Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Resiliently biased hinge
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-09
2001-05-15
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Resiliently biased hinge
C016S288000, C016S286000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230364
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to hinged closures, and more particularly, the invention concerns improvements in mechanisms for assisting the lifting of hinged closures, in particular car trunk lids and tailgates, and car hoods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has become a requirement in the motor industry that car trunk lids, that is, the trunk or rear lid should need little or no manual effort to be opened, especially starting from the closed position. For example a person wishing to load luggage or shopping articles into the trunk of a car often has only one hand free, so that the lid has to be unlocked and lifted single-handedly. This can be a real problem for elderly or infirm persons.
In many cars nowadays the trunk lids are pivoted about a pair of four-link hinges. When the lid is closed each hinge is stowed, along with its gas strut, in a respective shallow gutter on each side of the trunk. This has the advantage that the trunk space remains unobstructed by the hinge mechanism. However, the almost horizontal attitude of the gas strut provides a poor mechanical advantage in assisting the initial opening of the lid, namely at the very position where the effective weight of the lid is greatest.
In co-pending European Patent Application No. 97303390.5 there is described and claimed a hinged mechanism for assisting the lifting of a closure hinged to a body, comprising: a hinge device permitting pivoting of the closure about the body, and a compressible strut acting between a first hinge part attachable to the body and a second hinge part attachable to the closure; wherein one end of the strut acts through a pivotal thrust member whose movement is constrained by engagement of a part thereof with plate means, at least when the two hinge parts are in close proximity with respect to each other, such as when the closure is in the lowered position, whereby during initial opening of the closure the plate means enables pivoting movement of the thrust member, due to the force of the strut, to cause a lifting movement of the closure.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and simpler mechanism for initially lifting a closure, in particular a motor vehicle trunk lid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a hinge mechanism for assisting the lifting of a closure hinged to a body, comprising a hinge device permitting pivoting of the closure about the body and including a first hinge part attachable to the body and a second hinge part attachable to the closure, and spring means mounted on one of the hinge parts and engageable with an element on the other hinge part, whereby when the hinge parts are in close proximity with respect to each other, such as when the closure is in a lowered position, the spring means acts on the second hinge part to cause at least a partial lifting movement of the closure.
Preferably the hinge device is a four-link hinge, the first and second hinge parts being connected by a short link and a long link.
In a preferred arrangement the spring means is associated with the first hinge part while the element is attached to the second hinge part.
The first hinge part may have an elongated end which in use with a closure, is remote from the opening edge of the closure.
Preferably the spring means is a leaf spring; and where the first hinge part is elongated, the leaf spring may be generally of a V-shape, having first and second limbs joined by a bight section which passes around a pin at the elongate end of the first hinge part.
The first limb of the spring may be flat for engaging a corresponding portion of the first hinge part.
The second limb, when in its uncompressed state, is preferably of a curved shaped with its free end curving away from the first limb.
Where the spring means is a leaf spring, the element in the second hinge part preferably comprises a roller which is engageable with the outer surface of the leaf spring.
Since in the fully closed position of the hinge mechanism the roller will engage the portion of the spring nearer the bight section, a large force is initially applied to the second hinge part which enables the lid to start opening, whereupon during reduction of the spring force the gas strut progressively takes over to continue opening the lid.
The invention also extends to a hinge mechanism as above defined, in which a compressible strut is pivotally connected between the first and second hinge parts. The strut is preferably a gas strut.
Alternatively the strut may be connected directly between the closure and the body of the vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2520921 (1950-09-01), Foster
patent: 2720676 (1955-10-01), Vigmostad
patent: 3195173 (1965-07-01), McNay et al.
patent: 3351975 (1967-11-01), Goto
patent: 4580315 (1986-04-01), Beckwith
patent: 4679841 (1987-07-01), Taunay
patent: 4966403 (1990-10-01), Nordstrom
patent: 5008977 (1991-04-01), Lautenschlager et al.
patent: 5373609 (1994-12-01), Ferrari et al.
patent: 5544388 (1996-08-01), Chiura
patent: 0 808 982 (1997-11-01), None
ITW Limited
Mah Chuck Y.
Schwartz & Weinrieb
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