JP7680213B2 - Automotive hood structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hood structure for an automobile.

Generally, automotive hoods are fixed to the vehicle body by a support structure that uses a pair of hinge members located on both sides of the rear of the vehicle as support points. Therefore, when a load is applied to the front part of the hood, the inner panel receives a large moment near the hinge members, which may cause the inner panel to twist and deform. Therefore, high torsional rigidity is required for such automotive hoods.

Patent Document 1 discloses a hinge mounting structure for an automobile hood. In this hinge mounting structure, a reinforcing member called a retainer is attached across the hinge mounting portion and the inclined surface portion located on the outer side of the hinge mounting portion in the vehicle width direction. With this structure, the hinge mounting portion and the inclined surface portion can be reinforced by the retainer, thereby improving the torsional rigidity of the hood.

JP 2001-163259 A

In the hinge mounting structure for an automobile hood described in Patent Document 1, when a load is applied to the front portion of the hood, a relatively large load is applied to the first joint, which is located furthest forward in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. As a result, there is a risk that the vicinity of the first joint may become the starting point of torsional deformation. However, Patent Document 1 does not specifically suggest how to suppress such torsional deformation near the first joint, and there is room for improvement in the rigidity of the hood.

The objective of the present invention is to effectively improve the rigidity of a hood in an automobile hood structure.

The present invention relates to an inner panel having an outer panel that constitutes the upper surface of an automobile hood, a raised portion that is disposed opposite the lower surface of the outer panel and supports the lower surface, an inner inclined wall that is continuous from the raised portion and inclined relative to the raised portion, a groove bottom wall that is continuous from the inner inclined wall and faces the lower surface of the outer panel with a gap therebetween, and an outer inclined wall that is continuous from the groove bottom wall and inclined relative to the groove bottom wall, a hinge member that is joined to the rear side of a side portion in the vehicle width direction of the inner panel in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to mount the automobile hood in an openable and closable manner relative to the vehicle, and a hinge member that corresponds to the hinge member in a plan view. The hood structure for an automobile includes a hinge reinforcing plate disposed at a position on the vehicle front side of the inner panel, a plurality of first joints where the groove bottom wall of the inner panel, the hinge member, and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined, and a plurality of second joints where the outer inclined wall of the inner panel and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined, the plurality of first joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction, the plurality of second joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction, and one of the plurality of first joints located furthest forward in the vehicle front-rear direction and one of the plurality of second joints are aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction.

According to the automobile hood structure of the present invention, the outer inclined wall is reinforced by the hinge reinforcing plate. The outer inclined wall side near the hinge member of the inner panel is prone to deformation, so high rigidity is required. In the above configuration, the hinge reinforcing plate reinforces this portion, so the rigidity of the hood can be effectively improved. In addition, in the above configuration, the first joint portion located at the frontmost position in the vehicle longitudinal direction and one of the second joint portions are aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction. This makes it possible to suppress the application of a force that would twist the hood to the groove bottom wall (the portion where the first joint portion is located) and the outer inclined wall (the portion where the second joint portion is located), and thus suppresses torsional deformation of the inner panel. Therefore, according to the automobile hood structure of the present invention, the rigidity of the hood can be effectively improved.

The first joints other than the one joint located furthest forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the second joints may be aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

The hinge reinforcing plate may have a main body portion disposed on the groove bottom wall, a first extension portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the main body portion, and a fold line portion formed between the main body portion and the first extension portion and disposed on a first ridgeline extending in the vehicle front-rear direction between the groove bottom wall and the outer inclined wall, and the first joint portion may be provided on the main body portion and the second joint portion may be provided on the first extension portion.

The hinge reinforcing plate may include a third joint portion that is joined to the inner panel in the vehicle front-rear direction forward of a second ridge line that extends in the vehicle width direction between the inner inclined wall and the groove bottom wall.

With the above configuration, when a load is applied to the front portion of the hood, deformation of the inner panel near the hinge member can be further suppressed. Specifically, high rigidity is required in areas where ridgelines such as the second ridgeline are formed, as these areas are prone to deformation. With the above configuration, this area is reinforced by the hinge reinforcing plate, which effectively improves the rigidity of the hood.

