Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Specific pintle structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-01-30
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Specific pintle structure
C016S262000, C016S263000, C016S261000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178599
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a hinge structure and methods for temporarily installing a vehicle door, with a vehicle body to allow for the painting of the door and the body, and the subsequent separation of the door and the body, prior to installation of heat sensitive hardware to be installed in the door. The method of this invention is accomplished by providing a unique hinge pin retainer with a hinge which temporarily allows for, the mounting of the door with the vehicle, and ease of removal of the retainer when the door is removed following the painting process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known in the art to provide a method of temporarily installing a door with a vehicle. However, such methods are normally effected by the installation of a clip with the hinge pin of the vehicle hinge to allow for removal of the clip and for separation of the door from the vehicle. For example, Honda has provided a vehicle having a hinge which has a door half and a body half. The door half and the body half are joined by a pin having a head and a tail. The head has vertically extending alternating grooves and ridges located adjacent a larger diameter shank than the shank located proximate the tail of the hinge pin. This hinge pin has located near the tail thereof two fairly deep grooves which extend about the circumference of the narrow diameter shank of the tail of the pin. A clip having a generally C-shape is provided which has an extension provided therewith accessible by a tool. The hinge half and door half are connected together thereby connecting the door with the vehicle temporarily, by clipping the generally C-shaped clip into the groove closest to tail end of the pin. By doing this, the alternating grooves and ridges do not bite into any metal portions extending about the hinge pin opening of the body half and therefore the hinge pin is not secured in its final position. Reference to
FIG. 2
is made in this regard.
Once the vehicle body and doors are painted the generally C-shaped clip is removed to allow for the separation of the door half and the body half of the hinge. This clip and the removal thereof is quite time consuming as it is often coated in paint and difficult to remove and results in the permanent discard of the generally C-shaped clip.
Other methods have been contemplated as well. For example, Honda also has an apparatus for temporarily installing, and a method for temporarily separating a door, wherein one half of the hinge has provided therewith a bracket which contains the final metal ring fastening clip therewith. This fastening clip is driven by the insertion of the hinge pin into its final position, substantially as described and taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,163, which specifically claims the inclusion of the hinge pin (as best seen in relation to FIG. 5 thereof) with the door half of a hinge assembly when shipped.
Other examples of methods are found in the following references.
A fastener is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,165,504 at FIG. 30 which has essentially a truncated cone and a groove with the driving head at one end. U.K. Patent Application 2,055,958 also shows a similar type of fastener in FIG. 3
a
thereof.
Great Britain Patent Specification 1,295,023 published on Nov. 1, 1972, and referring to FIG. 8 thereof, there is disclosed a hinge pin which utilizes a groove at one end and head at the other, which is retained in position with a substantially C-shaped clip.
Great Britain Patent Specification 1,486,013 published Sep. 14, 1977 describes a barrel hinge having a pin which is fastened with the use of a groove with the retainer being a split ring.
Great Britain Patent Specification 1,128,015 published Sep. 25, 1968 teaches a pivot assembly which includes at one end a C-shaped retainer clip washer 15 which fits into a groove on the pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,175,550, issued Mar. 14, 1916, shows a single grooved pin with a retaining member as best seen in FIG. 4 which clamps under the shoulder 10
d
of FIG. 2 to retain the pin in its assembled position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,359, issued Jun. 17, 1941, describes a link for engaging a groove in a pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,508, issued Dec. 18, 1962, includes an expanded portion near the head and a double grooved portion near the tail which has a broaching tool for use when inserted with the hinge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,599, to Mullins Manufacturing Company, shows a hinge assembly, and specifically in FIG. 7 thereof a modified form of the pin used with the hinge which includes two grooves 128 and 132 . Groove 128 is the desired location for retaining portion 130 of the sleeve, but should the manufacturing tolerances require, the supplementary position defined by groove 132 can be adopted during assembly as an alternate to the preferred groove 128 . Therefore this reference teaches the use of a pin with a tapered end and having an expanded end near the head and two grooves near the tail or nose for use in a hinge. This patent was issued Oct. 23, 1973.
As seen in FIG. 11 of Honda's U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,148 there is shown a hinge pin with a single groove. The patent refers to a method and apparatus for feeding and installing hinge pins, by which a door will be coupled.
Nowhere within the prior art is there provided a method for temporarily fastening a door half and a body half of a hinge together, utilizing a flexible ring, which remains flexible at ambient temperatures, but in one embodiment becomes brittle once exposed to the heat typically found in a drying process following the painting of a vehicle. In another embodiment the retainer remains flexible for ease of use. The retainer ring is designed to provide ease of removal when subsequently separating the door from the vehicle.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a method and hinge which is more simpler to utilize.
It is also an object of the invention to improve the design of hinge pins and retainers in combination.
Further and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and a more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a primary object of this invention there is provided a method for temporarily connecting a body half and a door half of a hinge, said body half of said hinge including connecting means for receiving said door half of said hinge further including connecting means for receiving the body half, of said hinge, one of said connecting means including a portion having disposed proximate the end thereof at least one groove for receiving a resilient flexible retainer;
said method including the steps of;
(a) fastening the hinge when assembled to a vehicle and a door so as to fasten the door with the vehicle temporarily;
(b) painting the vehicle and door together while temporarily connected;
(c) subjecting the vehicle and door and the resilient flexible retainer to heat such as that found in a curing process for a painting process for vehicles;
(d) separating said body and door halves of said hinge by removing the retainer and separating said halves;
(e) separating said door from said vehicle by separating the body half and the door half of said hinges.
In one embodiment the body half of said hinge includes connecting means further comprising openings within which connecting means further comprising pin like portions extending from said door half are inserted, said pin like portions having a groove disposed proximate the end thereof wherein said resilient retainer will reside for temporarily fastening of said body half and said door half.
In another embodiment said connecting means of said body and door halves including openings through which a separate hinge pin is inserted. Preferably the hinge pin includes at least two and preferably four grooves including a first and third groove having substantially the same diameter and a second and fourth groove having substantially the same diameter but different from the diameter of the first and third
Mitchell Stephen Joseph
Ng Cheaw Wang
Worden Scott
Chrysler Corporation
Fuller III Roland A.
Knight Anthony
Williams Mark
LandOfFree
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