Closure hinge

Details Closure hinge Closure hinge

2000-05-09

2001-11-13

Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Hinge

Having plural hinge axes

C016S366000, C016S368000, C296S146120

Reexamination Certificate

active

06314615

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention is directed to a multiaxis closure hinge with all axes converging at a single remote pivot point, the hinge being assembled from standard mounting and pivot blocks together with bent pintle rods such that adaptations for various geometries can be easily accommodated by simple modifications to the pintle rod geometry alone.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Closure hinges for vehicles, cabinets and the like involve mounting one end of the hinge to a body and another end to a hood, door or similar moveable panel. The invention will be herein described in respect of a vehicle trunk hood as an example, however it will be understood that the invention is applicable to any number of hinge applications too numerous to specifically mention.
In respect of motor vehicles, due to the costs of tooling, it is preferable to standardize as many parts as possible. Mass production of identical parts that can be utilized in a large number of different vehicles is definitely the most cost effective way in which to manufacture car parts.
On the other hand, especially in respect of the exterior body of a passenger vehicle, major styling modifications are made to the vehicle bodies annually as a norm. To accommodate styling changes to a hinged portion of the car body, such as the trunk hood area, it is often necessary to modify the geometry of the hinge. Hinge redesign results in the need for retooling and the attendant increase in manufacturing costs.
As well, the complex shapes of hoods and the need for clearance to avoid interference damage often dictate that hoods rotate about an axis or point remote from the vehicle body. In such cases, complex multiaxis closure hinges may be used; however, to date, the manufacturing and assembly costs involved in production of such multiaxis hinges is often prohibitive.
Commonly used hinges for vehicle trunk hoods include gooseneck hinges and multiple bar hinges. A significant disadvantage of the gooseneck hinge is that portions of the hinge extend into the cargo area, reducing available space and exposing the cargo and hinge to damage. Interference with the cargo can easily tip the trunk hood and disturb the weather seal. The multibar hinge is more complex and relatively expensive to produce, however the intrusion into the cargo area is improved over the gooseneck hinge.
Lateral stability of prior art hinges is also a concern, and is usually dealt with by providing rigid connection to the body and to the hood, and by increasing the lateral structural resistance of the hinge. However, such measures also increase the material used and labour involved in installation.
Ideally, a hinge which does not intrude into the cargo space is desirable.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a multiaxis closure hinge for pivotally mounting a closure panel adjacent to an opening in a body to rotate about a point remote from the hinge between a closed position over the opening and an open position disposed apart from the opening.
The comprises two pintles, being a body pintle and a panel pintles, each of said two pintles, having an inner end and an outer end, each inner end having an inner axis and each outer end having an outer axis with body mount means at the outer end of the body pintle for pivotally mounting the body pintle to the body for rotation about a first axis, and panel mount means at the outer end of the panel pintle for pivotally mounting the panel pintle to the panel for rotation about a second axis; and coupling means for rotatably coupling the inner ends of the body pintle and panel pintle together in fixed angled relation to one another to rotate about a third axis disposed substantially coincident to the inner axis of a respective one of the pintles, and, with respect to the first axis and second axis, in non-congruent angled relation; wherein the first, second and third axes intersect at the point during rotation between the open and closed positions.
In a preferred embodiment the body pintle and panel pintle comprise elongate rods wherein inner axis of the body pintle is disposed at a first predetermined angle relative to the outer axis of the body pintle and wherein the inner axis of the panel pintle is disposed at a second predetermined angle relative to the outer axis of the panel pintle. The pintles include retainer means for axially securing the outer end of the body pintle to the body mount means, the outer end of the panel pintle to the panel mount means, and the inner end of the panel pintle to the coupling means, said retainer means preferably comprising press fit retainer bushings with the pintles preferably comprising bent cylindrical members.
Preferably, the body mount means preferably comprises a flanged body bearing mount. The panel mount means preferably comprises a flanged panel bearing mount, and the coupling means preferably comprises a coupling block adapted for coupling the inner axes at in fixed acutely angled relation, with the inner axis of the panel pintle coincident with the third axis, and for fixing the inner end of the body pintle to the coupling block to prevent relative rotation therebetween.
Preferably, each component of the hinge, (i.e.: body pintle, body mount means, panel pintle, panel mount means and coupling means) has a plane of symmetry enabling the hinge to be used for left and right installation. Therefore, it is not necessary to fabricate and stock left and right versions of the same component, thereby reducing costs and production time.
As a result of the novel structure, standard components can be mass produced to reduce costs and any modifications required to suit a particular application can be accomplished merely by redesigning the bent cylindrical pintle rods. Significant retooling costs can thus be avoided.
The mount means panel, body mounts means and coupling means can remain standard despite changes in the hinge geometry required for a particular application. To change the hinge geometry, the designer need merely redesign the geometry of the pintle rods.
Since the pintles are constructed of solid cylindrical metal stock, different lengths and bends are easily made with relatively inexpensive tooling. Compared to retooling for stamped sheet metal hinge components of the prior art, the retooling required to fabricate a bent solid rod is significantly lower in cost and skill level.
The lateral stability of the hinge in all positions is far superior to the prior art gooseneck and multibar hinges since the angular orientation of the pintles result in a diagonal strut or scissors-like bracing structure. The hinge co-operates with means to maintain the trunk hood in an open position, such as pneumatic cylinders or torsion bars, as is well-known in the art.
The hinge is compact since it folds upon, itself and is small enough to be accommodated in the gutter of a vehicle body adjacent the trunk hood. Therefore, the hinge does not intrude into the luggage area, avoiding the problems associated with the prior art.
The geometry of the hinge is preferably maintained, such that the three axes of rotation intersect at a virtual hinge point, but do not define a single plane in operation. In other words, the hinge remains in a flexed orientation to avoid dead head instability or toggling action, which would result if all three axes were allowed to move to a coplanar position.
Further details of the invention and of its advantages will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings included below.


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patent: 4692964 (1987-09-01), DeBruyn
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patent: 5560728 (

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