 1), the striker S that has entered the striker entrance groove 13 comes into contact with the striker abutment portion 21b, and the front hood FP is positioned in the pop-up position (see FIGS. 7(c) and 7(d)). When the front hood FP moves further in the closing direction from the pop-up position, the latch 21 rotates in a direction (clockwise in FIG. 4) in which the striker S engages with the striker S against the biasing force of the latch spring 21e, and the striker S is accommodated in the accommodation groove 21d, with the hook portion 21c positioned across the open end of the striker entrance groove 13. Note that, as will be described in detail later, the position in which the accommodation groove 21d of the latch 21 is located below the striker entrance groove 13 is also referred to as the primary latch position of the latch 21 (see FIG. 7(a)). At this time, the front hood FP is in a fully closed position. The position where the accommodation groove 21d of the latch 21 is located above the striker entrance groove 13 and the hook portion 21c is arranged across the striker entrance groove 13 is also referred to as the secondary latch position of the latch 21 (see (c) and (d) in Figure 8). At this time, the front hood FP is in a half-latched position.

[0019] The latch 21 is provided with a switch pressing portion 21g capable of pressing a latch detection switch 51. The latch detection switch 51 is a switch that detects the rotational position of the latch 21. The switch pressing portion 21g is provided to protrude from the surface of the latch 21 that faces the actuator unit 40. The switch pressing portion 21g presses the latch detection switch 51 when the latch 21 is in the primary latch position. At this time, the latch detection switch 51 is turned on, detecting that the latch 21 is in the primary latch position, i.e., detecting that the front hood FP is in the fully closed position. On the other hand, when the latch 21 is in a position other than the primary latch position, the switch pressing portion 21g does not press the latch detection switch 51. At this time, the latch detection switch 51 is turned off, detecting that the latch 21 is in the secondary latch position or the engagement standby position, i.e., detecting that the front hood FP is not in the fully closed position.

[0020] The primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23 mesh with the latch 21, thereby preventing the latch 21 from rotating in the release direction against the biasing force of the latch spring 21e, and stopping the latch 21 at a desired position.

[0021] When the latch 21 is positioned in the primary latch position, the primary pawl 22 engages with a primary engaging portion 21j formed on the outer circumferential surface of the latch 21, thereby preventing the latch 21 from rotating in the release direction and maintaining the front hood FP in the fully closed position. A primary spring 22b is provided between the primary pawl 22 and the base plate 11, which constantly biases the primary pawl 22 in the engaging direction.

[0022] The primary pawl 22 has a bent portion 22c that is bent in the direction of the rotation axis and is disposed on the rotation path of the open lever 35. When the open lever 35 rotates in a direction that abuts against the primary pawl 22 (clockwise in FIG. 4), the bent portion 22c is pressed by the open lever 35, causing the primary pawl 22 to rotate in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21 against the biasing force of the primary spring 22b.

[0023] The primary pole 22 also has a flank cable connection portion 22e. A flank cable 32 is connected to the flank cable connection portion 22e, linking it to an in-flank handle 31 provided in the flank FT. The in-flank handle 31 can be operated from inside the flank FT when the front hood FP is closed. When the in-flank handle 31 is operated, the operating force is transmitted to the primary pole 22 via the flank cable 32, rotating the primary pole 22 in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21 against the biasing force of the primary spring 22b.

[0024] When the latch 21 is positioned in the secondary latch position, the secondary pawl 23 engages with a secondary engaging portion 21k formed on the outer circumferential surface of the latch 21, thereby preventing the latch 21 from rotating in the release direction and maintaining the front hood FP in the half-engaged position. A secondary spring 23b is provided between the secondary pawl 23 and the base plate 11 to constantly bias the secondary pawl 23 in the engaging direction.

[0025] The secondary pawl 23 has a bent portion 23c that is bent in the direction of the rotation axis and is disposed on the rotation path of the open lever 35. When the open lever 35 rotates in a direction that abuts against the secondary pawl 23 (counterclockwise in FIG. 4), the bent portion 23c is pressed by the open lever 35, causing the secondary pawl 23 to rotate in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21 against the biasing force of the secondary spring 23b.

