Active Hood Hinge Upstop Link Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle hood hinge assemblies lack a mechanism to efficiently transition between stowed, access, and active positions while ensuring secure restraint in the active position, particularly in scenarios where the hood needs to be actuated away from the compartment and rotated towards the front of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with a pivot mechanism, actuator, upstop link, and pin configuration that allows the hood to move between stowed, access, and active positions, where the upstop link's tapered slot applies a progressive force to restrain further movement in the active position, and an actuator disconnects the hood-side bracket from the deploy link to facilitate this transition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hinge assembly is used without an upstop mechanism, then the structure is simpler, but the hood cannot be securely restrained in the active position
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into functional segments: the pivot mechanism for rotation, the upstop link for restraint, the tapered slot for controlled deceleration, and the deploy link for position transitions. Each segment performs a specific function, allowing the complex restraint mechanism to be built from manageable, modular components that can be independently optimized and maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The upstop link acts as an intermediary component between the hood-side bracket and the pin. It mediates the transition from free movement to restrained position by engaging with the pin through its tapered slot, providing controlled deceleration and secure positioning without requiring direct complex interactions between the hood and body structures.
2Ease of operation
If the hood is allowed to rotate freely toward the front of the vehicle, then accessibility is improved, but uncontrolled movement creates safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly transitions from a static restraint mechanism to a dynamic one through the tapered slot design. As the hood rotates toward the front, the pin progressively engages with the tapered slot, providing increasing resistance that naturally decelerates the hood movement. This dynamic response allows full rotational accessibility while automatically preventing uncontrolled movement through force-based regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered slot in the upstop link provides beforehand cushioning by progressively applying counter-force as the hood approaches the active position. Rather than allowing the hood to slam into a hard stop, the tapered geometry gradually increases resistance, cushioning the deceleration and preventing harmful impacts while still enabling the full range of motion for accessibility.
3Ease of operation
If a tapered slot is used in the upstop link, then progressive force application provides controlled deceleration, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered slot transforms the geometric parameter of the slot from a uniform width to a progressively changing width. This parameter change creates the progressive force application effect where the narrowing slot geometry naturally increases resistance as the pin engages deeper, providing controlled deceleration. The taper angle can be optimized during design to balance the deceleration profile with manufacturability, reducing precision requirements compared to more complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly for attaching a hood to a body of a vehicle includes a body-side bracket fixedly attached to the body and a hood-side bracket fixedly attached to the hood. A pivot mechanism is configured to place the hinge assembly in: a stowed position, in which the hood is adjacent the body; an access position, in which the hood rotates toward a rear of the vehicle; and an active position, in which the hood rotates toward a front of the vehicle. The hinge assembly also includes an actuator that configured to move the pivot mechanism to, or toward, the active position. A pin is attached to the body-side bracket and an upstop link is attached to the hood-side bracket. The upstop link defines a slot. The pin becomes engaged with the slot when the pivot mechanism is in the active position.