The hinge reinforcing plate may have a fourth joint portion joined to the inner inclined wall forward of the second ridge line in the vehicle longitudinal direction and inside in the vehicle width direction of a third ridge line extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the groove bottom wall and the inner inclined wall.

With the above configuration, when a load is applied to the front portion of the hood, deformation near the hinge member in the inner panel can be further suppressed. Specifically, as described above, high rigidity is required in the area where ridgelines such as the third ridgeline are formed, as deformation is likely to occur there. In the above configuration, this area is reinforced by the hinge reinforcing plate, so the rigidity of the hood can be effectively improved. Also, in the above configuration, the hinge reinforcing plate is joined to the inner inclined wall and the outer inclined wall. Therefore, the displacement of the outer inclined wall and the inner inclined wall in the vehicle width direction can be restrained. Therefore, deformation of the outer inclined wall opening outward in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed.

The hinge reinforcement plate may have a second extension portion that faces the groove bottom wall in the vehicle vertical direction and is joined to the outer inclined wall and the inner inclined wall, and a closed cross-sectional shape may be formed by the groove bottom wall, the outer inclined wall, the inner inclined wall, and the second extension portion in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

According to the above configuration, the outer inclined wall is configured as part of a closed cross section together with the groove bottom wall, the inner inclined wall, and the second extension. Therefore, the displacement of the outer inclined wall and the inner inclined wall in the vehicle width direction is further restricted, and deformation of the outer inclined wall that opens outward in the vehicle width direction can be further suppressed.

A pair of the hinge members may be provided on both side portions of the inner panel in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of the hinge reinforcing plates may be provided for each of the pair of hinge members.

The automotive hood structure of the present invention can effectively improve the rigidity of the hood.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive hood structure according to the present invention, viewed from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the automotive hood structure of FIG. 2 with a hood outer panel removed; FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the automotive hood structure of FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is a plan view of the automotive hood structure of FIG. 3 . FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion VI of FIG. 5 . FIG. 7 is an enlarged end view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6 . FIG. 7 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 of a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 of a third embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged end view taken along line XX in FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 of a fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is an enlarged end view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of FIG. 11 as seen from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of FIG. 12 from which a hinge reinforcing plate has been removed. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 of Comparative Example 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 6 of Comparative Example 2. FIG. 11 is a graph showing the results of torsional rigidity evaluation analysis of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and the first to fourth embodiments.

An automobile hood structure according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in these drawings, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and the arrow W indicates the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, when the automobile hood is in a closed state, the front side of the automobile hood is in the same direction as the front side of the vehicle, the upper side of the automobile hood is in the same direction as the upper side of the vehicle, and the automobile hood width direction is in the same direction as the vehicle width direction. In the following description, the automobile hood is in a closed state.

First Embodiment
1 shows a vehicle 2 equipped with an automobile hood (hood) 1 to which an automobile hood structure according to the present invention is applied. The hood 1 is disposed at the front of the vehicle so as to cover an engine compartment (not shown) from above the vehicle. The hood 1 is attached to the vehicle body via a hinge member 3 (described later) so as to be able to open and close. In other words, the hood 1 is configured to open and close the engine compartment by rotating and moving about a hinge axis of the hinge member 3 in the vehicle width direction.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 together, the automotive hood structure includes an outer panel 4 that forms the upper surface of the hood 1, and an inner panel 20 that forms the lower surface of the hood 1. The outer peripheral end of the outer panel 4 and the inner peripheral end of the inner panel 20 are joined by, for example, hemming.

As an example, the outer panel 4 and the inner panel 20 are both formed by press-forming an aluminum alloy plate. The outer panel 4 and the inner panel 20 may also be formed from other metal plates, such as steel plates.