[0026] The secondary pole 23 is provided with a passenger compartment cable connection portion 23e. An emergency cable 34 is connected to the passenger compartment cable connection portion 23e, which connects the secondary pole 23 to an emergency handle 33 provided in the passenger compartment. The emergency handle 33 is an operating part provided in a position inside the passenger compartment that cannot be operated while the vehicle is moving, such as behind the driver's feet. When the emergency handle 33 is operated, the operating force is transmitted to the secondary pole 23 via the emergency cable 34, rotating the secondary pole 23 in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21 against the biasing force of the secondary spring 23b.

[0027] The primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23 are connected via a link bar 26. The link bar 26 is provided on the opposite side of the latch 21 with respect to the primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23. One end of the link bar 26 is rotatably supported by a connecting portion 23d of the secondary pole 23, and the other end of the link bar 26 is rotatably supported by a connecting portion 22d of the primary pole 22 via an elongated hole 26a.

[0028] When the secondary pawl 23 rotates in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21, the link bar 26 moves the primary pawl 22 in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21. On the other hand, when the primary pawl 22 rotates in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21, the link bar 26 causes the secondary pawl 23 to maintain the engagement with the latch 21. More specifically, when the primary pawl 22 rotates in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21, the connecting portion 22d moves along the elongated hole 26a, so that the link bar 26 does not move the secondary pawl 23. At this time, the primary pawl 22 rotates independently of the secondary pawl 23, and the secondary pawl 23 remains engaged with the latch 21.

[0029] The open lever 35 is configured to be rotatable in two directions (clockwise and counterclockwise in FIG. 4 ) around the rotation shaft 35c by the drive of the electric motor 41. Specifically, the open lever 35 is configured to be rotatable in a direction to engage with the primary pawl 22 by the rotation of the electric motor 41 in a first direction, and to be rotatable in a direction to engage with the secondary pawl 23 by the rotation of the electric motor 41 in a second direction opposite to the first direction. In this way, since the primary pawl 22 and the secondary pawl 23 can be rotated by the single open lever 35, the space efficiency within the latch device 1 can be improved and the structure can be simplified.

[0030] The open lever 35 is provided closer to the actuator unit 40 in the direction of the rotation axis than the primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23, and is disposed at a position overlapping the rotation trajectories of the primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23 as viewed from the direction of the rotation axis. This arrangement allows the dimensions of the latch device 1 to be reduced in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis, specifically in the up-down direction, and the latch device 1 can be made more compact.

[0031] Here, with reference to Figure 6, the power transmission system from the electric motor 41 to the open lever 35 will be described. The actuator unit 40 housed in the actuator housing 40H includes an electric motor 41 that can rotate forward and backward, and a speed reduction mechanism that reduces the speed of the drive of the electric motor 41 and transmits it to the open lever 35. The speed reduction mechanism includes a worm gear 42 provided on the output shaft 41a of the electric motor 41, a first gear (worm wheel) 43 that meshes with the worm gear 42, a second gear 44 that is integral with the first gear 43, and a sector gear 47 that meshes with the second gear 44. The first gear 43 is rotatably supported by the actuator housing 40H via a separate support shaft 43a that is parallel to the latch shaft 21a. The sector gear 47 is rotatably supported by the actuator housing 40H via a cylindrical boss portion 47a. A boss portion (output portion) 47a of the sector gear 47 extends toward the base plate 11, and the open lever 35 is fixed to the tip of the boss portion 47a. Since the open lever 35 is fixed to the boss portion 47a, the sector gear 47 and the open lever 35 rotate together. The above-mentioned reduction mechanism constitutes a power transmission portion that transmits the power of the electric motor 41 to the open lever 35.

[0032] The actuator unit 40 and the actuator housing 40H are positioned so as not to overlap the latch shaft 21a when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the latch 21. With this configuration, sufficient space can be secured in the direction of the rotation axis of the latch 21, allowing the latch spring 21e, which has a relatively large biasing force, to be provided in that space. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide multiple latch springs in order to increase the biasing force applied to the latch 21 so that the front hood FP can be raised to the pop-up position.

