EP3498956B1 - Hinge - Google Patents

Description

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a hinge, in particular for pivotally attaching a motor vehicle door to a motor vehicle.

State of the art

It has long been known to use hinges to attach moving vehicle parts such as doors and flaps to a vehicle body. More recently, it has also been known to produce entire hinges or at least hinge bushings from plastic, which, among other things, makes it possible to achieve a lower weight of the component.

Hinges that can be made of plastic are known, for example DE 101 18 301 A1 or DE 10 2011 100 048 A1 .

However, plastic bushings have a serious disadvantage, especially when used in vehicle construction: When painting bodies and doors, which are hinged using hinges with plastic bushings, there is a high number of paint defects, so-called " Boil up", due to the insufficient electrical conductivity between the hinge halves and the resulting arcs, and thus to undesirable rework and corrosion problems.

The conductance of a plastic bushing can be increased by using better conductive materials, in particular by adding carbon to the material of the hinge. However, this in turn leads to excessive KTL adhesion on the outside of the hinge. The adhering KTL coating can come off when the hinge moves and, for example, cause contamination on a vehicle body. This procedure also requires undesirable rework after the painting process.

From the EP 2 476 566 A1 is known a vehicle door hinge disposed between and interconnecting a vehicle body and a vehicle door to connect the vehicle door to the vehicle body so that it can be opened and closed, comprising: a female bracket fixedly attached to one of the vehicle bodies and the vehicle door, a male bracket fixedly attached to the other of the vehicle body and the vehicle door, a rotary shaft member fixed to the female bracket and rotatably supporting the male bracket with respect to the female bracket, with sliding bushings between the rotary shaft member and the outer bracket are arranged to smoothly rotate the outer bracket with respect to the rotating shaft member, the sliding bushings being capable of rotating integrally with the outer bracket, the female bracket, the male bracket, the rotating shaft member and the sliding bushings being made of one electrically conductive material so that they are electrically connected to each other when these members contact each other, and wherein a coating film capable of limiting an electric current from the rotary shaft member to each of the slide bushings is formed in a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft member, the portion including a part of a contact portion thereof which includes each of the slide bushings slidably contacted in a rotation axis direction, and at least a proximate portion thereof positioned near an exposed end periphery of each of the sliding bushings.

The DE 198 41 809 A1 discloses a device for dissipating electrostatic charges in vehicles via a high-resistance resistor, the resistor being arranged between a door and a body of the vehicle.

The DE 199 60 736 C1 discloses a hinge made of electrically conductive material, consisting of two hinge parts which are pivotally connected to one another by means of a hinge pin, the hinge pin being fixed in a rotationally secure manner in one hinge part and mounted with a running seat in the other hinge part, the parts which rest against one another and during a pivoting movement are moved relative to one another, are insulated from one another in the adjacent areas by an electrically non-conductive coating and wherein the coating is interrupted at least at one point, the interruption point being surrounded by coating material and representing an electrically conductive contact point between the touching parts.

From the US 3,431,590 A is known a hinge for hanging a door on a frame, the hinge comprising in combination: a first leaf member formed of metal and having a portion for abutting the frame, hinge joints formed integrally and spaced along a vertical edge of the portion, a second blade member formed of metal and having a portion for engaging the door, an integral hinge on the second blade member extending along a vertical edge of the portion, and with the spaced hinges on the first leaf element is nested, the joints having aligned vertical holes, two cylindrical bushings made of a non-metallic material, each having a central bore and each disposed in the hole of the joint of the second leaf element, a flange on each of the bushings which is radially between the interlocking joints to separate them from each other, metal pins extending into the holes in the spaced apart joints and into the bores of the bushings to connect the blade members for pivoting relative to one another, the pins in metal-to-metal contact with the spaced apart joints, and a metal spring disposed in the joint of the second leaf element and extending into contact with the ends of the pins to complete a static electricity discharge path between the leaf elements.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a hinge with a plastic bushing that is more suitable for cathodic dip painting. A further object is to provide a method for producing such a hinge that includes cathodic dip painting with a low error rate.

The problem is solved by a hinge, in particular for the pivotable fastening of a motor vehicle door to a motor vehicle, comprising a first hinge half and a second hinge half, the first hinge half being connected to a bolt in a rotationally fixed manner or being formed in one piece with the bolt, being on the second hinge half a bushing made of an electrically insulating material, in particular plastic, is arranged so that the second hinge half is pivotally mounted on the bolt via the bushing, with between Bolt and second hinge half a conductive element is arranged to bridge the socket, so that there is an electrical contact between the bolt and the second hinge half, the socket being axially formed at least in two parts and the conductive element arranged between the at least two parts of the socket is, wherein the conductive element extends axially over only a portion of the height of the bushing, the portion being spaced from the axial end points of the bushing, the conductive element being an O-ring.

According to the invention, a separate, Another component is arranged, in particular inserted. The separate component is a conductive element and therefore has a higher conductivity than the socket itself. The socket is made of a poorly conductive or insulating material, in particular plastic. The conductive element consists of a highly electrically conductive material, in particular a highly conductive plastic, and preferably has a high carbon content. The conductive element can in particular be an elastomer.

According to the invention, the socket is designed axially in at least two parts and, according to the invention, the conductive element is arranged between the at least two parts of the socket. Particularly preferably, the bushing is in two parts and the conductive element is arranged in an axial space between the two parts of the bushing, which makes electrical contact between the first and second hinge halves.

On such a conductive element arranged between the hinge halves or between the second hinge half and the bolt, a defined current flow occurs between the hinge halves and the formation of arcs and thus defects in the painting process is prevented. Since the separate conductive element can be specifically arranged in a suitable position in the intermediate area, increased KTL adhesion in the outer area of the socket can also be avoided.