The inner panel 20 is disposed opposite the lower surface of the outer panel 4 and has a raised portion 21 that supports the lower surface of the outer panel 4. The outer panel 4 and the inner panel 20 are joined, for example, by mastic adhesive via the raised portion 21. The inner panel 20 further has an inner inclined wall 22, a groove bottom wall 23, and an outer inclined wall 24. The inner inclined wall 22 is continuous from the raised portion 21 and is inclined relative to the raised portion 21. The groove bottom wall 23 is continuous from the inner inclined wall 22 and faces the lower surface of the outer panel 4 with a gap therebetween. The outer inclined wall 24 is continuous from the groove bottom wall 23 and is inclined relative to the groove bottom wall 23.

In this embodiment, the inner inclined wall 22 has a rear inner inclined wall 22a, a pair of side inner inclined walls 22b, and a front inner inclined wall 22c. The rear inner inclined wall 22a is inclined toward the raised portion 21 from the rear of the raised portion 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The pair of side inner inclined walls 22b are each inclined toward the raised portion 21 from both side portions of the raised portion 21 in the vehicle width direction. The front inner inclined wall 22c is inclined toward the raised portion 21 from the front of the raised portion 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

In this embodiment, the groove bottom wall 23 has a rear groove bottom wall 23a, a pair of side groove bottom walls 23b, and a front groove bottom wall 23c. The rear groove bottom wall 23a continues from the rear inner inclined wall 22a and faces the lower surface of the outer panel 4 with a gap therebetween. The pair of side groove bottom walls 23b continues from the pair of side inner inclined walls 22b and faces the lower surface of the outer panel 4 with a gap therebetween. The front groove bottom wall 23c continues from the front inner inclined wall 22c and faces the lower surface of the outer panel 4 with a gap therebetween. That is, the groove bottom wall 23 is provided below the raised portion 21 in the vehicle vertical direction. The groove bottom wall 23 may be provided above the raised portion 21 in the vehicle vertical direction. The groove bottom wall 23 may also have, for example, only a pair of side groove bottom walls 23b or only the rear groove bottom wall 23a.

In this embodiment, the outer inclined wall 24 has a rear outer inclined wall 24a, a pair of side outer inclined walls 24b, and a front outer inclined wall 24c. The rear outer inclined wall 24a is continuous from the rear groove bottom wall 23a and inclined relative to the rear groove bottom wall 23a. The pair of side outer inclined walls 24b are each continuous from the pair of side groove bottom walls 23b and inclined relative to the pair of side groove bottom walls 23b. The front outer inclined wall 24c is continuous from the front groove bottom wall 23c and inclined relative to the front groove bottom wall 23c. The outer inclined wall 24 is inclined from the outer periphery of the groove bottom wall 23 toward the outside in the circumferential direction and upward in the vehicle vertical direction. The outer inclined wall 24 may be inclined from the outer periphery of the groove bottom wall 23 toward the outside in the circumferential direction and downward in the vehicle vertical direction.

The first ridge 41 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the groove bottom wall 23 (side groove bottom wall 23b) and the outer inclined wall 24 (side outer inclined wall 24b). The second ridge 42 extends in the vehicle width direction between the inner inclined wall 22 (rear inner inclined wall 22a) and the groove bottom wall 23 (rear groove bottom wall 23a). The third ridge 43 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the groove bottom wall 23 (side groove bottom wall 23b) and the inner inclined wall 22 (side inner inclined wall 22b). The pair of first ridges 41 and the pair of third ridges 43 are provided on both side portions of the inner panel 20 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the first ridge 41, the second ridge 42, and the third ridge 43 are concave ridges.