[0033] The actuator housing 40H is provided with an open lever detection switch 54 that detects the rotational position of the open lever 35 that rotates integrally with the sector gear 47. The open lever detection switch 54 is pressed by a switch pressing portion 47b provided near a boss portion 47a of the sector gear 47, and is turned on or off in conjunction with the rotation of the sector gear 47.

[0034] 4 and 5, the open lever 35 has a first pressing lever portion 35a and a second pressing lever portion 35b. The open lever 35 is disposed so that the rotation shaft 35c is located between the bent portion 22c of the primary pole 22 and the bent portion 23c of the secondary pole 23. The first pressing lever portion 35a extends from the rotation shaft 35c above the bent portion 22c, and the second pressing lever portion 35b extends from the rotation shaft 35c above the bent portion 23c. When the open lever 35 is in the neutral position, neither the first pressing lever portion 35a nor the second pressing lever portion 35b abuts against the bent portions 22c, 23c.

[0035] The bent portion 22c of the primary pawl 22 is located on the rotation trajectory of the first pressing lever portion 35a, and when the electric motor 41 rotates from the neutral position in a predetermined first direction, the open lever 35 rotates in a direction (clockwise in FIG. 4) that makes it come into contact with the bent portion 22c of the primary pawl 22, and rotates the primary pawl 22 via the bent portion 22c in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21. On the other hand, the bent portion 23c of the secondary pawl 23 is located on the rotation trajectory of the second pressing lever portion 35b, and when the electric motor 41 rotates from the neutral position in a second direction, the open lever 35 rotates in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 4) that makes it come into contact with the bent portion 23c of the secondary pawl 23, and rotates the secondary pawl 23 via the bent portion 23c in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21.

[0036] In this way, by forming the bent portions 22c, 23c in the primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23, the primary pole 22 and the open lever 35 can come into contact with each other, and the secondary pole 23 and the open lever 35 can come into contact with each other. In other words, the open lever 35 can have a simple shape, and the shape can be prevented from becoming complicated.

[0037] Furthermore, the rotation shaft 35c of the open lever 35 is positioned approximately coaxially with the secondary shaft 23a, which is the rotation shaft of the secondary pole 23. More specifically, the boss portion 47a of the sector gear 47 is positioned approximately coaxially with the secondary shaft 23a, and the open lever 35 is fixed to the tip of the boss portion 47a so that the rotation shaft 35c is approximately coaxial with the secondary shaft 23a. With this configuration, the axial torque input to the secondary pole 23 can be made equal to the axial torque output from the open lever 35, regardless of the abutment position between the open lever 35 and the secondary pole 23. This reduces the transmission loss of the output of the electric motor 41 to the secondary pole 23. Furthermore, because the abutment position between the open lever 35 and the secondary pole 23 does not change during rotation, the operating force of the open lever 35 is transmitted to the secondary pole 23 without any change, enabling stable operation.

[0038] 7(a) to 7(d) are diagrams sequentially illustrating the operation of the latch device 1 when the electric motor 41 is rotated in the second direction from a state in which the front hood FP is in the fully closed position. Note that in FIG. 7, the vehicle interior cable connection portion 23e of the secondary pole 23 is not shown.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the electric motor 41 rotates in the second direction while the latch 21 is in the primary latch position, the open lever 35 rotates in a direction that brings it into contact with the bent portion 23c of the secondary pawl 23, causing the secondary pawl 23 to rotate in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21. The rotation of the secondary pawl 23 is then transmitted to the primary pawl 22 via the link bar 26, and the primary pawl 22 rotates until it releases the engagement with the primary engagement portion 21j of the latch 21. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7C, the engagement between the latch 21 and the secondary pawl 23 and the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pawl 22 are released. The latch 21 then rotates to the engagement standby position due to the biasing force of the latch spring 21e, disengaging the striker S from the latch 21, and the front hood FP is lifted to the pop-up position, allowing the front hood FP to be moved to the fully open position. After the front hood FP reaches the pop-up position, the open lever 35 is driven by the electric motor 41 to return to the neutral position, as shown in FIG. 7(d).

