Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-07-10
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S180200, C016S260000, C280S154000, C049S465000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257656
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
This present invention relates to a vehicle body panel mounting system. In one aspect, it relates to a vehicle body panel mounting system using a hinge and latch combination to fasten a body panel to a vehicle chassis.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
There are many commonly known ways to mount a body panel to a vehicle. But, many of these commonly known ways have disadvantages in their design. For example, some body panel mounting systems have a large number of attachments points using only bolts or screws. This makes the removal/installation of the body panel a time consuming and labor intensive process. Also, it does not make it practical to frequently open or remove the body panel to access components behind the body panel. It is often desirable to have easy access to components located behind the body panel. Therefore, a need exists for a body panel mounting system that provides quick and easy removal/installation for access to components located behind a body panel.
Furthermore, many of the commonly known body panel mounting systems do not have a modular design that can be adapted to many different vehicles. For example, some mounting systems are only designed for a left-side body panel. Hence, such mounting systems can not be used to mount a right-side body panel, and different parts would need to be designed and manufactured to mount a right-side body panel. Also, some mounting systems are only designed for one particular size of body panel. Thus, there is a need for a body panel mounting system that can accommodate a variety of body panel shapes and sizes.
Many of the commonly known body panel mounting systems restrain the thermal expansion of the body panel under temperature variations, which can induce stress on the body panel. A vehicle often experiences a large range of temperatures throughout its life (e.g., different seasons, different geographical regions). Hence, there is a need for a body panel mounting system that allows for thermal expansion of the body panel.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Many of the needs outlined above are addressed by the present invention hereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide a body panel mounting system that has a minimum number of attachment points that must be unfastened to remove or fastened to install a body panel on a vehicle, thereby decreasing the amount of time and labor required to remove/install the body panel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a body panel mounting system that has a modular design such that the same part content can accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of body panels, as well as left and right sides.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a body panel mounting system that will allow for length changes in a body panel due to thermal expansion under temperature variations.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a body panel mounting system for a vehicle has a hinge bar, a hinge pivot stop, at least one hinge bracket, two longitudinal positioning collars, a latch bar, at least two latch bar fasteners, and at least one latch bracket.
The hinge bar has a generally D-shaped cross-section having two round sides and three flat sides. Two of the flat sides are generally parallel with each other. Each hinge bracket has a generally C-shaped cross-section. The hinge bar cross-section is adapted to interlock with each hinge bracket cross-section to form a hinge mechanism, except where the opening of each C-shaped hinge bracket cross-section aligns with the two flat sides that are parallel to each other. Thus, the hinge bar cross-section can only be slid into and out of each hinge bracket cross-section when the opening of each C-shaped hinge bracket cross-section is aligned with the two flat sides that are parallel with each other.
The hinge bar can be attached to a chassis of the vehicle. Also, the hinge bar can have a hinge pivot stop formed thereon, which will limit the pivoting of each hinge bracket about the hinge bar. Each hinge bracket is adapted to retain an edge of a body panel. Two longitudinal positioning collars can be attached to the hinge bar. The longitudinal positioning collars are adapted to retain the longitudinal position of a designated hinge bracket along the hinge bar, which in turn defines the longitudinal position of the body panel relative to the chassis when the body panel is installed via the body panel mounting system.
The latch bar fasteners are adapted to retain another edge of the body panel. The latch bar fasteners are attached to the latch bar. Also, the latch bar brackets are slidably connected to the latch bar. The latch bar brackets are adapted to attach to the vehicle chassis and are free to slide along the latch bar while positioning the latch bar brackets during installation of the body panel. Thus, the body panel is hinged to the chassis at one end by the hinge bar and hinge bracket combination and it is latched at another end by the latch bar, latch fastener, and latch bracket combination. The body panel mounting system allows the body panel to pivot about the hinge bar to an open position or to a removal position. At the removal position, the body panel along with each hinge bracket can be slid off the hinge bar, and thus off of the chassis.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a truck incorporates the body panel mounting system for retaining a body panel on the truck chassis.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a hinge mechanism for mounting a body panel on a vehicle has a hinge bar and at least one hinge bracket. At least a portion of the hinge bar has a generally cylindrical cross-section with two round outer sides and two flat outer sides. The two round outer sides are opposite each other and have an outside diameter about a common center point. The two flat outer sides are opposite each other and generally parallel to one another. Each hinge bracket has a C-shaped cross-section that is adapted to interlock with the hinge bar to form a hinge mechanism, except when the opening of the C-shaped cross-section of the hinge bracket is aligned with the flat outer sides of the hinge bar. Thus the hinge bar cross-section can be slid into and out of each hinge bracket cross-section at the position where the opening in each hinge bracket cross-section aligns with the flat outer sides of the hinge bar. Each hinge bracket is also adapted to retain a body panel. The hinge bar can be attached to a vehicle chassis. Hence, the body panel can be attached to the chassis via the hinge mechanism formed by the hinge bar and hinge brackets interlocking.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3416185 (1968-12-01), Peterson
patent: 4925235 (1990-05-01), Fingerie
patent: 5947520 (1999-09-01), McHorse
Cook Rob A.
Davis Derek L.
Paccar Inc
Pedder Dennis H.
Sidley & Austin
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