4 is a plan view of the inner panel 20 seen from below. The automobile hood structure includes a hinge member 3. The hinge member 3 is joined to the rear side of the vehicle longitudinal direction of the side portion of the inner panel 20 in the vehicle width direction so as to mount the hood 1 to the vehicle so as to be openable and closable. That is, the hinge member 3 is joined to the side portion of the rear groove bottom wall 23a on the lower surface of the inner panel 20, in other words, the portion where the rear groove bottom wall 23a and the side groove bottom wall 23b join together. Note that a pair of hinge members 3 are provided on both side portions of the inner panel 20 in the vehicle width direction, but the following description will be given of the hinge member 3 on one side portion. The hinge member 3 includes a hinge base 3a that is connected to the vehicle 2 and a hinge arm 3b having a tip portion 3c that is fixed to the hood 1. Two first through holes 51 (see FIG. 7) are provided in the tip portion 3c in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The number of first through holes 51 is not particularly limited. As described below, a hinge reinforcing plate 60 (shown by a dotted line) is provided on the upper surface of the inner panel 20 at a position corresponding to the tip portion 3c.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the inner panel 20 from above, excluding the outer panel 4 from the hood 1. The automotive hood structure includes a hinge reinforcing plate 60 arranged at a position corresponding to the tip 3c (hinge member 3) in a plan view. Here, the position corresponding to the tip 3c is a position where the tip 3c and the hinge reinforcing plate 60 at least partially overlap in a plan view. Specifically, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 is arranged at the side portion of the rear groove bottom wall 23a on the upper surface of the inner panel 20, in other words, at the portion where the rear groove bottom wall 23a and the side groove bottom wall 23b join together. Note that a pair of hinge reinforcing plates 60 are provided for each pair of hinge members 3, but the following description will be directed to the hinge reinforcing plate 60 on one side, as with the hinge members 3.

6 and 7, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 will be described in detail. In order to clarify the positional relationship of the hinge reinforcing plate 60, the configuration other than the hinge reinforcing plate 60 is shown by two-dot chain lines. The hinge reinforcing plate 60 has a main body portion 61, a first extension portion 62, and a first fold line portion (fold line portion) 63 formed between the main body portion 61 and the first extension portion 62. The first extension portion 62 extends continuously from the main body portion 61 to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The main body portion 61 is disposed on the groove bottom wall 23 at a position corresponding to the hinge member 3 in a plan view. In addition, the first fold line portion 63 is disposed on the first ridge line, and the first extension portion 62 is disposed on the outer inclined wall 24 (side outer inclined wall 24b). The main body portion 61 has two second through holes 52 at positions overlapping with the two first through holes 51 of the tip portion 3c. Similarly, the inner panel 20 also has two third through holes 53 at positions that overlap with the two first through holes 51 at the tip portion 3c.

In the automobile hood structure of this embodiment, a plurality (two) of first joints 50a, 50b are provided to which the groove bottom wall 23, the tip portion 3c (hinge member 3), and the hinge reinforcing plate 60 of the inner panel 20 are bolted (joined). The first joints 50a, 50b may be joined by other mechanical joining. The plurality (two) of first joints 50a, 50b are arranged on the main body 61 at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction. That is, the hinge member 3, the hinge reinforcing plate 60, and the groove bottom wall 23 of the inner panel 20 are joined by inserting bolts 54 into the first through hole 51, the second through hole 52, and the third through hole 53, respectively, and fastening them with nuts 55. The inner panel 20 and the hinge reinforcing plate 60 may be further joined by means other than bolt joining, such as spot welding, SPR (self-piercing rivets), and FSW (friction stir welding).

In the automotive hood structure of this embodiment, a plurality (two) of second joints 56a, 56b are provided where the outer inclined wall 24 of the inner panel 20 and the hinge reinforcing plate 60 are spot welded (joined). The second joints 56a, 56b may be joined by, for example, SPR, mechanical clinching, FSW, or the like. The plurality (two) of second joints are arranged in the first extension 62 with a gap between them in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

One (50b) of the multiple (two) first joints 50a, 50b located at the frontmost position in the vehicle longitudinal direction and one (56b) of the multiple (two) second joints 56a, 56b are aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Here, the first joint 50b and the second joint 56b being aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction means that the first through hole 51 (second through hole 52, third through hole 53) and the spot welded nugget portion 57 at least partially overlap in the vehicle longitudinal direction in a plan view. In addition, the multiple (one) first joints 50a other than the one (50b) located at the frontmost position in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the multiple (one) second joints 56a may be aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

