Automobile hood panel and automobile hood

Abstract

To more reliably bend an automobile hood upward at approximately the center in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle (to bend into an inverted V shape in side view) in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. [Solution] An automobile hood panel (1) having a rigidity reinforcement section (20) in the inner side region in the vehicle width direction (X) and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (Y), in which long, continuous fold-inducing sections (40) in the width direction (X) are arranged symmetrically on both sides.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to vehicle hood panels and vehicle hoods. [Background technology]

[0002] Automobiles must be designed not only for driving performance but also for the possibility of collisions with other vehicles or walls. For example, in the event of a frontal collision, occupant protection is required, such as by bending the hood at the front of the vehicle appropriately to prevent the hood from reaching the passenger space inside the cabin.

[0003] Such designs that take occupant protection into consideration are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a reinforcing bead is formed in the central framework of an inner panel of an automobile hood. The reinforcing bead bulges out toward the upper side of the hood. A plurality of reinforcing beads are formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction of the hood. Each reinforcing bead has an elongated shape that extends along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0004] Additionally, a crash bead that protrudes upward from the hood is formed between two adjacent reinforcing beads in the hood width direction. The crash bead functions as a starting point for bending the hood inner panel upward from the hood (in an inverted V-shape in side view) at approximately the center of the hood in the front-to-rear direction during a frontal collision. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-184430 A (

[0027] ) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the crash beads are arranged intermittently in the hood width direction, so it is thought that the degree to which the hood inner panel is bent upward approximately at the center of the hood's fore-and-aft direction (bending into an inverted V-shape in side view) during a frontal collision of the vehicle cannot necessarily be increased.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to more reliably bend an automobile hood upward approximately at the center of the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction (bend it into an inverted V-shape in side view) during a frontal collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present disclosure relates to the following automobile hood panel and automobile hood.

[0009] (1) An automobile hood panel having a rigidity reinforcement portion in an inner side region in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction, The automobile hood panel has long, widthwise continuous fold-inducing portions arranged symmetrically in the rigidity-reinforcing portion.

[0010] (2) The automobile hood panel according to (1), wherein the folding induction portion is formed over the entire area of ​​the stiffness reinforcement portion in the width direction.

[0011] (3) An automobile hood panel as described in (1) or (2), wherein, when viewed in the fore-and-aft direction, at a continuous portion of more than half the length of the rigidity reinforcement portion, including at least the center of the fold induction portion in the width direction, the center of curvature of the fold induction portion is located on one side of the automobile hood panel in the height direction relative to the automobile hood panel.

[0012] (4) The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the automobile hood panel is an inner panel disposed on the inner side of an outer panel of the automobile hood.

[0013] (5) The rigidity reinforcement portion has a configuration in which a plurality of polygonal units are arranged in the width direction and the front-rear direction when viewed in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, Each of the units includes a flange disposed adjacent to an outer panel of the automobile hood, a vertical wall extending from the flange so as to be spaced apart from the flange in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, and a bottom portion continuous with the vertical wall and spaced apart from the flange, The automobile hood panel according to any one of (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 described in (5) above, wherein the rigidity reinforcement portion has a configuration in which the regular hexagonal units or incomplete units having the shape of a portion of the units are closely packed.

[0015] (7) A plurality of elongated load transmission parts along the front-rear direction are arranged dispersedly in the width direction, The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein a rear end portion of each of the plurality of load transmitting portions is continuous with or adjacent to the folding induction portion.

[0016] (8) A pair of load transmission parts is arranged as the plurality of load transmission parts, The automobile hood panel described in (7) above, wherein the pair of load transmission portions are arranged in an inclined position relative to the fore-and-aft direction so that the distance between them becomes greater toward the front in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0017] (9) A pair of elongated longitudinal reinforcement portions extending along the longitudinal direction are arranged on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion in the width direction, The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcement portions is terminated at a location where the fold induction portion is located in the longitudinal direction.

[0018] (10) The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the folding induction portions extend to both outer sides of the stiffness reinforcement portion in the width direction.

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

[0020] (12) A pair of elongated longitudinal reinforcement portions extending along the longitudinal direction are arranged on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion in the width direction, An automobile hood panel as described in any one of (1) to (11), wherein the rear end portions of each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcement portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction are inserted into a receiving portion provided in a hood mounting hinge for mounting the automobile hood panel to the vehicle body.

[0021] (13) an outer panel; The automobile hood panel according to any one of (1) to (12) above as an inner panel joined to the inner side of the outer panel; Equipped with Two ridge lines at different heights are aligned along the width direction on the outer surface of the outer panel, The automobile hood, wherein the inner panel has an elongated widthwise reinforcing portion arranged along the widthwise direction at a location where the ridge line is located in the widthwise direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present disclosure, in the event of a frontal collision, the automobile hood can be more reliably bent upward at approximately the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction (bent into an inverted V shape in side view). [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an automobile hood according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an inner panel of an automobile hood. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the inner panel of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cross section of a part of the inner panel and the outer panel along the height direction. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of one unit of the inner panel. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the periphery of one unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of the main part showing a modified example of the unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one unit of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In the following, first, the background to the invention of the present disclosure will be explained, and then the embodiments will be explained in detail.

