Front trunk system

Abstract

To provide a front trunk system that is improved in system reliability without being made complex.SOLUTION: A front trunk system 100 comprises a latch device 1, an in-frunk operation part 31, and a switching mechanism 80 which switches a path for transmitting an operation force input to the in-frunk operation part 31 to the latch device 1 based on a state of a vehicle. The switching mechanism 80 connects the in-frunk operation part 31 and the latch device 1 through a first transmission path 31A when the vehicle is in a first state including a stopped state, and enables engagement between a latch 21 and a primary pawl 22 and engagement between the latch 21 and a secondary pawl 23 to be released by the operation force, and connects the in-frunk operation part 31 and the latch device 1 through a second transmission path 31B when the vehicle is in a second state including a traveling state, and enables engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pawl 22 to be released by the operation force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a front trunk system. [Background technology]

[0002] In some vehicles, such as electric vehicles and rear-engine vehicles with an engine mounted at the rear of the vehicle body, 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 appropriately locked by a latch device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a latch device that includes a ratchet that engages with a striker provided on the front hood, and a primary pawl and a secondary pawl that can mesh with the ratchet.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, when a switch or button located inside the frunk is pressed, an unlocking actuator is activated, unlocking the latch device and allowing the engine hood to be opened, so that a person trapped inside the frunk can open the engine hood on their own.

[0004] Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, the device is configured to be switchable between a normal mode in which both the meshed state between the primary pawl and the ratchet and the meshed state between the secondary pawl and the ratchet can be released, and a safety mode in which only the meshed state between the primary pawl and the ratchet can be released, depending on the vehicle speed. Specifically, the mode is switched by driving a mode switching actuator in accordance with the vehicle speed to move a connecting lever provided between the primary pawl and the secondary pawl. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 1,141,4904 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, if a person is trapped inside the frunk and the battery runs out of power, the front hood cannot be opened by pressing a switch or button inside the frunk, which posed a reliability issue for the system. Also, even if an auxiliary power supply is provided to prepare for the battery running out of power, it is necessary to configure the system to supply power to both the unlocking actuator and the mode switching actuator, which posed a problem in terms of system complexity.

[0007] The present invention provides a front trunk system that improves system reliability without increasing complexity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides a latch device provided to be engageable with a striker provided on a front hood covering a front trunk of a vehicle; an operating unit provided in the front trunk and configured to transmit an input operating force to the latch device via a first transmission path or a second transmission path; a switching mechanism that switches a path for transmitting an operating force input to the operating unit to the latch device based on a state of the vehicle, The latch device is 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; The switching mechanism is When the vehicle is in a first state including a stopped state, the operation unit and the latch device are connected via the first transmission path, and an operating force input to the operation unit can release an engaged state between the latch and the primary pole and an engaged state between the latch and the secondary pole, When the vehicle is in a second state, which includes a running state, the operating unit and the latch device are connected via the second transmission path, so that the engagement between the latch and the primary pole can be released by the operating force input to the operating unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, an operating unit is provided in the front trunk that transmits an input operating force to the latch device, and the operating force is transmitted to the latch device via a first transmission path or a second transmission path that is selectively switched based on the vehicle state, thereby improving the reliability of the front trunk system regarding the opening of the front hood door. Furthermore, selective switching between the first transmission path and the second transmission path is achieved by providing a switching mechanism, which prevents the latch device from becoming too complicated in structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a vehicle to which a front trunk system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, showing a state in which the front hood is in a fully open position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch device as seen from the base plate side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the latch device as seen from the case side. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a view showing the internal configuration of the latch device as seen from the case side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an actuator unit housed in an actuator housing. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the latch device. [Figure 8] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device when the front hood is closed. [Figure 9] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device when the electric motor is driven to move the front hood from a fully closed position to a fully open position. [Figure 10] 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device when an operating force input to an operating unit inside the vehicle is transmitted to an emergency lever. [Figure 11] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device when an operating force input to an in-flank operating portion is transmitted to the primary pawl. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a front trunk system in which a first transmission path is set by a switching mechanism. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a front trunk system in which a second transmission path is set by a switching mechanism. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a front trunk system without a switching mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A front trunk system according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, a front trunk system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a four-wheeled vehicle such as an electric vehicle that is equipped with a front trunk (hereinafter referred to as frunk FT) between the left and right front wheels FW at the front of the vehicle body B. For convenience, in the following description, the directions will be identified by the posture in which the system is mounted on the vehicle body B, and in the drawings, the front of the vehicle will be indicated as Fr, the rear as Rr, the right as R, the left as L, the top as U, and the bottom as D.

