JP2013124525A - Front hood lock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a third half-open state of a front hood to prevent full open of the front hood due to wind pressure when in use under a severe condition unintended by a designer and the striker is separated from the front hood during traveling.SOLUTION: When a striker 20 is separated from a front hood 10 during traveling due to breakage of the striker 20 in a full-closed state (A) where the striker 20 is caught in a main latch-side engagement groove 2802, a front side of the front hood 10 raises by wind pressure, a hook 4004 is engaged with an engagement wall 2206, and the front hood 10 becomes a third half-open state (C) from the full-closed state (A). Thus, the front hood 10 is prevented from being fully opened to secure the field of view of a driver. The front hood 10 becomes the third half-open state (C) during traveling, thereby notifying the driver of occurrence of abnormality in a lock mechanism 16 of the front hood 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lock mechanism for a front hood of a vehicle.

Conventionally, a front opening front hood vehicle is provided with a lock mechanism that locks the fully closed state of the front hood.
This locking mechanism is composed of a striker attached to the front hood and a latch unit attached to the vehicle body, and the latch unit has a main latch and a secondary latch.
The main latch is locked to the striker in the fully closed state of the front hood to lock the fully closed state.
When the main latch is swung by an operation from the passenger compartment, the main latch raises the striker, and the front hood enters a first half-open state in which the front side can be slightly opened and raised.

The secondary latch is engaged with the striker in the second half-open state of the front hood slightly opened from the first half-open state to form a second half-open state.
Therefore, the secondary latch prevents the front hood from changing from the first half-open state to the full-open state due to wind pressure when the main latch is erroneously operated during high-speed traveling.
In order for the user to change the front hood from the fully closed state to the fully open state, first, the front hood is set to the first half-open state by the main latch by an operation from the vehicle interior, and then the secondary latch by the operation from the front side of the front hood. Is swung to a retracted position where the secondary latch is not locked to the striker, and the front hood is lifted to a fully open state.

Japanese Patent No. 3589282 JP 2004-360416 A JP 2006-299627 A

However, if the striker is disconnected from the front hood due to use under severe conditions not intended by the designer, such as when the striker breaks during high speed driving or the striker comes off the front hood. The front hood cannot be formed in the fully closed state, the first half-open state, and the second half-open state, and the front hood is fully opened by the wind pressure to block the front view.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is that the striker is separated from the front hood during traveling by use under severe conditions not intended by the designer. In this case, a front hood locking mechanism is provided which forms a third half-open state of the front hood and prevents the front hood from being fully opened by wind pressure.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a front-open front hood that opens and closes a vehicle body space in front of a driver's seat, a striker attached to a lower surface in front of the front hood, and a swingable support on the vehicle body side. The striker is sandwiched to form a fully closed state of the front hood, and the striker is released by operation from the vehicle interior to form a first half-open state of the front hood that is opened from the fully closed state. A main latch and supported on the vehicle body side so as to be swingable. When the front hood moves upward from the first half-open state, the front hood is locked to the striker and opens more than the first half-open state. The second half-open state is formed, and in the first half-open state, the front hood is swung to the first retracted position by an operation from the front end of the front hood. A lock mechanism for the front hood having a secondary latch that allows upward movement of the front hood, wherein the front hood is locked to the first half-opening position by being locked to a locking portion different from the striker provided on the front hood. A third latch that is in a third half-open state that is open from the state is provided in the secondary latch so as to swing integrally with the secondary latch, and the third latch is configured such that the secondary latch is in the first retracted position. When it swings, it swings to a second retracted position that retracts from the locking portion and allows the front hood to move upward.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the striker is disconnected from the front hood during high-speed running due to use under severe conditions not intended by the designer, the front side of the front hood rises due to wind pressure, and the third side Since the latch and the locking portion are locked and the front hood is in the third half-open state, the fully open state of the front hood can be prevented and the driver's view can be secured.
Further, since the front hood is in the third half-open state during traveling, the driver can be informed that an abnormality has occurred in the front hood locking mechanism.
In addition, the third latch is provided in the secondary latch whose relative positional relationship with the front hood is determined by the striker until immediately before the striker is separated from the front hood, so that the locking portion and the hook are securely locked. This is advantageous in reliably forming the third half-open state.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is advantageous to let the driver easily know that an abnormality has occurred in the lock mechanism of the front hood during traveling.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the structure of the lock mechanism can be simplified, made compact, and reduced in weight by sharing the support shaft of the secondary latch and the support shaft of the third latch.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the impact absorbing portion absorbs the impact, it is advantageous in enhancing the durability of the third latch and the locking portion.

It is explanatory drawing of the fully closed state of the front hood seen from the front of the vehicle. It is explanatory drawing of the fully closed state of the front hood seen from the vehicle back. It is explanatory drawing of the 1st half-open state of the front hood seen from the front of a vehicle. It is explanatory drawing of the 3rd half-open state of a front hood seen from the front of a vehicle. It is explanatory drawing in which the secondary latch and the third latch were integrated.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The front hood 10 of the vehicle opens and closes the vehicle body space in front of the driver's seat, and is configured such that the front side opens upward with the rear side as the center.
A front end upper bar 12 extends in the vehicle width direction at an upper front portion of the vehicle body space, and a hood lock stay 14 extends downward from an intermediate portion in the extending direction of the front end upper bar 12.

The lock mechanism 16 of the front hood 10 includes a striker 20 and a hook bracket 22 attached to the front lower surface of the front hood 10 and a latch unit 24 attached to the vehicle body side.
The latch unit 24 includes a base 26, a main latch 28, a secondary latch 30, a pole 32, a first spring 34, a second spring 36, a third spring 38, and a third latch 40.

As shown in FIG. 1, the striker 20 is made of a metal round bar, and as shown in FIG. 1, a base 2002 at both ends to be attached to the reinforcement 42 on the lower surface of the front hood 10, and a lower part from the end of each base 2002. It has a leg part 2004 and an engagement shaft 2006 that connects the lower ends of both leg parts 2004.
The hook bracket 22 is made of a metal plate material, and includes a base portion 2202 attached to the reinforcement 42, a leg portion 2204 that hangs downward from the end portion of the base portion 2202, and a hook provided at the lower end of the leg portion 2204. And a stop wall 2206.
The locking wall 2206 is a portion that locks with the third latch 40 and constitutes a locking portion on the front hood 10 side that is different from the striker 20 that the secondary latch 30 locks.

The base 26 is made of a metal plate, and is fastened to the front end upper bar 12 and the hood lock stay 14 on the vehicle body side via three bolts B1.
The base 26 is formed with a base-side engagement groove 2602 that allows the engagement shaft 2006 to move. The base-side engagement groove 2602 extends vertically and is open upward.

The main latch 28, the secondary latch 30, and the pole 32 are supported by the base 26 so as to be swingable, and are each formed of a metal plate material.
A main latch side engagement groove 2802 is formed in the main latch 28.
The main latch side engagement groove 2802 is engageable with an engagement shaft 2006 located in the base side engagement groove 2602, and the first latch position (i.e. ), The main latch side engagement groove 2802 engages with the engagement shaft 2006 positioned in the base side engagement groove 2602, and the engagement shaft 2006 is sandwiched in the base side engagement groove 2602 so as not to move up and down. The fully closed state (A) of the front hood 10 is formed.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first swing position (A) of the main latch 28 is achieved by engaging the engaging portion (not shown) of the pole 32 with the engaging portion (not shown) of the main latch 28. This engagement state is held by the elastic force of the third spring 38.

