Automotive hood panel, and automotive hood

Abstract

The goal is to ensure that the vehicle's hood bends more reliably upwards at approximately the center of the vehicle's longitudinal direction during a frontal collision (bending into an inverted V-shape when viewed from the side). [Solution] An automobile hood panel 1 is provided with a rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the inner region in the vehicle width direction X and the vehicle longitudinal direction Y, wherein the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 has elongated bending-inducing portions 40 that are continuous in the width direction X and are arranged symmetrically on both sides.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automotive hood panel and an automotive hood.

Background Art

[0002] An automobile needs to be designed not only for driving performance but also assuming collisions with other vehicles or walls. For example, at the time of a frontal collision of an automobile, occupant protection is required, such as not allowing the hood installed at the front of the vehicle to reach the occupant space in the cabin by appropriately bending the hood.

[0003] Designs considering such occupant protection are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, reinforcing beads are formed in the central skeleton portion of the inner panel of the automotive hood. The reinforcing beads bulge upward above the hood. A plurality of reinforcing beads are formed at a predetermined interval in the hood width direction. Each reinforcing bead has an elongated shape along the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0004] Also, between two adjacent reinforcing beads in the hood width direction, a crush bead that is convex upward above the hood is formed. The crush bead has a function of serving as a starting point for bending the hood inner panel upward at a substantially central portion in the hood front-rear direction (in an inverted V shape in side view) during a vehicle frontal collision.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0027] )

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, since the crash beads are intermittently arranged in the width direction of the hood, it is not necessarily possible to increase the degree to which the hood inner panel bends upward at approximately the center in the front-rear direction of the hood (bending into an inverted V shape in a side view) during a frontal collision of a vehicle.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and aims to more reliably bend the vehicle hood upward at approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle during a frontal collision (bending into an inverted V shape in a side view). [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This disclosure summarizes the following automotive hood panel and automotive hood.

[0009] (1) An automobile hood panel having a rigidity-enhancing portion in the inner region in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction, An automobile hood panel, wherein the rigidity-enhancing portion has elongated, continuous, bend-inducing portions arranged symmetrically on both sides in the width direction.

[0010] (2) The automobile hood panel according to (1), wherein the bending-inducing portion is formed over the entire area of ​​the rigidity-enhancing portion in the width direction.

[0011] (3) The automobile hood panel according to (1) or (2), wherein, when viewed in the front-to-back direction, the center of curvature of the bending-inducing portion is located on one side of the automobile hood panel in the height direction relative to the automobile hood panel, in a continuous portion of the length of the rigidity-enhancing portion that includes at least the center of the bending-inducing portion in the width direction.

[0012] (4) The automobile hood panel is an inner panel positioned on the inner side of the outer panel of the automobile hood, as described in any one of paragraphs (1) to (3) above.

[0013] (5) The rigidity-enhancing section has a configuration in which multiple polygonal units are arranged in the width direction and the front-to-back direction when viewed from the height direction of the automobile hood panel, Each of the above units comprises a flange positioned adjacent to the outer panel of the automobile hood, a vertical wall extending from the flange so as to be separated from the flange in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, and a bottom portion continuous with the vertical wall and separated from the flange. An automobile hood panel according to any one of the above (1) to (4), wherein a through hole is formed in the center of the flange.

[0014] (6) The polygonal shape is a regular hexagon, The automobile hood panel according to (5), wherein the rigidity-enhancing portion has a configuration in which incomplete units, including the shape of the regular hexagonal unit or a part of the unit, are arranged in the closest possible proximity.

[0015] (7) Multiple elongated load transmission units along the front-rear direction are arranged in a distributed manner in the width direction, The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the rear end of each of the plurality of load transmission sections is continuous with or close to the bending-inducing section.

[0016] (8) The plurality of load transmission units are arranged as a pair of load transmission units, The automobile hood panel according to (7), wherein the pair of load transmission units are arranged in an inclined position with respect to the front-rear direction such that the distance between them increases towards the front in the front-rear direction.

[0017] (9) A pair of elongated front-to-back reinforcing portions are arranged on both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portion in the width direction, The automobile hood panel according to any one of the above (1) to (8), wherein each of the pair of front-to-rear reinforcing portions is interrupted at the location where the bending-inducing portion is located in the front-to-rear direction.

[0018] (10) The folding induction part extends to both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement part in the width direction, and the automotive hood panel according to any one of (1) to (9) above.

[0019] (11) The rigidity reinforcement part includes a plurality of high-rigidity regions and low-rigidity regions having lower rigidity than the plurality of high-rigidity regions on the front side of the folding induction part in the front-rear direction. The high-rigidity regions are arranged side by side at intervals in the width direction, and the automotive hood panel according to any one of (1) to (10) above.

[0020] (12) A pair of long front-rear direction reinforcing parts along the front-rear direction are arranged on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement part in the width direction. The rearward ends of each of the pair of front-rear direction reinforcing parts in the vehicle front-rear direction are inserted into a housing part provided in a hood mounting hinge for mounting the automotive hood panel to the vehicle body, and the automotive hood panel according to any one of (1) to (11) above.

[0021] (13) An outer panel, The automotive hood panel according to any one of (1) to (12) above as an inner panel joined to the inner surface side of the outer panel, and is provided with, On the outer surface of the outer panel, two ridge lines with different height positions are arranged side by side along the width direction. In the inner panel, a long width direction reinforcing part along the width direction is arranged at a position where the ridge line is located in the width direction. Automotive hood.

Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present disclosure, when a vehicle frontal collision occurs, the automotive hood can be more reliably bent upward at substantially the center in the vehicle front-rear direction (bent into an inverted V shape in side view).

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1]Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an automobile hood according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the inner panel of a car hood. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the inner panel shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of the inner and outer panels along the height direction. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a magnified perspective view of the area around one unit of the inner panel. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a magnified plan view of the area surrounding one unit. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII in Figure 3. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 3. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 3. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line XX in Figure 3. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along the line XI-XI in Figure 2. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic plan view of the main part showing a modified example of the unit. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one unit of Figure 12. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The following will first explain the circumstances that led to this disclosure, and then describe the embodiments in detail.

