Hood stop assemblies for a vehicle and methods for setting a position of a vehicle hood

• US 9,963,917 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Reyes Luna, Rodolfo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Christine M
• Application Number:
  US14/106,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 292 1, 292DIG 4, 292DIG 42, 292163, 292DIG 14, 292DIG 60, 292317, 292318, 292319, 292321, 29619311, 296207, 16 85, 16 86 R, 16 86 A, 180 692, 180 6921, 411508-510, 248 271, 248 273
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0046 Ratchet mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0041 Damping means for vehicles E05B77/42; time locks with retarders E05B43/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/42 Means for damping the movement of lock parts, e.g. slowing down the return movement of a handle E05B77/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/24 for car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/022 specially adapted for vehicles, e.g. for hoods or trunks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/12 by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/314 Vertical motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

Abstract

Hood stop assemblies and methods of setting a hood of a vehicle to a support frame. The receptacle includes an interior wall that defines a first part of a linear ratchet. The shaft includes a head and a wedge tooth lock that forms a second part of the linear ratchet. The first part of the linear ratchet engages the second part of the linear ratchet in a range of height positions. The methods disclosed relate to setting, adjusting and locking the hood stop.

Claims

1. A hood stop assembly comprising:

a hood for closing an engine compartment opening defined by a vehicle;

a receptacle attached to the vehicle adjacent the engine compartment opening defining an opening having an axis the receptacle including a plurality of receptacle teeth;

a stop including;

a shaft having a first shaft end and a second shaft end, the first shaft end inserted in the opening and the second shaft end adjacent to the hood when the hood is in a closed position;

an arm having a first arm end and a second arm end, the second arm end being radially outwardly spaced from the shaft and the first arm end being attached to the first shaft end within the opening and including locking teeth received by the plurality of receptacle teeth;

a biasing device positioned between the second shaft end and the receptacle and biasing the shaft toward the hood; and

a release extending from the second arm end and positioned between the hood and the receptacle, wherein the release is compressed outside the opening towards the shaft to disengage the locking teeth from the plurality of receptacle teeth;

wherein the stop is pressed into the receptacle by moving the hood to the closed position with the locking teeth being movable relative to the plurality of receptacle teeth to insert the stop further into the receptacle and resist withdrawal of the stop from the receptacle.

2. The hood stop assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second arm radially outwardly spaced from the shaft with a second end of the second arm attached to the shaft within the opening, the second arm having a second set of locking teeth, the receptacle further including a second set of receptacle teeth for receiving the second set of locking teeth.

3. The hood stop assembly of claim 1, wherein the second arm end is spaced from the shaft to allow the arm to move relative to the shaft, wherein when the arm is moved towards the shaft, the locking teeth of the arm disengage from the plurality of receptacle teeth.

4. The hood stop assembly of claim 1, wherein each tooth of the plurality of receptacle teeth and the locking teeth includes a back edge, arranged orthogonally to the axis, and a front edge arranged along an acute angle with respect to the axis and wherein the back edges and the front edges of the plurality of receptacle teeth and the locking teeth form a linear ratchet.

5. A hood stop assembly for a hood of a vehicle comprising:

a hood of a vehicle;

a receptacle attached to a support frame of the vehicle, the receptacle including a top surface that defines an opening, wherein a first part of a linear ratchet is provided within the opening;

a stop including a head extending from an upper end of a shaft, wherein the shaft is inserted into the opening defined by the receptacle with the head extending above the top surface of the receptacle to engage the hood in a closed position of the hood, wherein the shaft includes a second part of the linear ratchet that cooperates with the first part of the linear ratchet, wherein a space is defined between the second part of the linear ratchet and the upper end of the shaft in a first position;

a spring biasing the stop toward the hood in the closed position, wherein the stop is pressed into the receptacle by moving the hood to the closed position with the first part of the linear ratchet and the second part of the linear ratchet being relatively movable to insert the stop further into the receptacle and resisting withdrawal of the stop from the receptacle; and

a release mechanism provided on the second part of the linear ratchet, disposed between the head and the top surface of the receptacle so that a user may move the release mechanism towards the shaft to press the second part of the linear ratchet against the shaft in a second position to selectively withdraw the stop from the receptacle.

6. The hood stop assembly of claim 5, wherein the first part of the linear ratchet comprises receptacle teeth provided within the opening, the second part of the linear ratchet including locking teeth that disengage the receptacle teeth when the second part of the linear ratchet is pressed against the shaft.