[0013] [Overall configuration of the latch device] First, the latch device 1 included in the front trunk system 100 will be described. The latch device 1 controls the opening and closing of the front hood FP, which opens and closes the upper opening of the frunk FT. In the example shown in FIG. 1, 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 remain 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.

[0014] 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 emergency lever 24, 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 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 cover 14 and is fixed to the case 12. The latch 21, the primary pole 22, the secondary pole 23, the emergency lever 24, and the open lever 35 are disposed between the base plate 11 and the cover 14. A striker entrance groove 13 is formed on one side of an upper portion of the base plate 11. 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 a fully closed position relative to the frunk FT.

[0015] 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 vehicle body attachment portions 11a on both left and right ends, 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 a cable (described later) and the ease of attaching it to the vehicle body B are improved. Furthermore, if a load hits the latch device 1 when it is loaded into the frunk FT, the load hits 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.

[0016] The latch 21, primary pawl 22, secondary pawl 23, and emergency lever 24 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, the support shaft of the latch 21 (hereinafter referred to as the latch shaft 21a) is provided on a portion that is to the side of the striker entrance groove 13. The support shaft of the primary pawl 22 (hereinafter referred to as the primary shaft 22a) is provided on a portion around the latch 21 that is below the latch shaft 21a, and the support shaft of the secondary pawl 23 (hereinafter referred to as the secondary shaft 23a) is provided on a portion around the latch 21 that is between the latch shaft 21a and the primary shaft 22a. The support shaft of the emergency lever 24 (hereinafter referred to as the emergency support shaft 24a) is provided at a position that is farther away from the latch 21 than the secondary shaft 23a.

[0017] 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.

[0018] A latch spring 21e including a first latch spring 21e1, which is a torsion coil spring, and a second latch spring 21e2, which is a tension coil spring, is provided between the latch 21 and the base plate 11. The latch 21 is constantly biased in a direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 5 , also referred to as the release direction hereinafter) in which engagement with the striker S is released so as to return to a predetermined engagement standby position by the biasing force of the latch spring 21e provided between the latch 21 and the base plate 11. 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. Therefore, in the engagement standby position, when the front hood FP is closed, the striker S can enter the striker entrance groove 13. 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 is positioned in the pop-up position (see FIG. 8(a)). 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. 5) in which it 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, and the hook portion 21c is positioned across the open end side of the striker entrance groove 13.

[0019] Furthermore, a latch detection magnet 21g is provided on the latch 21. The primary latch position of the latch 21 is a position where the accommodating groove 21d of the latch 21 is located below the striker entrance groove 13 and the hook portion 21c crosses the striker entrance groove 13. The latch detection magnet 21g detects the rotation state of the latch 21 by means of a latch sensor 51, which will be described later.

[0020] The primary pole 22 and the secondary pole 23 are engaged 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] More specifically, when the latch 21 is placed in the primary latch position, the primary pawl 22 is configured to mesh with the primary meshing portion 21j of the latch 21, thereby preventing the latch 21 from rotating in the release direction. A primary spring 22b is provided between the primary pawl 22 and the base plate 11, which constantly biases the primary pawl 22 in a direction in which it meshes with the latch 21 (hereinafter also referred to as the meshing direction).

[0022] A flank cable connection portion 22c is provided on the primary pole 22. The flank cable connection portion 22c extends in the radial direction, and its extending end portion extends to a position beyond the base plate 11. The operating force input to the flank internal operating portion 31 is input to the flank cable connection portion 22c via a cable.

[0023] The in-frank operating part 31 is an operating part that can be manually operated from inside the flank FT when the front hood FP is closed, and is composed of a handle, lever, etc. that is connected to the latch device 1 via a cable. The operating force input to the in-frank operating part 31 is mechanically transmitted as a pulling force via the cable to the latch device 1. More specifically, when the in-frank operating part 31 is operated, the operating force input to the in-frank operating part 31 is transmitted via the cable to the flank cable connection part 22c of the primary pole 22, and rotates 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] The secondary pawl 23 is configured to prevent rotation of the latch 21 in the release direction by engaging with the secondary engaging portion 21k of the latch 21 when the accommodating groove 21d of the latch 21 is positioned above the striker entry groove 13 and the hook portion 21c is positioned across the striker entry groove 13 (secondary latch position of the latch 21).

[0025] When the striker S is accommodated in the accommodation groove 21d and the latch 21 is positioned in the primary latch position, the front hood FP is positioned in a fully closed position relative to the frunk FT (see (c) of Figure 8), and when the striker S is accommodated in the accommodation groove 21d and the latch 21 is positioned in the secondary latch position, the front hood FP is positioned in a half-closed position, in which it is slightly open relative to the frunk FT (see (b) of Figure 8).

