Vehicle hood apparatus and method

A vehicle hood assembly, comprising:

• a vehicle body structure;
• a hood moveable with respect to the vehicle body structure from a closed state to an opened state;
• a first U-shaped linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure, the first U-shaped linkage including a first U-shaped linkage aperture extending through the first U-shaped linkage;
• a second U-shaped linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure, the second U-shaped linkage including a second U-shaped linkage aperture extending through the second linkage, wherein
• the second U-shaped linkage and first U-shaped linkage are configured such that a central axis of the first U-shaped linkage aperture is coaxial with a central axis of the second U-shaped linkage aperture if the hood is in the opened state, and are configured such that the central axis of the first U-shaped linkage aperture is spaced from the central axis of the second U-shaped linkage aperture if the hood is moved from opened state;
• and
• a key structure configured to simultaneously fit into both the second U-shaped linkage aperture and the first U-shaped linkage aperture if the hood is in the opened state.

A vehicle hood assembly, comprising:

• a vehicle body structure;
• a hood configured for placement over at least one of,
• an engine compartment, and
• a storage compartment, and moveable with respect to the vehicle body structure from a closed state to an opened state;
• a first linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure and including a first pivot structure about which the first linkage is rotatable and a second pivot structure about which the first linkage is rotatable, the first linkage including a first linkage aperture extending through the first linkage and located between the first pivot structure and second pivot structure, wherein the first pivot structure, second pivot structure and first linkage aperture are located within a first plane;
• a second linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure and including an initial pivot structure about which the second linkage is rotatable and a secondary pivot structure about which the second linkage is rotatable, the second linkage including a second linkage aperture extending through the second linkage and located between the initial pivot structure and secondary pivot structure, wherein the initial pivot structure, secondary pivot structure and second linkage aperture are located within a second plane that is substantially parallel with the first plane, wherein
• the second linkage and the first linkage are configured such that a central axis of the first linkage aperture is coaxial with a central axis of the second linkage aperture if the hood is in the opened state, and are configured such that the central axis of the first linkage aperture is spaced from the central axis of the second linkage aperture if the hood is moved from opened state;
• and
• a key structure configured to simultaneously fit into both the second linkage aperture and the first linkage aperture if the hood is in the opened state.