# US 10,246,044 B2 · Vehicle hood assembly with deployable pedestrian protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,044 B2 - Document ID: US10246044B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/042,166 - Filed: 2016-02-12 - Published: 2017-08-17 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-12 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Saeed David Barbat; Dean M. Jaradi; S. M. Iskander Farooq; Mohammed Omar Faruque - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246044B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/36: using airbags - B60R 21/34: Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} - B62D 25/105: {for motor cars} - 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) - B60R 2021/0048: {Head} - B60R 2021/343: {using deformable body panel, bodywork or components} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A hood assembly for a vehicle includes an inner hood, an outer hood, and a plurality of deployable devices. The outer hood is fixed relative to the inner hood. The plurality of deployable devices are spaced apart from each other between the inner hood and the outer hood. The deployable devices each define an inflation chamber and are formed of thermoplastic elastomer. Upon detection of impact between the vehicle and a pedestrian, the deployable devices are deployed to separate the outer hood and the inner hood. As such, during impact of the pedestrian with the outer hood, the outer hood may deform and/or the outer hood may space the pedestrian from relatively hard components under the hood assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle hood assembly comprising: an inner hood; an outer hood fixed relative to the inner hood; a plurality of deployable devices spaced from each other between the inner hood and the outer hood, the deployable devices each defining an inflation chamber and being formed of thermoplastic elastomer; and a plurality of inflators each disposed inside one of the deployable devices; wherein each deployable device includes a clip fixing the respective inflator; wherein each clip is a single continuous unit with the respective deployable device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive between each of the plurality of deployable devices and one of the inner hood and outer hood. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deployable devices each includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and sides connecting the top panel and the bottom panel, and further comprising adhesive connecting each of the bottom panels of the deployable devices and the inner hood. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deployable devices each includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and sides connecting the top panel and the bottom panel and defining pleats between the top panel and the bottom panel, wherein the pleats are folded when the deployable device is in an undeployed position and wherein the pleats are extended when the deployable device is in a deployed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 3, wherein the top panels and the bottom panels are each from 1 to 3 millimeters thick. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, further comprising a latch fixed relative to the outer hood and the inner hood, wherein at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is disposed above the latch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner hood includes a right edge and a left edge, and wherein at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is adjacent to the right edge and at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is adjacent to the left edge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner hood includes a rear edge and a longitudinal centerline, and wherein at least one of the deployable devices is adjacent to the rear edge and disposed on the longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 9 A vehicle hood assembly comprising: an inner hood; an outer hood fixed relative to the inner hood; a plurality of deployable devices spaced from each other between the inner hood and the outer hood, the deployable devices each being formed of thermoplastic elastomer, wherein the plurality of deployable devices each includes a molded top panel, a molded bottom panel, and sides connecting the top panel and the bottom panel defining an inflation chamber therebetween; and a plurality of inflators each disposed inside one of the deployable devices, wherein each deployable device include a clip fixing the respective inflator; wherein each clip is a single continuous unit with the molded bottom panel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive between each of the plurality of deployable devices and one of the inner hood and outer hood. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising adhesive connecting each of the molded bottom panels of the deployable devices and the inner hood. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein for each of the plurality of deployable devices, the sides define pleats between the molded top panels and the molded bottom panels, and the pleats are folded when the deployable device is in an undeployed position and are extended when the deployable device is in a deployed position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the top panels and the bottom panels are each from 1 to 3 millimeters thick. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 9, further comprising a latch fixed relative to the outer hood and the inner hood, wherein at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is disposed above the latch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The vehicle hood assembly of claim 9, wherein the inner hood includes a right edge and a left edge, and wherein at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is adjacent to the right edge and at least one of the plurality of deployable devices is adjacent to the left edge. ### Claim 16 A vehicle comprising: an inner hood; an outer hood fixed relative to the inner hood; a plurality of deployable devices spaced from each other between the inner hood and the outer hood, the deployable devices each defining an inflation chamber and being formed of thermoplastic elastomer; and a plurality of inflators each disposed inside one of the deployable devices; wherein each deployable device includes a clip fixing the respective inflator; wherein each clip is a single continuous unit with the respective deployable device; and an impact sensor; and a controller programmed to instruct the inflator to inflate the deployable device in response to a pedestrian impact sensed by the impact sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a front bumper, the sensor adapted to detect an impact to the front bumper.