MXPA96005316A - Cap control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to in combination with a mobile vehicle chassis, of the type having a hood positioned to open forwardly of the vehicle and pivoting about a horizontal transverse pivot to expose a motor compartment thereof, a control apparatus for The hood comprises a cushion cylinder that is sturdy for spreading and pivotally mounted on a mounting bracket attached to an upper center portion of a refrigerant package frame mounted in a fixed position on the chassis, the cushion cylinder extending along a line longitudinal center of the chassis to a pivotal mounting on the underside of the hood, the pivot assembly being positioned to maintain the cushion cylinder elevated above the coolant package frame in all movement positions of the canopy; releasable clamp for holding the shock absorber cylinder in an extended position The damping cylinder more specifically comprises a rod that telescopes in a cylinder, the rod being capable of extending from a rod coupling end of the cylinder, the clamping mechanism comprising a sleeve pivotally engaged with the rod of the damping cylinder and it extends around the periphery thereof, the sleeve being capable of abutting the rod coupling end of the cylinder, when the rod has been extended from the cylinder by a predetermined amount, the sleeve is pushed towards the rod by a thrust spring; the sleeve has a free end that includes a shoulder, the shoulder defining a channel having a diameter that is slightly larger than a diameter of the rod, the sleeve being pushed against the rod, when the rod extends fully and meets the end of the rod. cylinder, and the sleeve has a pull cord attached to it in a way that, when pulled, applies a fu opposite to the push by the thrust spring, to pull the shoulder of the sleeve away from the rod

Description

"CAPOTA CONTROL DEVICE" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to medium and heavy duty trucks or buses of the type having a hood that encloses the engine compartment and which is pivotally mounted on the engine frame so that the hood is opened forward of the vehicle to expose the engine and the radiator and, more particularly, with an apparatus for controlling and damping the movement of the hood between its open and closed positions, wherein a single damper cylinder assembly of the type having a rod slidably disposed in a cylindrical housing is extends between the hood and the radiator frame. In a second embodiment, the cushion cylinder also includes a device for holding the hood in the open position.

THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE The dynamic movement of opening and closing a hood of a truck cab that leans forward has always presented challenges. Strong gusts of wind from the front of the vehicle have sometimes resulted in an unnoticed hood closure, causing damage to the underlying components when a canopy closes quickly. In addition, the individual opening or closing of the hood must maintain a manual control of the hood until the hood is either completely open or completely closed. Without this control, the hood would transfer a large shock load, by its own weight, to a lower frame of the hood's coolant package through stop cables, or to the hood receptacles mounted in the cab, as shown in FIG. use today. Others have provided canopy tilt assemblies, where the movement of the canopy is controlled by counter-balance springs and / or damping cylinders as shown in the following Patents North American: Number of the Patent Owner of the American Patent 3,017,944 R.C. Norrie 3,232,368 J.T. Sullivan 3,419,099 Brumbaugh and others 3,754,613 Stephens and others 4,281,733 Miller and others 4,566,552 Hoffman and another 4,991,675 Tosconi and others In Miller's reference, two cushion cylinders are used which are fixed to the outer sides of the radiator supports. In the Hoffman and others reference, a single cushion cylinder is fixed on the outer side of the left radiator support. With a single shock absorber cylinder, the damping load produces a torsional force in the hood that is resisted by the mounting pivots of the hood. Two cylinders increase the cost. It is also known how to provide a separate device connected between the frame and the hood to hold the hood in the open position.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a main object of the invention is to provide a hood control apparatus that aids the tilting of the hood and that works against a selectively resistive force during the opening and closing of the hood. A more specific object of the invention is to achieve the above by using a single stop assembly mounted on the centerline by hood. A further desired object is to provide a secondary embodiment wherein the cushion cylinder includes a clamping mechanism to hold the hood in the open position until it is desired to close the hood. These and other objects are specifically met by the hood control apparatus of the present invention, which includes a single rod and cylinder arrangement pivotally mounted along a centerline of the hood, between the hood and the mounting bracket. which sits on top of a cooling frame mounted on the chassis in order to keep the stop assembly above the components of the refrigerant package mounted on the frame at all times, the rod being placed under a resistive force as which extends from the cylinder. A combination of a single rod and cylinder is used and is pivotally fixed at one end of the canopy along the center line thereof, with another end of the same coupling to pivot a cooling frame mounted on the chassis. In the alternative mode of the damper cylinder, a clamping mechanism is provided with springs or springs to keep the rod fully extended, thus maintaining the hood in the fully open position until it is desired to close the hood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more evident when examining the detailed description thereof and during the inspection of the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view through a closed truck hood , which is illustrated as being transparent, showing the hood control apparatus of the present invention coupled between the shell and a mounting bracket secured to a frame of the refrigerant package mounted on the chassis, inside the hood; Figure 2 is a front perspective view showing the hood of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view showing the hood showing the control apparatus of the hood in different positions thereof, during tilting of the hood and showing a secondary mode of the cushion cylinder including a clamping mechanism; Figure 4 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the cushion cylinder of Figure 3 showing the clamping mechanism in a disengaged position therefrom; and Figure 5 is a side view of a portion of the cushion cylinder of Figure 3, showing the clamping mechanism in the disengaged position thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY (S) Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in the drawings a front portion of a truck generally identified as 60, of the type having an armature including a pair of transversely spaced rails 62 supported by wheels 64 of a conventional way. The front ends of the rails 62 of the frame are connected by a front bracket 66 that supports the front bumper (not shown) of the truck 60. A pivot bracket assembly 68 is secured to the rear portion of the front bracket 66, between the front brackets. frame rails 62 and adjustably holds a pair of pivot brackets 70 laterally spaced to provide a horizontal pivot axis 72. A vehicle hood 20 (shown with its transparent coating in the drawings) is provided in its front lower wall 74 with the hinge plates 76 which are pivotally mounted on the pivot brackets 70 so that the hood 20 can swing up and forward about the pivot axis 72, between open and closed positions as shown in Figure 3, in order to expose the truck engine compartment.

