GB2085958A

GB2085958A - Vehicle door hinge with integral stop which permits ready dismantlement

Info

Publication number: GB2085958A
Application number: GB8033608A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Current assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Priority date: 1980-10-17
Filing date: 1980-10-17
Publication date: 1982-05-06

Abstract

A hinge has two leaves (10 and 11) each having a base (13, 29) and two side members (16 and 17, 27 and 28), pivotted together by a hinge pin (12) passing through all the side members, fixing holes (14) being provided in the leaf 10 and the base member (29) of the other leaf (11) forming a stop engaging leaf 10 and limiting opening of the hinge and having a central portion shaped to permit access to the fixing holes (14) beneath. One leaf (10) carries a torsion spring (18-22) engaged by a detent roller (30) on the other leaf. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle door hinge This invention relates to a hinge suitable for use in mounting a vehicle door, for example in a motor car.

According to the invention, there is provided a hinge suitable for use in mounting a vehicle door, comprising a first and a second hinge leaf, wherein each leaf comprises a base member and a side member up-standing from each side thereof, the first leaf is mounted within the second leaf by means of a pivot passing through the side members of both leaves and has at least one fixing hole through the base member thereof, and the base member of the second leaf comprises a stop portion adjacent to each side member thereof arranged to engage upon the first leaf, thereby limiting relative rotation of the leaves, and a central portion joining the two stop portions, the central portion being shaped so as to permit access to the fixing hole in a direction generally perpendicular to the base member of the first leaf in at least one relative position of the hinge leaves.

Preferably the hinge also comprises a spring-loaded hold-open means arranged to hold the hinge in the fully-open position thereof until a chosen closing force is exceeded. In a motor vehicle, this enables the door to remain open against closing forces such as wind pressure or gravity (on a hiil, for example) until it is desired to close the door.

Hold-open means for hinges are well known, comprising helical springs or, more commonly, torsion springs, in one leaf and a roller or cam surface in the other leaf serving to compress or deflect the spring just before or at the hold-open position.

By providing simple fixing holes in one leaf, through which fixing screws, bolts, or studs, may pass, and providing access to the holes from above, the manufacture and installation of the hinges is simplified.

Reference is made to the drawing, which shows a perspective view of a combined hinge and hold-open device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The device comprises a first hinge leaf 10 rotatably mounted within a second hinge leaf 11 by means of a pivot pin 1 2. The first leaf 10 has a generally flat base 13, pierced with two fixing holes 14 and 15, and two side members 1 6 and 1 7 upstanding from the base. A first torsion bar 1 8 is mounted in the first leaf 10 with the axis thereof perpendicular to the axis of the pivot pin 12, and a second torsion bar 1 9 extends transversely of the first bar 1 8 from one end thereof. A first arm 20 extends transversely from the other end of the first bar 18, while a second arm 21 extends from the end of the second bar 1 9 towards the first arm 20.A third arm 22 turns inwardly from the free end of the second arm 21 and is received in a slot 23 in one side member 1 6 of the first leaf 1 0. The two bars 1 8 and 1 9 and the three arms 20, 21 and 22 together form a torsion spring.

The first arm 20 extends generally parallel to the pivot pin 1 2 and the free end of the arm enters an elongate slot 24 in the side member 1 6. The torsion spring is further located by means of a rectangular boss 25 pressed up in the base 1 3 of the first leaf 10 and by a tab 26 bent over on to the spring from the other side member 1 7. The second bar 1 9 is held in torsion such that it would tend to rotate the first bar 1 8 towards the first hinge leaf 1 0. This helps to hold the first bar 18 in position. The first arm 20 is also urged to the top of its slot 24 so that when pressed downwardly torsion is induced or increased in the first bar 18.

The second leaf has two side plates 27 and 28 joined by a bridge 29. A roller 30 is rotatably mounted on the outside of one plate 27 so as to engage, during part of the relative rotation of the hinge leaves, the free end of the first arm 21 of the torsion spring projecting through the slot 24. This provides the hold-open position. Engagement of the bridge 29 with the side members 1 6 and 1 7 of the first leaf 10 affords the stop limiting rotation of the hinge and thus representing the fullyopen position of the hinge.

The second hinge leaf is secured to, for example, a vehicle door by means of the side plates 27 and 28, which may be welded to the door framework, while the first leaf is secured to the vehicle body by means of bolts or studs passing through the fixing holes 14 and 1 5. Access to the bolts or studs is limited by the relative positions of the hinge leaves, particularly in view of the position of the hinge pin, which results in the bridge moving towards the hole 1 4 during the opening movement. To allow a fixing tool to be applied to a bolt in the first hole 14, the bridge is curved inwardly towards the pivot, so that at the closed position the tool may be inserted approximately perpendicularly to the base 1 3.