[0040] 7(a) to 7(d) illustrate the operation of the latch device 1 driven by the electric motor 41. However, the operation of the latch device 1 when the emergency handle 33 provided in the vehicle cabin is manually operated is similar. Specifically, the operating force of the emergency handle 33 is transmitted to the vehicle cabin cable connection portion 23e via the emergency cable 34, causing the secondary pole 23 to rotate in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21. With this configuration, even in an emergency where the electric motor 41 does not operate due to, for example, a dead battery, the front hood FP can be moved from the fully closed position to the fully open position by manually operating the emergency handle 33. Furthermore, by directly connecting the emergency cable 34 to the secondary pole 23, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

[0041] 8(a) to 8(d) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when the electric motor 41 is rotated in the first direction from a state in which the front hood FP is in the fully closed position.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), when the electric motor 41 rotates in the first direction while the latch 21 is in the primary latch position, the open lever 35 rotates in a direction that abuts the bent portion 22c of the primary pawl 22, causing the primary pawl 22 to rotate in a direction that disengages it from the latch 21. At this time, the connecting portion 22d of the primary pawl 22 moves along the elongated hole 26a of the link bar 26, causing the primary pawl 22 to rotate independently of the secondary pawl 23. Therefore, the secondary pawl 23 is not linked to the rotation of the primary pawl 22 and maintains its engagement with the latch 21. When the primary pawl 22 rotates to disengage it from the primary engagement portion 21j of the latch 21, the biasing force of the latch spring 21e causes the latch 21 to rotate in the disengagement direction to the secondary latch position where the secondary engagement portion 21k of the latch 21 engages with the secondary pawl 23, as shown in FIG. 8(c). When the latch 21 reaches the secondary latch position, the front hood FP is in the partially engaged position. After the front hood FP reaches the half-engaged position, the open lever 35 is driven by the electric motor 41 to return to the neutral position, as shown in FIG. 8(d).

[0043] While Figures 8(a) to 8(d) illustrate the operation of the latch device 1 driven by the electric motor 41, the operation of the latch device 1 when manually operated with the in-frank handle 31 provided in the frunk is similar. Specifically, the operating force of the in-frank handle 31 is transmitted to the frunk cable connection 22e via the frunk cable 32, causing the primary pole 22 to rotate in a direction that disengages it from the latch 21. With this configuration, even in an emergency, such as when a person is trapped in the frunk FT and the electric motor 41 is not operating due to a dead battery, the trapped person can manually operate the in-frank handle 31 to move the front hood FP to the half-open position, thereby alerting the public to the emergency. Furthermore, because the front hood FP does not move to the pop-up position when the in-frank handle 31 is operated, the front hood FP can be prevented from reaching the fully open position while driving, ensuring safety.

[0044] Next, the control system of the latch device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The controller 100 is configured by implementing a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit). The controller 100 may be mounted directly on the housing member 10, or may be provided at a location remote from the housing member 10.

[0045] The controller 100 controls the driving of the electric motor 41 in accordance with programs and data stored in memory when it receives output signals from the command sending unit 101, the vehicle speed sensor 102, the detection sensor 103, etc. The controller 100 may be realized, for example, by having a processing device such as a CPU execute a program, i.e., by software, or may be realized by hardware such as an IC, or by using both software and hardware.

[0046] The command sending unit 101 outputs an open command to the controller 100 when the frank FT is to be opened. The command sending unit 101 includes, for example, an FOB (Frequency Operated Button) key 55 carried by the vehicle owner, an interior switch 56 provided in the vehicle cabin, and an in-frank switch 57 provided in the frank FT. The interior switch 56 includes, for example, a button provided in the vehicle cabin or an icon displayed on a touch panel. The in-frank switch 57 is, for example, a button provided in the frank FT. The vehicle speed sensor 102 detects the speed of the vehicle and outputs the detection result to the controller 100. The detection sensor 103 includes the latch detection switch 51 and the open lever detection switch 54 described above.

[0047] The controller 100 determines, based on the state of the vehicle, how to control the electric motor 41 in response to the open command output from the command sending unit 101. Specifically, based on the state of the vehicle, the controller 100 determines whether to drive the electric motor 41 to rotate in a first direction, drive the electric motor 41 to rotate in a second direction, or prohibit the electric motor 41 from rotating.

