Hood frame reinforcement for deflection mitigation
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsRyan M. HAHNLEN, Amitkumar Patil, Tyler J. Rupp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle hood includes a unitary metallic hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings. The vehicle hood includes a metallic reinforcement material welded to a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the metallic hood frame. The vehicle hood includes a hood skin attached to the hood frame. The selective placement of metallic reinforcement material may reduce deflection of the vehicle hood while reducing weight compared to metal supports or a thicker metallic hood frame.
Claims20
A vehicle hood, comprising:
- a unitary metallic hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings;
- a metallic reinforcement material welded to a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the metallic hood frame;
- and
- a hood skin attached to the hood frame.
A method of manufacturing a vehicle hood, comprising:
- welding a metallic reinforcement composite material to portions of a metallic blank to form a hood frame blank;
- stamping the hood frame blank to form a hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings, wherein the portions of the metallic blank having the welded metallic reinforcement material form a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the plurality of embosses;
- and
- attaching a hood skin to the hood frame.
A vehicle comprising:
- a front body structure;
- and
- a hood covering the front body structure, the hood comprising:
- a unitary metallic hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings;
- a metallic reinforcement material welded to a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the metallic hood frame;
- and
- a hood skin attached to the hood frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.