Under-Hood Sealed Stowage Compartment With Gravity-Held Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stowage compartments under the hood of motor vehicles face challenges in pedestrian protection requirements, leading to increased costs and potential damage when loaded heavily, and unsealed compartments compromise comfort and protection against environmental influences.
Innovation Solution
A trough-like stowage compartment with a pivotable cover and hinge device that automatically opens and closes, featuring a locking mechanism and seal arrangement to ensure secure sealing and easy operation, preventing wedging and air cushion issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a seal line is designed for the front flap to protect the baggage compartment, then environmental protection is improved, but the seal line may be in an impact region requiring special design measures that increase costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the seal line from the impact region by positioning it on the rearward-facing surface of the front hood, away from pedestrian impact zones. This allows the seal to provide environmental protection without requiring special design measures for impact resistance, thereby reducing costs while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a hood component as an intermediary structure that carries the seal line. This hood component is positioned such that it provides the sealing function while being structurally separated from the main impact-bearing structures, allowing the seal to function without compromising pedestrian protection requirements.
2Quantity of substance
If the baggage compartment is loaded too strongly, then storage capacity is improved, but the front flap can be damaged or deformed upon closing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention provides beforehand cushioning by designing the hood component with adequate structural strength and positioning the seal line to distribute closing forces evenly. This prevents localized stress concentrations that could cause damage or deformation when the compartment is heavily loaded and closed.
3Ease of operation
If unsealed stowage compartments are used for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but comfort is reduced due to lack of protection against environmental influences
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a simple, cost-effective seal line made of elastomeric material that provides effective sealing without complex mechanisms. This economical sealing solution maintains protection against environmental influences while allowing easy access to the stowage compartment, balancing comfort and ease of operation.
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 solution provides a safe, easy-to-operate stowage compartment that maintains environmental protection and prevents damage from overloading, ensuring reliable sealing and reduced operational complexity while adhering to pedestrian protection standards.
Implementation Method 1
the cover automatically moves into its closed position because of gravity below the minimum opening angle
Implementation Method 2
The locking device can have a spring pre-tensioned lever element supported on the cover, having a catch section and an actuating section. In this case, the catch section can be engaged in the closed position of the cover with a corresponding support section of the container
Data Source
AI summary
A stowage compartment for a motor vehicle, wherein the stowage compartment is designed to be arranged underneath a hood element of the motor vehicle, wherein the hood element forms a part of the outer skin of the motor vehicle, wherein the stowage compartment includes: a trough-like container; a cover connectable or connected to the container, wherein the cover is movable relative to the container around a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position, a hinge device, which enables the pivot movement of the cover relative to the container it is provided here that the hinge device is designed in such a way that the cover is automatically held in an arbitrary open position from a minimum opening angle (Wmin) and up to a maximum opening angle (Wmax), and in that the cover automatically moves into a closed position because of gravity below the minimum opening angle (Wmin).