[0048] Here, the vehicle state includes a first state including a stopped state where the vehicle is mainly stopped, and a second state including a running state where the vehicle is mainly running. The first state may include a stopped state where the vehicle is completely stopped, a running state at a low speed (for example, running at less than 5 km / h), a state where the P (parking) range is selected, etc. The second state may include a running state where the vehicle is running at a predetermined speed or higher (for example, 5 km / h or higher), a state where a shift range other than the P range is selected, etc.

[0049] FIG. 10 shows a flow of the operation for opening the front hood FP when the vehicle is in the first state (such as a stopped state).

[0050] When an open command is output from the FOB key 55, the interior switch 56, or the frunk switch 57, the controller 100 determines the state of the vehicle, and here determines that the vehicle is in the first state (step S11).

[0051] When the vehicle is in the first state, safety is ensured even when the front hood FP is in the fully open position, so the controller 100 drives the electric motor 41 to rotate in the second direction (step S12). The electric motor 41 drives the open lever 35 to rotate, thereby disengaging the latch 21 from the secondary pole 23 (step S13), and further disengaging the latch 21 from the primary pole 22 via the link bar 26 (step S14). This moves the front hood FP from the fully closed position to the pop-up position (step S15), making it possible to move to the fully open position.

[0052] When the emergency handle 33 is operated while the vehicle is in the first state, the process proceeds to steps S13 to S15 without driving the electric motor 41, and the front hood FP moves from the fully closed position to the pop-up position.

[0053] FIG. 11 shows a flow of the operation for opening the front hood FP when the vehicle is in the second state (driving state, etc.).

[0054] When an open command is output from the FOB key 55 or the interior switch 56, the controller 100 determines the state of the vehicle and determines that the vehicle is in the second state (step S21). Then, the controller 100 does not rotate the electric motor 41 in response to the open command from the FOB key 55 or the interior switch 56 (step S22). That is, the front hood FP does not open while the vehicle is traveling, ensuring safety. Note that the FOB key 55 and the interior switch 56 may be configured not to output an open command to the controller 100 when the vehicle is in the second state.

[0055] When an open command is output from the in-frank switch 57, the controller 100 determines the state of the vehicle and determines that the vehicle is in the second state (step S23). Then, in response to the open command from the in-frank switch 57, the controller 100 rotates the electric motor 41 in the first direction (step S24). The electric motor 41 is driven to rotate the open lever 35, thereby releasing only the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 (step S25). As a result, the front hood FP moves from the fully closed position to the half-closed position (step S26).

[0056] For example, if a person is trapped in the frank hood FT, inputting an open command to the frank hood switch 57 will cause the front hood FP to be in a half-open position even if the vehicle is in state 2, making it possible to alert the outside world to an abnormal state. In addition, the front hood FP will not be in a fully open position, ensuring safety while driving.

[0057] As described above, the emergency handle 33 is an operating part that is located in a position inside the vehicle compartment that makes it inoperable when the vehicle is moving, so when the vehicle is in the second state, the emergency handle 33 cannot be operated. Therefore, the front hood FP does not reach the fully open position, ensuring safety while driving.

[0058] 12 is a flow chart showing the operation of opening the front hood FP using the handle 31 inside the flank. The operation using the handle 31 inside the flank is based on the flow chart shown in FIG. 12 regardless of the state of the vehicle.

[0059] When the flank handle 31 is operated, the operating force is transmitted to the primary pole 22 via the flank cable 32, and only the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 is released (step S31). As a result, the front hood FP moves from the fully closed position to the half-closed position (step S32).

[0060] For example, if a person is trapped inside the frunk FT, operating the frunk cable 32 will cause the front hood FP to be in a half-open position, thereby alerting the outside world to the abnormal condition, and furthermore, since the front hood FP will not be in a fully open position, safety can be ensured while the vehicle is in motion.

[0061] As described above, the open lever 35 can release only the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22, or release both the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 and the engagement between the latch 21 and the secondary pole 23, depending on the rotation direction of the electric motor 41.Therefore, with the latch device 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to change the opening control of the front hood FP depending on the state of the vehicle (the driving state or stopped state as described above).

