Claims:We claim:

1. A hood latch assembly (100) of a vehicle, a bonnet of the vehicle having a striker (12) that locks in the hood latch assembly (100), the hood latch assembly (100) comprising:
a frame plate (1);
a claw (2) assembled with the frame plate (1) using a claw rivet (3) and a claw spring (4), the claw (2) having a claw leg (e), wherein the striker (12) hits the claw (2);
a pawl (6) mounted on the frame plate (1) using a pawl spring (5) and a pawl rivet (9); and
a slam blocker lever (7) assembled by adding a slam lever spring (10) and the pawl rivet (9) that is riveted with the frame plate (1), wherein the slam blocker lever (7) is attached with the pawl (6) by a flange (11), the slam blocker lever having a stopper face (d) that interacts with the claw leg (e) during latching;
wherein, during latching activity, the claw hits the pawl (6) and gives rotational movement to both the pawl (6) and the slam blocker lever (7) and the slam blocker lever (7) is rotated in the anticlockwise direction due to inertia so that the stopper face (d) comes in front of the claw leg (e), thereby preventing the claw (2) to move down and blocking the high speed slamming of a hood of the vehicle and
wherein after the claw (2) is rotated, the pawl (6) moves back to original position by the pawl spring (5), thereby after locking the claw (2), the slam blocker lever (7) moves back to its original position as the slam lever spring (10), that always rotates the slam blocker lever (7) in the anticlockwise direction.

2. The hood latch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame plate (1) is mounted on the vehicle using mounting holes (a and b).

3. The hood latch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pawl (6) is attached to a customer cable that is assembled in an attachment area (c) of the frame plate (1).

4. The hood latch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slam blocker lever (7) has a rubber pad/sleeve (8) that provides damping to the claw (2) while fast closing and avoids metal to metal impact.

Dated this 29th day of April 2021

Prafulla Wange
(Agent for Applicant)
(IN/PA-2058) , Description:HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY OF VEHICLE

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to hood latch assemblies of automobiles and more particularly to a hood latch assembly of a vehicle having a compact slam blocker with a pedestrian protection system (PPS) activation mechanism.

Background of the invention:

A hood latch system is a vital component of a vehicle. Conventional hood latches are used in automobiles and trucks to maintain the hood in a closed position as well as to protect and cover an engine compartment.

A prior art patent US6742819B2 discloses a hood latch assembly for a front end module of a vehicle. The hood latch assembly includes a hood latch, which locks a striker of a hood, installed at an upper horizontal portion of a front panel of the front end module formed of upper and lower horizontal portions and a vertical portion connecting the left and right sides of the upper and lower horizontal portions. The first release cable has one end connected to a release lever disposed at a driver's seat. The first release cable is installed at the upper horizontal portion of the front panel to be capable of sliding. A second release cable has one end connected to the hood latch. A connection unit is installed at the other end portions of the first and second release cables, which connects or separates the first and second release cables.

Another prior art patent US9091102B2 discloses a dual hood latch assembly. Specifically, a motor vehicle dual hood latch mechanism for engaging a striker of a hood having a closed latched position and a released position is disclosed. The dual hood latch assembly includes a master latch and an auxiliary latch, each having a latching ratchet engaging a hood striker, and an intermediate cable extending between the latches adapted to unlatch the latching ratchet of the auxiliary latch in response to the latching ratchet of the master latch being unlatched.

