Displaceable automotive hood assembly

An automobile hood assembly for disposition in overlying relation to a vehicle storage compartment in an automotive vehicle, the hood assembly comprising:

• an exterior show surface member;
• a support frame disposed at a position below the exterior show surface member;
• a plurality of plastically deformable extensible tether elements operatively connecting the exterior show surface member and the support frame;
• and
• an air bag assembly comprising a first air bag cushion adapted to be inflatably deployed from beneath the exterior show surface member at least partially across a windshield disposed rearward of the exterior show surface member and at least a second air bag cushion adapted to be inflatably deployed across a region substantially beneath the exterior show surface member wherein said first air bag cushion and said second air bag cushion are disposed in fluid communication with one another and with at least one selectively activatable gas emitting inflator, such that said at least one selectively activatable gas emitting inflator directs inflation gas into both said first air bag cushion and said second air bag cushion such that at upon activation of said at least one selectively activatable gas emitting inflator, said first air bag cushion and said second air bag cushion are inflated to expanded conditions and at least a portion of the exterior show surface member is projected away from the support frame to define an energy absorbing impact surface and wherein said plastically deformable extensible tether elements are plastically deformed to an increased operative length as the exterior show surface member is projected away from the support frame such that said plastically deformable extensible tether elements thereafter support the exterior show surface member at an elevated position relative to the support frame while maintaining an operative connection between the support frame and the exterior show surface member.

An automobile hood assembly for disposition in overlying relation to a vehicle storage compartment in an automotive vehicle, the hood assembly comprising:

• an exterior show surface member;
• a carrier member secured to an underside surface of the exterior show surface member;
• a support frame disposed at a position below the exterior show surface member;
• a plurality of plastically deformable extensible tether elements secured to the carrier member so as to operatively connect the exterior show surface member and the support frame;
• and
• an air bag assembly comprising a first air bag cushion adapted to be inflatably deployed from beneath the exterior show surface member at least partially across a windshield disposed rearward of the exterior show surface member and at least a second air bag cushion adapted to be inflatably deployed across a region substantially beneath the exterior show surface member wherein said first air bag cushion and said second air bag cushion are disposed in fluid communication with at least one selectively activatable gas emitting inflator, such that at upon activation of said at least one selectively activatable gas emitting inflator, said first air bag cushion and said second air bag cushion are inflated to expanded conditions and at least a portion of the exterior show surface member is projected away from the support frame to define an energy absorbing impact surface and wherein said plastically deformable extensible tether elements are plastically deformed to an increased operative length as the exterior show surface member is projected away from the support frame such that said plastically deformable extensible tether elements thereafter support the exterior show surface member at an elevated position relative to the support frame while maintaining an operative connection between the support frame and the exterior show surface member and wherein at least a portion of said plastically deformable tether elements comprise an upper plate member and a lower plate member and wherein the upper plate member and the lower plate member are attached to one another at spaced apart attachment points such that the upper plate member is displaceable from the lower plate member along regions between said spaced apart attachment points and wherein the upper plate member is secured in substantially fixed relation relative to the carrier member at a first intermediate attachment location disposed between said spaced apart attachment points and wherein the lower plate member is secured in substantially fixed relation relative to the support frame at a second intermediate attachment location disposed between said spaced apart attachment points such that upon movement of the exterior show surface member away from the support frame the upper plate member is separated from the lower plate member along a region between said spaced apart attachment points and at least one of the lower plate member and the upper plate member undergoes plastic deformation during such separation.