Vehicle hood structure

Abstract

To provide a hood structure for a vehicle capable of deforming a concave part in case of a collision and the like even when the concave part extending in a fore-and-aft direction is formed in an outer panel.SOLUTION: A hood structure for a vehicle has an outer panel on the upper side and an inner panel 20 on the lower side, which are arranged to be superposed on each other in a plan view. The outer panel has a concave part 11 that extends substantially in a fore-and-aft direction and is dented downward. The inner panel 20 has plural pores 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80, at least a part of which overlaps the concave part 11 of the outer panel in the plan view. At least two of the pores 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80 are disposed apart from each other in the fore-and-aft direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hood structure for a vehicle having an outer panel and an inner panel. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle hood structure has been proposed in which an outer panel is formed with a downward recess that is 600 mm or less in the longitudinal direction and 50 mm or less in width (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-59609 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if a recess extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the outer panel, the recess will be less likely to deform than other portions during a collision, which may adversely affect collision performance.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle hood structure that can deform a recess extending in the fore-and-aft direction in the outer panel during a collision, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle hood structure in which an upper outer panel and a lower inner panel are arranged so as to overlap in a planar view, the outer panel having a recess extending approximately in the fore-and-aft direction and recessed downward, the inner panel having a plurality of hole portions that at least partially overlap in a planar view with the recess portions of the outer panel, and at least two of the hole portions are arranged at intervals in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0007] According to this vehicle hood structure, the portions of the inner panel where the holes are formed are more susceptible to deformation than other portions of the inner panel. During a vehicle collision, a load is applied to the outer panel and the inner panel together from a collision object that enters from the front of the vehicle toward the rear. Therefore, the portions of the recessed portion of the outer panel that overlap with the holes in the inner panel in a plan view are accelerated by the holes in the inner panel. Furthermore, because at least two holes are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, deformation is accelerated in the section of the recessed portion extending in the front-to-rear direction that corresponds to the space between the holes.

[0008] In the vehicle hood structure, the recess may be formed across the outer panel in the front-rear direction.

[0009] According to this vehicle hood structure, even if the recessed portion is formed across the front-rear direction of the outer panel, the holes in the inner panel allow the outer panel to deform in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0010] In the vehicle hood structure, at least two of the holes may be arranged side by side in a width direction of the recess.

[0011] According to this vehicle hood structure, by arranging each hole portion in a row in the width direction of the recess, each hole portion can be made relatively small in the width direction of the recess, thereby ensuring the deformation performance of the hood structure in the event of a vehicle collision, etc., without significantly compromising the rigidity and strength of the inner panel.

[0012] In the vehicle hood structure, the inner panel may have a ridgeline, and at least one of the holes may straddle the ridgeline and extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the ridgeline.

