Vehicle Hood Waterfall Latch Structure for Larger Frunk Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle hood assemblies often incorporate palm dimplers and channels that reduce the available space in the frunk or engine compartment, limiting its volume and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle hood assembly design that eliminates the palm dimpler and direct transition between the domed and waterfall regions, enhancing the frunk volume by at least three liters, utilizing a latch reinforcement secured to the waterfall region without intervening channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If palm dimplers and channels are incorporated into the hood assembly, then structural strength is improved, but frunk volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the palm dimpler and channel structures from the hood assembly design. By eliminating these traditional structural elements, the patent achieves increased frunk volume while maintaining strength through alternative means (adhesive bonding and latch reinforcement positioning), directly resolving the contradiction between structural strength and volume.
2Volume of moving object
If latch reinforcement is secured without palm dimpler intervention, then frunk volume is increased, but latch support strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses adhesive bonding as an intermediary method to secure the latch reinforcement to the hood inner. This alternative bonding mechanism replaces the traditional palm dimpler structure, allowing the latch reinforcement to be firmly attached without requiring the volume-consuming dimpler and channel structures, thus resolving the contradiction between volume and strength.
3Device complexity
If direct transition between domed region and waterfall region is implemented, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the intermediate channel structure that traditionally connected the domed region and waterfall region. By extracting this complex structural element, the patent achieves a direct transition between regions, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining structural integrity through the adhesive bonding system and overall hood assembly design.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle hood assembly, including: a hood outer; a hood inner having a domed region and a waterfall region; and a latch reinforcement that is secured to the waterfall region. A vehicle closure module latch supporting method includes providing a waterfall region of a hood inner extending directly from a domed region of the hood inner and securing a latch reinforcement of a latch assembly to the waterfall region. The vehicle hood assembly can omit a palm dimpler.