[0025] [How the present invention was conceived]

[0026] As mentioned above, automobiles must be designed not only for driving performance but also for potential collisions with other vehicles or walls. For example, in the event of a frontal collision, occupant protection is required, such as by appropriately bending the hood installed at the front of the vehicle to prevent the hood from reaching the passenger compartment inside the cabin. Furthermore, to meet the need for lightweight automobile bodies, the materials (e.g., steel plates) used for automobile hoods are sometimes thinned. To address the reduced rigidity of automobile hood panels resulting from this thinning, the present inventors have investigated rigidity-improving measures, such as adding a honeycomb-shaped portion arranged at a small pitch to the center of the inner panel of the automobile hood. Adopting such a honeycomb structure improves the rigidity of the inner panel's central portion, thereby improving the rigidity of the automobile hood, pedestrian head protection in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, and tension rigidity. However, the honeycomb structure results in a difference in rigidity between the central portion of the inner panel, where a honeycomb structure can be formed, and the outer periphery of the panel, where a honeycomb structure cannot be formed. As a result, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the outer peripheral portion of the inner panel, which has a relatively low rigidity, buckles, making it difficult for the central portion of the panel, which has a relatively high rigidity, to fold into an inverted V-shape in side view. Based on this premise, the present inventors noticed that there was room for improvement in order to more reliably prevent the hood from reaching the cabin. Based on this idea, the present inventors conducted extensive research and arrived at the present disclosure.

[0027] [Description of the embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an automobile hood 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an inner panel 2 of the automobile hood 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the inner panel 2 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 taken along the height direction Z. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of one unit 25 of the inner panel 2. FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the periphery of one unit 25. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 3. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 3. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 2. In FIGS. 7 to 11, portions that appear at the rear of the cross section are omitted. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the following description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11.

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

[0030] In this specification, front, rear, left, right, and up and down are defined based on the state when the automobile hood 1 is attached to the automobile and closed. Front refers to the direction in which the automobile moves forward. Rear refers to the direction in which the automobile moves backward. Right refers to the direction in which the automobile turns when turning right while moving forward. Left refers to the direction in which the automobile turns left while moving forward. In this embodiment, the width direction of the automobile to which the automobile hood 1 is attached is referred to as the width direction X. The length direction of the automobile to which the automobile hood 1 is attached is referred to as the front-rear direction Y. The height direction of the automobile to which the automobile hood 1 is attached is referred to as the height direction Z.

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

[0032] In the following description, the automobile inner panel 2 will be simply referred to as the inner panel 2, and the automobile outer panel 3 will be simply referred to as the outer panel 3. In addition, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the automobile hood 1 is symmetrical in the width direction X (bilaterally symmetrical).

[0033] The outer panel 3 is a part of the automobile hood 1 that constitutes a part of the outer surface of the automobile. The outer panel 3 is formed of a metal material such as a mild steel plate or a high-tensile steel plate. Examples of high-tensile steel plates include steel plates with a tensile strength of 340 MPa or more, for example, a steel plate with a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more. The tensile strength can be measured, for example, by taking a flat portion (a portion with a curvature radius of 1000 mm or more) of the outer panel 3 as a test piece and measuring it using a method in accordance with JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) Z2241 (2011). The outer panel 3 is formed, for example, by pressing a single steel plate. The thickness of the outer panel 3 (the 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.

[0034] The outer panel 3 may be an aluminum alloy plate. When the outer panel 3 is an aluminum alloy plate, the plate 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 FIG. 1 , the outer surface of the outer panel 3 is formed with a main surface 3a having a relatively small undulation and elongated recessed portions 3b extending along the front-to-rear direction Y, which are recessed from the main surface 3a toward the inner panel 2 and have a relatively large undulation. The recessed portions 3b are provided to enhance the design of the outer surface of the outer panel 3. For example, a pair of recessed portions 3b is provided on the left and right, but the number of recessed portions 3b is not limited. The recessed portions 3b are formed by recessing a portion of the outer panel 3 toward the inner panel 2. The recessed portions 3b have a predetermined length in the width direction X. At least one end (both in this embodiment) of each recessed portion 3b in the width direction X has two ridge lines 3c, 3d at different heights aligned along the width direction X. The upper ridge line 3c is continuous with the main surface 3a, and the lower ridge line 3d is continuous with a bottom surface 3e of the recessed portion 3b. The radius of curvature of each of the ridgelines 3c and 3d when viewed in the front-rear direction Y is not particularly limited.

[0036] The inner panel 2 is a panel disposed on the inner surface side of the outer panel 3, and is joined to the inner surface (lower surface 3f) of the outer panel 3 to reinforce the outer panel 3. As a result, the inner panel 2 increases the tensile rigidity of the outer panel 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner panel 2 increases the dent resistance of the outer panel 3. That is, in this embodiment, the tensile rigidity and dent resistance of the outer panel 3 are ensured not by increasing the plate thickness of the outer panel 3, but by the shape of the inner panel 2.