[0025] [Background leading to the invention]

[0026] As mentioned above, automobiles need to be designed not only for driving performance but also to withstand collisions with other vehicles or walls. For example, in the event of a frontal collision, occupant protection is required, such as by allowing the hood installed at the front of the vehicle to bend appropriately so that it does not reach the occupant space inside the cabin. In addition, in order to meet the need for lighter automobile bodies, the material (steel plate, etc.) of the automobile hood is sometimes made thinner. To solve the problem of reduced rigidity of the automobile hood panel caused by this thinning, the disclosers of this application have been considering measures to improve rigidity, such as adding a honeycomb-shaped section arranged at a small pitch to the center of the inner panel of the automobile hood. By adopting such a honeycomb structure, the rigidity of the central part of the inner panel is improved, and the rigidity of the automobile hood, the head protection of pedestrians in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, and tension rigidity can be improved. However, with the above honeycomb structure, a difference in rigidity occurs in the inner panel between the central part of the panel where the honeycomb shape can be formed and the outer part of the panel where the honeycomb shape cannot be formed. As a result, during a frontal collision, the outer periphery of the inner panel, which has relatively lower rigidity, may buckle, making it less likely for the central part of the panel, which has relatively higher rigidity, to fold into an inverted V-shape when viewed from the side. Based on this premise, the disclosers focused on the fact that there was room for improvement in order to more reliably prevent the car hood from reaching the cabin. Based on this idea, the disclosers conducted diligent research and arrived at this disclosure.

[0027] [Description of Embodiments] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an automobile hood 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a plan view of the inner panel 2 of the automobile hood 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the inner panel 2 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a cross-section of a part of the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 along the height direction Z. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of one unit 25 of the inner panel 2. Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the periphery of one unit 25. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII of Figure 3. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 3. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX of Figure 3. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line XX of Figure 3. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along the line XI-XI of Figure 2. In Figures 7 to 11, the parts that appear on the far side of the cross-section are not shown. In the following, unless otherwise specified, Figures 1 to 11 will be used for explanation.

[0029] Automobile hood 1 is a front hood installed on the front of an automobile, and is also called a bonnet. An automobile on which automobile hood 1 is installed is, for example, a passenger car. Examples of passenger cars include sedan-type passenger cars, coupe-type passenger cars, hatchback-type passenger cars, minivan-type passenger cars, and SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle)-type passenger cars.

[0030] In this specification, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions refer to the state when the car hood 1 is mounted on the vehicle and closed. Front is the direction in which the vehicle moves forward. Rear is the direction in which the vehicle moves backward. Right is the direction in which the vehicle turns when it is turning right while moving forward. Left is the direction in which the vehicle turns left while moving forward. In this embodiment, the width direction of the vehicle to which the car hood 1 is mounted is called the width direction X. The length direction of the vehicle to which the car hood 1 is mounted is called the front-rear direction Y. The height direction of the vehicle to which the car hood 1 is mounted is called the height direction Z.

[0031] The automobile hood 1 includes an automobile inner panel 2, an automobile outer panel 3 supported by the automobile inner panel 2, and a joint 4 that connects the automobile outer panel 3 and the inner panel 2.

[0032] In the following, the automobile inner panel 2 will simply be referred to as inner panel 2, and the automobile outer panel 3 will simply be referred to as outer panel 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the description will be based on the example of an automobile hood 1 being symmetrical (left-right symmetrical) in the width direction X.

[0033] The outer panel 3 is a part of the automobile hood 1 that constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of the automobile. The outer panel 3 is formed from a metallic material such as mild steel or high-tensile steel. Examples of high-tensile steel include steel plates with a tensile strength of 340 MPa or more, for example, steel plates with a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more. The tensile strength can be measured, for example, by taking a test piece from the flat portion (the part with a radius of curvature of 1000 mm or more) of the outer panel 3 and measuring it in accordance with JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) Z2241 (2011). The outer panel 3 is formed, for example, by press-forming a single steel plate. The thickness of the outer panel 3 (thickness of the steel plate) is preferably 0.6 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.4 mm or less. The lower limit of the thickness of the outer panel 3 is, for example, 0.2 mm. The thinner the thickness of the outer panel 3, the lighter the automobile hood 1 can be made.

[0034] The outer panel 3 may be an aluminum alloy plate. If the outer panel 3 is an aluminum alloy plate, the thickness of the outer panel 3 is preferably 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm, and more preferably 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the outer surface of the outer panel 3 has a main surface 3a with relatively small undulations and an elongated recessed portion 3b that is formed to recess from the main surface 3a toward the inner panel 2, has relatively large undulations, and extends along the front-to-back direction Y. The recessed portion 3b is provided to enhance the design of the outer surface of the outer panel 3. For example, a pair of recessed portions 3b are provided on the left and right sides, but the number of recessed portions 3b is not limited. The recessed portion 3b is formed by recessing a part of the outer panel 3 toward the inner panel 2. The recessed portion 3b has a predetermined length in the width direction X. At least one (both in this embodiment) end of each recessed portion 3b in the width direction X has two ridges 3c and 3d at different height positions arranged along the width direction X. The upper ridge 3c is continuous with the main surface 3a, and the lower ridge 3d is continuous with the bottom surface 3e of the recessed portion 3b. The radii of curvature of each ridge 3c, 3d when viewed in the front-to-back direction Y are not particularly limited.

[0036] The inner panel 2 is a panel positioned on the inner side of the outer panel 3 and reinforces the outer panel 3 by being joined to its inner surface (bottom surface 3f). In this way, the inner panel 2 increases the tension rigidity of the outer panel 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner panel 2 also increases the dent resistance of the outer panel 3. In other words, in this embodiment, the tension rigidity and dent resistance of the outer panel 3 are not ensured by increasing the thickness of the outer panel 3, but rather by the shape of the inner panel 2.

[0037] Tension stiffness corresponds to the feeling of elastic resistance and deflection deformation when the outer panel 3 is pressed by hand. This characteristic is usually expressed by the amount of deflection when a load is applied, and the smaller the amount of deflection when a certain load is applied, the higher the tension stiffness. Dent resistance is an index of how difficult it is for permanent deformation to remain after being pressed hard (an index that represents how difficult it is for dents to form). For example, if the outer panel has low dent resistance, it will easily get dented when pressed hard.

