AU6543700A

AU6543700A - apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge

Info

Publication number: AU6543700A
Application number: AU65437/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Su-Il Ju
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Priority date: 1999-12-16
Filing date: 2000-10-11
Publication date: 2001-06-21
Also published as: DE10051711A1; KR100348043B1; KR20010056670A; JP2001173307A

Description

1928BI

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: tr

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HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY Su-I1 Ju HODGKINSON OLD McINNES Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 3, 20 Alfred Street MILSONS POINT NSW 2061 APPARATUS USED BOTH AS DOOR CHECKER AND DOOR HINGE Details of Associated Basic Application: Korean Patent Application No. 99- 58237 dated 16 December 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: APPARATUS USED BOTH AS DOOR CHECKER AND DOOR HINGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a door hinge apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART As illustrated in Figure 1, a door hinge according to the prior art includes a hinge bracket 2 secured to a body of the automobile (hereinafter referred to as body) and a hinge bracket 4 fixed to a door, both brackets being connected by a 10 pin 6. This type of door hinge only serves to support the door when the door is opened and closed.

Meanwhile, an automobile door has used a separate door checker for performing a half open and a full open state at a predetermined angle although 'the door hinge according to the prior art only serves to support the door.

However, there is a problem in the structure having a door hinge and a door checker separately thus described according to the prior art in that a door panel interferes an upper surface of the door checker when the door panel droops in a long use of the automobile due to assembly error between an opening trace of the door checker and the door hinge, and error of pin itself, resulting in generation of noise when the door is opened and closed and deteriorated durability of door such as severe wear on the upper surface of the door checker or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is disclosed to solve the afore-mentioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge adapted to enable the door hinge to function as door checker at the same time, thereby bringing parts in a set of module for reduction of manufacturing cost and improving reliability and durability of door.

In accordance with the object of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge according to the present invention, the apparatus having a first hinge bracket secured to the body and a second hinge bracket hinged to the first hinge bracket via a hinge shaft and simultaneously fixed to a door, wherein the apparatus comprises: S 10 a torsion bar coupled to the first hinge bracket in order to provide a reactional turning effect to the second hinge bracket; and a bent surface mounted on the second bracket in order to provide an action force to the torsion bar according to rotation of the second hinge bracket.

o. A free end of the torsion bar to which force is applied by the bent surface S 15 is inserted by a roller and the bent surface is formed at a circumferential surface **about the hinge shaft.

The torsion bar has a ring-like shape encompassing an outer side of the "i first hinge bracket and is restrained at a mid section thereof by a hitching jaw of the first hinge bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view for illustrating a door hinge apparatus according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a perspective view for illustrating a door checker-cum-door hinge apparatus according to the present invention; Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are schematic diagrams for illustrating an assembled state of the door checker-cum-door hinge apparatus according to the present invention; and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram for illustrating an operational state of the door checker-cum-door hinge apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Now, preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10 As illustrated in Figure 2, the apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge includes a first hinge bracket 12 secured to the body, a second hinge bracket 14 hinged to the first hinge bracket 12 via a hinge shaft 16 and simultaneously secured to the door, a torsion bar 18 coupled to the first hinge bracket 12 in order to give a reactional turning effect to the second hinge bracket 14 and a bent surface 20 mounted on the second bracket in order to provide an action force to the torsion bar 18 according to rotation of the second hinge oo.ooi bracket 14.

o:oo° The first hinge bracket 12 includes fixed flange units 22 and 22' each secured to the body via bolts, and vertical flange units 28 and 28' each vertically and extensively bent relative to the fixed flange units 22 and 22' and connected at a rear plate 26 therebetween for a tip end of the torsion bar 18 to be fixedly coupled.

The vertical flange units 28 and 28' are formed thereon with holes for the hinge shaft 16 to be inserted thereinto. The rear plate 26 is arranged thereunder with a hitching jaw 32 for the torsion bar 18 to get hitched at a mid section thereof.

The hitching jaw 32 is bent at a tip end thereof lest the torsion bar 18 should be detached, as illustrated in Figure 3c. It is preferable to have the torsion bar 18 closely adhered to an inner side of the tip end at the hitching jaw 32, pressed and bent.