In accordance with the invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a bonnet control apparatus generally identified by the reference numeral 10, is provided to control the movement of the hood 20. As shown, the apparatus 10 of Hood control comprises a cushion cylinder or a shock absorber 12 of the type described in US Patent Number 4,566,552, having a rod 14 that is slidably engaged within a cylinder 16. A free end 17 of the cylinder 16 is pivotally coupled with a hood 20 of the vehicle by means of a mounting bracket 22 fixed to an integral longitudinal top reinforcement member 21, which extends along a central line of the hood 20. A free end 24 of the rod 14 with a mounting bracket 28 secured in the upper central portion 27 of a transversely extending cooling package frame assembly 26 which is secured in a fixed vertical position in the air 62 of the frame, to support the vehicle radiator, the charge air cooler, and an air conditioning condenser (not shown). The mounting bracket 28 is designed in such a way that when the hood 20 is closed, the damper cylinder 12 remains above the level of the cooling frame 26. The mounting brackets 22 and 28 are positioned relative to each other and the pivot axis 72 such that when the hood 20 is closed, the rod 14 extends in less than its entire position outside the cylinder 16., due to reasons that will become apparent below, and the full extension of the rod 14 is effected when the hood 20 is tilted to open through approximately 70 ° of inclination from the closed position thereof, and minor retraction occurs that the complete of the rod 14, in the intermediate positions of the hoods, possibly avoiding full retraction the path of the hood 20. In this way, during the inclination of the hood 20, as shown in Figure 3, the rod 14 is retracted towards the cylinder 16 to the greatest degree desirable when the cushion cylinder 12 is in an almost vertical or centered orientation, the rod 14 extending out of the cylinder 16 to a greater degree as the arrangement 12 pivots on either side of the almost vertical orientation of the same, marching above the center. Once the hood 20 moves above the center in either direction, the extension of the rod 14 is controlled by the damper in the damper cylinder and slows the rate of travel of the hood 20, until the rod 14 is fully extended. In addition, the counterbalance springs 30 can be provided between appropriately placed anchoring brackets 31, attached to the hood 20 and the outer sides of the frame 20 of the cooling package to counteract a portion of the weight of the hood. During the operation of opening the hood 20, when the rod 14 reaches a fully extended position, the arrangement 12 can serve as a top of the hood to limit the open position of the hood 20 and carry the weight thereof, eliminating in this way the need for the stop cables that are used today. In Figures 1 and 2, the damper cylinder 12 is a simple hydraulic shock absorber. However, in Figure 3, a clamping mechanism 36 incorporated in the cylinder 12 is shown in order to keep the hood 20 in its open position until the operator wishes to close the hood. The preferred embodiment of the clamping mechanism 36, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, takes the form of a sleeve 38 of semi-cylindrical steel which is pivotally coupled with and extends from the free end 24 of the rod 14, and is of such a length that when the damper cylinder 12 is in an almost fully extended position thereof, a free end 42 of the sleeve 38 extends just before a rod engaging end 40 of the cylinder 16, so as to allow that the end 42 of the cylinder abuts against it as shown at 43 in Figure 3, thereby preventing retraction of the cushion cylinder 12. The stop between the free end 42 of the sleeve 18 and the end 40 of the cylinder 16 can be maintained by a spring or spring 44 coupled with and through the sleeve 38 above the rod 14 in such a manner as to push the sleeve 38 against the rod 14. However, it must be understood that the spring or spring 44 must be positioned along a portion of the rod 14 that does not retract towards the cylinder 16 to prevent interference with the cylinder 16, during opening and closing of the hood 20. It will also be understood that the sleeve 38 must be of a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the cylinder 16 so that the cylinder 16 can move freely therein. The free end 42 of the sleeve 38 must therefore be configured to create a channel 46 therein through and within which the cylinder 16 can freely slide while the channel 46 becomes narrower towards the free end 42 so that the free end 40 of the cylinder can come up against it. This is achieved by providing a shoulder 48 of reduced diameter at the free end 42 of the sleeve 38, the channel 46 being defined therein with a diameter only slightly larger than that of the cylinder 16. Therefore,, as the damper cylinder 12 approaches a fully extended position when the canopy is moved to its open position, the rod end engaging end 16 of the cylinder 16 slides out of the channel 46 and under the spring pressure or spring 44, the sleeve 38 is raised against the rod 14 and the end 40 of the cylinder engages against the edge 42 of the shoulder 48. To cause the decoupling of the clamping mechanism 36, a pull cord 50 is attached to the sleeve 38 as shown in FIG. shows, towards the free end 24 thereof, the pull cord 50 being accessible through a grip opening 60 in the front part of the hood 20. The pull cord 50 is coupled with the sleeve 38 in an opposite position in the opposite direction. the same up to the position of the spring or pushing spring 44 such that when the cord 50 is pulled, the pushing spring 44 is lengthened, releasing the end 42 of the sleeve from its stop position c on the end 40 of the cylinder, and the cylinder 16 slides back towards the channel 46 ready to march inside it.