The automobile hood 1 according to the present invention is fixed to the vehicle body by a support structure in which a pair of hinge members 3 located on both sides of the rear of the vehicle are supported. Therefore, when a load is applied to the front part of the hood 1, the inner panel 20 receives a large moment near the hinge member 3, and the inner panel 20 is torsionally deformed. In particular, the outer inclined wall 24 side near the hinge member 3 in the inner panel 20, i.e., the part where the ridges such as the first ridge 41 are formed, is required to have high rigidity because deformation is likely to occur. In this embodiment, the first extension 62 reinforces this part, so that the rigidity of the hood 1 can be effectively improved. In this embodiment, the first joint 50b located at the frontmost position in the vehicle longitudinal direction and one of the second joints 56a, 56b are aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction. This prevents the hood 1 from being subjected to a twisting force against the groove bottom wall 23 (where the first joints 50a, 50b are located) and the outer inclined wall 24 (where the second joints 56a, 56b are located), thereby preventing torsional deformation of the inner panel 20.

As a result, the automotive hood structure of the present invention can effectively improve the rigidity of the hood 1.

Second Embodiment
8, the configuration of the automotive hood structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the following respects: The other configurations of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar elements as those of the first embodiment.

The hinge reinforcing plate 60 (main body 61 and first extension 62) according to this embodiment extends forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction beyond the second ridge 42 (see the parallel hatched portion in FIG. 8). The hinge reinforcing plate 60 includes third joints 56c, 56d, and 56e that are spot welded (joined) to the inner panel 20 (side groove bottom wall 23b and side outer inclined wall 24b) at the extended portions. The third joints 56c, 56d, and 56e may be joined by, for example, SPR, mechanical clinching, FSW, or the like. There is, for example, one joint at the extended portion of the main body 61 and two at the extended portions of the first extension 62.

As mentioned above, high rigidity is required in the areas where ridges such as the second ridge 42 are formed, as they are prone to deformation. In this embodiment, this area is reinforced by the hinge reinforcing plate 60 (main body portion 61 and first extension portion 62), which effectively improves the rigidity of the hood 1.

Third Embodiment
9 and 10, the configuration of the automotive hood structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention differs from the second embodiment in the following respects. The other configurations of this embodiment are similar to those of the second embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar elements as those of the second embodiment.

The hinge reinforcing plate 60 according to the present embodiment includes a fourth joint portion 56f that is spot welded (joined) to the inner inclined wall 22 forward of the second ridge line 42 in the vehicle longitudinal direction and inward of the third ridge line 43 in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the main body portion 61 and the first extension portion 62 extend forward of the second ridge line 42 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The hinge reinforcing plate 60 includes a tab 67 (see the parallel hatched portion in FIG. 9) at the front end of the extension portion of the main body portion 61, and a second fold line portion 68 formed between the main body portion 61 and the tab 67. The tab 67 is disposed on the side inner inclined wall 22b, and the second fold line portion 68 is disposed on the third ridge line 43. The tab 67 is spot welded to the side inner inclined wall 22b. The fourth joint portion 56f may be joined by, for example, SPR, mechanical clinching, FSW, or the like. There is one spot welded joint, for example at tab 67.

As described above, high rigidity is required in the area where ridges such as the third ridge 43 are formed, as they are prone to deformation. In this embodiment, this area is reinforced with a tab 67, which effectively improves the rigidity of the hood 1. Also, in this embodiment, the tab 67 is spot welded to the inner inclined wall 22, and as described above, the first extension 62 is spot welded to the outer inclined wall 24. This makes it possible to restrain displacement of the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22 in the vehicle width direction. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the outer inclined wall 24 to open outward in the vehicle width direction.