[0037] The tension stiffness corresponds to the sense of elastic resistance and deflection when the outer panel 3 is pressed by hand. This characteristic is usually expressed as 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 the resistance to permanent deformation that remains after strong pressure (an index that indicates the resistance to dents). For example, if the outer panel has low dent resistance, it will easily become 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 pressing a single steel plate. The inner panel 2 may be an integrally molded product, or may be formed by joining a plurality of members together. In this embodiment, the inner panel 2 is an integrally molded product. The thickness of the inner panel 2 (the 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, may be the same as the thickness of the outer panel 3, or may be greater than the thickness of the outer panel 3.

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

[0040] The inner panel 2 has an outer peripheral portion 10, a rigidity reinforcement portion 20 arranged to be surrounded by the outer peripheral portion 10, a bend induction portion 40 provided at least in the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, load transmission portions 51, 52 for transmitting load to the bend induction portion 40, a rigidity change region 80 provided in the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, front-to-rear direction reinforcement portions 61, 62 formed in the outer peripheral portion 10, and a rear reinforcement portion 75 formed in the outer peripheral portion 10.

[0041] The outer peripheral portion 10 is the outer peripheral portion of the inner panel 2. When the outer panel 3 closes the engine compartment, the outer peripheral portion 10 of the inner panel 2 is supported by the vehicle body (not shown) together with the outer peripheral 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 peripheral portion 10 has an outer peripheral end portion 11 and an outer peripheral inner portion 12 surrounded by the outer peripheral end portion 11 .

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

[0044] The outer peripheral interior 12 is formed into an undulating three-dimensional shape. The undulating shape of the outer peripheral interior 12 increases the rigidity of the outer peripheral portion 10 of the inner panel 2. In this specification, the term "rigidity" simply refers to bending rigidity and torsional rigidity. The outer peripheral 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 peripheral interior 12 is not important.

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

[0046] The front portion 12a is the deepest part in the outer circumferential interior 12. The front portion 12a continues from the outer circumferential end portion 11 to the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 while undulating in the height direction Z.

[0047] Each of the side portions 12b, 12c and the rear portion 12d has a depth shallower than that of the front portion 12a. Each of the side portions 12b, 12c and the rear portion 12d extends from the outer peripheral end portion 11 to the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 while undulating in the height direction Z.

[0048] The rigidity reinforcing portion 20 is arranged in an inner region relative to the outer peripheral portion 10 in the width direction X and the front-rear direction Y. The rigidity reinforcing portion 20 has a three-dimensional structure provided to receive a load acting on the main surface 3a of the outer panel 3. The rigidity reinforcing portion 20 is arranged toward the rear of the inner panel 2. In this embodiment, the rigidity reinforcing portion 20 has an elongated shape in the width direction X when viewed in the plate thickness direction. In this specification, when simply referring to a view in the plate thickness direction, this refers to a view in the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 (outer panel 3).

[0049] The rigidity reinforcement portion 20 has a base 21 that is continuous with the outer circumferential interior 12, a plurality of units 25 provided on the base 21, a plurality of incomplete units 26, and a folding induction portion 40.

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

[0051] Each unit 25 is formed in a polygonal ring shape (hexagonal in this embodiment) when viewed in the plate thickness direction. By forming each unit 25 in a ring-shaped polygonal shape that is small compared to the size of the inner panel 2, the inner panel 2 can be made lightweight and can have high rigidity.

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

[0053] Each unit 25 may be formed into 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 all 120 degrees. Examples of hexagons with uneven side lengths include a hexagon in which the lengths of the front and rear sides are set to a predetermined first length and each of the four sides is set to a predetermined second length that is different from the first length.

[0054] The rigidity reinforcement portion 20 has a configuration in which a plurality of polygonal units 25 are arranged side by side in the width direction X and the front-rear direction Y when viewed in the height direction. More specifically, the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 has a structure in which a plurality of hexagonal annular units 25 or incomplete units 26 each having a partial shape of a unit 25 are closely packed. In this case, "closely packed" means that adjacent units 25 or incomplete units 26 are arranged without any gaps. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , the units 25 are separated from each other by unit boundaries 27 (described below). The bottoms 33 (described below) of the units 25 form the boundaries of the units 25 including the bottoms 33, thereby forming the unit boundaries 27. The unit boundaries 27 are formed in a hexagonal shape when viewed from above. The use of such polygonal units 25 can increase the surface rigidity of the automobile hood 1 at the locations where the units 25 are arranged. Moreover, due to this close-packed hexagonal arrangement, the rigidity-reinforcing portion 20 can resist loads in all directions, including the height direction Z, in approximately the same manner across the entire area when viewed in the plate thickness direction. Therefore, even if the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 are made thinner and lighter, the surface rigidity of the automobile hood 1 can be increased. Note that surface rigidity refers to the rigidity against an impact load when the impact load acts from above the automobile hood 1 (the rigidity of the surface of the automobile hood 1).

[0055] When the units 25 or incomplete units 26 are arranged closely packed, it is preferable that the multiple units 25 have the same shape, but units 25 of different shapes or similar shapes may be arranged closely packed. Note that in the rigidity reinforcing portion 20, the units 25 do not have to be arranged closely packed, and other portions may be formed between adjacent units 25 or incomplete units 26.