[0013] According to this vehicle hood structure, the ridge line of the inner panel is interrupted by the hole, and deformation can be reliably caused at the portion of the inner panel where the hole is formed in the event of a vehicle collision or the like. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the vehicle hood structure of the present invention, even if a recess extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the outer panel, the recess can be deformed during a collision or the like. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of a vehicle showing an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] BB cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] 1 to 7 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a vehicle showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a hood structure, FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view of an inner panel, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 3.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, this vehicle 100 is provided with a hood structure 1 that covers the upper part of an engine compartment. The hood structure 1 has an outer panel 10 that forms a design surface, and the outer panel 10 is formed with recesses 11 that extend in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the recesses 11 are formed in a pair on the left and right sides of the outer panel 10 on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction, spanning the front and rear.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the hood structure 1 is arranged so that an upper outer panel 10 and a lower inner panel 20 overlap in a plan view. A reinforcement panel 30 is provided on the front end side of the underside of the inner panel 20 in correspondence with a locking mechanism (not shown) provided on the front end side of the hood structure 1. The hood structure 1 is formed into a plate shape as a whole by the outer panel 10, the inner panel 20, and the reinforcement panel 30. The outer panel 10, the inner panel 20, and the reinforcement panel 30 may be made of any material, such as metal or plastic, and aluminum is used in this embodiment.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 3, a bracket 35 for attaching a hinge is provided on the rear end side of the inner panel 20 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In Fig. 3, the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80, etc. are indicated by crossed diagonal lines to distinguish them from each other. The inner panel 20 has a plurality of holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80 that at least partially overlap with the recess 11 of the outer panel 10 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80 are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction from the front end side to the rear end side of the inner panel 20, except that the first outer hole 40 and the first inner hole 41 are aligned in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] The first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 are formed adjacent to the front end side of the outer end of the reinforcement panel 30 in the vehicle width direction, and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, i.e., the width direction of the recess 11. The first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 are formed across a first ridge line 42 and a second ridge line 43 behind the first ridge line 42. The first ridge line 42 extends in the left-right direction at the portion where the first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 are formed, and is formed by a substantially horizontal plane on the front side and a rearward-decreasing inclined surface on the rear side. The second ridge line 43 extends in the left-right direction at the portion where the first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 are formed, and is formed by a rearward-decreasing inclined surface on the front side and a substantially horizontal plane on the rear side. The first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 are formed in an elongated hole shape extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first ridge line 42 and the second ridge line 43. In this embodiment, the first inner hole portion 41 extends in the front-rear direction, and the first outer hole portion 40 is slightly inclined forward and outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] The second hole 50 is disposed rearward of the first outer hole 40 and the first inner hole 41. The second hole 50 is formed in the shape of an elongated hole that extends slightly forward toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The first outer hole 40, the first inner hole 41, and the second hole 50 are disposed on the front end side of the inner panel 20.

[0022] The third hole portion 60 is disposed forward of the center of the front-rear direction of the inner panel 20. The third hole portion 60 is formed across a third ridge line 61 and a fourth ridge line 62 located diagonally inward and rearward of the third ridge line 61 in the vehicle width direction. The third ridge line 61 extends at an inclination rearward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction at the portion where the third hole portion 60 is formed, and is formed by a substantially horizontal surface on the front side and a rearward-rising inclined surface on the rear side. The fourth ridge line 62 extends at an inclination rearward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction at the portion where the third hole portion 60 is formed, and is formed by a frontward-rising inclined surface on the rear side and a substantially horizontal surface on the rear side. The third hole portion 60 is formed in the shape of an elongated hole extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the third ridge line 61 and the fourth ridge line 62. In this embodiment, the third hole portion 60 is inclined forward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0023] The fourth hole portion 70 is disposed rearward of the center of the inner panel 20 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the fourth hole portion 70 is formed continuously with a relatively large hole portion 71 formed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The fourth hole portion 70 is formed across a fifth ridge line 72 and a sixth ridge line 73 on the inner side of the fifth ridge line 72 in the vehicle width direction. The fifth ridge line 72 extends in the front-rear direction at the portion where the fourth hole portion 70 is formed, and is formed by a substantially horizontal surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and an inclined surface that rises inward on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The sixth ridge line 73 extends in the front-rear direction at the portion where the fourth hole portion 70 is formed, and is formed by an inclined surface that rises inward on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and an substantially horizontal surface on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The fourth hole portion 70 is formed in the shape of an elongated hole that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the fifth ridge line 72 and the sixth ridge line 73. In this embodiment, the fourth hole portion 70 is formed to extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the large hole portion 71.

[0024] The fifth hole portion 80 is formed adjacent to the inner end of the bracket 35 in the vehicle width direction. The fifth hole portion 80 is formed across a seventh ridge line 81 and an eighth ridge line 82 rearward of the seventh ridge line 81. The seventh ridge line 81 extends in the left-right direction at the portion where the fifth hole portion 80 is formed, and is formed by a substantially horizontal plane on the front side and a rearward-decreasing inclined surface on the rear side. The eighth ridge line 82 also extends in the left-right direction at the portion where the fifth hole portion 80 is formed, and is formed by a rearward-decreasing inclined surface on the front side and a substantially horizontal plane on the rear side. The fifth hole portion 80 is formed in a rectangular shape extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the seventh ridge line 81 and the eighth ridge line 82.

