Hood latching device for automotive vehicles

Abstract

A first latch member, a second latch member, and a pawl member are pivotally mounted on a base plate. The first latching member is provided with a first engaging portion engageable with a striker secured to a hood and with a tooth portion. The second latch member is provided with a hook portion also engageable with the striker, and the pawl member is provided with a second engaging portion engageable with the tooth portion of the first latch member for assuring latching engagement between the striker and the first latch member, catch means for displacing the second latch member to a position for engagement with the striker, and cam surface means contacting the tooth portion at an early part of the opening operation thereby to hold the hook portion of the second latch member in engagement with the striker, the second latch member being held by a catch portion of the first member in the position in which the hook portion of the second latch member is in engagement with the striker, at the end of the opening operation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a hood latching device for automotive vehicles.

Heretofore, most of the conventional hood latching devices comprise a first latch mechanism of generally fork type, and a second latching mechanism of generally hook type comprising a hooked latch member urged by a spring toward the closing position, thereby preventing accidental opening of the hood of an automotive vehicle even in eases where the first latching mechanism is released by, for instance, a shock caused by a rough road surface or a vibration generated in the vehicle body.

However, if the spring urging the hooked latch member toward the closed position happens to be broken at that time as a result of fatigue or the like, there will still be a possibility of the hood cover being fly-opened under the action of another spring provided in the first latch mechanism or the action of a rubber damper provided on the vehicle body as the first latch mechanism is released. Since the opening of the hood cover deprives the driver of forward visibility almost entirely, such an accident is extremely dangerous particularly when the vehicle is being driven at a high speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the above described drawback of the conventional hood latching device in view, a primary object of the present invention is to provide, in a hood latching device comprising a first latch mechanism and a second latch member having a hooked member, an improvement whereby the above described drawback of the conventional latching device is substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hood latching device wherein the operation of the second latching mechanism does not rely upon spring action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hood latching device wherein the releasing movement of the hooked member of the second latching mechanism is prevented by a member cooperating with the first latching mechanism, and the possibility of accidental release of the second latch mechanism is thereby substantially eliminated.

These and other objects have been achieved by the present invention according to which there is provided an improved hood latching device for an automotive vehicle having a hood, said device comprising, in combination, a striker secured to the hood, a base plate secured to the vehicle, a first latch member pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be rotatable between an unlatching position and a latching position and having a first engaging portion engageable with the striker and a catch portion, a second latch member pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a hook portion also engageable with the striker to arrest the same in an arresting position and a second engaging portion, a pawl also pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a third engaging portion engageable with the first engaging portion of the first latch member in said latching position of the same for assuring the latching engagement between the striker and the first latch member, and catch means provided on the pawl member and being operative to abut against the second latch member to displace the same to said arresting position when an angular displacement of the pawl member is caused due to disengagement of the third portion of the pawl from the first engaging portion of the first latch member; said catch portion of the first latch member being operative to engage of second engaging portion of the second latch member, when the first latch member is rotated to the unlatching position, thereby to prevent the second latch membr from rotating to the non-arresting position.

The nature, principle, and utility of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front eleVation of an example of a hood latching device according to the present invention in a state wherein the hood is about to be opened;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II--II in FIG. 1 as viewed in the arrow direction;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the same example in a state wherein the hood cover is closed; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the same example in a state wherein the striker has been disengaged from the first latch member and is now engaging with the second latch member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the hood latching device shown therein has a base plate 11 fixed to the body of an automotive vehicle and having an upwardly opening guide slot 11a for receiving a striker 12 of generally U-shaped configuration fixed to the openable hood of the vehicle. On the lefthand side of the base plate 11 as viewed in FIG. 1 at approximately the central part thereof, there is provided a first latch member 13 pivotally mounted on the base plate 11 by means of a pivotal shaft 16. The first latch member 13 has a fork portion 13d comprising a central U-shaped recess 13a and two projecting portions 13b and 13c provided on the two sides of the central recess 13a which constitutes a first engaging portion engageable with the striker 12. The projecting portion 13b is designed to abut against a flanged edge 11b of the base plate 11 bent perpendicularly to the plane of the base plate 11 for limiting excessive counterclockwise rotation of the first latch member 13, and the other projecting portion (or tooth portion) 13c is engageable with a stepped portion (or second engaging portion) 14a of a pawl member 14 as hereinafter described in more detail.