[0056] Each unit 25 has six partial units 28 (28a to 28f). In this embodiment, in each unit 25, the front partial unit 28a and the rear partial unit 28d each extend along the width direction X. In each unit 25, the remaining four partial units 28 extend in a direction inclined with respect to the front-rear direction Y in a plan view. In this way, the multiple partial units 28 form a polygonal unit 25. However, this configuration is not limiting, and there are no restrictions on the orientation of the units 25 because the tension stiffness, dent resistance, and mass do not depend on the orientation of the units 25.

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

[0058] The flange 31 is adjacent to the outer panel 3 and is the portion of the unit 25 that is disposed closest to the outer panel 3. The flange 31 as a whole has a hexagonal outer shape when viewed in the plate 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 may be substantially circular or substantially elliptical. Each corner of the outer shape of the flange 31 is rounded to reduce stress concentration.

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

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

[0061] In this embodiment, the joints 4 are adhesive. An example of this adhesive is a mastic sealer (mastic adhesive). The joints 4 are provided on at least one flange 31 of the multiple units 25 and the multiple incomplete units 26. The joints 4 join the flange 31 on which the joints 4 are provided to the lower surface 3f of the outer panel 3.

[0062] The incomplete units 26 have a configuration equivalent to a configuration in which a portion of the polygonal (hexagonal in this embodiment) unit 25 is cut out in the circumferential direction of the unit 25. The incomplete units 26 have sides similar to those of the partial units 28 of the unit 25. In this embodiment, the multiple incomplete units 26 have shapes different from one another. The incomplete units 26 and the units 25 are arranged in a close-packed manner, and the incomplete units 26 are also arranged in a close-packed manner with each other.

[0063] As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of units 25, the plurality of incomplete units 26, etc. are arranged in a plurality of rows 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 reinforcement portion 20, a total of two incomplete units 26 are lined up in front of and behind one unit 25. Each of the two incomplete units 26 in the first row L1 is formed into a shape obtained by cutting the unit 25 along the width direction X. In addition, in the first row L1, a fold induction portion 40 is arranged in front of the front incomplete unit 26, and a rigidity change region 80 is arranged in front of the fold induction portion 40.

[0065] In the second row L2 from the center in the width direction X, two incomplete units 26, 26, a crease inducing portion 40, a unit 25, and an incomplete unit 26 are arranged in this order from front to back. In the second row L2, the foremost incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the base vertical wall 23 and the rigidity change region 80, and has a shape corresponding to the shape in which a portion of the front side and an inner side in the width direction X of the unit 25 are missing. The second incomplete unit 26 from the front in the second row L2 is adjacent to the rigidity change region 80 and the crease inducing portion 40, and has a shape corresponding to the shape in which a portion of the rear side and an inner side in the width direction X of the unit 25 are missing. The rearmost incomplete unit 26 in the second row L2 is adjacent to the rear portion 12d of the outer circumferential interior 12, and has a shape corresponding to the shape in which a portion of the rear side of the unit 25 is missing.

[0066] In the third row L3 from the center in the width direction X, a unit 25, an incomplete unit 26, a fold induction portion 40 penetrating the incomplete unit 26 in the width direction X, and another unit 25 are arranged in this order from the front.

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

[0068] In the fifth row L5 from the center in the width direction X, there are arranged, in order from front to back, an incomplete unit 26 arranged adjacent to the load transmission portions 51, 52, an incomplete unit 26 arranged so as to overlap the fold induction portion 40, the fold induction portion 40, a unit 25, and an incomplete unit 26. In the fifth row L5, the foremost incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the rear portions 51c, 52c of the load transmission portions 51, 52. The second incomplete unit 26 from the front in the fifth row L5 is arranged so as to overlap the fold induction portion 40. The rearmost incomplete unit 26 in the fifth row L5 is adjacent to the rear portion 12d of the outer circumferential inner portion 12, and has a shape corresponding to the shape of a unit 25 with a portion of the rear side missing.

[0069] In the sixth row L6 from the center in the width direction X (the outermost row in the width direction X), a fold guide portion 40, an incomplete unit 26 arranged so as to overlap the fold guide portion 40, and another incomplete unit 26 are arranged, in that order from front to back. In the sixth row L6 from the center in the width direction X, the front incomplete unit 26 is adjacent to the fold guide portion 40 and has a shape corresponding to a shape in which a portion of the front side and an outer side in the width direction X of the unit 25 are missing. The rear incomplete unit 26 in the sixth row L6 is adjacent to the rear portion 12d of the outer circumferential interior 12 and has a shape corresponding to a shape in which a portion of the outer side in the width direction X of the unit 25 is missing.

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

[0071] The fold induction portion 40 may extend to both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. Specifically, the fold induction portion 40 includes a central portion 40e formed in the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 and a right portion 40a and a left portion 40b formed in the outer circumferential portion 10. In this embodiment, the right portion and the left portion 40a, 40b are formed to be offset forward by approximately several millimeters from the central portion 40e. Note that 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 (cross section shown in FIG. 11 ), most of the fold induction 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 fold induction portion 40 is located on one side (lower side) in the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 at a continuous portion along at least half the length of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, including at least the center 40f of the fold induction portion 40 in the width direction X. As for a portion 40d of the fold induction 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) in the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 so as to match the curved shape of the inner panel 2.

