US 12,258,072 B2
Vehicle hood apparatus and method
Steven C. Heinrichs, Raymond, OH (US); Stephen D. Rosenkrantz, Raymond, OH (US); Patrick J. Ellison, Raymond, OH (US); Taiga Marukawa, Raymond, OH (US); Kosaku Tomozawa, Raymond, OH (US); Akira Futatsuhashi, Raymond, OH (US); Gilberto Larrache-Irizarry, Raymond, OH (US); Steve Faria, Raymond, OH (US); Keiichiro Tsuji, Raymond, OH (US); and Takashi Nakano, Raymond, OH (US)
Assigned to HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,531.
Prior Publication US 2023/0303185 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 25/10 (2006.01); B62D 25/12 (2006.01); E05D 3/14 (2006.01); E05D 11/10 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 25/12 (2013.01) [B62D 25/10 (2013.01); E05D 11/10 (2013.01); E05D 3/145 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. 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 linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure and configured to move within a first plane, the first linkage including a first linkage aperture extending through the first linkage in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane;
a second linkage connecting the hood to the vehicle body structure and configured to move within a second plane, the second linkage including a second linkage aperture extending through the second linkage in a direction substantially perpendicular to the second plane, the second plane being substantially parallel to the first plane, wherein
the second linkage and 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.