[0025] According to the hood structure 1 configured as described above, the portions of the inner panel 20 where the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80 are formed are more susceptible to deformation than other portions of the inner panel 20. During a vehicle collision, a load is applied to the outer panel 10 and the inner panel 20 together from a colliding object that enters from the front of the vehicle toward the approximately rear. Therefore, in the portions of the recess 11 of the outer panel 10 that overlap with the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80 of the inner panel 20 in a plan view, deformation is promoted by the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80 of the inner panel 20. Furthermore, because the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80 are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, deformation is promoted in the sections of the recess 11 extending front-to-rear that correspond to the spaces between the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, and 80. In this embodiment, the second hole portion 50, the third hole portion 60, and the fourth hole portion 70 are arranged in this order from the first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 at the front end side of the inner panel 20 to the fifth hole portion 80 at the rear end side of the inner panel 20, thereby promoting deformation throughout the entire section of the recess 11 formed across the front and rear of the outer panel 10.

[0026] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by arranging the first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 side by side in the width direction of the recess 11, the first outer hole portion 40 and the first inner hole portion 41 can be made relatively small in the width direction of the recess 11, thereby ensuring the deformation performance of the hood structure 1 in the event of a vehicle collision, etc., without significantly compromising the rigidity and strength of the inner panel 20.

[0027] In addition, in this embodiment, some of the holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80 are designed to cross the ridge lines 42, 43, 61, 62, 72, 73, 81, 82, so that these holes 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80 interrupt the ridge lines 42, 43, 61, 62, 72, 73, 81, 82 of the inner panel, thereby ensuring deformation in the areas of the inner panel 20 where these hole portions 40, 41, 50, 60, 70, 80 are formed in the event of a vehicle collision, etc.

[0028] In the above embodiment, six holes that at least partially overlap with the recesses 11 of the outer panel 10 in a plan view are disposed in the inner panel 20, but it is sufficient that at least two holes are disposed at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. Also, while the recesses 11 are formed across the front and rear of the outer panel 10 in the above embodiment, the recesses may be formed in only a portion of the outer panel 10 in the front-to-rear direction. Also, although five of the six holes in the inner panel 20 straddle the ridge line in the above embodiment, the number of holes that straddle the ridge line can be changed as desired. For example, all of the holes may straddle the ridge line, or none of the holes may straddle the ridge line.

[0029] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the invention according to the claims is not limited to the embodiments described above. It should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Hood structure 10 Outer panel 11 Recess 20 Inner panel 40 First outer hole 41 First inner hole 42 First Ridge 43 Second Ridge 50 2nd hole 60 3rd hole 61 Third Ridge 62 Fourth Ridge 70 4th hole 71 5th Ridge 72 6th Ridge 80 5th hole 81 7th Ridge 82 8th Ridge

Claims

1. A vehicle hood structure in which an upper outer panel and a lower inner panel are arranged to overlap in a plan view, The outer panel has a recess extending substantially in the front-rear direction and recessed downward, the inner panel has a plurality of holes at least partially overlapping with the recesses of the outer panel in a plan view, At least two of the holes are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction, The inner panel has a ridge line, At least one of the holes straddles the ridge line and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the ridge line.

2. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is formed across the front and rear of the outer panel.

3. The vehicle hood structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least two of the holes are arranged side by side in a width direction of the recess.

4. A reinforcement panel is disposed on the front end side of the lower surface of the inner panel, The vehicle hood structure according to claim 3 , wherein the at least two holes arranged side by side in the width direction of the recess are formed adjacent to each other on a front end side of the reinforcement panel on an outer side in the vehicle width direction.

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