[0073] When viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature of the fold induction portion 40 may be located on the other side (upper side) in the height direction Z of the inner panel 2 at a location that is half or more of the length of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, including at least the center 40f of the fold induction portion 40 in the width direction X. Furthermore, the fold induction portion 40 may be formed in a serpentine shape that undulates in the height direction Z as it progresses in the width direction X.

[0074] As described above, the fold inducing portion 40 is arranged so as to overlap with some of the incomplete units 26. It can be said that the fold inducing portion 40 connects the units 25 or incomplete units 26 adjacent to each other in the width direction X, thereby increasing the rigidity of the portion of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 where the fold inducing portion 40 is arranged. In this embodiment, the height of the fold inducing portion 40 is set to be equal to or less than the height of the units 25 and incomplete units 26 adjacent to the fold inducing portion 40. This prevents the fold inducing portion 40 from interfering with the joining of the units 25 and incomplete units 26 to the outer panel 3 when the units 25 and incomplete units 26 are joined to the outer panel 3.

[0075] 1 and 2, the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 is formed with elongated widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 extending along the width direction X. As in the present embodiment, the widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 may be formed on the fold induction portion 40, or may be formed at positions other than the fold induction portion 40. The widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 are provided on at least a portion (in the present embodiment, a portion) of the fold induction portion 40 in the width direction X.

[0076] The width-direction reinforcement portions 45, 46 are beads that include portions that are located at positions in the width direction X where the ridge lines 3c, 3d of the corresponding recessed portion 3b of the outer panel 3 are located. In this embodiment, the ridge lines 3c, 3d of the recessed portion 3b of the outer panel 3 intersect with the bend induction portion 40 when viewed in the thickness direction of the inner panel 2. In Figure 2, the positions of the ridge lines 3c, 3d when the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 are joined are indicated by imaginary two-dot chain lines.

[0077] The width-direction reinforcement portions 45, 46 are formed from the ends to the midpoints in the width direction X of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, and are aligned in the front-rear direction Y with the rear ends 51d, 52d of the load transmission portions 51, 52. In this way, by aligning the width-direction reinforcement portions 45, 46 and the load transmission portions 51, 52 in the front-rear direction Y, when the automobile hood 1 bends in a frontal collision or the like, a larger load can be transmitted from the load transmission portions 51, 52 to the fold induction portion 40, and bending at the fold induction portion 40 can be more reliably induced. The width-direction reinforcement portions 45, 46 are formed in a shape that has undulations in the front-rear direction Y, and are shaped to further increase the rigidity of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20.

[0078] The load transmission portions 51, 52 are elongated beads extending along the front-rear direction Y, and a plurality of them (a pair of left and right portions in this embodiment) are arranged dispersedly in the width direction X. The load transmission portions 51, 52 are portions for transmitting the impact load acting on the automobile hood 1 during a frontal collision to the crease induction portion 40.

[0079] The load transmission portions 51, 52 extend rearward from the outer peripheral end 11, with front end portions 51a, 52a of the load transmission portions 51, 52 continuing to the outer peripheral end 11 and rear end portions 51d, 52d of the load transmission portions 51, 52 being adjacent to the bend induction portion 40. In this case, "adjacent" means being adjacent at a distance of, for example, several tens of millimeters or less. The rear end portions 51d, 52d of the load transmission portions 51, 52 may be directly connected to (continuous with) the bend induction portion 40. The load transmission portions 51, 52 are arranged so as to sandwich the stiffness change region 80. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the load transmission portions 51, 52, each of the load transmission portions 51, 52 is formed to have an upwardly convex shape.

[0080] The pair of load transmission portions 51, 52 are disposed in an inclined position relative to the front-to-rear direction Y so that the distance between them increases toward the front in the front-to-rear direction Y. It is preferable that the inclination angle of the load transmission portions 51, 52 relative to the front-to-rear direction Y is 45 degrees or less, since this allows the impact load in the event of a frontal collision to be transmitted to the bend induction portion 40 with high efficiency.

[0081] The load transmitting portions 51 and 52 each have a front portion 51b and 52b formed on the outer circumferential portion 10 and a rear portion 51c and 52c formed on the rigidity reinforcing portion 20.

[0082] The front portions 51b and 52b are formed across the outer peripheral end portion 11 and the base vertical wall 23. The rear ends of the front portions 51b and 52b are continuous with the front ends of the rear portions 51c and 52c.

[0083] The rear portions 51c, 52c are portions formed on the top plate 24 of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20. The width of the rear portions 51c, 52c is preferably less than the width of the front portions 51b, 52b. By making the width of the rear portions 51c, 52c less than the width of the front portions 51b, 52b, it is possible to reduce the difference in rigidity between the portion of the inner panel 2 on the front portions 51b, 52b side and the portion on the rear portions 51c, 52c side.

[0084] The longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are elongated beads extending along the longitudinal direction Y, and are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. The longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are aligned with the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. The longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are formed in, for example, the outer peripheral interior 12 of the outer circumferential portion 10. The longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are formed in an upwardly convex shape, and are formed elongated in the longitudinal direction Y to follow the shape of the outer circumferential portion 10.

[0085] Each of the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 has a front reinforcement portion 61a, 62a formed in front of the fold induction portion 40 and a rear reinforcement portion 61b, 62b formed behind the fold induction portion 40. Each of the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 is interrupted at the location where the fold induction portion 40 is located in the longitudinal direction Y.

