MULTI-STAGE DETACHABLE HOOD AIR SCOOP ASSEMBLIES AND VEHICLES INCORPORATING THE SAME

• US 20180170172A1
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanna, Brandon H., Cunningham, James, Reyes-Crespo, Edgardo, Frederick, Scott L., KHOUPHONGSY, PHOUVADOL
• Granted Patent: US 10,166,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/12 Parts or details thereof locks E05B, E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; springs, e.g. pneumatic springs F16F

Abstract

A vehicle includes a hood assembly that covers an engine compartment. A multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly is connected to the hood assembly. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly includes an intake component connected directly to the hood assembly. A cover component is releasably connected to the intake component and directly to the hood assembly using releasable connections such that the cover component detaches from the intake component and the hood assembly in response to a predetermined front impact force.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a hood assembly that extends over an engine compartment; and

a multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly connected to the hood assembly above the engine compartment, the multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly comprising;

an intake component connected directly to the hood assembly; and

a cover component releasably connected to the intake component and directly to the hood assembly using releasable connections such that the cover component detaches from the intake component and the hood assembly in response to a predetermined front impact force.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the intake component is connected to the hood assembly in a non-releasable fashion using fasteners.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the intake component comprises a fastening arm connected to the cover component, the fastening arm having a line of weakness that separates the fastening arm into a connected portion that remains connected to the intake component and a free portion that separates from the connected portion upon application of a predetermined tensile force at the line of weakness.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the line of weakness is formed as a thinned material region that extends along the fastening arm.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the intake component comprises multiple fastening arms connected to the cover component, the multiple fastening arms each having a line of weakness that separates the multiple fastening arms into connected portions that remain connected to the intake component and free portions that separate from the associated connected portions upon application of a predetermined tensile force at the lines of weakness.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cover component has a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion connecting to the intake component and the rear portion connecting to the hood assembly.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the rear portion of the cover component has a plurality of slot structures connected to fasteners connected to the hood assembly, the plurality of slot structures having open ends that are aligned in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

8. A multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly that connects to a hood assembly that extends over an engine compartment of a vehicle, the multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly comprising:

an intake component that connects directly to the hood assembly above the engine compartment; and

a cover component that releasably connects to the intake component and directly to the hood assembly above the engine compartment using releasable connections such that the cover component detaches from the intake component and the hood assembly in response to a predetermined front impact force.

9. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 8, wherein the intake component connects to the hood assembly in a non-releasable fashion.

10. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 8, wherein the intake component comprises a fastening arm that connects to the cover component, the fastening arm having a line of weakness that separates the fastening arm into a connected portion that remains connected to the intake component and a free portion that separates from the connected portion upon application of a predetermined tensile force at the line of weakness.

11. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 10, wherein the line of weakness is formed as a thinned material region that extends along the fastening arm.

12. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 8, wherein the intake component comprises multiple fastening arms that connect to the cover component, the multiple fastening arms each having a line of weakness that separates the multiple fastening arms into connected portions that remain connected to the intake component and free portions that separate from the associated connected portions upon application of a predetermined tensile force at the lines of weakness.

13. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 8, wherein the cover component has a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion connects to the intake component and the rear portion connects to the hood assembly.

14. The multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly of claim 13, wherein the rear portion of the cover component has a plurality of slot structures that connect to fasteners connected to the hood assembly, the plurality of slot structures having open ends that align in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

15. A method of providing a multi-stage detachable hood air scoop assembly for a hood assembly that extends over an engine compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising:

connecting an intake component directly to the hood assembly above the engine compartment; and

connecting a cover component directly to the hood assembly and the intake component above the engine compartment, the cover component being connected to the hood assembly and the intake component using releasable connections such that the cover component detaches from the intake component and the hood assembly in response to a predetermined front impact force.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising connecting the intake component to the hood assembly in a non-releasable fashion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the intake component comprises a fastening arm that connects to the cover component, the fastening arm having a line of weakness that separates the fastening arm into a connected portion that remains connected to the intake component and a free portion that separates from the connected portion upon application of a predetermined tensile force at the line of weakness.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the line of weakness is formed as a thinned material region that extends along the fastening arm.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the cover component has a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion connects to the intake component and the rear portion connects to the hood assembly.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the rear portion of the cover component has a plurality of slot structures that connect to fasteners connected to the hood assembly, the plurality of slot structures having open ends that align in a vehicle longitudinal direction.