The first latch member 13 is further provided with a catch portion 13e extending at right angles to the fork portion 13d and bent perpendicularly to the plane of the first latch member 13 so that the catch portion 13e is engageable with a third engaging portion 15c of a second latch member 15 as described hereinlater in more detail. The first latch member 13 is further provided with a lever portion 13f extending outward from the pivot center and oppositely from the catch portion 13e on the other side of the pivotal shaft 16. By depressing the lever portion 13f in the clockwise direction, the first latch member 13 is rotated in the same direction for disengaging the catch portion 13e from the third engaging portion 15c of the second latch member 15.

The pawl member 14 and the second latch member 15 are also pivotally mounted on the righthand side of the base plate 11 as viewed in FIG. 1 at approximately the central part thereof on a common shaft 17 which is fixed to the base plate 11, the pawl member 14 and the second latch member 15 being independently rotatable around the shaft 17.

The pivotal shaft 16 is also fixed to the base plate 11, and one end of a torsional spring 18 disposed around the pivotal shaft 16 is secured thereto. The other end of the torsional spring 18 is passed through an arcuate slot 13g formed approximately centrally in the part of the first latch member 13 formed into the catch portion 13e and through another arcuate slot 11c formed through the base plate 11. As a result, the first latch member 13 is urged by the torsional spring 18 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction through an angle determined by the length of the arcuate slot 11c. One end of another torsional spring 19 disposed around the pivotal shaft 17 is secured thereto, and the other end of the torsional spring 19 is inserted into a hole 15a provided through the second latch member 15, whereby the member 15 is urged to rotate in the clockwise direction around the pivotal shaft 17.

The upper end of the second latch member 15 is formed into a hook portion 15b engageable with the striker 12, and the lower part of the second latch member 15 is provided with the third engaging portion 15c engageable with the catch portion 13e of the first latch member 13 as best illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the lower part of the pawl member 14, an arcuate slot 14b is provided, and over the part of the pawl member 14 having the slot 14b, a bent plate 14g is rigidly secured to the pawl member 14 at 14h, which plate 14g has a slot similar to the slot 14b and providing a gap for allowing a wire 20 to pass between the pawl 14 and the plate 14g. In the arcuate slot 14b and the slot similar to the slot 14b, an end piece 20a of the wire 20 is inserted, thereby allowing the pawl 14 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction around the pivotal shaft 17.

In the upper rightward part of the pawl 14, there is provided an abutting portion 14c which can be brought into contact with a flanged edge 11d of the base plate 11 bent perpendicularly to the front surface thereby to restrict excessive clockwise rotation of the pawl 14 around the pivot shaft 17. Above the abutting portion 14c of the pawl member 14, there is provided a catch portion 14d which is bent perpendicularly to the surface of the pawl 14 so that the portion 14d is engageable with the right side edge (or shoulder) of the second latch member 15 thereby to displace the second latch member in the counterclockwise direction.

At the lower end of the pawl 14, a spring anchoring portion 14e bent perpendicularly to the surface of the pawl 14 is provided. Likewise, a lower part of the first latch member 13 is bent perpendicularly to the surface of the first latch member 13 thereby to provide a spring anchoring portion 13h, and a coil spring 21 is stretched between the two spring anchoring portions 14e and 13g. By the provision of the spring 21, the first latch member 13 is urged to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, while the pawl 14 is thereby urged to rotate in the clockwise direction. Thus, when the hood of the vehicle is opened, the hood latching members and the pawl are placed in their respective positions indicated in FIG. 1.