[0086] The front reinforcement portions 61a, 62a are arranged to be aligned with the rear portions 51c, 52c of the load transfer portions 51, 52 in the width direction X. The front reinforcement portions 61a, 62a are spaced apart from the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. The rear end portions of the front reinforcement portions 61a, 62a may be continuous with the fold induction portion 40 or may be spaced apart in the front-rear direction Y. A ridge portion is formed along the front-rear direction Y at the center of the upper portion of the front reinforcement portions 61a, 62a in the width direction, thereby forming downwardly recessed portions 61c, 62c.

[0087] The length of the rear reinforcement portions 61b, 62b in the front-rear direction Y is longer than the length of the front reinforcement portions 61a, 62a. The rear reinforcement portions 61b, 62b are spaced apart in the width direction X from a portion of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 that is located behind the fold induction portion 40. The front end portions of the rear reinforcement portions 61b, 62b may be continuous with the fold induction portion 40 or may be spaced apart in the front-rear direction Y. A ridge portion is formed along the front-rear direction Y at the center of the upper portions of the rear reinforcement portions 61b, 62b in the width direction, thereby forming downwardly recessed portions 61d, 62d.

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

[0089] The hood attachment hinges 71, 72 are thin plate members attached to the inner panel 2 and have a thickness approximately equal to that of the inner panel 2. The hood attachment hinges 71, 72 are disposed near the rear end of the inner panel 2 and the outer end in the width direction X, and are joined to the inner panel 2. The hood attachment hinges 71, 72 are partially separated from the inner panel 2 so as to form storage spaces 71a, 72a, which are gaps between them, and cooperate with the inner panel 2 to form the storage spaces 71a, 72a that are open forward. Rear portions 61e, 62e, including the rear ends of the rear reinforcement portions 61b, 62b, are inserted into the storage spaces 71a, 72a. A rear reinforcement portion 75 is disposed between the hood attachment hinges 71, 72.

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

[0091] A rigidity change region 80 is formed near the front end of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20. The rigidity change region 80 is provided in the vicinity of the crease inducing portion 40 of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 and in front of the crease inducing portion 40 to intentionally change the rigidity of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, thereby guiding the impact load acting on the inner panel 2 to the crease inducing portion 40 during a frontal collision.

[0092] The stiffness change region 80 is disposed in front of the crease inducing portion 40 so as to separate the plurality of units 25 and the plurality of incomplete units 26 in the width direction X. The stiffness change region 80 is formed in the center of the stiffness reinforcing portion 20 in the width direction X. The stiffness change region 80 is formed in front of the crease inducing portion 40.

[0093] The variable stiffness region 80 has a plurality of high stiffness regions 81, 82 and a plurality of low stiffness regions 83 having stiffness lower than that of the high stiffness regions 81, 82.

[0094] The high-rigidity regions 81 and 82 are arranged side by side at an interval in the width direction X. The low-rigidity region 83 is disposed between the high-rigidity regions 81 and 82.

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

[0096] The first portions 81a, 82a and the second portions 81b, 82b are formed in a shape that convex upward from the top plate 24. The first portions 81a, 82a are disposed between the folding induction portion 40 and the front end portion 23a of the base vertical wall 23, and are formed substantially straight in the front-rear direction Y. The second portions 81b, 82b are formed along the width direction X, and are disposed between the corresponding first portions 81a, 82a and the load transmission portions 51, 52.

[0097] The high-rigidity regions 81, 82, the load transmission portions 51, 52, and the break induction portion 40 cooperate to surround the unit 25 and the incomplete unit 26 in front of the break induction portion 40 and between the load transmission portions 51, 52.

[0098] In this embodiment, the low rigidity region 83 is formed on 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 rigidity change region 80 described above, during a frontal collision, particularly when the collision occurs in a direction oblique to the longitudinal direction Y, the high rigidity regions 81, 82, the load transfer portions 51, 52, and the fold inducing portion 40 cooperate to exhibit high rigidity, and the impact load can be efficiently guided to the fold inducing portion 40. This more reliably causes the automobile hood 1 to fold in the fold inducing portion 40 (deformation into an inverted V shape in side view). The fold inducing portion 40 is a portion that induces a fold in the event of a frontal collision, in which two regions of the automobile hood 1 aligned in the longitudinal direction Y intersect with each other across the fold inducing portion 40.

[0100] With the above-described configuration, the automobile hood 1 can enhance occupant protection performance by actively inducing folding of the automobile hood 1 in the event of a frontal collision, thereby suppressing movement of the automobile hood 1 toward the cabin. Furthermore, to also satisfy the demand for lightweight vehicle bodies, thin plate materials with high tensile strength are used, achieving both lightweight and high rigidity.

[0101] <Effects> As described above, according to this embodiment, the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 has elongated fold induction portions 40 that are continuous in the width direction X and are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides. This makes it easier for the fold induction portions 40 to bend the inner panel 2 into an inverted V shape in side view due to the impact load acting on the automobile hood 1 during a frontal collision of the automobile. As a result, the automobile hood 1 can be more reliably bent upward approximately at the center in the fore-and-aft direction Y, more reliably preventing the automobile hood from reaching the cabin and further improving occupant protection.