[0038] The inner panel 2 is made of a metal material such as a steel plate. The inner panel 2 is formed by press-forming a single steel plate. The inner panel 2 may be a single molded product or may be formed by joining multiple members together. In this embodiment, the inner panel 2 is a single molded product. The thickness of the inner panel 2 (thickness of the steel plate) is preferably 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, and more preferably 0.4 mm to 0.5 mm. The thickness of the inner panel 2 may be less than the thickness of the outer panel 3, the same as the thickness of the outer panel 3, or greater than the thickness of the outer panel 3.

[0039] The inner panel 2 may be made of an aluminum alloy plate. If the inner panel 2 is made of an aluminum alloy plate, the thickness of the inner panel 2 is preferably 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm, and more preferably 0.6 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0040] The inner panel 2 includes an outer periphery 10, a rigidity-enhancing portion 20 arranged to surround the outer periphery 10, a bending-inducing portion 40 provided on at least the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, load-transmitting portions 51, 52 for transmitting load to the bending-inducing portion 40, a rigidity-changing region 80 provided on the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, front-rear direction reinforcing portions 61, 62 formed on the outer periphery 10, and a rear reinforcing portion 75 formed on the outer periphery 10.

[0041] The outer periphery portion 10 is the outer periphery of the inner panel 2. When the outer panel 3 closes the engine compartment, the outer periphery portion 10 of the inner panel 2 is supported by the vehicle body (not shown) together with the outer periphery portion of the outer panel 3. As a result, the load acting on the main surface 3a of the outer panel 3 is supported by the vehicle body via the inner panel 2.

[0042] The outer periphery 10 has an outer peripheral end 11 and an outer peripheral interior 12 surrounded by the outer peripheral end 11.

[0043] The outer peripheral end 11 includes a portion that is joined to the outer panel 3 by hemming.

[0044] The outer periphery interior 12 is formed in a three-dimensional shape with undulations. The undulating shape of the outer periphery interior 12 enhances the rigidity of the outer periphery portion 10 of the inner panel 2. In this specification, "rigidity" refers to bending rigidity and torsional rigidity. The outer periphery interior 12 includes a portion that undulates in the height direction Z when moved horizontally on the inner panel 2. The specific shape of the outer periphery interior 12 is not specified.

[0045] In this embodiment, the outer periphery interior 12 has a front portion 12a located in front of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, side portions 12b and 12c located on both the left and right sides of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X, and a rear portion 12d located behind the rigidity-enhancing portion 20.

[0046] The front portion 12a is the deepest part of the outer periphery interior 12. The front portion 12a extends from the outer periphery end 11 to the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, undulating in the height direction Z.

[0047] Each side portion 12b, 12c and the rear portion 12d are shallower than the front portion 12a. Each side portion 12b, 12c and the rear portion 12d extend from the outer peripheral end 11 to the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, undulating in the height direction Z.

[0048] The rigidity-enhancing portion 20 is located in the inner region of the outer periphery 10 in the width direction X and the front-rear direction Y. The rigidity-enhancing portion 20 has a three-dimensional structure provided to receive the load acting on the main surface 3a of the outer panel 3. The rigidity-enhancing portion 20 is located towards the rear of the inner panel 2. In this embodiment, the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 has an elongated shape in the width direction X when viewed in the thickness direction. In this specification, when simply referred to as the view in the thickness direction, it means viewing the inner panel 2 (outer panel 3) in the height direction Z.

[0049] The rigidity-enhancing section 20 includes a base 21 that is continuous with the outer periphery interior 12, a plurality of units 25, a plurality of incomplete units 26, and a bending-inducing section 40 provided on the base 21.

[0050] The base 21 has a base vertical wall 23 that rises upward from the inner outer periphery 12 of the inner panel 2, and a top plate 24 that is continuous with the upper end of the base vertical wall 23. The outer periphery of the base 21 is formed by the outer periphery of the top plate 24 and the base vertical wall 23. The top plate 24 supports the unit 25 and the incomplete unit 26.

[0051] Each unit 25 is formed in an annular polygonal shape (hexagonal in this embodiment) when viewed in the thickness direction. Because each unit 25 is formed in an annular polygonal shape that is small compared to the size of the inner panel 2, the inner panel 2 can be made lighter while also being given high rigidity.

[0052] In this embodiment, each unit 25 is formed as a regular hexagon with substantially rounded corners. A regular hexagon is a hexagon in which all sides are of equal length and the interior angles are constant at 120 degrees. Furthermore, "substantially regular hexagon" in this specification refers to a hexagon that can be treated as a regular hexagon from the viewpoint of the tension rigidity and dent resistance of the outer panel 3. The shape of each unit 25 is formed to be substantially the same. In this case, "substantially the same" means that the configuration is the same except that the shape of each unit 25 is matched to the curved shape of the outer panel 3.

[0053] Each unit 25 may be formed as a hexagon other than a regular hexagon. Examples of hexagons other than regular hexagons include hexagons with uneven side lengths and hexagons with interior angles that are not uniformly 120 degrees. An example of a hexagon with uneven side lengths is a hexagon having four sides, where the length of the front and rear sides are set to a predetermined first length, and each side is set to a predetermined second length different from the first length.

[0054] The rigidity-enhancing section 20 has a configuration in which multiple polygonal units 25 are arranged in a line in the width direction X and the front-to-back direction Y when viewed from the height direction. More specifically, the rigidity-enhancing section 20 has a structure in which multiple incomplete units 26, which include the shape of a hexagonal annular unit 25 or a part of a unit 25, are arranged in the closest possible proximity. In this case, "closest proximity" means that multiple adjacent units 25 or multiple incomplete units 26 are arranged without gaps. Specifically, as is clearly shown in Figure 6, a unit 25 is separated from other units 25 or incomplete units 26 by a unit boundary 27, which will be described later. The bottom portion 33 of the unit 25, which will be described later, forms the boundary of the unit 25 including the bottom portion 33, thereby forming the unit boundary 27. This unit boundary 27 is formed in a hexagonal shape when viewed from above. By adopting such polygonal units 25, the surface rigidity of the automobile hood 1 at the location where the units 25 are arranged can be made higher. Moreover, due to this closely packed hexagonal arrangement, the rigidity-enhancing section 20 can resist loads in all directions, including the height direction Z, in substantially the same manner across the entire area viewed in the plate thickness direction. Therefore, even if the inner panel 2 and outer panel 3 are made thinner and lighter, the surface rigidity of the automobile hood 1 can be increased. Surface rigidity refers to the rigidity against an impact load when an impact load is applied from above to the automobile hood 1 (the rigidity of the automobile hood 1 as a surface).

