A hood hinge structure includes a hood hinge base (12) and a hood hinge arm (14). The hood hinge base is fixed to a vehicle body. The hood hinge arm includes a supported portion (22) and a fixed portion (24). The supported portion is provided at a base end side of the hood hinge arm and is supported by the hood hinge base. The fixed portion (24) is provided at a tip end side of the hood hinge arm and is fixed to a hood. At least a portion of the hood hinge arm from the supported portion to the fixed portion has a laminated structure.

A hinge assembly includes a door bracket attached to the vehicle door, the door bracket including a flange that is configured to define a door bracket aperture. A body bracket is attached to the vehicle body member, the body bracket including a flange that is configured to define a body bracket aperture. A pin extends through the door bracket aperture and the body bracket aperture to thereby connect together the door and body brackets. A bumper projects from one of the door bracket and the body bracket. A stopper is attached to the other of the door bracket and the body bracket, the stopper being configured to contact the bumper when the vehicle door is disposed in the closed position to thereby move the pin into contact with surfaces of the flanges of the door and body brackets that define the door bracket aperture and the body bracket aperture.

An active hinge for a deployable hood assembly of the type used in a pedestrian protection system for motor vehicles. The active hinge employs a primary latch to mechanically hold the hinge in a non-deployed condition and a secondary latch to mechanically hold the hinge in a deployed condition.

A passive hood hinge system for a vehicle is provided. The passive hood hinge system includes a hinge bracket that is coupled to a vehicle body that extends in a vertical orientation and a pin regulation aperture. A hinge arm is coupled with a hood and a descending link has first and second end portions, respectively, rotatably coupled with the hinge arm and the hinge bracket. A support link has first and second end portions respectively, rotatably coupled with the hinge arm and the hinge bracket. A bending lever is disposed at the hinge bracket and has an upper end portion coupled with the descending pin coupled with a pin regulation aperture, and a bent portion that bends when the descending pin at the pin regulation aperture descends. A buffer bracket is disposed at a lower portion of the descending pin and is deformed by pressing the descending pin.

A front flap hinge for a motor vehicle comprises a hinge upper part and a front flap securing element which can be secured to a front flap of the motor vehicle and is connected to the hinge upper part such that it can swivel about a first pivot axis extending in a transverse direction. The hinge upper part comprises a guide element in which a guide counter element of the front flap securing element is guided in a first crash scenario. The guide counter element can be removed from the guide element in a second crash scenario. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a front flap hinge of this type.

A vehicle hood hinge assembly includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The first bracket has a base flange and a side flange that extends upward from the base flange. The side flange has a rear end with a pivot shaft defining a main pivot axis. A front end of the side flange is spaced apart from the base flange and includes a pivot mount. The second bracket has a forward end and a rearward end. The rearward end is connected to the pivot shaft of the side flange of the first bracket for pivoting movement. A linear piston device is fixed to the pivot mount of the side flange of the first bracket. The second bracket is shaped and dimensioned such that during pivoting movements the linear piston has a non-contacting relationship with the second bracket.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to adjusting a shear pin to minimize an impact force felt by an object in a collision with a vehicle. For example, one or more second computing devices may receive, from one or more first computing devices, information indicating that an impact with an object is imminent. In response to the received information, the second computing devices may determine a first shear force for a first shear pin, wherein the first shear force is a desired amount of shear force necessary to break the first shear pin. The second computing devices may send a triggering signal to activate an actuator prior to an impact with the identified impact target. The actuator, in response to receiving the triggering signal, may adjust the first shear pin in a first pinhole, so the first shear pin will break at the first shear force.

Hinges for mitigating force transfer are disclosed. A hinge coupling a tailgate to a support structure of a vehicle includes a first portion, a second portion, and one or more crumple features. The second portion rotations relative to the first portion to move the tailgate between an open position and a closed position. The one or more crumple features cause a length of the hinge to be reduced when a threshold force is applied to the hinge while the tailgate is in the closed position.

A door stop apparatus for limiting opening movement of a hinge mounted door is disclosed. The door stop apparatus may comprise a body member comprising a first end surface and a second end surface opposite and parallel to the first end surface. The body member may also comprise a through-opening extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, wherein the through-opening is configured to receive the hinge pin of the door hinge. Further, the body member may comprise an abutment surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, wherein the abutment surface is configured to abut against the door hinge for maintaining the body member in a substantially fixed position relative to the door hinge. Additionally, the body member may comprise a first side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface.

A front flap hinge for a motor vehicle comprises a hinge upper part and a front flap securing element which can be secured to a front flap of the motor vehicle and is connected to the hinge upper part such that it can swivel about a first pivot axis extending in a transverse direction. The hinge upper part comprises a guide element in which a guide counter element of the front flap securing element is guided in a first crash scenario. The guide counter element can be removed from the guide element in a second crash scenario. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a front flap hinge of this type.