[0102] Furthermore, by forming the folding induction portion 40 over the entire area of ​​the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X, the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, which has high rigidity, can be more easily deformed evenly into an inverted V shape in side view.

[0103] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when viewed in the front-rear direction Y, the center of curvature of the fold induction portion 40 is set to one side (lower side) in the height direction Z at continuous locations along at least half the length of the fold induction portion 40, including the center 40f of the fold induction portion 40 in the width direction X. This allows each portion of the fold induction portion 40 to deform more uniformly in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, and more reliably achieves an inverted V-shaped deformation of the automobile hood 1 in a side view.

[0104] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the fold induction portions 40 extend to both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 in the width direction X. This configuration makes it easier to deform a wider area of ​​the automobile hood 1 in the width direction X into an inverted V shape in side view during a frontal collision of the automobile.

[0105] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by arranging a plurality of polygonal units 25 in the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, the rigidity of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20 can be further increased. This allows high rigidity to be achieved in the lightweight automobile hood 1 made of a thin material. Moreover, by forming a through hole 31a in the center of each unit 25, the automobile hood 1 can be made even lighter.

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

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear end portions 51d, 52d of the elongated load transmission portions 51, 52 extending along the longitudinal direction Y are continuous with or adjacent to the fold inducing portion 40. This configuration facilitates deformation of the automobile hood 1 into an inverted V-shape in side view in all of the following types of frontal collisions of an automobile: a full-overlap collision, an offset collision, and an oblique collision. A full-overlap collision refers to a collision in which the automobile collides head-on with a flat wall, an offset collision refers to a collision in which a portion of the right or left side of the automobile collides head-on with a flat wall, and an oblique collision refers to a collision in which the automobile collides obliquely with a wall. In all of these collisions, the impact load can be more reliably transmitted from the load transmission portions 51, 52 to the fold inducing portion 40, thereby facilitating deformation of the automobile hood 1 into an inverted V-shape in side view. In particular, by providing multiple honeycomb-shaped units 25 in the rigidity reinforcement section 20, it is possible to prevent a situation in which, during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the portion of the inner panel 2 located in front of the rigidity reinforcement section 20 is preferentially crushed, making it difficult for the impact load to reach the breakage-inducing section 40.

[0108] Furthermore, the pair of load transmission parts 51, 52 are arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction Y so that the distance between them increases toward the front. This increases the range of collision angles of the vehicle against the wall surface, which satisfies the condition for efficiently transmitting the impact load to the breakage induction part 40 during an oblique collision.

[0109] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 formed on the outer periphery 10 is interrupted at a location where the fold induction portion 40 is located in the longitudinal direction Y. This layout increases the rigidity of the portions of the inner panel 2 that are on the sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, thereby reducing the difference in rigidity between the outer periphery 10 and the rigidity reinforcement portion 20. This prevents the impact load from concentrating on the outer periphery 10 during a frontal collision of the vehicle. Furthermore, the impact load during a frontal collision of the vehicle can be concentrated at the location (the fold induction portion 40) of the outer periphery 10 of the inner panel 2 where the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are interrupted, making it easier to cause the fold induction portion 40 to fold.

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the high-rigidity regions 81, 82 arranged in front of the fold induction portion 40 are spaced apart in the width direction X. With this configuration, during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the high-rigidity regions 81, 82 spaced apart in the width direction X can deform relatively freely relative to each other due to the impact load. This prevents the front portion of the fold induction portion 40 from being integrally stretched by the impact load. As a result, bending deformation of the inner panel 2 at the fold induction portion 40 due to the impact load can be more reliably induced, making it easier for the fold induction portion 40 to fold.

[0111] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear ends of the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are inserted into receiving portions provided in the hood attachment hinges 71, 72. This configuration increases the bending rigidity of the inner panel 2 near the rear ends of the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 formed on the outer periphery 10, making it difficult for the inner panel 2 to bend near the rear end in a side view. As a result, it becomes easier for the inner panel 2 to bend at the bend induction portion 40 due to an impact load.

[0112] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, two ridgelines 3c, 3d at different heights are aligned along the width direction X on the outer surface of the outer panel 3, and elongated widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 are arranged along the width direction X on the inner panel 2 at locations where the ridgelines 3c, 3d are located in the width direction X. With this configuration, the ridgelines 3c, 3d, which are character lines, are formed along the front-to-rear direction Y. As a result, bending at the ridgelines 3c, 3d due to an impact load during a frontal collision of the vehicle is more likely to occur, and the vehicle hood 1 is less likely to bend as intended due to the impact load. Therefore, by forming the widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 on the inner panel 2 and increasing the rigidity of the inner panel 2 at the widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46, the influence of the character lines on deformation during a frontal collision can be reduced, and bending at the widthwise reinforcement portions 45, 46 due to an impact load can be more likely to occur.