The cable wire W is attached to the attachment portion of the pole 32. When the pole 32 swings against the elastic force of the third spring 38 by the operation at the driver's seat, the engagement between the pole 32 and the main latch 28 occurs. The combined state is released, and as shown in FIG. 3, the main latch 28 is in the second swing position (b) by the elastic force of the first spring 34 (see FIG. 2).
At the second swing position (B), the engagement shaft 2006 is disengaged from the main latch side engagement groove 2802, and the wall portion constituting the main latch side engagement groove 2802 by the swing of the main latch 28. Then, the engagement shaft 2006 can move upward in the base side engagement groove 2602.
With the engagement shaft 2006 riding on the wall portion constituting the main latch side engagement groove 2802, the front hood 10 is changed from the fully closed state (A) to the first half-open state (B) slightly opened.

As shown in FIG. 1, the secondary latch 30 is swingably supported by the base 26 via a support shaft 3002.
The secondary latch 30 has a first projecting piece 3006 and a second projecting piece 3008 projecting from one end of the base portion 3004, and a guide groove 3010 that enables the engagement shaft 2006 to move therebetween is formed. .
A hook 3012 that can be locked to the engaging shaft 2006 is provided at the upper end of the first projecting piece 3006, and an operation piece 3014 on which a finger is hung projects from an intermediate portion of the first projecting piece 3006. .
An upper portion of the second protruding piece 3008 is formed with an inclined portion 3016 that gradually separates from the first protruding piece 3006 toward the upper end.
The second spring 36 is bridged between the base 26 and the base portion 3004, and the secondary latch 30 is biased by the biasing force of the second spring 36, and the edge 3020 of the elongated hole of the secondary latch 30 is attached to the base 26. By engaging with the protrusion 2620, the secondary latch 30 becomes an upright position (c) where the lower portion of the guide groove 3010 matches the base side engaging groove 2602, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

If the main latch 28 is erroneously operated during high-speed traveling, the front hood 10 is in the first half-open state (B), so the front hood 10 is opened by wind pressure, but the engagement shaft 2006 is connected to the hook 3012 of the secondary latch 30. Thus, the front hood 10 becomes a second half-open state (not shown) slightly opened from the first half-open state (B), and the front hood 10 is prevented from being fully opened.
In order for the user to change the front hood 10 from the fully closed state (A) to the fully open state, first, the striker 20 is lifted by the main latch 28 by operating the passenger compartment in the driver's seat, and the front hood 10 is moved to the first half open state ( B), a finger is placed on the operation piece 3014 from the front side of the front hood 10 to swing the secondary latch 30 to the retracted position (d) indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 3 against the elastic force of the second spring 36. .
The secondary latch 30 is in the retracted position (d), and the hook 3012 is disengaged from the locus of the engagement shaft 2006 and allows the front hood 10 to move upward.
Therefore, the user lifts the front hood 10 and fully opens it.

The third latch 40 is made of a metal plate material, and a base portion is supported by a support shaft 3002 of the secondary latch 30. As described above, the structure of the lock mechanism 16 of the front hood 10 is simplified, made compact, and lightweight by sharing the support shaft 3002 of the secondary latch 30 and the support shaft of the third latch 40.
The third latch 40 is connected to the secondary latch 30 at an intermediate portion by a pin 4002 and extends upward along the second protruding piece 3008 so as not to interfere with the guide groove 3010, and a hook 4004 is provided at the upper end. It has been.
Therefore, the third latch 40 is attached to the secondary latch 30, is provided so as to be swingable integrally with the secondary latch 30, and swings coaxially with the secondary latch 30.
Further, when the hook 40 described later is locked to the locking wall 2206 at the location of the third latch 40 between the pin 4002 and the hook 40, as shown in FIGS. An impact absorbing portion 4010 that absorbs an impact caused by the upward movement is formed. The shock absorbing portion 4010 is formed by a bent portion where a plate material constituting the third latch 40 is appropriately bent, and the bent portion extends to absorb the shock, and the third latch 40 including the hook 4004 and the hook including the locking wall 2206. The durability of the bracket 22 is increased.
Of course, as shown in FIG. 5, the secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40 may be integrated.