Fourth Embodiment
11 to 14, the configuration of the automotive hood structure according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention differs from any of the first to third embodiments in the following respects: The other configurations of this embodiment are similar to any of the first to third embodiments, and elements that are the same or similar to any of the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The hinge reinforcement plate 60 has a second extension 64 that faces the groove bottom wall 23 in the vehicle vertical direction and is spot welded (joined) to the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22. The second extension 64 may be joined to the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22 by, for example, SPR, mechanical clinching, FSW, etc. The second extension 64 includes an inclined wall 65 that extends from the front end of the main body 61 in the vehicle longitudinal direction toward the outer panel 4 (upward), and a horizontal portion 66 that extends forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the tip of the inclined wall 65 and faces the main body 61 at a distance. A third fold line portion 69 is formed between the main body 61 and the inclined wall 65, and a fourth fold line portion 70 is formed between the inclined wall 65 and the horizontal portion 66. The inclined wall 65 is disposed on the side wall 27a described later, and the horizontal portion 66 is disposed on the top surface portion 26 described later. The third fold line 69 is disposed at a fifth fold line 71 described later, and the fourth fold line 70 is disposed at a sixth fold line 72 described later. The inclined wall 65 and the horizontal portion 66 extend continuously from the outer end in the vehicle width direction so as to contact the side outer inclined wall 24b. As described later, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 is spot welded to the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22 (support base 25) at the second extension portion 64. Therefore, in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction, the groove bottom wall 23, the outer inclined wall 24, the inner inclined wall 22, and the second extension portion 64 form a closed cross-sectional shape. The second extension portion 64 may be disposed below the main body portion 61 in the vehicle up-down direction. That is, the inclined wall 65 may extend downward. In this case, each of the pair of hinge reinforcing plates 60 may be attached to the lower surface of the inner panel 20.

Referring to FIG. 14, the inner inclined wall 22 has a support base 25 for supporting the horizontal portion 66. In order to explain the shape of the support base 25, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 has been removed. In order to clarify the shape of the support base 25, the configuration other than the support base 25 is shown by two-dot chain lines. The support base 25 has a top surface portion 26 that is approximately a quadrangular truncated pyramid shape. Side walls 27a to c extend from three sides of the top surface portion 26 as base ends. The tips of the side walls 27a to c are connected to the groove bottom wall 23. A fifth fold line portion 71 is formed between the side wall 27a and the groove bottom wall 23, and a sixth fold line portion 72 is formed between the side wall 27a and the top surface portion 26. The shape of the support base 25 may be set arbitrarily, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped or other polygonal truncated pyramid. In addition, the support base 25 does not need to have side walls, and for example, only the top surface portion 26 may be joined to the inner inclined wall 22. The support base 25 may be formed integrally with the inner inclined wall 22, or may be attached to the inner inclined wall 22 by welding or the like.

The support base 25 is provided so that the fifth fold line 71 is located on an extension of the second ridge line 42. The support base 25 may be located in any position, but is preferably located near the hinge member 3.

The horizontal portion 66 is spot welded to the support base 25. For example, the horizontal portion 66 is connected to the support base 25 by spot welding, which is one joint. The inclined wall 65 and the horizontal portion 66 are also spot welded to the outer inclined wall 24. For example, the inclined wall 65 and the horizontal portion 66 are connected to the outer inclined wall 24 by spot welding, which is one joint each.

According to this embodiment, the outer inclined wall 24 is configured as part of a closed cross section together with the groove bottom wall 23, the inner inclined wall 22, and the second extension portion 64. Therefore, the displacement of the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22 in the vehicle width direction is further restricted, and deformation of the outer inclined wall 24 opening outward in the vehicle width direction can be further suppressed.

(torsional rigidity evaluation analysis)
15 and 16, the configurations of the automotive hood structures according to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 differ from the first embodiment in the following respects. Other configurations of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 are similar to the first embodiment, and elements that are the same or similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The automotive hood structure according to Comparative Example 1 includes a hinge reinforcing plate 60 having only a main body portion 61. The hinge reinforcing plate 60 is joined to the inner panel 20 only at the first joint portions 50a and 50b.

In the automotive hood structure of Comparative Example 2, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 has a main body portion 61 and a first extension portion 62, and is joined to the inner panel 20 at the first joint portions 50a, 50b and the second joint portion 56a. The first joint portions 50a other than the one located furthest forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the second joint portion 56a are aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In other words, the hinge reinforcing plate 60 is not provided to reinforce the portion of the inner panel 20 where deformation is most concentrated when a load is applied to the front portion of the hood 1. Therefore, it is not intended to effectively suppress deformation of the inner panel 20.