[0026] A secondary spring 23b that constantly biases the secondary pawl 23 in the meshing direction is provided between the secondary pawl 23 and the base plate 11. An actuator input portion 23c is also provided on the secondary pawl 23. When the open lever 35 rotates in the release direction (clockwise in FIG. 5), the actuator input portion 23c comes into contact with the open lever 35 and rotates the secondary pawl 23 in the direction to release the meshed state 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. In the illustrated example, one end of the link bar 26 is rotatably supported by a lever link portion 23d of the secondary pole 23, and the other end of the link bar 26 is rotatably supported by a lever link portion 22d of the primary pole 22 via an elongated hole 26a. The lever link portion 23d of the secondary pole 23 protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the secondary pole 23, and the lever link portion 22d of the primary pole 22 protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the primary pole 22.

[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 lever link 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 is maintained in an engaged state with the latch 21.

[0029] The emergency lever 24 has a pole pressing portion 24b and a cable connection portion 24c. The pole pressing portion 24b and the cable connection portion 24c each extend radially from the emergency support shaft 24a. A lever spring 24d is provided between the emergency lever 24 and the base plate 11, biasing the emergency lever 24 clockwise in FIG. 5 to position it in a predetermined standby position. When the emergency lever 24 is positioned in the standby position, the pole pressing portion 24b is positioned away from the lever link portion 23d of the secondary pawl 23 that abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the latch 21. When the emergency lever 24 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 5 against the biasing force of the lever spring 24d, the pole pressing portion 24b abuts against the lever link portion 23d, thereby rotating the secondary pawl 23 in the release direction.

[0030] An operating force input to an interior operation unit 33 is input to the cable connection portion 24c via a vehicle interior-side transmission path 34 (see FIGS. 12 to 14, etc.) configured by a cable or the like. The interior operation unit 33 is an operation part provided in a position inside the vehicle interior that cannot be operated while the vehicle is moving, such as behind the feet of the driver's seat, and is configured by a handle, lever, or the like connected to the latch device 1 via a cable. The operating force input to the interior operation unit 33 is mechanically transmitted to the latch device 1 as a pulling force via the cable. More specifically, when the interior operation unit 33 is operated, the operating force input to the interior operation unit 33 is transmitted via the cable to the pole pressing portion 24b of the emergency lever 24, and the pole pressing portion 24b rotates the secondary pole 23 in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21 against the biasing force of the secondary spring 23b.

[0031] The open lever 35 is fixed to a boss portion 47 a of a sector gear 47 (described later) and rotates integrally with the sector gear 47 . The open lever 35 is driven by the electric motor 41 .

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6, the actuator housing 40H includes the actuator unit 40 and a circuit board 50.

[0033] The actuator unit 40 is configured to include 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 an output shaft 41a of the electric motor 41, a first gear (worm wheel) 43 that meshes with the worm gear 42, a third gear 45 that meshes with a second gear 44 that is provided integrally with the first gear 43, and a sector gear 47 that meshes with a fourth gear 46 that is provided integrally with the third gear 45. The first gear 43 and the third gear 45 are rotatably supported on the actuator housing 40H via individual support shafts 43a, 45a that are parallel to the latch shaft 21a. The electric motor 41 is disposed on the outer circumferential side of the latch 21, and the first gear 43 and third gear 45 are disposed in positions overlapping the cover-facing surface 21h of the latch 21. The sector gear 47 is rotatably supported on the actuator housing 40H via a cylindrical boss portion 47a disposed in the center. The boss portion (output portion) 47a of the sector gear 47 is disposed so as to coincide with the emergency support shaft 24a in a portion on the outer circumferential side of the latch 21.

[0034] Returning to FIG. 5, the open lever 35 is fixed to a boss portion 47a of the sector gear 47 and rotates integrally with the sector gear 47. The open lever 35 has a pressing lever portion 35a. The pressing lever portion 35a extends radially from the rotation axis of the open lever 35, and its extending edge is bent toward the base plate 11. When the open lever 35 is disposed in a predetermined neutral position, the pressing lever portion 35a is located above the actuator input portion 23c provided on the secondary pole 23. When the electric motor 41 rotates in the open direction from the neutral position, the open lever 35 rotates in the release direction (clockwise in FIG. 5), rotating the secondary pole 23 via the actuator input portion 23c in a direction that releases the engagement with the latch 21.

[0035] The open lever 35 is provided with an open lever detection magnet 35c for detecting the position of the open lever 35. The circuit board 50 is provided with a motor neutral sensor 54 for detecting whether the open lever 35 is in the neutral position by detecting the open lever detection magnet 35c.

[0036] The circuit board 50 is, for example, a printed circuit board, and is disposed inside the actuator housing 40H. On the circuit board 50, a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) that constitutes a latch device controller 70 (described later) is mounted.

