Technical Paper
Hood Closing Characteristics in a Dual Hood Latch System
2024-04-09
2024-01-2228
The hood closing characteristic in gas strut condition is different than in the stay rod condition. In stay rod condition, the hood closes once it is dropped from a minimum closing height and opening the hood requires effort. The gas strut in turn aids in hood opening but for hood closing it requires effort. In sports utility vehicles, due to bigger sizes of hood and architectural requirements dual latches and gas strut are employed on hood. In this condition, the hood can be closed either by dynamic single stroke or by quasi static two stroke conditions. In dynamic case, the hood is closed at higher velocity whereas in quasi static case force is applied first for secondary latching position and then for primary latching position. In this study, both the dynamic and quasi static closing conditions are compared in terms of closing force and velocity and hood over travel.