The pawl member 14 is further provided with a cam surface 14f on the left side edge of the pawl member at a portion between the second engaging portion 14a and the upper end of the pawl member 14, the cam surface 14f conforming to the locus of the tip of the tooth portion 13c as the first latch member 13 is rotated around the pivotal shaft 16. The base plate 11 is also provided with mounting flanges 11e and 11f on the right side and left side ends thereof as shown in FIG. 2.

The second latch member 15 is further provided with a cam surface 15d between the hooked portion 15b and the third engaging portion 15c. The cam surface 15d contacts the striker 12 when the latter comes down into the U-shaped recess 11a of the base plate 11, whereby the second latch member 15 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction around its pivotal shaft 17.

The hood latch device of the above described structural organization according to the present invention operates as follows.

When the hood cover is to be closed as shown in FIG. 1, the lower end of the striker 12 fixed to the hood cover abuts against the upper surface of the tooth portion 13c. In this state, the movement of the aforementioned other end of the torsional spring 18 is restricted by one end of the arcuate slot 13g in the first latch member 13, and the first latch member 13 is held in the indicated position under the tension of the coil spring 21.

When the hood cover is further closed, the striker 12 is further lowered and depresses the tooth portion 13c of the first latch member 13, which is thereby rotated around the pivotal shaft 16 in the clockwise direction against the forces of the springs 21 and 18. Thus, the lower surface of the tooth portion 13c contacting the cam surface 14f of the pawl 14 depresses the pawl 14 in a manner such that the pawl 14 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction around the pivotal shaft 17.

The rotation of the pawl 14 is transmitted through the catch portion 14d of the pawl 14 to the right side edge (or shoulder) of the second latch member 15, thereby rotating the second latch member 15 around the pivotal shaft 17 in the counterclockwise direction.

When the first latch member 13 is rotated to a position as shown in FIG. 3, the tooth portion 13c which has been abutting against the cam surface 14f now engages the stepped portion constituting the second engaging portion 14a of the pawl 14, while the pawl 14 is rotated clockwise by the tension of the spring 21, whereby further counterclockwise rotation of the first latch member 13 is prevented.

At this instant, the catch portion 14d of the pawl 14 is separated from the right side edge (or shoulder) of the second latch member 15, and the torque applied to the second latch member 15 through the catch portion 14d of the pawl 14 is removed. In this case, although the above described clockwise rotation of the pawl 14 tends to rotate the second latch member 15 clockwise as a result of the action of the torsional spring 19, such a rotation is prevented because of the engagement of the cam surface 15d of the second latch member 15 with the lower end of the striker 12, and the second latch member 15 is thus held in the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the hood of the vehicle is completely closed.

For opening the hood completely closed as shown in FIG. 3, a lever (not shown) or a button (not shown) is operated at the vehicle driver's seat, thereby pulling the wire 20 to the right as viewed in FIG. 3. Thus, the end piece 20a of the wire 20 is displaced rightward along the arcuate slot 14b, thereby rotating the pawl 14 to a position as indicated by the chain line in FIG. 3.

With the pawl 14 in this position, the engagement between the tooth portion 13c and the second engaging portion 14a of the pawl 14 is broken, and the striker 12 is thrown upward by the forces of the springs 18 and 21. The catch portion 14d of the pawl 14 is at this time urging the shoulder of the second latch member 15 to turn in the counterclockwise direction when the wire 20 is pulled rightward, and the second latch member 15 is thereby held in the position indicated by the chain line in FIG. 3. During the above described operation, the first latch member 13 is rotated counterclockwise to a position as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 1, and the third engaging portion 15c of the second latch member 15 thereby engages the catch portion 13e of the first latch member 13 even after the wire 20 has been released.