At the first swing position (A) of the main latch 28, the main latch side engagement groove 2802 is engaged with the engagement shaft 2006, and the fully closed state (A) of the front hood 10 is formed. The secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40 are both in the standing position (c) and (e).
That is, when the front hood 10 is in the fully closed state (A), the relative positional relationship between the front hood 10 and the latch unit 24 is determined by the striker 20. In other words, the third latch 40 is provided integrally with the secondary latch 30 in which the relative positional relationship with the front hood 10 is determined by the striker 20, and the locking wall 2206 and the hook 4004 are provided with such a relative relationship. In the positional relationship, when the striker 20 is separated from the front hood 10 and the front hood 10 is raised, the hook 4004 is disposed at a position where the hook 4004 can be locked to the locking wall 2206.
Accordingly, the striker 20 is broken while the striker 20 is sandwiched between the main latch side engaging grooves 2802, or the striker 20 is detached from the reinforcement 42. When the front hood 10 is raised, the hood is opened by the wind pressure received during traveling, the locking wall 2206 is securely locked to the hook 4004, and the third portion of the front hood 10 that is opened more than the first half-open state (B). The half-open state (C) is formed.

In the first half-open state (B), since the engagement shaft 2006 is located in the base side engagement groove 2802, the relative positional relationship between the front hood 10 and the latch unit 24 is determined, Even in the second half-open state, since the engagement shaft 2006 is locked to the hook 3012, the relative positional relationship between the front hood 10 and the latch unit 24 is determined.
Therefore, when the striker 20 is disconnected from the front hood 10 in the first half-open state (B) and the second half-open state and the front hood 10 is raised by the wind pressure, not only in the fully closed state (A) described above, The wall 2206 is securely locked to the hook 4004, and the third half-open state (C) of the front hood 10 is formed which is more open than the first half-open state (B).

When the secondary latch 30 is in the standing position (c), the third latch 40 is also in the standing position (e), and the secondary latch 30 is swung to the retracted position (d) by placing a finger on the operation piece 3014 from the front side of the front hood 10. The third latch 40 also retreats from the locus of the locking wall 2206 and becomes a retraction position (f) that allows the locking wall 2206 to move upward, that is, to allow the front hood 10 to move upward.
When the front hood 10 is lifted while putting a finger on the operation piece 3010, the engagement shaft 2006 rises through the base side engagement groove 2602, and the locking wall 2206 rises as it is, so that the front hood 10 is fully opened. It becomes a state.
In the present embodiment, the third latch 40 is inclined to the base-side engagement groove 2602 in the retracted position (f). Therefore, when the front hood 10 is lifted while putting a finger on the operation piece 3010, the engagement shaft 2006 is engaged with the base-side engagement. The front hood 10 is fully opened by moving upward through the joint groove 2602 and through the space between the hook 3012 of the first projecting piece 3006 and the third latch 40.

Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described.
When the striker 20 breaks in the fully closed state (A) in which the striker 20 is sandwiched by the main latch side engaging groove 2802 during high-speed traveling due to use under severe conditions that the designer does not intend, the striker 20 breaks. When separated from the front hood 10, the front side of the front hood 10 is raised by the wind pressure, the front hood 10 is changed from the fully closed state (A) to the third half-open state (C), and the front hood 10 can be prevented from being fully opened. The driver's field of view can be secured.
Similarly, when the striker 20 is disconnected from the front hood 10 during high-speed traveling in the first half-open state (B) or the second half-open state, the front hood 10 is also in the first half-open state (B) or the second half-open state. From the second half-open state to the third half-open state (C), the front hood 10 can be prevented from being fully opened, and the driver's field of view can be secured.
Further, since the front hood 10 is in the third half-open state (C) while traveling, the driver can be informed that an abnormality has occurred in the lock mechanism 16 of the front hood 10.