[0037] 7 shows the control system of the latch device 1. When output signals are given from a command sending unit 71, a vehicle state detection unit 72, the latch sensor 51, and the motor neutral sensor 54, the latch device controller 70 controls the driving of the electric motor 41 in accordance with programs and data stored in memory. The latch device controller 70 may be realized by, for example, having a processing device such as a CPU execute a program, i.e., by software, or it may be realized by hardware such as an IC, or it may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0038] The command sending unit 71 is used to output an open command to the latch device controller 70 when opening the front hood FT, and includes, for example, an FOB (Frequency Operated Button) key 55 carried by the vehicle owner, or a front hood opening switch 56 provided inside the vehicle cabin.

[0039] The vehicle state detection unit 72 detects at least one of the vehicle speed and the gear position of the vehicle. The latch device controller 70 determines the vehicle state (for example, whether the vehicle is running or stopped) based on the detection result of the vehicle state detection unit 72 and controls the drive of the electric motor 41.

[0040] [Latch device operation] The operation of the latch device 1 will now be described in detail.

[0041] (Front hood FP closing operation) First, the operation of the latch device 1 when the front hood FP is closed will be described with reference to (a) to (c) of Figure 8. Note that the open lever 35 is not shown in the figure.

[0042] When the front hood FP is in the pop-up position, the latch 21 is positioned in the engagement standby position by the latch spring 21e, and the open lever 35 is positioned in the neutral position, as shown in Figure 8(a). At this time, as described above, the primary pawl 22 and the secondary pawl 23 are biased in the engagement direction by the primary spring 22b and the secondary spring 23b, respectively, while abutting against the outer circumferential surface of the latch 21.

[0043] When the front hood FP is operated to close the opening of the frunk FT while the vehicle is stopped, the striker S enters the striker entrance groove 13, and the secondary pawl 23 engages with the secondary engagement portion 21k of the latch 21, preventing the latch 21 from moving in the release direction and positioning the latch 21 in the secondary latch position, as shown in Figure 8(b). As a result, even when the operating force on the front hood FP is removed, the front hood FP remains in a slightly open, half-engaged position relative to the frunk FT.

[0044] When the front hood FP is moved further in the closing direction, the latch 21 rotates in the engaging direction against the biasing force of the latch spring 21e, and as shown in Figure 8(c), the front hood FP reaches the fully closed position where it completely closes the opening of the flank FT. At this time, the primary pawl 22 engages with the primary engaging portion 21j of the latch 21, preventing the latch 21 from moving in the releasing direction, and the latch 21 is positioned at the primary latch position. As a result, the front hood FP is maintained in the fully closed position where it closes the flank FT.

[0045] (Front hood FP opening operation) 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when an open command is output from the command sending unit 71 (FOB key 55 or front hood open switch 56).

[0046] 9(a), when the command sending unit 71 is operated while the latch 21 engaged with the striker S is in the primary latch position, the latch device controller 70 detects that an open command has been given, performs an open process, and determines whether the vehicle is in a first state (details of which will be described later) including a stopped state based on the detection result of the vehicle state detection unit 72. When the vehicle is in the first state, the latch device controller 70 drives the electric motor 41 in the open direction.

[0047] When the electric motor 41 is driven in the open direction, as shown in (b) of Figure 9, the open lever 35 rotates in the release direction, and the secondary pawl 23 rotates in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21. The rotation of the secondary pawl 23 is transmitted to the primary pawl 22 via the link bar 26, and the primary pawl 22 also rotates in a direction to release the engagement with the primary engagement portion 21j of the latch 21.

[0048] As a result, as shown in Figure 9(c), the engagement between the primary pawl 22 and the latch 21 and the engagement between the secondary pawl 23 and the latch 21 are released, the latch 21 rotates to the engagement standby position due to the biasing force of the latch spring 21e, and the front hood FP is lifted to the pop-up position, allowing it to move to the fully open position. In this way, with just one operation of the command transmitter 71, the front hood FP can be opened and the flank FT can be opened, which has the advantage of making it easier to load and unload luggage into and from the flank FT. After the latch 21 rotates to the engagement standby position, the open lever 35 is returned to the neutral position by the drive of the electric motor 41.

[0049] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when an operating force input to the vehicle interior operating unit 33 is transmitted to the emergency lever 24. Note that, as will be described in detail later, the operation of the latch device 1 when an operating force input to the in-flanket operating unit 31 is transmitted to the emergency lever 24 via the first transmission path 31A is also similar to that shown in FIG.