[0062] For example, even if an open command to open the front hood FP is issued while the vehicle is moving, limiting the rotation of the electric motor 41 to only the first direction can prevent the front hood FP from unintentionally moving to the fully open position while the vehicle is moving, ensuring safety. Furthermore, when there is no problem with the front hood FP being in the fully open position, such as when the vehicle is stopped, rotating the electric motor 41 in the second direction can simultaneously release both the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 and the engagement between the latch 21 and the secondary pole 23. In other words, the front hood FP can be moved from the fully closed position to the fully open position with the simple operation of rotating the electric motor 41 in the second direction. Therefore, convenience can be improved while ensuring safety when opening the front hood FP.

[0063] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiment may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0064] This specification describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0065] (1) A front hood latch device (latch device 1) that is provided to be engageable with a striker (striker S) provided on a front hood (front hood FP) of a vehicle and controls opening and closing of the front hood, a latch (latch 21) that engages with the striker when the front hood is closed and is biased by a biasing member (latch spring 21e) in a direction to disengage from the striker; a primary pole (primary pole 22) that engages with the latch when the latch engaged with the striker is positioned at a predetermined primary latch position, thereby maintaining the front hood in a fully closed position; a secondary pole (secondary pole 23) that engages with the latch when the latch, which has been released from engagement with the primary pole, is positioned at a predetermined secondary latch position, thereby maintaining the front hood in a partially engaged position; a motor (electric motor 41) that can rotate forward and backward; a release mechanism (open lever 35) that is operated by driving the motor and can release the engagement state between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement state between the latch and the secondary pole, The release mechanism includes: By rotating the motor in a first direction, the engagement between the latch and the primary pole is released, and the front hood is moved from the fully closed position to the half-closed position. and rotating the motor in a second direction opposite to the first direction releases the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole, thereby enabling the front hood to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position. Front hood latch device.

[0066] According to (1), the release mechanism can release the engagement between the latch and the primary pole, or both the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole, depending on the rotation direction of the motor. This allows the front hood opening control to be changed depending on the vehicle state (moving or stopped). Therefore, even if a command to open the front hood is issued while the vehicle is moving, limiting the rotation of the motor to only the first direction can prevent the front hood from unintentionally moving to the fully open position while moving, ensuring safety. Furthermore, when the front hood can be fully open without causing any problems, such as when the vehicle is stopped, rotating the motor in a second direction opposite to the first direction can simultaneously release both the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole. In other words, the front hood can be moved from the fully closed position to the fully open position with the simple operation of rotating the motor in the second direction. Therefore, convenience can be improved while ensuring safety when opening the front hood.

[0067] (2) A front hood latch device according to (1), Further provided is a link member (link bar 26) that connects the primary pole and the secondary pole, The link member is provided to cause the secondary pole to maintain the state of engagement with the latch when the primary pole moves in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch, and to link the primary pole in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch when the secondary pole moves in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch. Front hood latch device.

[0068] According to (2), the link member makes it possible to rotate the motor in a first direction to release the engagement between the latch and the primary pole, and to rotate the motor in a second direction to release both the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole at the same time.

[0069] (3) A front hood latch device according to (2), the release mechanism includes a lever (open lever 35) that is rotatable in a direction to engage with the primary pole by rotation of the motor in the first direction and that is rotatable in a direction to engage with the secondary pole by rotation of the motor in the second direction, The lever is the rotation of the motor in the first direction rotates the primary pole independently of the secondary pole, thereby releasing the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and causing the secondary pole to maintain the engagement with the latch; the rotation of the motor in the second direction rotates the secondary pole and the primary pole, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the secondary pole, thereby releasing the meshed state between the latch and the primary pole and the meshed state between the latch and the secondary pole; Front hood latch device.

[0070] According to (3), each pole can be rotated by a single lever, which improves space efficiency within the latch device and simplifies the structure.

[0071] (4) A front hood latch device according to (3), the lever is disposed at a position overlapping with a rotation locus of the primary pole and the secondary pole when viewed from a direction of a rotation axis of the lever, The primary pole and the secondary pole each have a bent portion (bent portion 22c, 23c) bent in the rotation axis direction and disposed on the rotation trajectory of the lever. Front hood latch device.

