GB2155540A

GB2155540A - Hinge with integral check

Info

Publication number: GB2155540A
Application number: GB08506339A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Jeffs
Original assignee: IHW Engeneering Ltd; AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Current assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Priority date: 1984-03-13
Filing date: 1985-03-12
Publication date: 1985-09-25
Also published as: GB2155540B; GB8506339D0; GB8406471D0

Abstract

A hinge suitable for attaching the rear doors to a motor van or the line, comprises first and second hinge leaves (2 & 4, 24) connected by a hinge pin (8). A detent (14a) is provided on a pivoted lever (14) on the first hinge leaf (2 & 4) and co-operates with a cam surface on the second hinge leaf (24). The cam surface is provided by two formations (30 and 32) into which the detent is urged by a spring (18) to hold the hinge in the 90 DEG and 180 DEG positions respectively. Release of the hinge from the 90 DEG position is achieved by manually depressing the lever (14) to urge the detent out of the first formation (30). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hinge with integral check This invention relates to a hinge suitable for use, for example, in attaching a rear door to a motor van or the like.

In use on a public road, the rear loading doors on a motor van or the like are required not to project, when open, beyond the sides of the van body so as not to present an obstruction to other users of the road. This requires the use of a check, typically in the form of a flexible strap extending between the door and the vehicle body. Disadvantages of this arrangement are that the strap constitutes an extra component to be fitted to the vehicle, thus adding to the cost, and that the strap can become broken, or even deliberately cut, rendering the checking action ineffective. The strap can also become stretched, increasing the hold-open angle of the door.

The present invention provides a hinge comprising first and second hinge leaves connected by a hinge pin, the first hinge leaf having a detent co-operating with a cam surface on the second hinge leaf, the cam surface having two stop formations engageable in turn by the detent during rotation of the first leaf relative to the second hinge leaf to prevent said rotation in one direction thereof, the detent hinge being manually releasable from the first formation to allow rotation of the hinge until the detent engages the second formation.

The detent is preferably pivotally-mounted on the first hinge leaf, for example by forming the detent on one end of a lever carried by a pivot extending in the leaf parallel to the hinge pin. The detent may be spring-biased into engagement with the cam surface, for example by a compression spring located between the leaf and the free end of the lever.

The first hinge leaf may have a spaced pair of tongues extending therefrom and having aligned bores therethrough to receive the hinge pin, the detent extending between the tongues. The second hinge leaf may comprise a body having a slot for receiving the pair of tongues, the slot being divided by a cam body having a cam surface thereon, such that the cam body lies between the tongues. The cam body may be removable, so that it can be replaced readily, if worn.

Reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, a hinge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a diagram showing the action of integral check in the hinge; and Figure 3 is a side elevation, partially cut away, of the hinge shown in Fig. 1.

Although the hinge illustrated in the drawings is intended to be used as a rear door hinge for a motor van, it will be appreciated that hinges in accordance with the invention will have many applications outside the automotive field, and the invention is not limited to motor vehicle hinges.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the first hinge leaf has a base plate 2 securable, for example by bolts, to a vehicle door, and having a spaced pair of tongues 4 extending therefrom.

Aligned holes 6 pierce the tongues 4 to receive a hinge pin 8 (Fig. 3). The base plate 2 is formed with a spaced pair of shoulders 10 pierced by aligned bores 1 2 and receiving therebetween a lever 14 mounted on a lever pivot 1 6 passing through and secured in the bores 12. The lever 14 is biased by a helical compression spring 18 extending between the base plate 2 and the underside of the lever 14 and located by circular protuberances 20 and 22 moulded in the base plate 2 and lever 14 respectively. The lever 14 has at the end thereof remote from the spring a wedge form 14a. Pivoting of the lever 14 in the direction wherein the spring expands is limited by, for example a shroud over the lever or a stop engaging the underside of the wedge 14a.

The second hinge leaf 24 is a cast body which is secured, for example by welding to the vehicle body, and which has, in one form, a pair of slots 26 therein for receiving the tongues 4 on the first hinge leaf. Between the slots 26, a cam body 28 has a cam surface formed with a pair of shaped grooves 30 and 32 extending parallel to the axis of the hinge pin 8 which, in the completed hinge, passes through aligned bores 34 in the leaf 24.

The grooves 30 and 32 are V-shaped in profile, with one side of each V, the side encountered first by the wedge end 1 4a of the lever 14 as the door is opened, being oblique to the radial plane through the hinge pin axis at that point, and the other side of each V making a substantially smaller angle with the radial plane at the edge thereof. This ensures that the lever can readily be calmed out of the grooves in the closing movement of the door, but that the camming movement in the other direction is much greater and is therefore prevented by the stop limiting rotation of the lever. One groove 30 is positioned to correspond to rotation of the first hinge leaf (and attached door) from the closed position through 90 . A check to the rotation of the door is thus provided at the 90 position thereof.The second groove 32 is positioned to correspond the 180 open position of the door the shape of the cam body 28 being such that the cam surface thereof tapes outwardly away from the hinge pin beyond the second groove 32, thus preventing further rotation beyond the 180 position.

To release the hinge from the 90 check position to allow it to open to the 180 position, the lever 14 is manually depressed, compressing the spring 1 8 and lifting the wedge end 1 4a clear of the cam surface. In a motor van or the like, the 180 position of the hinge would typically be required to permit the doors to be opened so as to lie in generally the same plane as the rear opening so that the van may be backed against an opening in a building, for example a loading bay.

In Fig. 2, the position of the lever marked A represents the closed door position, that marked B represents the 90 open door position, and that marked C represents the -180' open door position.

In a preferred embodiment of the hinge, the lever has an extension extending generally normally thereto, arranged to project through the skin of the vehicle door, serving as a release trigger to depress the lever and release the door for further rotation from the 90 position.

Another form of the second hinge leaf has the cam body separately, rather than integrally, formed. The hardened steel insert is located in a suitable slot or groove in the cast body of the leaf and is secured therein by screws. This may simplify manufacture and will enable a worn cam surface to be replaced.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising first and second hinge leaves connected by a hinge pin, the first hinge leaf having a detent co-operating with a cam surface on the second hinge leaf, the cam surface having two stop formations engageable in turn by the detent during rotation of the first leaf relative to the second hinge leaf to prevent said rotation in one direction thereof, the detent hinge being manually releasable from the first formation to allow rotation of the hinge until the detent engages the second formation.

2. A hinge according to Claim 1, wherein the detent is pivotally mounted on the first hinge leaf and spring-biased into engagement with the cam surface.

3. A hinge according to Claim 2, wherein the detent is formed on one end of a lever carried by a pivot extending parallel to the hinge pin, and a compression spring is located between the end of the lever remote from the detent and the leaf.

4. A hinge according to Claim 3, wherein the first hinge leaf has a spaced pair of tongues extending therefrom and having aligned bores therethrough to receive the hinge pin, and the detent extends between the tongues.

5. A hinge according to Claim 4, wherein the second hinge leaf comprises a body having a slot for receiving the pair of tongues, the slot being divided by a cam body having the cam surface thereon, such that the cam body lies between the tongues.

6. A hinge according to Claim 5, wherein the cam body is formed separately of, and is removably attached to, the second hinge leaf.

7. A hinge according to any preceding claim, wherein the two formations are arranged to provide 90 and 180 stop positions of the hinge.

8. A hinge, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.