(Torsional rigidity evaluation analysis method)
The conditions for the torsional stiffness evaluation analysis will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The concept of direction will be described as being consistent with the concept seen from the driver of the vehicle. A simple support point S is set on the front right side of the inner panel 20. The inner panel 20 is simply supported at the simple support point S, and is fixed and supported at two first joints 50a, 50b on each side, which are bolted together, and a load of 49 N is applied to a load point P on the front left side of the inner panel. The displacement when a load of 49 N is applied to the load point P is obtained, and the torsional stiffness is obtained by the following formula (1). The Young's modulus is calculated as 68.6 GPa, and the Poisson's ratio is calculated as 0.33.

(Torsional rigidity evaluation analysis results)
With reference to FIG. 17, the results of the torsional rigidity evaluation analysis of the comparative examples 1 and 2 and the first to fourth embodiments will be described. In the graph, the vertical axis indicates the torsional rigidity calculated by the formula (1). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the comparative example 1 is 3.3 N/mm (see A in FIG. 17). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the comparative example 2 is 5.4 N/mm (see B in FIG. 17). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the first embodiment is 6.0 N/mm (see C in FIG. 17). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the second embodiment is 6.6 N/mm (see D in FIG. 17). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the third embodiment is 6.9 N/mm (see E in FIG. 17). The torsional rigidity of the automobile hood structure of the fourth embodiment is 8.2 N/mm (see F in FIG. 17).

From the analysis results of the automobile hood structure according to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, it was found that the torsional rigidity is improved by having the hinge reinforcing plate 60 having the first extension portion 62 and spot welding the first extension portion 62 to the inner panel 20. From the analysis results of the automobile hood structure according to Comparative Example 2 and Embodiment 1, it was found that the torsional rigidity is further improved by aligning the first joint portion 50b, which is located most forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the second joint portion 56b in the vehicle longitudinal direction. From the analysis results of the automobile hood structure according to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, it was found that the torsional rigidity is further improved by reinforcing the portion where the second ridge line 42 is formed with the hinge reinforcing plate 60. From the analysis results of the automobile hood structure according to the second and third embodiments, it was found that the torsional rigidity is further improved by restraining the displacement of the outer inclined wall 24 and the inner inclined wall 22 in the vehicle width direction. Analysis of the automotive hood structure according to the third and fourth embodiments revealed that the torsional rigidity is further improved by forming the outer inclined wall 24, together with the groove bottom wall 23, the inner inclined wall 22, and the second extension 64, as part of a closed cross section.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described forms, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, an appropriate combination of the contents of the individual embodiments and modifications can be considered as one embodiment of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Automotive hood 2 Vehicle 3 Hinge member 3a Hinge base 3b Hinge arm 3c Tip portion 4 Outer panel 20 Inner panel 21 Raised portion 22 Inner inclined wall 22a Rear inner inclined wall 22b Side inner inclined wall 22c Front inner inclined wall 23 Groove bottom wall 23a Rear groove bottom wall 23b Side groove bottom wall 23c Front groove bottom wall 24 Outer inclined wall 24a Rear outer inclined wall 24b Side outer inclined wall 24c Front outer inclined wall 25 Support base 26 Top surface portion 27a-c Side wall 41 First ridge line 42 Second ridge line 43 Third ridge line 50a-b First joint portion 51 First through hole 52 Second through hole 53 Third through hole 54 Bolt 55 Nut 56a-b Second joint portion 56c-e Third joint portion 56f Fourth joint portion 56g-i Joint portion 57 Nugget portion 60 Hinge reinforcing plate 61 Main body portion 62 First extension portion 63 First fold line portion (fold line portion)
64 Second extension part 65 Inclined wall 66 Horizontal part 67 Tab 68 Second fold line part 69 Third fold line part 70 Fourth fold line part 71 Fifth fold line part 72 Sixth fold line part