[0055] When units 25 or incomplete units 26 are arranged in the closest possible proximity, it is preferable that multiple units 25 have the same shape, but units 25 of different shapes or similar shapes may be arranged in the closest possible proximity. In addition, in the rigidity-enhancing section 20, the units 25 do not have to be arranged in the closest possible proximity, and other parts may be formed between adjacent units 25 or incomplete units 26.

[0056] Each unit 25 has six subunits 28 (28a to 28f). In this embodiment, in each unit 25, the front subunit 28a and the rear subunit 28d extend along the width direction X, respectively. In each unit 25, the remaining four subunits 28 extend in a direction inclined with respect to the front-to-back direction Y in a plan view. In this way, a polygonal unit 25 is formed by multiple subunits 28. Note that, not limited to this configuration, tension rigidity, dent resistance, and mass do not depend on the direction of the unit 25, so there are no restrictions on the direction of the unit 25.

[0057] As clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, each unit 25 comprises a flange 31 positioned adjacent to the outer panel 3, a vertical wall 32 extending from the flange 31 so as to be separated from the flange 31 in the height direction Z, and a bottom portion 33 that is continuous with the vertical wall 32 and separated from the flange 31.

[0058] The flange 31 is adjacent to the outer panel 3 and is the part of the unit 25 that is closest to the outer panel 3. Overall, the flange 31 has a hexagonal shape when viewed in the thickness direction. A through hole 31a is formed in the center of the flange 31. At least one of the outer shape of the flange 31 and the shape of the through hole 31a may be a polygon other than a hexagon, or it may be approximately circular or approximately elliptical. Each corner of the outer shape of the flange 31 is rounded to alleviate stress concentration.

[0059] The vertical wall 32 is formed in a tapered shape, for example, that progresses toward the central axis of the unit 25 as it approaches the outer panel 3.

[0060] The bottom portion 33 is continuous with the top plate 24 and is supported by the top plate 24. The bottom portion 33 is integral with the bottom portion 33 of other adjacent units 25 or incomplete units 26 and is integral with the top plate 24. In one unit 25, the lower ends of the six bottom portions 33 in the six subunits 28a to 28 form a hexagonal unit boundary 27 as a whole.

[0061] In this embodiment, the joint 4 is an adhesive. A mastic sealer (mastic adhesive) can be exemplified as this adhesive. The joint 4 is provided on at least one flange 31 of a plurality of units 25 and a plurality of incomplete units 26. The joint 4 joins the flange 31 on which the joint 4 is provided to the lower surface 3f of the outer panel 3.

[0062] The incomplete unit 26 has a configuration that corresponds to a part of the polygonal (hexagonal in this embodiment) unit 25 cut off in the circumferential direction. The incomplete unit 26 has edges similar to the partial unit 28 of unit 25. In this embodiment, the multiple incomplete units 26 have different shapes from each other. The incomplete units 26 and unit 25 are arranged in the closest possible proximity, and the incomplete units 26 are also arranged in the closest possible proximity to each other.

[0063] As clearly shown in Figure 2, multiple units 25 and multiple incomplete units 26, etc., are arranged on multiple columns L1 to L6 set along the width direction X.

[0064] In this embodiment, in the first row L1, which is the central row in the width direction of the rigidity-enhancing section 20, a total of two incomplete units 26 are arranged in front of and behind one unit 25. The two incomplete units 26 in the first row L1 are each formed in a shape obtained by cutting the unit 25 along the width direction X. In addition, in the first row L1, a bending-inducing section 40 is positioned in front of the front incomplete unit 26, and a rigidity-changing region 80 is positioned in front of the bending-inducing section 40.

[0065] In the second row L2 from the center in the width direction X, two incomplete units 26, 26, a bending induction section 40, a unit 25, and another incomplete unit 26 are arranged from front to back. In the second row L2, the frontmost incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the base vertical wall 23 and the stiffness change region 80, and its shape corresponds to a shape in which part of the front side and the inner side in the width direction X is missing from the unit 25. The second incomplete unit 26 from the front in the second row L2 is adjacent to the stiffness change region 80 and the bending induction section 40, and its shape corresponds to a shape in which part of the rear side and the inner side in the width direction X is missing from the unit 25. The rearmost incomplete unit 26 in the second row L2 is adjacent to the rear part 12d of the outer perimeter interior 12, and its shape corresponds to a shape in which part of the rear side of the unit 25 is missing from the unit 25.

[0066] In the third column L3 from the center in the width direction X, a unit 25, an incomplete unit 26 and a bending-inducing portion 40 that penetrates the incomplete unit 26 in the width direction X, and another unit 25 are arranged in order from front to back.

[0067] In the fourth row L4 from the center in the width direction X, two incomplete units 26, 26 are arranged in order from front to back, adjacent to the load transmission sections 51, 52, a bending induction section 40, an incomplete unit 26, and a unit 25. In the fourth row L4, the frontmost incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the base vertical wall 23 and the load transmission sections 51, 52, and has a shape corresponding to a unit 25 with a portion of its front and outer side in the width direction X missing. The second incomplete unit 26 from the front in the fourth row L4 is adjacent to the load transmission sections 51, 52 and the bending induction section 40, and has a shape corresponding to a unit 25 with a portion of its outer side in the width direction X missing. The third incomplete unit 26 from the front in the fourth row L4 is adjacent to the bending induction section 40 behind the bending induction section 40, and has a shape corresponding to a unit 25 with a portion of its front missing.

[0068] In the fifth row L5 from the center in the width direction X, the following are arranged from front to back: an incomplete unit 26 adjacent to the load transmission sections 51 and 52, an incomplete unit 26 overlapping the bending induction section 40, the bending induction section 40, unit 25, and another incomplete unit 26. In the fifth row L5, the frontmost incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the rear portions 51c and 52c of the load transmission sections 51 and 52. The second incomplete unit 26 from the front in the fifth row L5 is positioned to overlap the bending induction section 40. The rearmost incomplete unit 26 in the fifth row L5 is adjacent to the rear portion 12d of the outer perimeter interior 12 and has a shape corresponding to a part of the rear side of unit 25 being missing.