It should be noted that the cam surface 14f of the pawl 14 conforms to the locus of the tip of the tooth portion 13c of the first latch member 13. Thus, even if the tension applied to the wire 20 is removed just after the pawl 14 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, and the engagement between the pawl 14 and the first latch member 13 is thereby broken, the catch portion 14d of the pawl 14 holds the second latch member 15 at the position indicated in FIG. 3 by the chain line as long as the tooth portion 13c is contacting the cam surface 14f of the pawl 14. Furthermore, even in the case where the tooth portion 13c of the first latch member separates from the cam surface 14f, the third engaging portion 15c of the second latch member 15 engages the second catch portion 13e of the first latch member 13, whereby the hooked portion 15b of the second latch member 15 is held at a position engageable with the striker 12, and further opening of the hood beyond this state is thereby prevented.

The above described sequence of operational steps are followed in all cases where the first latch member 13 is disengaged from the pawl 14 as a result of vibration and the like while the vehicle is being driven with the hood closed, whereby the possibility of the hood being opened and the forward visibility for the driver being lost can be substantially eliminated.

When it is desired to open the hood from the state indicated in FIG. 4 by disengaging the second latch member 15 from the striker 12, the first latch member 13 is rotated around the shaft 16 against the tension of only the spring 21 by manually depressing the lever portion 13f of the first latch member 13 because the free end of the spring 18 is sustained by an end of the arcuate slot 11c, and the hole 13g of the first latch member 13 is of an elongated configuration. The second catch portion 13e of the first latch member 13 is thus disengaged from the third engaging portion 15c of the second latch member 15, and the second latch member 15 is rotated clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 1 by the force of the spring 19. The second latch member 15 is thus disengaged from the striker 12, and the hood is thereby opened.

According to the present invention, the hood latching device is so organized that when the pawl is disengaged from the first latch member, the movement of the pawl forces the second latch member to move into a position where the hooked portion of the second latch member is firmly held against any accidental release of the striker even in the cases where the pawl is disengaged from the first latch member by shock or vibration to which the vehicle body is subjected, whereby the possibility of the hereinbefore described loss of visibility due to full opening of the hood by wind pressure can be substantially eliminated.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hood latching device for an automotive vehicle having an openable hood, comrising: a striker secured to the hood; a base plate secured to the vehicle; a first latch member pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be rotatable between an unlatching position and a latching position and having a first engaging portion engageable with the striker and a catch portion; a second latch member pivotally mounted on the base plate so as to be rotatable between a striker-arresting position and a non-arresting position and having a hook portion also engageable with the striker to arrest the same in said arresting position and a second engaging portion; a pawl member pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a third engaging portion engageable with the first engaging portion of the first latch member in said latching position of the same for assuring latching engagement between the striker and the first engaging portion of the first latch member; and catch means provided on the pawl member and being operative to abut against said second latch member to displace the same to said arresting position when an angular displacement of the pawl member is caused due to disengagement of the third engaging portion of the pawl from the first engaging portion of the first latch member; said catch portion of the latch member being operative to engage said second engaging portion of the second latch member, when the first latch member is rotated to said unlatching position, thereby to prevent the second latch member from rotating to said non-arresting position.

2. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 1, further including cam surface means also provided on the pawl member to be acted upon by the first engaging portion of the first latch member in the period during which the first latch member is rotated to said unlatching position, thereby retaining said second latch member in said arresting position.

3. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first engaging portion is a recess defined by two befurcated projections, one acting as a stop member and the other being a tooth portion.

4. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first latch member is rotatably mounted on a pivotal shaft secured to the base plate, and said second latch member and said pawl member are mounted on a common pivotal shaft also secured to the base plate and are independently rotatable around the common pivotal shaft.

5. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cam surface means provided on the pawl member is so shaped that it conforms to the locus of the tip of said first engaging portion of said first latch member when the latter member is rotated between its latching and unlatching positions.

6. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pawl member is further provided with an arcuate slot in which an end of a hood opening wire is displaceably inserted.

7. A hood latching device as set forth in claim 1, further including a lever portion provided on the first latch member, the engagement between said catch portion of the first latch member and the second engaging portion of the second latch member being broken when the lever is depressed.