As described above, the control apparatus of the hood of the invention provides a number of advantages some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications to the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein can be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is limited only as necessary by the appended claims.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. In combination with a mobile vehicle chassis of the type having a hood positioned to open forward of the vehicle without pivoting about a horizontal transverse pivot to expose an engine compartment thereof, a hood control apparatus comprising a cylinder Pivot-mounted shock absorber on a mounting bracket fixed to the upper center portion of a refrigerant package frame mounted in a fixed position on the chassis, the shock absorber cylinder extends along a longitudinal center line of the chassis to a pivot mounting on On the underside of the hood, the mounting bracket is placed in position to keep the cushion cylinder raised above the refrigerant package frame in all movement positions of the hood.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the cushion cylinder extends fully when the hood is fully open.

The invention according to claim 1, wherein the cushion cylinder is retracted less than fully when the canopy is raised to an almost vertical orientation.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the cushion cylinder extends to less than its full extent when the hood is closed.

The invention according to claim 1, wherein the mounting brackets attached to the free ends of the cushion cylinder are spaced apart from one another at a predetermined distance so that the cylinder can not fully extend when the hood is in a position closed.

The invention according to claim 1, including a releasable clamping mechanism for holding the damper cylinder arrangement in an extended position.

The invention according to claim 6, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a sleeve pivotally engaged at one end of the damper cylinder rod and extending around the periphery thereof and which is of a predetermined length for bumping against one end of the cylinder when the end of the rod extends from the cylinder by a predetermined amount.

The invention according to claim 7, wherein the sleeve is semi-cylindrical and is pushed towards the rod by a spring or spring.

9. The invention according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve has a free end that includes a shoulder stepped inwardly, the shoulder defines a channel having a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the cylinder.

The invention according to claim 9, wherein the inwardly stepped shoulder is pushed against the rod when the rod extends fully and abuts against the end of the cylinder.

The invention according to claim 10, wherein the sleeve has a pull cord attached thereto in a manner that when pulled, applies an opposing force against the thrust of the push spring to pull the shoulder of the sleeve away from the sleeve. the rod.

12. In combination with a mobile vehicle chassis of the type having a hood positioned to open forwardly of the vehicle and pivotally about a horizontal transverse pivot to expose an engine compartment thereof, a hood control apparatus comprising assisting the tilting of a forward tilting truck hood and maintaining the hood in an open position thereof comprising a pair of counterbalanced springs or springs extending between the secured end respectively to the hood and the chassis, a cushion cylinder extending along the longitudinal central longitudinal line of the chassis and having one end of the cylinder pivotally mounted on the top and one end of the rod pivotally mounted on a bracket secured on a top center portion of a frame of refrigerant package mounted on the chassis in an upright position, and a releasable clamping mechanism fixed to the cushion cylinder and positioned to hold the cylinder in a predetermined extended position thereof. The invention according to claim 12, wherein the releasable clamping mechanism comprises: a semi-cylindrical sleeve extending around the rod of the cylinder having a length less than the fully extended length of the rod from the cylinder, The sleeve is pushed towards the rod by a spring or spring that extends beyond the rod on one side thereof opposite the magnet and in such a manner that the end of the sleeve abuts against a rod coupling end of the cylinder when the rod reaches the end of the sleeve. Shock absorber cylinder is fully extended. The invention according to claim 13, wherein the sleeve has a pull cord attached thereto such that, when pulled, it applies an opposing force against the thrust of the push spring to pull the shoulder of the sleeve away from it. the rod and in this way allow the cylinder to be retracted by the closing movement of the hood.