[0069] In the sixth column L6 from the center in the width direction X (the outermost column in the width direction X), the following are arranged from front to back: a folding induction portion 40, an incomplete unit 26 positioned to overlap the folding induction portion 40, and another incomplete unit 26. In the sixth column L6 from the center in the width direction X, the front incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the folding induction portion 40 and has a shape corresponding to a unit 25 with a portion of the front and outer side in the width direction X missing. In the sixth column L6, the rear incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the rear part 12d of the outer peripheral interior 12 and has a shape corresponding to a unit 25 with a portion of the outer side in the width direction X missing.

[0070] The bending-inducing portion 40 is a long bead that is continuous in the width direction X of the rigidity-reinforced portion 20 and is formed symmetrically (left-right symmetrically) in the width direction X. The bending-inducing portion 40 is formed in at least a part of the rigidity-reinforced portion 20 in the width direction X, and in this embodiment, it is formed over the entire area of ​​the rigidity-reinforced portion 20 in the width direction X. The bending-inducing portion 40 is an elongated portion in the width direction X. The bending-inducing portion 40 is located in the middle of the rigidity-reinforced portion 20 in the front-rear direction Y.

[0071] The bending-inducing portion 40 may extend to both outer sides of the rigidity-reinforced portion 20 in the width direction X. Specifically, the bending-inducing portion 40 comprises a central portion 40e formed on the rigidity-reinforced portion 20, and a right portion 40a and a left portion 40b formed on the outer peripheral portion 10. In this embodiment, the right portion and the left portion 40a, 40b are formed offset forward by several mm relative to the central portion 40e. The right portion 40a and the left portion 40b may be arranged in a straight line with the central portion 40e in the width direction X.

[0072] In a cross-section perpendicular to the front-rear direction Y (as shown in Figure 11), most of the bending-inducing portion 40 is formed in a shape that is convex upward. With this configuration, when viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature of the bending-inducing portion 40 is located on one side (lower side) of the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 in a continuous section of at least half the length of the rigidity-reinforcing portion 20, including at least the center 40f of the bending-inducing portion 40 in the width direction X. For a portion 40d of the bending-inducing portion 40 in the width direction X, when viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature is located on the other side (upper side) of the height direction Z of the inner panel 2, so as to match the curved shape of the inner panel 2.

[0073] Furthermore, when viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature of the bending-inducing portion 40 may be located on the other side (upper side) of the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 at a point that includes at least half the length of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, including at least the center 40f of the bending-inducing portion 40 in the width direction X. Also, the bending-inducing portion 40 may be formed in a meandering shape that undulates in the height direction Z as it progresses in the width direction X.

[0074] As mentioned above, the bending-inducing portion 40 is positioned to overlap with some of the incomplete units 26. The bending-inducing portion 40 connects adjacent units 25 or incomplete units 26 in the width direction X, thereby increasing the rigidity of the portion of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 where the bending-inducing portion 40 is located. In this embodiment, the height of the bending-inducing portion 40 is set to be less than or equal to the height of the adjacent units 25 and incomplete units 26. This prevents the bending-inducing portion 40 from interfering with the joining of the units 25 and incomplete units 26 to the outer panel 3.

[0075] As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rigidity-enhancing section 20 has elongated width-direction reinforcing sections 45 and 46 formed along the width direction X. As in this embodiment, the width-direction reinforcing sections 45 and 46 may be formed on the bending-inducing section 40, or they may be formed at a location different from the bending-inducing section 40. The width-direction reinforcing sections 45 and 46 are provided on at least a portion (in this embodiment, a portion) of the bending-inducing section 40 in the width direction X.

[0076] The widthwise reinforcing portions 45 and 46 are beads that include portions positioned at the locations where the edges 3c and 3d of the corresponding recessed portions 3b of the outer panel 3 are located in the width direction X. In this embodiment, the edges 3c and 3d of the recessed portions 3b of the outer panel 3 intersect with the bending-inducing portion 40 when viewed in the thickness direction of the inner panel 2. In Figure 2, the positions of the edges 3c and 3d when the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 are joined are shown by dashed lines.

[0077] The widthwise reinforcing sections 45 and 46 are formed from the end to the midpoint in the widthwise direction X of the rigidity-enhancing section 20, and are aligned with the rear ends 51d and 52d of the load-transmission sections 51 and 52 in the longitudinal direction Y. In this way, the widthwise reinforcing sections 45 and 46 and the load-transmission sections 51 and 52 are aligned in the longitudinal direction Y, so that when the automobile hood 1 bends in a frontal collision or the like, a larger load can be transmitted from the load-transmission sections 51 and 52 to the bending-inducing section 40, and bending at the bending-inducing section 40 can be induced more reliably. The widthwise reinforcing sections 45 and 46 are formed with a shape that has undulations in the longitudinal direction Y, and are shaped to further increase the rigidity of the rigidity-enhancing section 20.

[0078] The load transmission sections 51 and 52 are elongated beads that run along the front-rear direction Y, and are arranged in multiples (in this embodiment, a pair on the left and right) distributed in the width direction X. The load transmission sections 51 and 52 are parts that transmit the impact load acting on the automobile hood 1 during a frontal collision to the bending induction section 40.

[0079] The load transmission sections 51 and 52 extend rearward from the outer peripheral end 11, with the front ends 51a and 52a of the load transmission sections 51 and 52 being continuous with the outer peripheral end 11, and the rear ends 51d and 52d of the load transmission sections 51 and 52 being close to the bending induction section 40. In this case, "close" means being adjacent to each other, for example, at a distance of several tens of millimeters or less. The rear ends 51d and 52d of the load transmission sections 51 and 52 may be directly connected to (continuous with) the bending induction section 40. The load transmission sections 51 and 52 are arranged so as to straddle the stiffness change region 80. In a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the load transmission sections 51 and 52, each load transmission section 51 and 52 is formed in a shape that is convex upward.

[0080] The pair of load transmission units 51 and 52 are arranged in an inclined position with respect to the longitudinal direction Y such that the distance between them increases towards the front in the longitudinal direction Y. The inclination angle of the load transmission units 51 and 52 with respect to the longitudinal direction Y is preferably 45 degrees or less, in order to transmit the impact load during a frontal collision to the bending induction unit 40 with high efficiency.