[0050] As shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 10, when the interior operation unit 33 is operated while the latch 21 is in the primary latch position, the operating force rotates the emergency lever 24 counterclockwise. As the emergency lever 24 continues to rotate, the pole pressing portion 24b abuts against the lever link portion 23d of the secondary pole 23, rotating the primary pole 22, via the secondary pole 23 and the link bar 26, in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21. As a result, as shown in (c) of Figure 10, the engagement between the secondary pole 23 and the latch 21 and the engagement between the primary pole 22 and the latch 21 are released, and the latch 21 rotates in the release direction to return to the engagement standby position. The front hood FP then moves to the pop-up position, where it can be operated by a person to the fully open position.

[0051] 11(a) and 11(b) are diagrams sequentially showing the operation of the latch device 1 when an operating force input to the in-flank operating portion 31 is transmitted to the primary pole 22. FIG.

[0052] 11(a) and 11(b), when the in-flank operating unit 31 is operated while the latch 21 is in the primary latch position, the operating force is transmitted to the flank cable connecting portion 22c of the primary pole 22, causing the primary pole 22 to rotate in a direction to release the engagement with the latch 21. At this time, the lever link portion 22d of the primary pole 22 moves along the elongated hole 26a, so that the link bar 26 does not move the secondary pole 23, and so the primary pole 22 rotates independently of the secondary pole 23, while the secondary pole 23 remains engaged with the latch 21. Therefore, only the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 is released, and the latch 21 is in the secondary latch position where it engages with the secondary pole 23; that is, the front hood FP is in the half-engaged position.

[0053] [Front trunk system] 12 and 13 are schematic diagrams showing an embodiment of a front trunk system 100 of the present invention. The front trunk system 100 includes a latch device 1, an in-flank operating unit 31, a switching mechanism 80, and a switching mechanism controller 90.

[0054] The switching mechanism controller 90 is a processing device such as a CPU, and controls the operation of the switching mechanism 80 based on the vehicle state determined from the detection result of the vehicle state detection unit 72. The switching mechanism controller 90 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 a combination of software and hardware. The switching mechanism controller 90 and the latch device controller 70 may be configured as the same controller.

[0055] The switching mechanism 80 switches the operating mode of the latch device 1 when the intra-flank operating part 31 is operated. Specifically, the switching mechanism 80 switches between a mode in which both the meshed state between the primary pawl 22 and the latch 21 and the meshed state between the secondary pawl 23 and the latch 21 are released when the intra-flank operating part 31 is operated, and a mode in which only the meshed state between the primary pawl 22 and the latch 21 is released when the intra-flank operating part 31 is operated.

[0056] To explain in more detail, the switching mechanism 80 selectively switches the transmission path through which the operating force input to the flank operating unit 31 is transmitted to the latch device 1 between the first transmission path 31A and the second transmission path 31B based on the vehicle state determined from the detection results of the vehicle state detection unit 72.

[0057] As shown by the thick solid line in Fig. 12, the first transmission path 31A is a path that connects the in-frank operating part 31 and the cable connection part 24c provided on the emergency lever 24 of the latch device 1, and is composed of a plurality of cables, etc. When the first transmission path 31A is set, if the in-frank operating part 31 is operated with the front hood FP in the fully closed position, the operating force is transmitted to the emergency lever 24 via the first transmission path 31A, and the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 and the engagement between the latch 21 and the secondary pole 23 are released (see Fig. 10(a) to (c)). In other words, operation of the in-frank operating part 31 moves the front hood FP to the pop-up position.

[0058] As described above, in addition to the operating force input to the in-flanket operating device 31, the operating force input to the in-vehicle operating device 33 is also transmitted to the cable connection portion 24c of the emergency lever 24. Therefore, the first transmission path 31A and the passenger compartment-side transmission path 34 are connected to the cable connection portion 24c via the coupling portion 32. The coupling portion 32 is, for example, a bell crank, and connects the cable constituting the passenger compartment-side transmission path 34 to the cable constituting the first transmission path 31A. The first transmission path 31A is configured to include, for example, a cable connecting the in-flanket operating device 31 and the switching mechanism 80, a cable connecting the switching mechanism 80 and the coupling portion 32, and a cable connecting the coupling portion 32 and the cable connection portion 24c. Note that when an operating force is input to the bell crank from either the passenger compartment-side transmission path 34 or the first transmission path 31A, the operating force is not transmitted to the other side. However, the configuration of the first transmission path 31A is not limited to this, and any configuration can be adopted as long as the operating force input to the flank internal operating portion 31 can be transmitted to the cable connection portion 24c of the emergency lever 24.

