GB2204910A

GB2204910A - Lift-off hinge assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2204910A
Application number: GB08708054A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Aiken
Original assignee: IHW Engeneering Ltd; AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Current assignee: AJC Johnson Controls Ltd
Priority date: 1987-04-03
Filing date: 1987-04-03
Publication date: 1988-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-03
Also published as: GB8708054D0; GB2204910B

Abstract

A lift-off hinge assembly comprises a first hinge leaf 11 hingedly connected to a second hinge leaf 12 by a hinge pin 14, the hinge pin being rotatably mounted and axially restrained in one hinge leaf 11, the hinge pin having a portion projecting from said one hinge leaf and being received in a bore 30 formed in the other hinge leaf 12, a resiliently radially deformable pin 31 being slidably mounted in said other hinge leaf for slidable movement into engagement with said hinge pin such that when engaged the retaining pin is placed under radial compression by said hinge pin and thereby restrains relative rotational movement between said other hinge leaf and said hinge pin. The pin may be of resilient metal or plastics and preferably is in the form of a slit sleeve. <IMAGE>

Description

LIFT-OFF HINGE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a lift-off hinge assembly which is primarily intended for the mounting of vehicle doors.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a lift-off hinge assembly comprising a first hinge leaf hingedly connected to a second hinge leaf by a hinge pin, the hinge pin being rotatably mounted and axially restrained in one hinge leaf, the hinge pin having a portion projecting from said one hinge leaf and being received in a bore formed in the other hinge leaf, a resiliently radially deformable pin slidably mounted in said other hinge leaf for slidable movement into engagement with said hinge pin such that when engaged the retaining pin is placed under radial compression by said hinge pin and thereby restrains relative rotational movement between said other hinge leaf and said hinge pin.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a hinge assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the hinge assembly shown with the retaining pin in its hinge pin release position; and Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 2 showing the retaining pin in its hinge pin engage position.

The illustrated hinge assembly 10 includes a first hinge leaf 11 which in use is intended to be mounted on a vehicle body by conventional means such as bolts and/or welding. The assembly 10 further includes a second hinge leaf 12 which is hingedly connected to the first hinge leaf by means of a hinge pin 14. The second hinge leaf 12 is intended to be secured to the vehicle door by conventional means such as bolts and/or welding.

The hinge pin 14 is rotatably mounted in a bore 17 formed in the first hinge leaf 11 and is arranged so as to be axially retained therein. Accordingly the hinge pin 14 is provided, at a mid location along its length, with a shoulder 14a which co-operates with an upper surface lla of the hinge leaf 11 to prevent axial movement of the pin 14 in one direction. The pin 14 projects from a lower surface llb of the hinge leaf 11 to receive a locking washer or clip 18 which co-operates with the lower surface llb to prevent axial movement of the pin in the opposite direction.

A bush 19 is provided having radially extending flanges 19a for providing a smooth lubricated sliding action between opposed surfaces of the pin 14 and bore 17; the shoulder 14a and upper surface 11; and the clip 18 and lower surface llb.

The second leaf 12 is mounted on the hinge pin 14 and is adapted to be removably attached thereto by retention means 20. The retention means 20 serve to secure the hinge leaf 12 to the pin 14 such that relative rotation between the pin 14 and leaf 12 is prevented. In this way hingable movement between leafs 11 and 12 is dictated solely by rotation of pin 14 in hinge leaf 11.

The retention means 20 are operable to release the connection between the leaf 12 and hinge pin 14 and when in such a release condition enable the hinge leafs to be separated from one another by permitting the hinge leaf 12 to initially be moved axially away from leaf 11 and then moved radially from leaf 11.

Preferably hinge leaf 12 is provided with an eccentric face 22 which co-operates with an arm 23. formed on leaf 11 to prevent axial separation of the hinge leafs over a predetermined range of relative pivotal movement of the hinge leafs. Preferably hinge leaf 12 is provided with a projection 28 which serves as a stop to limit pivotal movement of the hinge leafs and define a position.

whereat axial separation of the hinge leafs may occur.

Preferably both hinge leaf 11 and hinge leaf 12 are formed from rolled metal sections which are cut to length and then machined to shape.

The hinge leaf 11 is provided with a bore 30 for receiving the upper portion of the hinge pin 14.

The retention means 20 comprises a resiliently radially deformable pin 31 which is slidably received in a bore 32 which extends laterally relative to bore 30 and partially intersects therewith.

The pin 14 has a peripheral groove 14c formed therein which is located so as to be in registry with bore 32 when the hinge leaf 12 is fully seated upon hinge pin 14.

The pin 31 is movable between a pin release position as shown in Figure 2 to a pin engaged position as shown in Figure 3. When in the pin engaged position the pin 31 has been forced between pin 14 and the opposed wall of bore 32 and is therefore radially compressed. Due to the radial resilience of the pin 31, such compression exerts a laterally applied force onto pin 14 thereby preventing relative rotation of pin 14 within bore 30. Such interaction between pin 14 and pin 31 also serves to hold pin 31 in its pin engaged position. It will be appreciated that the provision of groove 14c provides a large surface area of contact between pins 14 and 31 and also serves as a keyway to prevent relative axial movement between hinge leaf 12 and hinge pin 14.If desired groove 14c may be omitted in which case relative axial movement between pin 14 and hinge leaf 12 will be resisted by frictional contact between pin 14 and 32 only.

The pin 31 is preferably held captive in leaf 12. In the illustrated embodiment this is achieved by the provision of rib 40 on pin 31 which is received in an enlarged portion of bore 32. During initial assembly, pin 31 is inserted into bore 32 with rib 40 located in the enlarged portion and the edges at the mouth of the bore are deformed inwardly to define a shoulder which is co-operable with the rib 40 to prevent withdrawal of the pin 31 from bore 32.

The pin 31 is provided with a terminal flange 38 which enables the pin 31 to be gripped by an appropriate tool for movement between its pin engaged and pin release positions. Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous for robotic operations.

The pin 31 may be formed from a resilient metal or a suitable plastics material. If metal is used the pin 31 is preferably in the form of a split sleeve such that it is able to resiliently deflect radially.

Claims

1. A lift-off hinge assembly comprising a first hinge leaf hingedly connected to a second hinge leaf by a hinge pin, the hinge pin being rotatably mounted and axially restrained in one hinge leaf, the hinge pin having a portion projecting from said one hinge leaf and being received in a bore formed in the other hinge leaf, a resiliently radially deformable pin slidably mounted in said other hinge leaf for slidable movement into engagement with said hinge pin such that when engaged the retaining pin is placed under radial compression by said hinge pin and thereby restrains relative rotational movement between said other hinge leaf and said hinge pin.

2. A hinge assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the deformable pin is slidably mounted in a bore which extends laterally relative to the hinge pin bore and partially intersects therewith, the hinge pin being provided with a peripheral groove which registers with said bore containing the deformable pin.

3. A hinge assembly according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the deformable pin is held captive within said other hinge leaf.

4. A hinge assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the deformable pin is formed from a resilient metal.

5. A hinge assembly according to Claim 4 wherein the deformable pin is in the form of a split sleeve.

6. A hinge assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the deformable pin is formed from a suitable plastics material.

7. A hinge assembly according to any preceding claim wherein one hinge leaf is provided with an eccentric face which co-operates with an arm on the other hinge leaf to prevent axial separation of the hinge leafs over a predetermined range of relative pivotal movement.

8. A hinge assembly according to any preceding claim wherein both hinge leafs are formed from rolled metal sections which are cut and machined to shape.

9. A hinge assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.