[0081] Each load transmission section 51, 52 has a front section 51b, 52b formed on the outer periphery 10 and a rear section 51c, 52c formed on the rigidity reinforcement section 20.

[0082] The front sections 51b and 52b are formed extending from the outer peripheral end 11 to the base vertical wall 23. The rear ends of the front sections 51b and 52b are continuous with the front ends of the rear sections 51c and 52c.

[0083] The rear portions 51c and 52c are formed on the top plate 24 of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20. Preferably, the width of the rear portions 51c and 52c is less than the width of the front portions 51b and 52b. By making the width of the rear portions 51c and 52c less than the width of the front portions 51b and 52b, the difference between the rigidity of the front portion 51b and 52b and the rigidity of the rear portion 51c and 52c of the inner panel 2 can be reduced.

[0084] The longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are elongated beads along the longitudinal direction Y, and are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X. The longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are aligned with the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X. The longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are formed, for example, in the inner outer circumference 12 of the outer circumference portion 10. The longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are formed in an upwardly convex shape and are elongated in the longitudinal direction Y along the shape of the outer circumference portion 10.

[0085] Each of the front-rear reinforcing sections 61 and 62 has a front reinforcing section 61a and 62a formed in front of the bending-inducing section 40, and a rear reinforcing section 61b and 62b formed behind the bending-inducing section 40. Each of the front-rear reinforcing sections 61 and 62 is interrupted at the point where the bending-inducing section 40 is located in the front-rear direction Y.

[0086] The front reinforcing sections 61a and 62a are arranged to be aligned with the rear portions 51c and 52c of the load transmission sections 51 and 52 in the width direction X. The front reinforcing sections 61a and 62a are separated from the rigidity strengthening section 20 in the width direction X. The rear ends of the front reinforcing sections 61a and 62a may be continuous with the bending-inducing section 40 or separated in the front-rear direction Y. A ridge is formed along the front-rear direction Y at the center of the upper part of the front reinforcing sections 61a and 62a, thereby forming downwardly recessed portions 61c and 62c.

[0087] In the longitudinal direction Y, the lengths of the rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b are longer than the lengths of the front reinforcing portions 61a and 62a. The rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b are separated in the width direction X from the portion of the rigidity strengthening portion 20 located behind the bending-inducing portion 40. The front ends of the rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b may be continuous with the bending-inducing portion 40 or separated in the longitudinal direction Y. A ridge along the longitudinal direction Y is formed in the width direction center of the upper part of the rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b, thereby forming downwardly recessed portions 61d and 62d.

[0088] As clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 10, the rear portions 61e and 62e, including the rear ends of the rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b, are inserted into housing portions 71a and 72a provided in the hood mounting hinges 71 and 72 for attaching the automobile hood 1 to the vehicle body (not shown).

[0089] The hood mounting hinges 71 and 72 are thin plate members attached to the inner panel 2 and have a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the inner panel 2. The hood mounting hinges 71 and 72 are positioned at the rear end of the inner panel 2 and near the outer end in the width direction X, and are joined to the inner panel 2. The hood mounting hinges 71 and 72 are partially separated from the inner panel 2 so as to form a sac, which is a gap between them and the inner panel 2, and work together with the inner panel 2 to form a sac, which is open to the front. The rear portions 61e and 62e, including the rear ends of the rear reinforcing portions 61b and 62b, are inserted into these sacs 71a and 72a. A rear reinforcing portion 75 is positioned between the hood mounting hinges 71 and 72.

[0090] The rear reinforcement portion 75 is a bead provided to increase the rigidity of the rear end of the inner panel 2. The rear reinforcement portion 75 is formed in a shape that is convex upward at the rear end of the inner panel 2 and connects the outer peripheral end 11 and the rigidity-enhancing portion 20. The rear reinforcement portion 75 is formed at multiple locations (five locations in this embodiment) that are spaced apart in the width direction X.

[0091] A stiffness change region 80 is formed near the front end of the stiffness reinforcement section 20. The stiffness change region 80 is provided in the vicinity of the bending induction section 40 of the stiffness reinforcement section 20 and in front of the bending induction section 40, in order to intentionally change the stiffness of the stiffness reinforcement section 20 and guide the impact load acting on the inner panel 2 during a frontal collision to the bending induction section 40.

[0092] The stiffness change region 80 is located in front of the bending induction portion 40, and is arranged to separate the multiple units 25 and the multiple incomplete units 26 in the width direction X. The stiffness change region 80 is formed in the center of the stiffness reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. The stiffness change region 80 is formed in front of the bending induction portion 40.

[0093] The stiffness change region 80 includes a plurality of high-stiffness regions 81 and 82, and a low-stiffness region 83 with a stiffness lower than that of the plurality of high-stiffness regions 81 and 82.

[0094] The high-rigidity regions 81 and 82 are spaced apart in the width direction X. A low-rigidity region 83 is positioned between the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82.

[0095] The specific shape of the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82 is not limited, and in this embodiment, they are formed by creating undulations in the material of the inner panel 2. In this embodiment, each high-rigidity region 81 and 82 is formed in an L-shape when viewed in the thickness direction, and has a first portion 81a and 82a located near the center of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X, and a second portion 81b and 82b extending outward in the width direction X from the front end of the first portion 81a and 82a.

[0096] The first parts 81a, 82a and the second parts 81b, 82b are formed in a shape that protrudes upward from the top plate 24. The first parts 81a, 82a are positioned between the bending-inducing part 40 and the front end 23a of the base vertical wall 23, and are formed to be almost straight in the front-rear direction Y. The second parts 81b, 82b are formed along the width direction X, and are positioned between the corresponding first parts 81a, 82a and the load-transmitting parts 51, 52.

[0097] The high-rigidity regions 81 and 82, the load transmission sections 51 and 52, and the bending-inducing section 40 work together to surround the unit 25 and the incomplete unit 26 in front of the bending-inducing section 40 and sandwiched between the load transmission sections 51 and 52.

[0098] In this embodiment, the low-rigidity region 83 is formed in the top plate 24 and has a substantially flat shape in the height direction Z. The low-rigidity region 83 is formed between the first portions 81a and 82a of the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82.

