Laminated Hood Hinge Arm Vibration Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hood hinge structures fail to effectively reduce hood vibration in vehicles, despite efforts to increase rigidity, indicating a need for improved design to dampen vibrations.

Innovation Solution

A hood hinge structure featuring a laminated hood hinge arm with supported and fixed portions formed from a single sheet, incorporating a non-laminated intermediate portion and strategically placed laminated sections, optionally with a vibration absorbing member and spacer, to enhance rigidity and formability while damping vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the hood hinge arm is made with a laminated structure, then the rigidity is improved and hood vibration is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproverigidityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hood hinge arm is divided into multiple laminated layers (first and second hood hinge arms) stacked in the thickness direction. Each layer can be manufactured separately and then assembled, allowing complex rigid structures to be built from simpler components. This segmentation enables the achievement of high rigidity through the laminated configuration while managing manufacturing complexity by breaking down the overall structure into manageable layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure where multiple hood hinge arm layers are stacked and connected via connection portions. This composite arrangement combines multiple simpler structures into a unified rigid assembly, achieving the rigidity of a complex laminated structure while potentially simplifying individual component manufacturing and assembly processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the hood hinge arm uses a laminated structure, then hood vibration is reduced, but the number of parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehood vibrationVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple hood hinge arm layers are merged into a single functional unit through connection portions that join them together. The laminated structure acts as an integrated assembly where the individual layers work collectively to dampen vibration. This merging approach achieves vibration reduction through the laminated configuration while managing part quantity by treating the stacked layers as a unified component system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If the entire hood hinge arm is made laminated, then rigidity is maximized, but formability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproverigidityVSAvoidformability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The hood hinge arm is segmented into multiple layers that can be manufactured using different processes optimized for each layer's specific requirements. This segmentation allows certain portions to be formed with high complexity for rigidity while other portions maintain simpler geometries for ease of manufacturing, thereby balancing overall formability with rigidity requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the hood hinge arm structure can have different laminated configurations tailored to local requirements. Connection portions and critical load-bearing areas can have enhanced laminated structures for maximum rigidity, while non-critical areas can have simpler structures that are easier to manufacture. This local differentiation optimizes the balance between formability and rigidity across the entire component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The laminated structure and vibration damping elements effectively reduce hood vibration during vehicle operation, maintaining rigidity and minimizing part count while improving formability and damping efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

At least a portion of the hood hinge arm from the supported portion to the fixed portion has a laminated structure... vibration of a hood supported by the vehicle body via the hood hinge arm and the hood hinge base is able to be reduced

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3099875B1Hood hinge structure and hood hinge
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3099875B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3099875B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3099875B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A hood hinge structure includes a hood hinge base (12) and a hood hinge arm (14). The hood hinge base is fixed to a vehicle body. The hood hinge arm includes a supported portion (22) and a fixed portion (24). The supported portion is provided at a base end side of the hood hinge arm and is supported by the hood hinge base. The fixed portion (24) is provided at a tip end side of the hood hinge arm and is fixed to a hood. At least a portion of the hood hinge arm from the supported portion to the fixed portion has a laminated structure.