[0072] According to (4), the lever is positioned so as to overlap the rotational trajectory of each pole when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis, which reduces the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and allows for miniaturization. In addition, the contact between each pole and the lever is achieved by the bent portion formed on each pole, which prevents the lever shape from becoming complicated.

[0073] (5) A front hood latch device according to (3) or (4), the lever is disposed at a position overlapping with a rotation locus of the primary pole and the secondary pole when viewed from a direction of a rotation axis of the lever, The rotation axis of the lever (rotation axis 35c) and the rotation axis of the secondary pole (secondary axis 23a) are positioned approximately coaxially. Front hood latch device.

[0074] According to (5), the lever is positioned so that it overlaps the rotational trajectory of each pole when viewed from the rotation axis direction, thereby reducing the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction and enabling miniaturization. Furthermore, the rotation axis of the lever and the rotation axis of the secondary pole are positioned approximately coaxially, so the axial torque input to the secondary pole can be made equal to the axial torque output from the lever, regardless of the abutment position between the lever and the secondary pole. This reduces the transmission loss of motor output to the secondary pole. Furthermore, because the rotation axis of the lever and the rotation axis of the secondary pole are positioned approximately coaxially, the abutment position between the lever and the secondary pole does not change during rotation. This means that the operating force of the lever is transmitted to the secondary pole without any change during rotation, enabling stable operation.

[0075] (6) A front hood latch device according to any one of (3) to (5), An actuator unit (actuator unit 40) including the motor and a power transmission unit that transmits the power of the motor to the lever is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the rotation axis of the latch (latch axis 21a) when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the latch. Front hood latch device.

[0076] According to (6), a sufficient space can be secured in the direction of the rotation axis of the latch, so that a biasing member with a relatively large biasing force can be provided in the space.

[0077] (7) A front hood latch device according to any one of (2) to (6), A first operation transmission unit (emergency cable 34) that transmits an operation force manually input from a first operation unit (emergency handle 33) provided in the vehicle compartment is connected to the secondary pole. Front hood latch device.

[0078] According to (7), even in an emergency where the motor does not operate due to, for example, a dead battery, the secondary pole can be operated by manually operating the first operating unit in the vehicle compartment, releasing the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole, thereby enabling the front hood to be moved from the fully closed position to the fully open position. Also, by directly connecting the first operation transmission unit to the secondary pole, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

[0079] (8) A front hood latch device according to any one of (2) to (7), A second operation transmission unit (a flank cable 32) is connected to the primary pole to transmit an operation force manually input from a second operation unit (a flank handle 31) provided in a front trunk (a flank FT) covered by the front hood. Front hood latch device.

[0080] According to (8), the primary pole can be operated by manually operating the second operating unit inside the front trunk, releasing the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and changing the front hood from the fully closed position to a partially closed position. Therefore, even in an emergency where someone is trapped inside the front trunk and the motor is not running due to a dead battery or the like, this abnormality can be reported to the outside. Furthermore, because the front hood remains in the partially closed position even when the second operating unit is operated, the front hood can be prevented from moving to the fully open position while driving, ensuring safety.

[0081] (9) A front hood latch device according to any one of (1) to (8), Further provided is a controller (controller 100) for controlling the rotational drive of the motor, When an input is made to an electric operation unit (in-flannel switch 57) provided in a front trunk (flannel FT) covered by the front hood and the controller determines that the vehicle is in a predetermined state (second state), the controller rotates the motor in the first direction, The predetermined state includes at least one of a state in which the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or higher and a state in which a shift range other than a parking range is selected. Front hood latch device.