[0099] Due to the layout of the stiffness change region 80 described above, during a frontal collision, especially when the collision occurs at an angle to the longitudinal direction Y, the high-stiffness regions 81 and 82, the load transmission sections 51 and 52, and the bending induction section 40 work together to exhibit high stiffness, and the impact load can be efficiently guided to the bending induction section 40. This makes it possible to more reliably induce bending deformation (inverted V-shape deformation in a side view) of the automobile hood 1 at the bending induction section 40. The bending induction section 40 is the part that induces bending deformation in which two regions aligned in the longitudinal direction Y of the automobile hood 1 intersect each other at the boundary of the bending induction section 40 during a frontal collision.

[0100] With the above configuration, the vehicle hood 1 can enhance occupant protection performance by suppressing its movement toward the cabin through active bending induction during a frontal collision. Furthermore, in order to also meet the requirement for vehicle weight reduction, thin sheet metal with high tensile strength is used, achieving both lightness and high rigidity.

[0101] <Effects> As described above, according to this embodiment, the rigidity-enhancing section 20 has elongated bending-inducing sections 40 that are continuous in the width direction X, arranged symmetrically on both sides. This makes it easier for the inner panel 2 to bend into an inverted V shape in a side view at the bending-inducing sections 40 due to the impact load acting on the car hood 1 during a frontal collision. As a result, the car hood 1 can be bent upward more reliably at approximately the center in the front-rear direction Y, more reliably preventing the car hood from reaching the cabin and thus improving occupant protection.

[0102] Furthermore, by forming the bending-inducing portion 40 over the entire area of ​​the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X, the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, which has high rigidity, can be deformed more uniformly into an inverted V shape in a side view.

[0103] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature of the bending-inducing portion 40 is set to one side (the lower side) of the height direction Z at a continuous portion of more than half the length of the bending-inducing portion 40, including the center 40f of the bending-inducing portion 40 in the width direction X. As a result, each part of the bending-inducing portion 40 can be deformed more uniformly during a frontal collision of the automobile, and an inverted V-shaped deformation of the automobile hood 1 in a side view can be achieved more reliably.

[0104] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the bending-inducing portion 40 extends to both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 in the width direction X. This configuration makes it easier to deform a wider area of ​​the car hood 1 in the width direction X into an inverted V shape when viewed from the side during a frontal collision.

[0105] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by arranging multiple polygonal units 25 in the rigidity-enhancing section 20, the rigidity of the rigidity-enhancing section 20 can be further increased. This makes it possible to achieve high rigidity in a lightweight automobile hood 1 made of thin material. Moreover, since through holes 31a are formed in the center of each unit 25, the automobile hood 1 can be made even lighter.

[0106] In particular, by arranging the regular hexagonal units 25 or incomplete units 26 as densely as possible in the rigidity-enhancing section 20, more uniform rigidity can be achieved against loads from all directions when viewed from the height direction Z of the automobile hood 1.

[0107] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear ends 51d and 52d of the elongated load transmission sections 51 and 52, which are aligned along the front-rear direction Y, are continuous with or close to the bending induction section 40. With this configuration, in any of the full-wrap collisions, offset collisions, and oblique collisions that are assumed to be frontal collisions of a vehicle, the vehicle hood 1 can be easily deformed into an inverted V shape when viewed from the side. A full-wrap collision refers to a collision in which the vehicle collides head-on with a flat wall surface, an offset collision refers to a collision in which part of the right or left side of the vehicle collides head-on with a flat wall surface, and an oblique collision refers to a collision in which the vehicle collides with a wall surface at an angle. In any of these collisions, the impact load can be more reliably transmitted from the load transmission sections 51 and 52 to the bending induction section 40, making it easier to deform the vehicle hood 1 into an inverted V shape when viewed from the side. In particular, the provision of multiple honeycomb-shaped units 25 in the rigidity-enhancing section 20 helps to suppress a situation in which, during a frontal collision of an automobile, the portion of the inner panel 2 located in front of the rigidity-enhancing section 20 collapses preferentially, making it difficult for the impact load to reach the bending-inducing section 40.

[0108] Furthermore, the pair of load transmission units 51 and 52 are arranged in an inclined position with respect to the front-to-back direction Y such that the distance between them increases towards the front. This allows for a wider range of collision angles between the vehicle and the wall surface, satisfying the conditions for efficiently transmitting the impact load to the bending induction unit 40 during an oblique collision.

[0109] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 formed on the outer periphery 10 is interrupted at the location where the bending-inducing portion 40 is located in the longitudinal direction Y. By adopting this layout, the rigidity of the portion of the inner panel 2 located laterally to the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 can be increased, and the difference in rigidity between the outer periphery 10 and the rigidity-enhancing portion 20 can be reduced. As a result, the impact load during a frontal collision of a vehicle does not concentrate on the outer periphery 10. Moreover, the impact load during a frontal collision of a vehicle can be concentrated at the location where the longitudinal reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are interrupted (the bending-inducing portion 40) on the outer periphery 10 of the inner panel 2, making it easier to induce bending at the bending-inducing portion 40.

[0110] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82 located in front of the bending-inducing portion 40 are spaced apart in the width direction X. With this configuration, during a frontal collision of an automobile, the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82, which are spaced apart in the width direction X, can deform relatively freely relative to each other due to the impact load. Therefore, the movement of the front portion of the bending-inducing portion 40 to stiffen as a whole due to the impact load can be suppressed. As a result, bending deformation of the inner panel 2 at the bending-inducing portion 40 due to the impact load can be induced more reliably, making it easier for bending to occur at the bending-inducing portion 40.

[0111] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear ends of the front-rear reinforcing portions 61 and 62 are inserted into housings provided in the hood mounting hinges 71 and 72. With this configuration, the bending rigidity of the inner panel 2 can be increased near the rear ends of the front-rear reinforcing portions 61 and 62 formed on the outer circumference 10, making it less likely for the inner panel 2 to break when viewed from the side near its rear end. As a result, bending of the inner panel 2 at the break-inducing portion 40 due to impact load can be made easier.

[0112] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, two ridges 3c and 3d with different height positions are arranged along the width direction X on the outer surface of the outer panel 3, and elongated width-direction reinforcing portions 45 and 46 are arranged along the width direction X at the locations where the ridges 3c and 3d are located in the width direction X on the inner panel 2. With this configuration, the character lines, the ridges 3c and 3d, are formed along the front-rear direction Y. As a result, bending is more likely to occur at the ridges 3c and 3d in response to impact loads during a frontal collision of a vehicle, making it less likely for the intended bending of the vehicle hood 1 due to the impact load to occur. Therefore, by forming width-direction reinforcing portions 45 and 46 on the inner panel 2 and increasing the rigidity of the inner panel 2 at the width-direction reinforcing portions 45 and 46, the influence of the character lines on deformation during a frontal collision can be reduced, and bending due to impact loads at the width-direction reinforcing portions 45 and 46 can be made more likely.