Further, until the striker 20 is separated from the front hood 10, the relative positional relationship between the front hood 10 and the latch unit 24 is determined by the striker 20.
That is, in the fully closed state (A), the first half-open state (B), and the second half-open state, the secondary latch 30 is held in the standing position (c) in which the relative positional relationship with the front hood 10 is determined. The third latch 40 integrated with the secondary latch is held in an upright position (e) where the locking wall 2206 and the hook 4004 can be locked.
Therefore, the locking wall 2206 and the hook 4004 are securely locked, which is advantageous in reliably forming the third half-open state (C).

When the third latch 40 that is locked to the front hood 10 to form the third half-open state (C) is provided at a location away from the main latch 28 and the secondary latch 30, the front hood 10 is attached to the second hood 10. When changing from the half-open state to the fully-closed state (A), the third latch 40 must be swung in conjunction with the secondary latch 30, and the secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40 are interlocked using a spring or a cable. It is necessary to connect with a mechanism.
In addition, when the secondary latch 30 is provided at a location away from the main latch 28 and the third latch 40 is provided integrally with the secondary latch 30, the secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40 are swung in conjunction with the main latch 28. It is necessary to connect the main latch 28, the secondary latch 30, and the third latch 40 with an interlocking mechanism using a spring or a cable.
However, in the above-described configuration using the interlocking mechanism, breakage of the striker 20 during traveling occurs due to use under severe conditions that are not intended by the designer. It is conceivable that the secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40 do not operate and are always in the retracted positions (d) and (f), and the third latch 40 has low reliability.
In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the striker 20 is provided integrally with the secondary latch 30 whose relative positional relationship with the front hood 10 is determined by the striker 20, the interlock that connects the secondary latch 30 and the third latch 40. A mechanism is unnecessary, and the third latch 40 with high reliability can be obtained in forming the third half-open state (C).

  In the third half-open state (C), the front hood is within a range that does not obstruct the driver's view from the viewpoint of easily informing the driver that an abnormality has occurred in the lock mechanism 16 of the front hood 10 during traveling. It is desirable that the opening degree of 10 is large. For example, the opening degree may be the same as that of the second half-open state, but it is more preferable that the opening degree is larger than that of the second half-open state.

  10 ... Front hood, 16 ... Front hood lock mechanism, 20 ... Strike, 22 ... Hook bracket, 2202 ... Locking wall, 24 ... Latch unit, 26 ... Base, 28 ... Main latch, 30 ... Secondary latch, 3010 ... Spindle, 3012 ... Hook, 40 ... Third latch, 4004 ... Hook, 4010 ... Shock absorber.

Claims (4)

Front hood with front opening that opens and closes the body space in front of the driver's seat,
A striker attached to the front lower surface of the front hood;
The front hood is supported in a swingable manner on the vehicle body side so as to sandwich the striker to form a fully closed state of the front hood, and the striker is released from the fully closed state by releasing the striker by an operation from a vehicle interior. A main latch forming a first half-open state;
The second hood is supported on the vehicle body side so as to be swingable and is locked to the striker when the front hood moves upward from the first half-open state, and the front hood is opened more than the first half-open state. The secondary latch has a secondary latch that forms a half-open state and swings to a first retracted position by an operation from the front end of the front hood in the first half-open state and allows the front hood to move upward. A hood locking mechanism,
A third latch that locks the front hood to a third half-open state that is opened from the first half-open state by locking the front hood to a lock portion different from the striker provided in the front hood is connected to the secondary latch. Is provided to swing together with
When the secondary latch swings to the first retracted position, the third latch swings to the second retracted position that retracts from the locking portion and allows the front hood to move upward.
A front hood locking mechanism. The third half-open state is a state in which the front hood is further opened than the second half-open state.
The front hood locking mechanism according to claim 1. The secondary latch and the third latch are pivotally supported coaxially and swing coaxially.
The front hood locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the front hood is locked. The third latch has an impact absorbing portion that absorbs an impact caused by the upward movement of the front hood when the third latch is locked to the locking portion.
The front hood locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front hood is locked.

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