In prior art patents, generally, for opening of the vehicle hood, a lever or rod is pulled that releases a latch mechanism, which is attached to latch by cable. The conventional hood latches include a claw and pawl feature. The slam blocker feature requires a separate mechanism that increases number of parts and hence the cost.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a hood latch assembly of a vehicle that overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide compact and smaller lever subassembly with a pedestrian protection system (PPS) activation mechanism for reducing size and weight of a hood latch assembly of a vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce number of components of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle thereby reducing its overall cost.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hood latch assembly of a vehicle. The hood latch assembly comprises a frame plate, a claw, a pawl and a slam blocker lever. The claw is assembled with the frame plate using a claw rivet and a claw spring. The pawl is mounted on the frame plate using a pawl spring and a pawl rivet. The slam blocker lever is assembled by adding of a slam lever spring and the pawl rivet that is riveted with the frame plate. The slam blocker lever is attached with the pawl by a flange. The slam blocker lever has a stopper face that interacts with the claw leg during latching. During latching activity, the claw hits the pawl and gives rotational movement to both the pawl and the slam blocker lever. The slam blocker lever is rotated in the anticlockwise direction due to inertia so that the stopper face comes in front of the claw leg, thereby preventing the claw to move down and blocking the high speed slamming of a hood of the vehicle. After the claw is rotated, the pawl moves back to original position by the pawl spring, thereby after locking the claw, the slam blocker lever moves back to its original position as the slam lever spring, which always rotates the slam blocker lever in the anticlockwise direction.

Brief description of the drawings:

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a hood latch assembly of a vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an unlatch condition of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 and 4 shows movements of a claw in latching of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of blocking of the claw of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 6 shows arrangement of a slam block lever with a pawl of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 7 shows a latch condition of the hood latch assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.

This present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figure 1 to 7, a hood latch assembly (100) of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention is shown. The hood latch assembly (100) comprises a frame plate (1), a claw (2), a pawl (6) and a slam blocker lever (7). A bonnet (not shown) of the vehicle comprises a striker (12). In latching activity, the striker (12) hits the claw (2) and the striker (12) locks into the hood latch assembly (100).

The frame plate (1) is mounted on the vehicle using mounting holes (a and b). The claw (2) is assembled with the frame plate (1) using a claw rivet (3) and a claw spring (4). The claw (2) has a claw leg (e).

The pawl (6) is mounted on the frame plate (1) using a pawl spring (5) and a pawl rivet (9). The pawl (6) is attached to a customer cable (not shown), which is assembled in an attachment area (c) of the frame plate (1).

The slam blocker lever (7) is assembled by using a slam lever spring (torsion spring) (10) and the pawl rivet (9) that is riveted with the frame plate (1). The slam blocker lever (7) is attached with the pawl (6) by a flange (11). The slam blocker lever (7) is loaded with the torsion spring (10). The slam blocker lever (7) has a stopper face (d) that interacts with the claw leg (e) during latching. Further, the slam blocker lever (7) has a rubber pad/sleeve (8) arranged thereon. The rubber pad (8) provides damping to the claw (2) while fast closing and avoids metal to metal impact.

Again referring to figure 1 to 7, in an operation, during latching activity, the striker (12) hits the claw (2) and the claw (2) closes in a clockwise direction and slides on the pawl (6), thereby rotating the pawl (6) in an anticlockwise direction. That means, the claw (2) hits the pawl (6) and gives rotational movement to both the slam blocker lever (7) and the pawl (6).

Due to sudden movement of the pawl (6), the slam blocker lever (7) is rotated in the anticlockwise direction due to inertia. Hence, the stopper face (d) of the slam blocker lever (7) comes in front of the claw leg (e), thereby stopping movement of the claw (2). Thus, the slam blocker lever (7) prevents the claw (2) to move down. When the claw leg (e) is hitting the stopper face (d) and due to rubber pad (8) geometry it gives noise damping effect. As the claw hits (2) the slam blocker lever (7) and stops going downwards, thereby blocking the high speed slamming of a hood of the vehicle.

After the claw (2) is rotated, the pawl (6) moves back to original position by the pawl spring (5) and the pawl (6) locks the claw (2). Thus, the claw (2) is free to move down in case of a pedestrian protection system (PPS) activation. Thus, in latching condition, the slam blocker lever (7) moves back to its original position as the slam lever spring (10), which always rotates the slam blocker lever (7) in the anticlockwise direction.

Advantages of the invention:

1. The hood latch assembly (100) includes lesser number of parts than other conventional slam blocker with PPS hood latches.
2. The hood latch assembly (100) includes an integrated a small slam-blocker lever sub assembly that provides slam-blocker function.
3. The hood latch assembly does not include separate slam blocker PPS mechanism, as the torsion spring, small slam-blocker lever (7) and the rubber pad (8) are used together for latching thereby providing cost saving option.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.