1. A hinge for use in mounting a vehicle door, comprising a first and a second hinge leaf, wherein each leaf comprises a base member and a side member upstanding from each side thereof, the first leaf is mounted within the second leaf by means of a pivot passing through the side members of both leaves and has at least one fixing hole through the base member thereof, and the base member of the second leaf comprises a stop portion adjacent to each side member thereof arranged to engage upon the first leaf, thereby limiting relative rotation of the leaves, and a central portion joining the two stop portions, the central portion being shaped so

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Vehicle door hinge This invention relates to a hinge suitable for use in mounting a vehicle door, for example in a motor car. According to the invention, there is provided a hinge suitable for use in mounting a vehicle door, comprising a first and a second hinge leaf, wherein each leaf comprises a base member and a side member up-standing from each side thereof, the first leaf is mounted within the second leaf by means of a pivot passing through the side members of both leaves and has at least one fixing hole through the base member thereof, and the base member of the second leaf comprises a stop portion adjacent to each side member thereof arranged to engage upon the first leaf, thereby limiting relative rotation of the leaves, and a central portion joining the two stop portions, the central portion being shaped so as to permit access to the fixing hole in a direction generally perpendicular to the base member of the first leaf in at least one relative position of the hinge leaves. Preferably the hinge also comprises a spring-loaded hold-open means arranged to hold the hinge in the fully-open position thereof until a chosen closing force is exceeded. In a motor vehicle, this enables the door to remain open against closing forces such as wind pressure or gravity (on a hiil, for example) until it is desired to close the door. Hold-open means for hinges are well known, comprising helical springs or, more commonly, torsion springs, in one leaf and a roller or cam surface in the other leaf serving to compress or deflect the spring just before or at the hold-open position. By providing simple fixing holes in one leaf, through which fixing screws, bolts, or studs, may pass, and providing access to the holes from above, the manufacture and installation of the hinges is simplified. Reference is made to the drawing, which shows a perspective view of a combined hinge and hold-open device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The device comprises a first hinge leaf 10 rotatably mounted within a second hinge leaf 11 by means of a pivot pin 1 2. The first leaf 10 has a generally flat base 13, pierced with two fixing holes 14 and 15, and two side members 1 6 and 1 7 upstanding from the base. A first torsion bar 1 8 is mounted in the first leaf 10 with the axis thereof perpendicular to the axis of the pivot pin 12, and a second torsion bar 1 9 extends transversely of the first bar 1 8 from one end thereof. A first arm 20 extends transversely from the other end of the first bar 18, while a second arm 21 extends from the end of the second bar 1 9 towards the first arm 20.A third arm 22 turns inwardly from the free end of the second arm 21 and is received in a slot 23 in one side member 1 6 of the first leaf 1 0. The two bars 1 8 and 1 9 and the three arms 20, 21 and 22 together form a torsion spring. The first arm 20 extends generally parallel to the pivot pin 1 2 and the free end of the arm enters an elongate slot 24 in the side member 1 6. The torsion spring is further located by means of a rectangular boss 25 pressed up in the base 1 3 of the first leaf 10 and by a tab 26 bent over on to the spring from the other side member 1 7. The second bar 1 9 is held in torsion such that it would tend to rotate the first bar 1 8 towards the first hinge leaf 1 0. This helps to hold the first bar 18 in position. The first arm 20 is also urged to the top of its slot 24 so that when pressed downwardly torsion is induced or increased in the first bar 18. The second leaf has two side plates 27 and 28 joined by a bridge 29. A roller 30 is rotatably mounted on the outside of one plate 27 so as to engage, during part of the relative rotation of the hinge leaves, the free end of the first arm 21 of the torsion spring projecting through the slot 24. This provides the hold-open position. Engagement of the bridge 29 with the side members 1 6 and 1 7 of the first leaf 10 affords the stop limiting rotation of the hinge and thus representing the fullyopen position of the hinge. The second hinge leaf is secured to, for example, a vehicle door by means of the side plates 27 and 28, which may be welded to the door framework, while the first leaf is secured to the vehicle body by means of bolts or studs passing through the fixing holes 14 and 1 5. Access to the bolts or studs is limited by the relative positions of the hinge leaves, particularly in view of the position of the hinge pin, which results in the bridge moving towards the hole 1 4 during the opening movement. To allow a fixing tool to be applied to a bolt in the first hole 14, the bridge is curved inwardly towards the pivot, so that at the closed position the tool may be inserted approximately perpendicularly to the base 1 3. CLAIMS

1. A hinge for use in mounting a vehicle door, comprising a first and a second hinge leaf, wherein each leaf comprises a base member and a side member upstanding from each side thereof, the first leaf is mounted within the second leaf by means of a pivot passing through the side members of both leaves and has at least one fixing hole through the base member thereof, and the base member of the second leaf comprises a stop portion adjacent to each side member thereof arranged to engage upon the first leaf, thereby limiting relative rotation of the leaves, and a central portion joining the two stop portions, the central portion being shaped so as to permit access to the fixing hole in a direction generally perpendicular to the base member of the first leaf in at least one relative position of the hinge leaves.

2. A hinge according to Claim 1, which also comprises a spring-loaded hold-open means arranged to hold the hinge in the fullyopen position thereof until a chosen closing force is exceeded.

3. A hinge substantially as described herein with reference to, or as shown in, the drawing.