[0059] As shown by the thick solid line in Fig. 13, the second transmission path 31B is a path that connects the in-frank operating part 31 and the flank cable connection part 22c provided on the primary pole 22 of the latch device 1, and is composed of, for example, a plurality of cables. When the second transmission path 31B is set, if the in-frank operating part 31 is operated with the front hood FP in the fully closed position, the operating force is transmitted to the primary pole 22 via the second transmission path 31B, and only the engagement between the latch 21 and the primary pole 22 is released (see Fig. 11(a) and (b)). In other words, operation of the in-frank operating part 31 places the front hood FP in the half-engaged position.

[0060] The second transmission path 31B is configured to include, for example, a cable connecting the flank internal operation unit 31 and the switching mechanism 80, and a cable connecting the switching mechanism 80 and the flank cable connection part 22c. However, the configuration of the second transmission path 31B is not limited to this, and any configuration can be adopted as long as the operating force input to the flank internal operation unit 31 can be transmitted to the flank cable connection part 22c.

[0061] The switching mechanism 80 selectively switches the transmission path of the operating force to the first transmission path 31A or the second transmission path 31B based on whether the vehicle state is a first state which mainly includes a stopped state in which the vehicle is stopped, or a second state which mainly includes a running state in which the vehicle is running.

[0062] The first state includes, for example, a stopped state where the vehicle is completely stopped, a low-speed driving state (for example, driving at less than 5 km / h), and a state where the P (parking) range is selected. The second state includes, for example, a driving state where the vehicle is driving at a predetermined speed or higher (for example, 5 km / h or higher), and a state where a gear position other than the P range is selected.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the vehicle is in the first state, the switching mechanism 80 connects the intra-flank operating unit 31 and the latch device 1 via the first transmission path 31A, and enables the operating force input to the intra-flank operating unit 31 to disengage the meshed state between the latch 21 and the primary pawl 22 and the meshed state between the latch 21 and the secondary pawl 23. On the other hand, when the vehicle is in the second state, the switching mechanism 80 connects the intra-flank operating unit 31 and the latch device 1 via the second transmission path 31B, and enables the operating force input to the intra-flank operating unit 31 to disengage the meshed state between the latch 21 and the primary pawl 22.

[0064] In the case of a front trunk system 100A (see FIG. 14 ) in which the switching mechanism 80 is not provided and the in-frank operating unit 31 and the flank cable connection portion 22c of the primary pole 22 are connected by a cable, the front hood FP does not move to the pop-up position, where it can be fully opened, by operating the in-frank operating unit 31, regardless of the state of the vehicle. With this configuration, if a person trapped in the flank FT operates the in-frank operating unit 31, the front hood FP will not move to the fully open position while the vehicle is moving, ensuring safety from a driving perspective, but the front hood FP will not move to the pop-up position even when the vehicle is stopped. Therefore, a person trapped in the flank FT can call for help from the outside when the front hood FP is in the half-open position, but cannot escape on their own.

[0065] The front trunk system 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a switching mechanism 80, so that the transmission path of the operating force input to the in-frank operating unit 31 can be selectively switched between the first transmission path 31A and the second transmission path 31B based on the state of the vehicle. When the vehicle is in a first state (such as a stopped state), the operating force of the in-frank operating unit 31 can move the front hood FP from the fully closed position to a pop-up position that allows a person to operate it to the fully open position. Therefore, even if a person is trapped in the frank hood FT, the person can escape from the frank hood FT by operating the in-frank operating unit 31, thereby ensuring sufficient safety against trapping in the frank hood FT. Furthermore, when the vehicle is in a second state (such as a moving state), the front hood FP is not moved to a pop-up position that allows a person to operate it to the fully open position by operating the in-frank operating unit 31. Therefore, there is no risk of the front hood FP unexpectedly moving to the fully open position while the vehicle is moving, ensuring safety.

[0066] Furthermore, since the in-flank operating unit 31 is configured so that the operating force is mechanically transmitted to the latch device 1 as a pulling force via a cable, unlike a configuration in which the engagement between the primary pole 22 and secondary pole 23 and the latch 21 is released by driving a motor or the like, the front hood FP can be opened even if the battery runs out of power, thereby improving the reliability of the front trunk system 100.

[0067] Furthermore, the same latch device 1 can be applied to the front trunk system 100 equipped with the switching mechanism 80 and the front trunk system 100A not equipped with the switching mechanism 80. Therefore, when changing from the front trunk system 100A to the front trunk system 100, selective switching between the first transmission path 31A and the second transmission path 31B can be performed by providing the switching mechanism 80 without making major changes to the latch device 1 of the front trunk system 100A. This prevents the structure of the front trunk system 100 from becoming too complicated.

[0068] The switching mechanism controller 90 determines whether the vehicle is in the second state based on the vehicle speed and / or gear position. Based on such information, the switching mechanism controller 90 can appropriately determine whether the vehicle is in a running state or a runnable state (i.e., the second state).