[0113] Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above. Various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. In the following, configurations different from the embodiments described above will be mainly described, and similar configurations will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0114] <Variations of unit shape> In the embodiments described above, a polygonal shape of unit 25 was used as an example. However, this is not required. For example, instead of unit 25, a circular unit 25A may be provided, as shown in Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a schematic plan view of the main part showing a modified example of the unit, and Figure 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one unit 25A in Figure 12. Unit 25A has a flange 31A, a vertical wall 32A continuous with the flange 31A, and a bottom 33A.

[0115] In each unit 25A, the vertical wall 32A and the bottom 33A are formed in a cylindrical or hollow frustoconical shape, and the flange 31A is formed in an annular shape. The flange 31A, vertical wall 32A, and bottom 33A may be formed in an elliptical shape (a type of circular shape) in plan view. When unit 25A is used, the incomplete unit 26A (not shown) has a shape corresponding to a part of the circumferential direction of unit 25A. Units 25A and incomplete units 26A may or may not be arranged in the closest proximity, and other parts may be formed between adjacent units 25A.

[0116] <Other variations> In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which each front-rear reinforcing portion 61, 62 is formed both in front of and behind the bending-inducing portion 40. However, this is not the case. Each front-rear reinforcing portion 61, 62 may be formed only in front of or behind the bending-inducing portion 40.

[0117] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, the inner panel 2 and outer panel 3 were described as being formed from steel plates or aluminum alloy plates. However, this is not required. The inner panel 2 and outer panel 3 may be formed from resin materials such as glass fibers or carbon fibers. Alternatively, the inner panel 2 and outer panel 3 may be formed from composite materials of metal and resin materials.

[0118] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a configuration in which the unit 25 and the incomplete unit 26 are arranged in the closest possible proximity in the rigidity-enhancing section 20 was explained as an example. However, this is not required. The units of the rigidity-enhancing section 20 do not have to have a specific shape to which a general name would be assigned, and their specific shapes are not limited.

[0119] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the inner panel 2 only needs to have a bending-inducing portion 40 formed in the rigidity-enhancing portion 20, and other reinforcing portions are not required. [Industrial applicability]

[0120] The present invention can be widely applied as an automotive hood panel and an automotive hood. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Automotive hood 2. Inner panel (automotive hood panel) 3 Outer Panel 3c,3d ridgeline 20 Rigidity reinforcement part 25 units 31 Flange 31a Through hole 32 Vertical walls 33 Bottom 40. Bending-inducing section 45,46 Width-direction reinforcement section 51, 52 Load transmission section 61, 62 Front-rear reinforcement section 71,72 Hinges for mounting the hood 71a, 72a Storage section 81,82 High rigidity area 83 Low stiffness area X Width direction Y (forward / backward direction) Z (height direction)

Claims

1. An automobile hood panel having a rigidity-enhancing portion in the inner region in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction, An automobile hood panel, wherein the rigidity-enhancing portion has elongated, continuous, bend-inducing portions arranged symmetrically on both sides in the width direction.

2. The automobile hood panel according to claim 1, wherein the bending-inducing portion is formed over the entire area of ​​the rigidity-enhancing portion in the width direction.

3. The automobile hood panel according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed in the front-to-back direction, the center of curvature of the bending-inducing portion is located on one side of the automobile hood panel in the height direction relative to the automobile hood panel, at a continuous portion of the rigidity-enhancing portion that includes at least the center of the bending-inducing portion in the width direction for more than half of the length of the automobile hood panel.

4. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the automobile hood panel is an inner panel disposed on the inner side of the outer panel of the automobile hood.

5. The rigidity-enhancing section has a configuration in which multiple polygonal units are arranged in a line in the width direction and the front-to-back direction when viewed from the height direction of the automobile hood panel. Each of the above units comprises a flange positioned adjacent to the outer panel of the automobile hood, a vertical wall extending from the flange so as to be separated from the flange in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, and a bottom portion continuous with the vertical wall and separated from the flange. The automobile hood panel according to claim 4, wherein a through hole is formed in the center of the flange.

6. The aforementioned polygon is a regular hexagon, The automobile hood panel according to claim 5, wherein the rigidity-enhancing portion has a configuration in which incomplete units, including the shape of the regular hexagonal unit or a part of the unit, are arranged in the closest possible density.

7. Multiple elongated load transmission units, which are oriented along the front-rear direction, are arranged in a manner that is distributed in the width direction. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear end of each of the plurality of load transmission sections is continuous with or close to the bending-inducing section.

8. As the plurality of load transmission units, a pair of load transmission units are arranged, The automobile hood panel according to claim 7, wherein the pair of load transmission units are arranged in an inclined position with respect to the front-rear direction such that the distance between them increases towards the front in the front-rear direction.

9. The aforementioned elongated front-to-back reinforcing portions are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portions in the width direction. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the pair of front-to-rear reinforcing portions is interrupted at the location where the bending-inducing portion is located in the front-to-rear direction.

10. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bending-inducing portion extends to both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portion in the width direction.

11. The rigidity-enhancing portion comprises, in the front-rear direction, a plurality of high-rigidity regions and a low-rigidity region having lower rigidity than the plurality of high-rigidity regions, located in front of the bending-inducing portion. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the high-rigidity regions are arranged with spacing in the width direction.

12. The aforementioned elongated front-to-back reinforcing portions are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the rigidity-enhancing portions in the width direction. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear end of each of the pair of front-rear reinforcing portions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is inserted into a housing provided in a hood mounting hinge for attaching the automobile hood panel to the vehicle body.

13. Outer panel and An automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is an inner panel joined to the inner surface side of the outer panel, Equipped with, On the outer surface of the outer panel, there are two ridges arranged in the width direction, with different height positions. The car hood is provided with an elongated widthwise reinforcing portion arranged along the width direction at the location where the ridge line is located in the width direction of the inner panel.

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