[0113] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications. Various modifications of the present disclosure are possible within the scope of the claims. Note that the following mainly describes configurations that differ from the above-described embodiments, and similar configurations are denoted by similar reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0114] <Modifications of unit shape> In the above-described embodiment, the unit 25 has been described as having a polygonal shape. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, instead of the unit 25, a unit 25A formed in a round shape may be provided as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of the main part showing a modified example of the unit, and FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one unit 25A of FIG. 12. The 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 shape or a hollow truncated cone shape, and the flange 31A is formed in an annular shape. The flange 31A, the vertical wall 32A, and the bottom 33A may be formed in an elliptical shape (a type of circular shape) in a plan view. When the unit 25A is employed, the incomplete unit 26A (not shown) has a shape corresponding to a portion of the unit 25A in the circumferential direction. The units 25A and the incomplete units 26A may or may not be closely packed, and other portions may be formed between adjacent units 25A.

[0116] <Other variations> In the above-described embodiment, the longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 are formed both in front and behind the fold guide portion 40. However, this is not necessarily the case. The longitudinal reinforcement portions 61, 62 may be formed only in front or only behind the fold guide portion 40.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 are formed from steel plate or aluminum alloy plate. However, this is not necessarily the case. The inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 may be formed from a resin material such as glass fiber or carbon fiber. The inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3 may also be formed from a composite material of a metal material and a resin material.

[0118] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the rigidity reinforcing portion 20 has been described with an example in which the units 25 and incomplete units 26 are closely packed. However, this is not necessarily the case. The units of the rigidity reinforcing portion 20 do not have to have a specific shape that is generally given a name, and the specific shape is not limited.

[0119] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the inner panel 2 only needs to have the fold induction portion 40 formed in the rigidity reinforcement portion 20, and other reinforcing portions and the like may not be present. [Industrial Applicability]

[0120] The present invention is widely applicable to automobile hood panels and automobile hoods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Car hood 2 Inner panel (automobile hood panel) 3 outer panel 3c,3d ridgeline 20 Rigidity reinforcement part 25 units 31 flange 31a Through hole 32 Vertical Wall 33 Bottom 40 Folding inducement part 45,46 Width direction reinforcement 51,52 Load transmission part 61,62 Front and rear reinforcement 71,72 Hood mounting hinge 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 reinforcement portion in an inner side region in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction, The rigidity reinforcement portion has long folding induction portions that are continuous in the width direction and are arranged symmetrically, The rigidity reinforcement portion has a configuration in which a plurality of polygonal or circular units are arranged side by side in the width direction and the front-rear direction when viewed in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, Each of the units includes a flange disposed adjacent to an outer panel of the automobile hood, a vertical wall extending from the flange so as to be spaced apart from the flange in the height direction of the automobile hood panel, and a bottom portion continuous with the vertical wall and spaced apart from the flange, A plurality of elongated load transmission portions extending along the front-rear direction are disposed dispersedly in the width direction, An automobile hood panel in which the rear end portions of each of the plurality of load transmission portions are positioned rearward of the front end portion of the unit that is located most forward among the plurality of units, and are thereby continuous with or adjacent to the folding induction portion.

2. The automobile hood panel according to claim 1 , wherein the folding induction portion is formed over the entire area of ​​the stiffness reinforcement portion in the width direction.

3. 2. The automotive hood panel of claim 1, wherein, when viewed in the fore-and-aft direction, the center of curvature of the fold inducement portion is located on one side of the automotive hood panel in the height direction relative to the automotive hood panel at a point that continues for more than half the length of the rigidity reinforcement portion, including at least the center of the fold inducement portion in the width direction.

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

5. An automotive hood panel as described in claim 1, wherein a through hole is formed in the center of the flange.

6. the polygonal shape is a regular hexagon, The automobile hood panel according to claim 1 , wherein the rigidity-reinforcing portion has a configuration in which the regular hexagonal units or incomplete units each having a shape of a part of the regular hexagonal units are closely packed.

7. a pair of load transmission parts is arranged as the plurality of load transmission parts, The automobile hood panel according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of load transmission portions are disposed in an inclined position relative to the front-rear direction such that the distance between the load transmission portions increases toward the front in the front-rear direction.

8. a pair of elongated longitudinal reinforcement portions extending along the longitudinal direction are disposed on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion in the width direction; The automotive hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcement portions is interrupted at a location in the longitudinal direction where the fold induction portion is located.

9. The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the folding induction portion extends to both outer sides of the stiffness reinforcement portion in the width direction.

10. The rigidity reinforcement portion includes, on a front side of the folding induction portion in the front-rear direction, a plurality of high-rigidity regions and a low-rigidity region having a lower rigidity than the plurality of high-rigidity regions, The automotive hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the high-rigidity regions are arranged at intervals in the width direction.

11. a pair of elongated longitudinal reinforcement portions extending along the longitudinal direction are disposed on both outer sides of the rigidity reinforcement portion in the width direction; An automotive hood panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear end portions of each of the pair of longitudinal reinforcement portions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are inserted into a receiving portion provided in a hood mounting hinge for mounting the automotive hood panel to the vehicle body.

12. The outer panel and The automobile hood panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which serves as an inner panel joined to the inner side of the outer panel; Equipped with Two ridge lines at different height positions are aligned along the width direction on an outer surface of the outer panel, The automobile hood, wherein the inner panel has an elongated widthwise reinforcing portion arranged along the widthwise direction at a location where the ridge line is located in the widthwise direction.

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