[0082] According to (9), when the vehicle is moving or is capable of moving, the motor rotates in a first direction in response to input to the electric operating unit in the front trunk, placing the front hood in a half-open position, thereby alerting the outside world to an abnormal situation in which a person is trapped in the front trunk, while preventing the front hood from reaching a fully open position, ensuring safety. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Latch device (front hood latch device) 21 Latch 21a Latch shaft (rotating shaft) 21e Latch spring (biasing member) 22 Primary Pole 22d Connecting part 23 Secondary Pole 23a Secondary shaft (rotating shaft) 26 Link bar (link member) 26a long hole 31 Handle inside flank (second operating part) 32 Flank cable (second operation transmission part) 33 Emergency handle (first operating part) 34 Emergency cable (first operation transmission part) 35 Open lever (release mechanism, lever) 35c rotation axis 40 Actuator Unit 41 Electric motor (motor) 57 Switch inside flank (electric operation part) 100 Controllers FP Front Hood FT Frank (front trunk) S Striker

Claims

1. A front hood latch device that is engageable with a striker provided on a front hood of a vehicle and controls opening and closing of the front hood, a latch that engages with the striker when the front hood is closed and is biased by a biasing member in a direction to disengage from the striker; a primary pawl that engages with the latch when the latch engaged with the striker is positioned at a predetermined primary latch position, thereby maintaining the front hood in a fully closed position; a secondary pawl that engages with the latch when the latch, disengaged from the primary pawl, is positioned at a predetermined secondary latch position to maintain the front hood in a partially engaged position; a motor capable of rotating forward and backward; a release mechanism that is operated by driving the motor and can release an engaged state between the latch and the primary pole and an engaged state between the latch and the secondary pole, The release mechanism includes: By rotating the motor in a first direction, the engagement between the latch and the primary pole is released, and the front hood is moved from the fully closed position to the half-closed position. and rotating the motor in a second direction opposite to the first direction releases the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and the engagement between the latch and the secondary pole, thereby enabling the front hood to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position. Front hood latch device.

2. 2. The front hood latch device according to claim 1, a link member connecting the primary pole and the secondary pole; The link member is provided to cause the secondary pole to maintain the state of engagement with the latch when the primary pole moves in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch, and to link the primary pole in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch when the secondary pole moves in a direction to release the state of engagement with the latch. Front hood latch device.

3. 3. The front hood latch device according to claim 2, the release mechanism includes a lever that is rotatable in a direction to engage with the primary pawl when the motor rotates in the first direction, and that is rotatable in a direction to engage with the secondary pawl when the motor rotates in the second direction, The lever is the rotation of the motor in the first direction rotates the primary pole independently of the secondary pole, thereby releasing the engagement between the latch and the primary pole and causing the secondary pole to maintain the engagement with the latch; the rotation of the motor in the second direction rotates the secondary pole and the primary pole, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the secondary pole, thereby releasing the meshed state between the latch and the primary pole and the meshed state between the latch and the secondary pole; Front hood latch device.

4. 4. The front hood latch device according to claim 3, the lever is disposed at a position overlapping with a rotation locus of the primary pole and the secondary pole when viewed from a direction of a rotation axis of the lever, the primary pole and the secondary pole each have a bent portion bent in the rotation axis direction and disposed on a rotation trajectory of the lever; Front hood latch device.

5. 4. The front hood latch device according to claim 3, the lever is disposed at a position overlapping with a rotation locus of the primary pole and the secondary pole when viewed from a direction of a rotation axis of the lever, The rotation axis of the lever and the rotation axis of the secondary pole are positioned substantially coaxially. Front hood latch device.

6. 4. The front hood latch device according to claim 3, an actuator unit including the motor and a power transmission unit that transmits power of the motor to the lever is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the rotation axis of the latch when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the latch; Front hood latch device.

7. 7. A front hood latch device according to claim 2, a first operation transmission unit that transmits an operation force manually input from a first operation unit provided in the vehicle compartment is connected to the secondary pole; Front hood latch device.

8. 7. A front hood latch device according to claim 2, A second operation transmission unit is connected to the primary pole, and the second operation transmission unit transmits an operation force manually input from a second operation unit provided in a front trunk covered by the front hood. Front hood latch device.

9. 7. A front hood latch device according to claim 1, Further, a controller for controlling the rotational drive of the motor is provided, the controller rotates the motor in the first direction when an input is received from an electric operation unit provided in a front trunk covered by the front hood and when the controller determines that the vehicle is in a predetermined state; The predetermined state includes at least one of a state in which the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or higher and a state in which a shift range other than a parking range is selected. Front hood latch device.

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