The bushing can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the second hinge half or can be formed in one piece with it. The bushing can instead also be rotationally fixed with the first hinge half. The bushing can also be formed radially in two parts, with a first radial part of the bushing being non-rotatable with the first hinge half and a second radial part of the bushing being non-rotatable with the second hinge half.

The bushing can be pushed onto the bolt. In any case, the bushing is located between the bolt and the second half of the hinge.

According to the invention, the conductive element extends axially only over a portion of the height of the multi-part socket.

According to the invention, the partial area is spaced from the axial end points of the socket. There is therefore little or no current flow at the end points of the socket, so that increased adhesion of the paint in this area is avoided.

The section is preferably in the middle of the height of the socket.

The conductive element is preferably a plastic with a high carbon (C) content, in particular an elastomer with a high carbon content.

According to the invention, the conductive element is approximately circular. The height of the conductive element corresponds approximately to its thickness. According to the invention, the conductive element is therefore an O-ring.

By using the separate conductive element, the remaining plastic bushing can be designed to have very low conductivity, i.e. to be as insulating as possible.

When finished, the hinge is preferably cathodically dip-coated, i.e. KTL painted.

In a method for producing such a hinge, according to the invention, a first hinge half is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a bolt or is formed in one piece with the bolt, on a second hinge half, before or during the connection of the second hinge half to the first hinge half, a bushing made of an electrically insulating material , in particular plastic, arranged to pivot the second hinge half via the socket on the bolt, with a conductive element being arranged between the bolt and the second hinge half to bridge the socket, so that there is electrical contact between the bolt and the second hinge half comes. The hinge is then KTL painted.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

ist eine dreidimensionale Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Scharniers.

Fig. 2

ist eine Schnittansicht der Scharnierverbindung gemäß A-A in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3

zeigt das Scharnier gemäß Fig. 1 von oben, mit einem Schnitt durch die Scharnierverbindung.

The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

is a three-dimensional representation of a hinge according to the invention.

Fig. 2

is a sectional view of the hinge connection according to AA in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

shows the hinge according to Fig. 1 from above, with a section through the hinge connection.

Detailed description of the invention

In Fig. 1-3 A hinge according to the invention is shown, which is particularly suitable for pivotally attaching a motor vehicle door or flap to a motor vehicle. The hinge comprises a first hinge half 1 and a second hinge half 2, the first hinge half 1 being connected to a bolt 3 in a rotationally fixed manner. The second hinge half 2 has an axially two-part bushing 4 made of plastic. The second hinge half 2 is pivotally mounted on the bolt 3 on this bushing 4. Between the second hinge half 2 and the bolt 3, a conductive element 5 is arranged in the plane of the bushing 4 and with approximately the same thickness as the bushing 4. The conductive element 5 lies axially between the two halves of the socket 4. The conductive element 5 serves to bridge the socket 4, so that there is electrical contact between the two hinge halves 1 and 2 or between the second hinge half 2 and bolt 3 is manufactured as shown in the Fig. 2 and 3 visible.

The conductive element 5 extends axially only over a small portion T of the height H of the socket 4, approximately in the middle of the height H of the socket 4.

The conductive element 5 forms an O-ring and consists of an elastically deformable plastic with a high carbon content.

The hinge is coated using cathodic dip painting.

The electrically conductive connection between the hinge halves 1, 2 via the conductive element 5 prevents malformations during painting.

Reference symbol list

1

first hinge half

2

second hinge half

3

bolt

4

Rifle

5

conductive element

T

Part of the height of the socket

H

Height of the socket

Claims (6)

1. Hinge, in particular for pivotably fastening a motor vehicle door to a motor vehicle, comprising a first hinge half (1) and a second hinge half (2), wherein the first hinge half (1) is co-rotationally connected to a bolt (3), or is configured to be integral to the bolt (3), wherein a bushing (4) of an electrically isolating material, in particular plastics material, is disposed on the second hinge half (2) in such a way that the second hinge half (2) by way of the bushing (4) is pivotably mounted on the bolt (3); wherein a conducting element (5) for bypassing the bushing (4) is disposed between the bolt (3) and the second hinge half (2) in such a way that electrical contact between the bolt (3) and the second hinge half (2) is established; wherein the bushing (4) in axial terms is configured in at least two parts and the conducting element (5) is disposed between the at least two parts of the bushing (4); wherein the conducting element (5) extends axially only over a sub-region (T) of the height (H) of the bushing (4); wherein the sub-region (T) is spaced apart from the axial end points of the bushing (4), characterized in that the conducting element (5) is an O-ring.
2. Hinge according to Claim 2,
   characterized in that the sub-region lies in the centre of the height (H) of the bushing (4).
3. Hinge according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that the bushing (4) is co-rotational with the second hinge half (2) or with the first hinge half (1), or in that the bushing (4) in radial terms is configured in two parts, wherein a first radial part of the bushing (4) is co-rotational with the first hinge half (1) and a second radial part of the bushing (4) is co-rotational with the second hinge half (2).
4. Hinge according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the conducting element (5) is a plastics material with a high proportion of carbon, in particular an elastomer with a high proportion of carbon.
5. Hinge according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the hinge is cathodic dip painted.
6. Method for producing a hinge according to at least one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that a first hinge half (1) is co-rotationally connected to a bolt (3), or is configured to be integral to the bolt (3); in that a bushing (4) of an electrically isolating material, in particular plastics material, is disposed on a second hinge half (2) so as to mount the second hinge half (2) to be pivotable on the bolt (3) by way of the bushing (4), wherein a conducting element (5) for bypassing the bushing (4) is disposed between the bolt (3) and the second hinge half (2) in such a way that electrical contact between the bolt (3) and the second hinge half (2) is established; and in that the hinge is subsequently cathodic dip painted.

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