The second hinge bracket 14 is formed with fixed flange units 34 and 34' secured to the door via bolts and vertical flange units 38 and 40 vertically and extensively bent relative to the fixed flange units 34 and 34' and connected therebetween at an upper side thereof by a connector 36. The vertical flange units 28 and 28' of the first hinge bracket 14 and vertical flange units 38 and of the second hinge bracket 14 are cooperatively hinged by the hinge shaft 16.

The bent surface 20 is formed on an end surface of the vertical flange unit 38 and is also formed on a circumferential surface having the hinge shaft 16 as a o rotary center. The bent surface 20 resembles round teeth.

.*The torsion bar 18 resembles a ring opened at one end. The torsion bar 15 18 is inserted and fixed at one end thereof to the vertical flange unit 28' and **encompasses the first hinge bracket 12 toward the rear plate 26 and its mid section is hitched by the hitching jaw 32, while the torsion bar 18 nears at the other end thereof an external side of the vertical flange unit 28 at the first hinge bracket 12. The torsion bar 18 is externally inserted at the other end thereof (free end) by a roller 42 for the bent surface 20 to contact.

Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are schematic drawings each for illustrating an assembled state of the door checker-cum-door hinge apparatus according to the present invention.

As illustrated in Figure 3a, the torsion bar 18 is inserted at one end thereof into the hole of the vertical flange unit 28' at the first hinge bracket 12, and as illustrated in Figure 3b, the torsion bar 18 is pushed toward the insertion direction to insert the roller 42 into the other end (free end) where the torsion bar 18 is appropriately adjusted in position thereof to fix the roller 42, and is welded at one end thereof for use as a fixed end. The roller 42 may be secured by a pin or by welding.

At this time, as illustrated in Figure 3c, the torsion bar 18 is hitched at the mid section thereof by the hitching jaw 32 where the hitching jaw 32 is bent at one end thereof to prevent the torsion bar 18 from drooping.

Next, as illustrated in Figure 3d, the second hinge bracket 14 is hinged by the hinge shaft 16, where the bent surface 20 touches the roller 42.

When the door is opened where the body is secured by the first 10 hinge bracket 12 and the door is coupled by the second hinge bracket 14 as illustrated in Figure 4 in the door checker-cum-door hinge apparatus thus constructed according to the present invention, the second hinge bracket 14 is rotated about the hinge shaft 16 and highs and lows of the bent surface contact the external surface of the roller 42 to be opened at a predetermined angle and to maintain the state thereof.

In other words, when the high of the bent surface 20 contacts the roller 42, the torsion bar 18 is pressed to open the door, but when the low of the bent surface faces the surface of the roller 42, the roller 42 is a bit accommodated into the low by resilient restoring power of the torsion bar 18 and unless further force is applied, the door stops at an opened state.

As a result, the door can maintain a half-open state or a full open state to function as a door checker.

As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge thus described according to the present invention in that the door is not easily opened due to resilience of the torsion bar even if a passenger inadvertently apply a force to the door when an automobile is running, thereby lending an assistance to safe driving.

There is another advantage in that if only a marginal force for the highs of the bent surface to overcome the force of the torsion bar is applied when the door is opened and closed, the torsion bar is accommodated into the lows of the bent surface thereafter to guarantee a sure opening and closing of the door such that the door should not be pushed or pulled to the end.

There.is still another advantage in that no separate door checker is needed to 10 thereby reduce the number of parts and manufacturing cost.

The term "comprising" as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.

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Claims

1. An apparatus used both as door checker and door hinge, the apparatus having a first hinge bracket secured to a body and a second hinge bracket hinged to the first hinge bracket via a hinge shaft and simultaneously fixed to a door, wherein the apparatus comprises: a torsion bar coupled to the first hinge bracket in order to provide a reactional turning effect to the second hinge bracket; and a bent surface mounted on the second bracket in order to provide an action :0.00. 10 force to the torsion bar according to rotation of the second hinge bracket. oio

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a free end of the torsion bar to which force is applied by the bent surface is inserted by a roller and the bent surface is formed at a circumferential surface about the hinge shaft.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the torsion bar has a ring-like shape encompassing an outer side of the first hinge bracket and is restrained at a mid sectional thereof by a hitching jaw of the first hinge bracket. 20

4. An apparatus used both as door checker and door hinged as substantially hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Dated this 1 1 th day of October 2000 HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY BY: HODGKINSON OLD MclNNES Patent Attorney for the Applicant