GB2099070A

GB2099070A - Vehicle door hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2099070A
Application number: GB8213965A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Current assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Priority date: 1981-05-14
Filing date: 1982-05-13
Publication date: 1982-12-01
Also published as: GB2099070B

Abstract

A vehicle door hinge comprises two leaves (1 and 5), each of generally U-section having a base and two sides normal thereto. One or more hinge pins 11 connect together the sides of the leaves to hinge the two leaves together. To provide a simple, strong construction, at least one of the leaves is formed from two generally L-section members secured together at their bases. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle door hinge This invention is concerned with a vehicle door hinge.

The requirements for hinges for motor vehicles are that the hinge shall be robust, simple and relatively cheap to make, and shall be practicable and serviceable over the life of the vehicle to which it is fitted.

The present invention provides a vehicle door hinge comprising two hinge leaves, each leaf having a base and two sides extending substantially normally to the base, the leaves pivoting one within the other about a hinge pin passing through the sides of the two leaves, wherein at least one of the leaves is formed from a pair of members, each comprising a base portion and one side portion substantially normal thereto, the base portions of the members of the or each pair being secured together.

The base portions of the two members or of each pair of members may be welded together, preferably one leaf is a unitary construction, the other leaf, suitably the outer leaf being formed from the two members. The shape of the outer hinge leaf may be such that the base thereof is wider than the distance between the outer faces of the sides of the leaf.

The hinge of the invention is strong and relatively light in weight, and is simple to construct from sheet steel, for example, by simple bending and cutting operations.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank suitable for forming a hinge leaf for the hinge of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the hinge leaf formed from the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a blank suitable for forming a member which, together with a second such member, may be used in forming a hinge leaf for a hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is an end view of a hinge leaf formed from blanks as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of the leaf shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view of a hinge in accordance with the invention formed from the leaves illustrated in Figure 2 and Figures 4 and 5; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 6.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a blank of generally trapezoidal form 1 is provided with a cut-out portion which defines a pair of ears 3, each of which has an aperture 2 formed therein. The blank 1 may be formed by appropriate stamping or blanking operation, from sheet steel for example, and after forming, the two sides of the blank are bent about the chain-dotted lines 4 of Figure 1 to form the inner hinge leaf illustrated in Figure 2. One half of the outer hinge leaf is shown as a blank in Figure 3 and consists of a member 5 with appropriate side portion 7 having an aperture 6. The blank 5 is bent and shaped about the chain-dotted line 13 of Figure 3 and two members so formed are then secured together for example by welding along the line 8 to form a composite outer hinge leaf as illustrated in Figure 4 and in plan view of Figure 5.A pair of fixing holes 9 may be further provided in the base portion of the hinge leaf.

The apertures 6 in the outer hinge leaf are arranged to be smaller than the apertures 2 in the inner leaf 1, so that the two leaves may be secured together by hinge pins extending through the aligned apertures, as seen in Figure 6. It will be appreciated that the side B of male member 1 may be secured to one part of the structure to be hinged while the side C of the female member 5 will be secured to the other part of the structure to be hinged. Thus an arrangement is provided which permits rotation of the members relative to each other through at least 900.

Figure 7 illustrates the form of the pins hinging the two members together. The pin 11 has a first diameter 12 extending through the aperture 2 of the male member and is of reduced diameter where it extends through the aperture 6 of the female member. It may then be swaged or peened over at 10 to prevent its removal therefrom. The pins 11 have desirably a domed head.

Claims

1. A vehicle door hinge comprising two hinge leaves, each leaf having a base and two sides extending substantially normally to the base, the leaves pivoting one within the other about a hinge pin passing through the sides of the two leaves, wherein at least one of the leaves is formed from a pair of members, each comprising a base portion and one side portion substantially normal thereto, the base portions of the members of the or each pair being secured together.

2. A vehicle door hinge according to Claim 1, wherein the base portions of the members are welded together.

3. A vehicle door hinge according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer hinge leaf is formed from a pair of members.

4. A vehicle door hinge according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the base of the outer hinge leaf is wider than the distance between the outer faces of the sides thereof.

5. A vehicle door hinge substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.

**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 is concerned with a vehicle door hinge. The requirements for hinges for motor vehicles are that the hinge shall be robust, simple and relatively cheap to make, and shall be practicable and serviceable over the life of the vehicle to which it is fitted. The present invention provides a vehicle door hinge comprising two hinge leaves, each leaf having a base and two sides extending substantially normally to the base, the leaves pivoting one within the other about a hinge pin passing through the sides of the two leaves, wherein at least one of the leaves is formed from a pair of members, each comprising a base portion and one side portion substantially normal thereto, the base portions of the members of the or each pair being secured together. The base portions of the two members or of each pair of members may be welded together, preferably one leaf is a unitary construction, the other leaf, suitably the outer leaf being formed from the two members. The shape of the outer hinge leaf may be such that the base thereof is wider than the distance between the outer faces of the sides of the leaf. The hinge of the invention is strong and relatively light in weight, and is simple to construct from sheet steel, for example, by simple bending and cutting operations. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank suitable for forming a hinge leaf for the hinge of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the hinge leaf formed from the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a blank suitable for forming a member which, together with a second such member, may be used in forming a hinge leaf for a hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is an end view of a hinge leaf formed from blanks as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of the leaf shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view of a hinge in accordance with the invention formed from the leaves illustrated in Figure 2 and Figures 4 and 5; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 6. Referring firstly to Figure 1, a blank of generally trapezoidal form 1 is provided with a cut-out portion which defines a pair of ears 3, each of which has an aperture 2 formed therein. The blank 1 may be formed by appropriate stamping or blanking operation, from sheet steel for example, and after forming, the two sides of the blank are bent about the chain-dotted lines 4 of Figure 1 to form the inner hinge leaf illustrated in Figure 2. One half of the outer hinge leaf is shown as a blank in Figure 3 and consists of a member 5 with appropriate side portion 7 having an aperture 6. The blank 5 is bent and shaped about the chain-dotted line 13 of Figure 3 and two members so formed are then secured together for example by welding along the line 8 to form a composite outer hinge leaf as illustrated in Figure 4 and in plan view of Figure 5.A pair of fixing holes 9 may be further provided in the base portion of the hinge leaf. The apertures 6 in the outer hinge leaf are arranged to be smaller than the apertures 2 in the inner leaf 1, so that the two leaves may be secured together by hinge pins extending through the aligned apertures, as seen in Figure 6. It will be appreciated that the side B of male member 1 may be secured to one part of the structure to be hinged while the side C of the female member 5 will be secured to the other part of the structure to be hinged. Thus an arrangement is provided which permits rotation of the members relative to each other through at least 900. Figure 7 illustrates the form of the pins hinging the two members together. The pin 11 has a first diameter 12 extending through the aperture 2 of the male member and is of reduced diameter where it extends through the aperture 6 of the female member. It may then be swaged or peened over at 10 to prevent its removal therefrom. The pins 11 have desirably a domed head. Claims