[0069] The switching mechanism 80 includes, for example, an electric actuator 81 (such as an electric motor) that can be operated by power from a battery 82 mounted on the vehicle. The electric actuator 81 is driven based on a command from a switching mechanism controller 90, and selectively switches the transmission path of the operating force to the first transmission path 31A or the second transmission path 31B. The battery 82 is a low-voltage battery that can output a low voltage of about 12 V, and supplies power to operate the vehicle's auxiliary machinery.

[0070] When setting the first transmission path 31A, the electric actuator 81 drives to connect, for example, the cable connecting the flank internal operation unit 31 and the switching mechanism 80 and the cable connecting the switching mechanism 80 and the connecting unit 32. When setting the second transmission path 31B, the electric actuator 81 drives to connect the cable connecting the flank internal operation unit 31 and the switching mechanism 80 and the cable connecting the switching mechanism 80 and the flank cable connecting unit 22c.

[0071] The front trunk system 100 further includes an auxiliary power supply 83 capable of supplying power to the electric actuator 81. The auxiliary power supply 83 stores power from the battery 82, and when the battery 82 runs out of power (for example, when the voltage of the battery 82 is 6V or less), it supplies power to the electric actuator 81 instead of the battery 82. Therefore, the switching mechanism 80 can switch to an appropriate transmission path based on the vehicle status even when the battery 82 runs out of power, further improving the reliability of the front trunk system 100. In particular, even when the battery 82 runs out of power and a person is trapped in the frunk FT, the person can escape from the frunk FT on their own by operating the frunk operation unit 31.

[0072] The auxiliary power supply 83 has a capacitor 84 that can store electricity using power from the battery 82, and a boost circuit 85 that boosts the power supplied from the capacitor 84 to the electric actuator 81. The capacitor 84 has a longer life than the battery 82 and can be charged and discharged over a long period of time. The capacitor 84 is, for example, an electric double layer capacitor. By providing the capacitor 84, it is possible to maintain its function as an auxiliary power supply for the electric actuator 81 over a long period of time.

[0073] The boost circuit 85 has a boost coil and a switching element, etc., not shown, and is provided in the output path of the capacitor 84. By providing the boost circuit 85, the voltage drop of the capacitor 84 during discharge can be compensated for, and the electric actuator 81 can be operated with a stable voltage, thereby further improving the reliability of the front trunk system 100.

[0074] Here, regarding the arrangement of the switching mechanism 80, it is preferable that the switching mechanism 80 is arranged independently of the latch device 1, in other words, arranged as a component separate from the latch device 1. With this configuration, the switching mechanism 80 can be relatively easily provided in a front trunk system 100A that does not have the switching mechanism 80, and therefore the front trunk system 100A can be easily modified to the front trunk system 100 of this embodiment, which has an added function of selecting the transmission path of the operating force.

[0075] Regarding the placement of the auxiliary power supply 83, it is preferable that the auxiliary power supply 83 be placed near the latch device 1 or the switching mechanism 80. "Placed near" also includes a configuration in which the auxiliary power supply 83 and the latch device 1 or the switching mechanism 80 are placed integrally. With such a configuration, the wiring between the auxiliary power supply 83 and the switching mechanism 80 can be shortened or eliminated, reducing the likelihood of a disconnection occurring, for example, during a vehicle collision. This increases the stability of the power supply to the switching mechanism 80 and improves the reliability of the system.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] (1) A latch device (latch device 1) that is provided so as to be engageable with a striker (striker S) that is provided on a front hood (front hood FP) that covers a front trunk (frunk FT) of a vehicle; an operating unit (in-flank operating unit 31) provided in the front trunk and transmitting an input operating force to the latch device via a first transmission path (first transmission path 31A) or a second transmission path (second transmission path 31B); a switching mechanism (switching mechanism 80) that switches a path for transmitting an operating force input to the operating unit to the latch device based on a state of the vehicle, The latch device is 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 to maintain the front hood in a partially engaged position; The switching mechanism is When the vehicle is in a first state including a stopped state, the operation unit and the latch device are connected via the first transmission path, and an operating force input to the operation unit can release an engaged state between the latch and the primary pole and an engaged state between the latch and the secondary pole, When the vehicle is in a second state including a traveling state, the operation unit and the latch device are connected via the second transmission path, and the engagement between the latch and the primary pole can be released by an operation force input to the operation unit. Front trunk system.

[0079] According to (1), an operating unit that transmits input operating force to the latch device is provided inside the front trunk, and the operating force is transmitted to the latch device via a first transmission path or a second transmission path that is selectively switched based on the vehicle state, thereby improving the reliability of the system related to opening the front hood door. Furthermore, selective switching between the first transmission path and the second transmission path is achieved by providing a switching mechanism, which reduces the complexity of the latch device structure.