Claims (8)

an outer panel forming an upper surface of an automobile hood;
an inner panel having a raised portion disposed opposite the lower surface of the outer panel and supporting the lower surface, an inner inclined wall continuing from the raised portion and inclining with respect to the raised portion, a groove bottom wall continuing from the inner inclined wall and facing the lower surface of the outer panel with a gap therebetween, and an outer inclined wall continuing from the groove bottom wall and inclining with respect to the groove bottom wall;
a hinge member joined to a rear side of a vehicle front-rear direction of a side portion of the inner panel in a vehicle width direction so as to mount the automobile hood in an openable and closable manner with respect to the vehicle;
a hinge reinforcing plate disposed at a position corresponding to the hinge member in a plan view;
a plurality of first joint portions at which the groove bottom wall of the inner panel, the hinge member, and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined;
a plurality of second joints at which the outer inclined wall of the inner panel and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined,
the inner inclined wall has a rear inner inclined wall that is continuous from the rear in the vehicle front-rear direction and inclined with respect to the raised portion,
The first joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The second joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction,
one of the first joints located most forward in the vehicle front-rear direction and one of the second joints are aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction ,
The hinge member terminates rearward of a second ridge line extending in the vehicle width direction between the rear inner inclined wall and the groove bottom wall . The hood structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first joints is aligned with one of the plurality of second joints in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The hinge reinforcing plate is
a main body portion disposed on the groove bottom wall;
A first extension portion extending continuously from the main body portion toward the outside in the vehicle width direction;
a folding line portion formed between the main body portion and the first extension portion and disposed on a first ridgeline extending in the vehicle front-rear direction between the groove bottom wall and the outer inclined wall,
The first joint portion is provided on the main body portion,
The hood structure for an automobile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second joint portion is provided on the first extension portion. 4. The automotive hood structure according to claim 1, wherein the hinge reinforcing plate includes a third joint portion that is joined to the inner panel forward of the second ridge line in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The hood structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the hinge reinforcing plate is provided with a fourth joint portion that is joined to the inner inclined wall forward of the second ridgeline in the vehicle longitudinal direction and inside of a third ridgeline that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the groove bottom wall and the inner inclined wall in the vehicle width direction. an outer panel forming an upper surface of an automobile hood;
an inner panel having a raised portion disposed opposite the lower surface of the outer panel and supporting the lower surface, an inner inclined wall continuing from the raised portion and inclining with respect to the raised portion, a groove bottom wall continuing from the inner inclined wall and facing the lower surface of the outer panel with a gap therebetween, and an outer inclined wall continuing from the groove bottom wall and inclining with respect to the groove bottom wall;
a hinge member joined to a rear side of a vehicle front-rear direction of a side portion of the inner panel in a vehicle width direction so as to mount the automobile hood in an openable and closable manner with respect to the vehicle;
a hinge reinforcing plate disposed at a position corresponding to the hinge member in a plan view;
a plurality of first joint portions at which the groove bottom wall of the inner panel, the hinge member, and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined;
a plurality of second joints at which the outer inclined wall of the inner panel and the hinge reinforcing plate are joined,
The first joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The second joints are arranged at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction,
one of the first joints located most forward in the vehicle front-rear direction and one of the second joints are aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction,
the hinge reinforcing plate has a second extension portion that faces the groove bottom wall in the vehicle up-down direction and is joined to the outer inclined wall and the inner inclined wall,
a groove bottom wall, an outer inclined wall, an inner inclined wall, and a second extension portion each defining a closed cross-sectional shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction. the hinge reinforcing plate has a second extension portion that faces the groove bottom wall in the vehicle up-down direction and is joined to the outer inclined wall and the inner inclined wall,
6. The automotive hood structure according to claim 1 , wherein a closed cross-sectional shape is formed by the groove bottom wall, the outer inclined wall, the inner inclined wall, and the second extension portion in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction. The pair of hinge members are provided on both side portions of the inner panel in the vehicle width direction,
8. The hood structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a pair of said hinge reinforcing plates are provided for each of said pair of hinge members.

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