Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Having plural hinge axes
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-14
2001-01-23
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Having plural hinge axes
C016S370000, C296S146110, C296S146120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175991
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vehicle door hinges in general, and more specifically to an articulated vehicle door hinge.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In most cases, the side door of an automotive vehicle is attached to the vehicle body with a conventional vehicle hinge. The vehicle door is adapted to rotate about the hinge for passenger ingress and egress to the vehicle passenger compartment. When using such a hinge there must be adequate space between the outer door leading edge and the adjacent pillar inner surface to allow the door to rotate about the hinge and open and close. Typically the pillar is formed with a cavity adjacent to the outer door leading edge to provide for such clearance.
It has become commercially desirable to provide in pickup and light commercial trucks a third and often fourth vehicle door attached to a B or C-pillar. As is often the case, however, these pillars are structurally reinforced or are carriers for a vehicle feature that prohibits forming a cavity therein to allow clearance for the outer door leading edge upon opening and closing of such a door.
An articulated door hinge may be employed to remedy such a problem. One articulated door hinge uses an upper and lower hinge to attach the vehicle door to the vehicle body. Such a hinge, however, lacks structural integrity and upon opening the vehicle door, the door sags and does not provide the quality that present day consumers are accustomed to. Another articulated door hinge uses a pair of torsion reinforcement bars to connect the upper and lower hinge to provide structural integrity sufficient to prevent the door from sagging. This hinge, however, moves the outer door leading edge outwardly and longitudinally forward of the vehicle. This is a problem with many trucks and light commercial vehicle because the b-pillar often extends outwardly of the outer door leading edge and would therefore interfere with such movement. Furthermore, this hinge has uniquely manufactured body half and vehicle door half linkages as well as a lack of interchangeability between right and left side hinges, which adds undesirable cost and weight to the vehicle.
What is desired than is an articulated door hinge that prevents the outer door leading edge from interfering with any type of pillar structure upon door opening, is sufficiently structurally robust to prevent door sag upon door opening and has interchangeable components corresponding to door half and body half upper and lower hinges as well as corresponding right and left vehicle door hinges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the related art by providing an articulated door hinge attaching a vehicle door having an outer surface with a leading-edge and an inner surface to a vehicle pillar having an outer surface and an inner surface, the door hinge having a pillar half linkage having a base rigidly attached to the pillar inner surface and a bearing surface projecting from the base supporting a pair of horizontally spaced rotary center shafts, a door half linkage having a base rigidly attached to the door inner surface and a bearing surface projecting from the base supporting a pair of horizontally spaced rotary center shafts, a forward link connecting corresponding longitudinally forward most rotary center shafts of the door half linkage to the pillar half linkage, and a rearward link connecting corresponding longitudinally rearward most rotary center shafts of the door half linkage to the pillar half linkage thereby creating an articulated door hinge. The articulated door hinge is operable between a door closed position where the door outer surface leading edge is a predetermined distance from the pillar outer surface and a door open position where the door outer surface leading edge is moved laterally inward and longitudinally rearward of the pillar outer surface.
An object of the present invention is to provide an articulated door hinge for an automotive vehicle that prevents the outer door leading edge from interfering with any type of pillar structure upon door opening.
An advantage of the present invention is that the articulated door hinge is operable between a door closed position and a door open position where the door outer surface leading edge is moved laterally inward and longitudinally rearward of the pillar outer surface, thereby preventing the outer door leading edge from interfering with the pillar structure.
A feature of the present invention is to provide upper and lower articulated door hinges connected by a torsional support shaft. The torsional support shaft is advantageous in that it prevents door sag in all door open positions.
A further feature of the present invention is that the door half linkages as well as the body half linkages are interchangeable between upper and lower as well as right and left side vehicle doors. This interchangeability advantageously minimizes hinge complexity as well as cost.
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patent: 3074755 (1963-01-01), Peras
patent: 4650241 (1987-03-01), Motonami et al.
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patent: 4854010 (1989-08-01), Maraghe et al.
patent: 5491875 (1996-02-01), Siladke et al.
patent: 5497534 (1996-03-01), Caruso
patent: 5544449 (1996-08-01), Amelio et al.
patent: 2234 (1910-03-01), None
patent: 181251 (1922-06-01), None
Driesman David E.
Kim Felix S. H.
Kim Michael H.
Vogler Kevin Paul
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Kelley David B.
Knight Anthony
Williams Mark
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