[0080] In the first state, which includes a stopped state, the front hood is opened by operating the operating unit, so that even if a person is trapped inside the front trunk, they can escape by operating the operating unit, ensuring safety. In the second state, which includes a moving state, the front hood is not opened by operating the operating unit, but is instead placed in a half-open position, ensuring safety while the vehicle is moving.

[0081] (2) The front trunk system according to (1), The second state includes at least one of the following: a speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and a gear position of the vehicle is other than a parking range. Front trunk system.

[0082] According to (2), the second state of the vehicle is determined based on the speed and / or gear position of the vehicle, so that it is possible to appropriately determine whether the switching mechanism should switch the transmission path.

[0083] (3) A front trunk system according to (1) or (2), further comprising an auxiliary power supply (auxiliary power supply 83); The switching mechanism includes an electric actuator (electric actuator 81) that can be operated by power from a battery (battery 82) mounted on the vehicle or the auxiliary power source. Front trunk system.

[0084] According to (3), an auxiliary power source capable of supplying power to the switching mechanism is provided, so that even when the battery runs out of power, the transmission path of the operating force can be appropriately switched based on the state of the vehicle, thereby further improving the reliability of the system.

[0085] (4) The front trunk system according to (3), The auxiliary power supply includes a capacitor (capacitor 84) that can store electricity using power from the battery, and a boost circuit (boost circuit 85) that boosts the power supplied from the capacitor to the electric actuator. Front trunk system.

[0086] According to (4), by using a capacitor, which has a longer lifespan than a battery, as the auxiliary power supply, it is possible to maintain the function as an auxiliary power supply for the electric actuator for a long period of time. In addition, by providing a boost circuit, it is possible to operate the switching mechanism with a stable voltage, which further improves the reliability of the system.

[0087] (5) A front trunk system according to any one of (1) to (4), The switching mechanism is disposed independently of the latch device. Front trunk system.

[0088] According to (5), a switching mechanism can be installed relatively easily in a system in which the latch device and the operating unit are connected without a switching mechanism, so that the system can be easily modified into a system that adds a function to select the transmission path of the operating force.

[0089] (6) A front trunk system according to (3) or (4), the switching mechanism is disposed independently of the latch device; the auxiliary power supply is disposed near the latch device or the switching mechanism; Front trunk system.

[0090] According to (6), the wiring between the auxiliary power supply and the switching mechanism can be shortened or eliminated, reducing the likelihood of a disconnection occurring, for example, during a vehicle collision, etc. This increases the reliability of the power supply to the switching mechanism and improves the reliability of the system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1 Latching device 21 Latch 21e Latch spring (biasing member) 22 Primary Pole 23 Secondary Pole 31 Frank internal operating section (operating section) 31A First Transmission Path 31B Second Transmission Path 80 Switching mechanism 81 Electric Actuator 82 Battery 83 Auxiliary power supply 84 Capacitor 85 Boost circuit 100 Front Trunk System FP Front Hood FT Frank (front trunk) S Striker

Claims

1. a latch device provided to be engageable with a striker provided on a front hood covering a front trunk of a vehicle; an operating unit provided in the front trunk and configured to transmit an input operating force to the latch device via a first transmission path or a second transmission path; a switching mechanism that switches a path for transmitting an operating force input to the operating unit to the latch device based on a state of the vehicle, The latch device is 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; The switching mechanism is When the vehicle is in a first state including a stopped state, the operation unit and the latch device are connected via the first transmission path, and an operating force input to the operation unit can release the meshed state between the latch and the primary pole and the meshed state between the latch and the secondary pole, When the vehicle is in a second state including a traveling state, the operation unit and the latch device are connected via the second transmission path, and the engagement between the latch and the primary pole can be released by an operation force input to the operation unit. Front trunk system.

2. 2. The front trunk system of claim 1, the second state includes at least one of the following: a speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and a gear position of the vehicle is other than a parking range. Front trunk system.

3. 3. The front trunk system according to claim 1, Further comprising an auxiliary power supply; the switching mechanism includes an electric actuator operable by power from a battery mounted on the vehicle or the auxiliary power source, Front trunk system.

4. 4. The front trunk system according to claim 3, The auxiliary power supply includes a capacitor capable of storing power from the battery, and a boost circuit that boosts the power supplied from the capacitor to the electric actuator. Front trunk system.

5. 3. The front trunk system according to claim 1, The switching mechanism is disposed independently of the latch device. Front trunk system.

6. 4. The front trunk system according to claim 3, the switching mechanism is disposed independently of the latch device; the auxiliary power supply is disposed near the latch device or the switching mechanism; Front trunk system.

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