A stiffened panel structure includes a panel-shaped component and a wire. The panel-shaped component has a panel body that curves in such a manner as to be convex outward. The wire has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is bonded to a first point on the inner surface of the panel body. The second end portion is bonded to a second point on the inner surface of the panel body. The wire is strained between the first point and the second point.

An airflow adjusting apparatus includes an airflow generator, a state detector, and a controller. The airflow generator is configured to generate a control airflow to cause the control airflow to join an around-vehicle airflow formed around a vehicle body of a traveling vehicle. The airflow generator is configured to vary a flow direction of the control airflow with respect to a surface of the vehicle body. The state detector is configured to detect a state of the around-vehicle airflow. The controller is configured to vary the flow direction of the control airflow on the basis of the state of the around-vehicle airflow detected by the state detector.

An indoor maintenance cover of a bus includes: a frame mounted on a maintenance hole; a first door and a second door in which respective both ends are connected to the frame by a hinge pin to open/close the maintenance hole; an interlocking device configured to join a hinge pin connected to one end of the first door and a hinge pin connected to one end of the second door, the interlocking device facing the hinge pin so that the first door and the second door rotate while interlocking with each other; and a fastener fastening the first door and the second door while the first door and the second door are closed. The maintenance cover can be installed to prevent accidents while increasing operability for easily opening or closing the maintenance hole in the bus.

In at least some implementations, an energy absorbing member for a vehicle includes an engine cover adapted to be mounted beneath a vehicle hood and to overlie at least part of an engine, and an upper member coupled to the engine cover. The upper member is cantilevered to the engine cover wherein the upper member has a base coupled to the engine cover and a free end spaced from the base, and the upper member is flexible and a first portion of the upper member spaced from the base and including the free end is movable relative to the base.

An energy absorber for interposition between a cover and a covered object includes a generally planar matrix of cells. Each of the cells includes a plurality of generally elongate micro-elements interconnected to form a cell micro-structure, with each cell having a respective energy absorption capacity such that an energy absorption capacity of the energy absorber varies across at least one direction. The cells are configured such that impulse of an object with the cover with the energy absorber sandwiched between the cover and the covered object causes a deceleration vs. time response in the object, beginning with a generally linear rise in the deceleration to a peak deceleration within 5 ms after the beginning of the impulse event, followed by a generally nonlinear decrease in the deceleration over a period of not greater than 15 ms to a final target deceleration of not greater than 10% of the peak deceleration.

A hood structure for a vehicle ensures rigidity of a front portion of an outer panel and a high level of pedestrian protection. The hood structure includes an outer panel defining external appearance; an inner panel on a prime mover chamber side of the outer panel; and a stiffener in a front portion of the inner panel. The inner panel has an upper surface section on a center side of the outer panel; a coupling surface section extending downward from a ridgeline located at a peripheral edge of the upper surface section; and a lower surface section extending from a peripheral edge end of the coupling surface section to an edge side of the outer panel. The stiffener has a reinforcing surface section joined to the outer panel; and a rear-side fixed section extending rearward from the reinforcing surface section and fixed to the vicinity of the ridgeline.

A hood lifting mechanism for a vehicle having a frunk, including: at least one lifting means configured to lift a hood, and a deformable material configured to be attached to an inner surface of the hood, wherein the deformable material is configured to switch from a first position (P1) in which the deformable material is either flat or forms a dome being directed towards the inner surface of the hood into a second position (P2) in which the deformable material forms a dome being directed towards the frunk when the at least one lifting means is activated. Further, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle including such lifting mechanism and to a method for moving a hood of a vehicle.

A hood assembly for a vehicle comprises an outer panel, an inner panel disposed inwardly of the outer panel and defining a lower, sealing surface, a crush volume defined between the outer panel and the inner panel; and a bridging member disposed within the crush volume and configured to extend supportively between the outer panel and the inner panel. The bridging member comprises a support surface that is in supportive contact with the outer panel and support members that extend from the support surface toward the inner panel for structural support of the hood assembly.

An automobile hood 1 has an inner panel 2, an outer panel 3, and a plurality of linear sealer regions A in which joints 21 are arranged. A region which includes the linear sealer region A and in which both ends in a longitudinal direction L of the linear sealer region A reach the outer circumferential edge of the inner panel 2 is defined as an end-to-end region B. Each of three longest linear sealer regions A2, A4 and A3 among the plurality of linear sealer regions A is a length that is 40% or more of the length of an end-to-end region B2, B4 or B3 to which the linear sealer regions A2, A4 or A3 belongs, respectively. These three end-to-end regions B2, B4 and B3 do not intersect with each other within a region surrounded by the outer circumferential edge of the inner panel 2.

A hood structure for a vehicle includes an outer panel on an upper side and an inner panel on a lower side. The outer panel and the inner panel are arranged to overlap each other in a plan view. The outer panel has a recessed portion extending substantially in a longitudinal direction and recessed downward, the inner panel has holed portions at least partially overlapping the recessed portion of the outer panel in the plan view, and at least two of the holed portions are arranged spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction.