JP7487586B2 - Vehicle side door hinge structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle side door structure that includes a body-side hinge bracket, a door-side hinge bracket, and a hinge pin.

Conventionally, due to the nature of vehicle assembly work, vehicle side doors are first attached to the vehicle body and then painted, and then the side door is removed from the vehicle body, and door parts such as the side door glass and window regulator unit are attached to the side door before it is reinstalled on the vehicle body.

The vehicle body and the side door are attached via a door hinge that includes a vehicle body hinge bracket, a door hinge bracket, and a hinge pin.

In this case, if the hinge pin is designed to be removable, the side door can be easily attached and detached from the vehicle body.

An example of a vehicle side door hinge structure with such a hinge pin attachment/detachment structure is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

That is, a hinge pin is formed integrally with either the vehicle body side hinge bracket or the door side hinge bracket, and a tubular portion with a pin hole for inserting the hinge pin is formed integrally with either the other of the vehicle body side hinge bracket or the door side hinge bracket. The hinge pin is then inserted into the pin hole, and a flanged bolt is fastened to the tip of the hinge pin from the hinge pin tip side of the tubular portion, thereby pivotally connecting the vehicle body side hinge bracket and the door side hinge bracket.

In the conventional structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the side door can be easily removed from the vehicle body by pulling the hinge pin out of the cylindrical portion.

However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the hinge pin itself is inserted and removed, so a clearance is necessary between the outer periphery of the hinge pin and the inner periphery of the pin hole in the cylindrical portion for insertion and removal, which causes the side door to rattle at the hinge pin.

JP 2004-536986 A

The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle side door hinge structure that allows the vehicle body side hinge bracket and the door side hinge bracket to be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin, and allows the side door to be attached and detached from the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin.

The vehicle side door hinge structure according to the present invention comprises a pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets attached to a hinge pillar at a vertical distance from each other, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets attached to a front end of a side door at a vertical distance from each other, and an intermediate member having one end rotatably supported by the vehicle body side hinge bracket via a hinge pin and the other end fastened and fixed to the door side hinge bracket from the inside direction of the side door, the door side hinge bracket comprising a vertical wall, an upper wall and a lower wall at each upper and lower end of the vertical wall, and an upper flange portion and a lower flange portion attached to the front end of the side door, the upper flange portion being provided on the upper wall and the lower flange portion being provided on the lower wall, and the intermediate member being fastened and fixed to the vertical wall in the space between the upper wall and the lower wall.

According to the above configuration, when the fastening between the other hinge bracket and the intermediate member is released, the door-side hinge bracket can be removed from the vehicle-side hinge bracket without pulling out the hinge pin fixed to one of the hinge brackets.

In this way, the vehicle body side hinge bracket and the door side hinge bracket can be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin, and the side door can be attached and detached from the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin.

In addition, since the hinge pin is fixed to one of the hinge brackets without the need for insertion or removal, there is no need to provide a clearance between the hinge pin and the hinge bracket, which can reduce rattling at the hinge pin location of the side door.

As described above, the intermediate member is journalled to the vehicle body side hinge bracket via the hinge pin and is fastened and fixed to the door side hinge bracket , so that the rigidity of the vehicle body side hinge bracket (so-called hinge rigidity) can be improved by the hinge pin acting as the journal part.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate member is journalled to an upper wall and a lower wall of the vehicle body side hinge bracket via the hinge pin, and the upper wall and the lower wall of the door side hinge bracket are positioned between the upper wall and the lower wall of the vehicle body side hinge bracket .

In one embodiment of the present invention, an upper hinge and a lower hinge are provided having the vehicle body side hinge bracket, the door side hinge bracket, the hinge pin, and the intermediate member, and a connecting member is provided that connects the upper hinge and the lower hinge in the vertical direction at a position near the hinge pin.

With the above configuration, the rigidity of the upper and lower hinges can be improved by the connecting member, and the door-side hinge bracket can be attached to and detached from the vehicle-side hinge bracket without interfering with the connecting member, allowing the side door to be attached and detached from the vehicle body.

This invention has the advantage that the vehicle body side hinge bracket and the door side hinge bracket can be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin, and the side door can be attached and detached from the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a side door hinge structure of a vehicle according to the present invention in a side door open state; An enlarged perspective view showing only the side door hinge. Exploded view of the upper hinge 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. Vertical cross section of the hinge pin Illustration of removing the side door FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a hinge structure for a vehicle side door in an open state; FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing only the side door hinge extracted from FIG. 7 . FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge of FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. Vertical cross section of the hinge pin Illustration of removing the side door

The vehicle body side hinge bracket and the door side hinge bracket can be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin, and the purpose of attaching and detaching the side door to the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin is achieved by a pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets attached to the hinge pillar at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets attached to the front end of the side door at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, and a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets attached to the front end of the side door at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, one end of which is rotatably supported by the vehicle body side hinge bracket via a hinge pin and the other ... and an intermediate member which can be fastened to the door-side hinge bracket from the inside direction of the side door , the door-side hinge bracket comprising a vertical wall, an upper wall and a lower wall at each of the upper and lower ends of the vertical wall, and an upper flange portion and a lower flange portion attached to the front end of the side door, the upper flange portion being provided on the upper wall and the lower flange portion being provided on the lower wall, and the intermediate member being fastened to the vertical wall in the space between the upper wall and the lower wall .

An embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The drawings show a side door hinge structure for a vehicle, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the side door hinge structure for a vehicle in the first embodiment as viewed from the rear and above the vehicle with the side door open.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of only the side door hinge extracted from Figure 1, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hinge pin portion, and Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the side door when removed.

In the figure, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the rear of the vehicle, arrow IN indicates the inside in the vehicle width direction, arrow OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction, and arrow UP indicates the top of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, a hinge pillar 1 is provided to connect the front end of the side sill and the lower end of the front pillar in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

This hinge pillar 1 is a vehicle body strength member that has a hinge pillar closed cross section that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle by joining and fixing a hinge pillar inner, a hinge pillar reinforcement, and a hinge pillar outer 2.

The upper outer side of the hinge pillar outer 2 has flat seating surfaces 2a and 2b on which the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 (described later) is attached.

The side door 3 (front door) that is openably and closably attached to the above-mentioned hinge pillar outer 2 via an upper hinge UH and a lower hinge LH is configured as follows.

That is, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the side door 3 is provided with a door outer panel 4 that forms a body side outer panel, and as shown in Figure 4, an intermediate panel 5 is attached to the door outer panel 4 via its hemmed portion 4a.

The intermediate panel 5 is located between the inner side of the door outer panel 4 in the vehicle width direction and the outer side of the door frame 6 in the vehicle width direction, and the intermediate panel 5 is formed in a frame shape that fits along the outer surface of the door frame 6 in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the door frame 6 described above includes a front vertical frame portion 7 that forms the front edge of the door body of the side door 3, a rear vertical frame portion (not shown) that forms the rear edge of the door body, a belt line reinforcement inner portion 8 that forms the upper edge of the door body, and a connecting member 9 that forms the lower edge of the door body.

The front vertical frame portion 7 and the rear vertical frame portion are formed from cast members made of light metal or light alloy. In this embodiment, both vertical frame portions are formed from aluminum die casting.

The beltline reinforcement inner member 8 and the connecting member 9 are made of extruded members made of light metal or light alloy.

The upper end rear side 71 of the front vertical frame portion 7 that forms the front part of the side door 3 and the upper end front side of the rear vertical frame portion that forms the rear part of the side door 3 are connected in the vehicle longitudinal direction by the above-mentioned belt line reinforcement inner 8. The lower end rear side 72 of the front vertical frame portion 7 and the lower end front side of the rear vertical frame portion (not shown) are connected in the vehicle longitudinal direction by the above-mentioned connecting member 9, and the door frame 6 is formed in a frame shape when viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned beltline reinforcement inner 8 is provided along the beltline portion BL of the side door 3. An inner bracket 10 is connected and fixed to the upper edge portion 8a of the beltline reinforcement inner 8. This inner bracket 10 is a bracket for mounting an inner beltline seal member for sealing between the interior surface of the door window glass (not shown) and the side door 3, and the inner bracket 10 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the beltline portion BL.

As shown in FIG. 1, an impact bar 11 is attached to the upper part of the front vertical frame part 7 of the door frame 6 and extends diagonally across the lower part of the rear vertical frame part. As shown in the figure, the impact bar 11 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, inclined in a front-high, rear-low manner so that the front part is positioned higher than the rear part. This impact bar 11 is made of an extruded member made of light metal or light alloy.

As shown in FIG. 4, the front vertical frame portion 7 of the door frame 6 has a mounting seat 7a for mounting the door-side hinge bracket 23 described below. As shown in FIG. 4, this mounting seat 7a is formed flat and extends in the vehicle width direction.

The vertical frame portion 7 also includes a front piece portion 7b that extends forward from the outer end of the mounting seat 7a in the vehicle width direction, and a rear piece portion 7c that extends backward from the inner end of the mounting seat 7a in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, a hinge reinforcement 12 is attached to the rear surface of the mounting seat 7a on the front vertical frame portion 7, i.e., on the side of the mounting seat 7a facing the interior space of the door.

Next, the configuration of the side door hinge 20 will be explained.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side door hinge 20 includes an upper hinge UH and a lower hinge LH that are attached at a distance in the vertical direction between the hinge pillar 1 and the side door 3, and a connecting pipe 21 that serves as a connecting member that connects the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment 1, the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH described above are configured in the same way.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the side door hinge 20 includes a pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets 22, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 23, and an intermediate member 25, one end of which is pivotally supported by the vehicle body side hinge brackets 22 via a hinge pin 24 and the other end of which can be fastened and fixed to the door side hinge brackets 23 from the inside of the side door 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets 22 are attached to the hinge pillar 1 at a distance in the vertical direction, and the pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 23 are attached to the front end of the side door 3 at a distance in the vertical direction.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge UH, showing only the structure of the upper hinge UH, but the lower hinge LH is configured in the same way as the upper hinge UH.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 is formed by integrally bending a vertical wall 22a located in front of the vehicle relative to the connecting pipe 21, an upper wall 22b, a lower wall 22c, and multiple flanges 22d, 22e, and 22f.

Here, an upper wall 22b is integrally formed with the upper end of the vertical wall 22a, extending rearward and outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end, and a lower wall 22c is integrally formed with the lower end of the vertical wall 22a, extending rearward and outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end.

In addition, a front flange portion 22d is integrally formed with the inner end of the vertical wall 22a in the vehicle width direction and extends from the inner end toward the front of the vehicle.

Furthermore, an upper flange portion 22e is integrally formed with the inner end of the upper wall 22b in the vehicle width direction, extending from said inner end toward the top of the vehicle, and a lower flange portion 22f is integrally formed with the inner end of the lower wall 22c in the vehicle width direction, extending from said inner end toward the bottom of the vehicle.

The upper wall 22b and the lower wall 22c are formed to be parallel to each other, and the flanges 22d, 22e, and 22f are formed to abut against the bearing surfaces 2a and 2b of the hinge pillar outer 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, a hole 26 is formed in the upper wall 22b and the lower wall 22c through which the connecting pipe 21 passes, and the connecting pipe 21 passing through this hole 26 is joined and fixed to the periphery of the hole 26 in the upper wall 22b by arc welding.

Pin holes 27 for attaching the hinge pins 24 are formed on the outer side of the holes 26 in the upper and lower walls 22b and 22c in the vehicle width direction so as to coincide with the vertical direction.

Furthermore, each of the flanges 22d, 22e, and 22f described above has a bolt insertion hole 28 formed therein, and as shown in FIG. 4, each of the flanges 22d, 22e, and 22f is fastened and fixed to the bearing surfaces 2a and 2b of the hinge pillar outer 2 using bolts 29 and weld nuts 30.

The weld nut 30 is pre-welded to the inner side of the hinge pillar outer 2 in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the door-side hinge bracket 23 is formed by bending a vertical wall 23a, an upper wall 23b, a lower wall 23c, and a plurality of flanges 23d, 23e together. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper wall 23b and the lower wall 23c of the door-side hinge bracket 23 are located between the upper wall 22b and the lower wall 22c of the vehicle-body-side hinge bracket 22.

Here, an upper wall 23b is integrally formed with the upper end of the vertical wall 23a, and a lower wall 23c is integrally formed with the lower end of the vertical wall 23a. An upper flange portion 23d is integrally formed with the rear end of the upper wall 23b, extending upward from the rear end, and a lower flange portion 23e is integrally formed with the rear end of the lower wall 23c, extending downward from the rear end.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper and lower flanges 23d, 23e each have a bolt insertion hole 31 formed therein, and as shown in FIG. 4, each of these flanges 23d, 23e is fastened together with the mounting seat 7a of the vertical frame portion 7 serving as the front end of the side door 3 and the hinge reinforcement 12 using a bolt 32 and a weld nut 33. The weld nut 33 is previously welded and fixed to the back surface of the hinge reinforcement 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, a recess 23f is formed on the front outer side of each of the upper wall 23b and the lower wall 23c of the door-side hinge bracket 23 to avoid interference with the hinge pin 24 when the door-side hinge bracket 23 rotates.

As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate member 25 has a pin hole 25a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle for inserting the hinge pin 24. In addition, at a position offset from the pin hole 25a in the intermediate member 25, a screw hole 25b is formed for attaching a bolt 34 for attaching and detaching the intermediate member 25 to the door-side hinge bracket 23. This screw hole 25b is formed in a direction intersecting the pin hole 25a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hinge pin 24 has a flange 24b at the lower end of its shaft 24a. The hinge pin 24 is disposed so as to penetrate from a pin hole 27 in the lower wall 22c of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 through a pin hole 25a in the intermediate member 25 to a pin hole 27 in the upper wall 22b of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22, and the upper end of the shaft 24a protruding upward from the pin hole 27 in the upper wall 22b is crimped to form a crimped portion 24c, which prevents the pin from coming loose.

However, as shown in FIG. 5, a lower tubular member 35 with a flange 35a at its lower end and an upper tubular member 36 with a flange 36a at its upper end are interposed between the outer periphery of the shaft 24a of the hinge pin 24 and the inner periphery of the pin hole 25a of the intermediate member 25.

The lower flange 35a abuts against the upper surface of the lower wall 22c of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22, while the upper flange 36a abuts against the lower surface of the upper wall 22b of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the outer periphery of each of the upper and lower cylindrical members 35 and 36, ring-shaped metallic collar members 37 and 37 are interposed between the flanges 36a and 35a and the intermediate member 25, and these collar members 37 and 37 regulate the vertical position of the intermediate member 25.

Here, the entire front and back surfaces of the upper tubular member 36 and the lower tubular member 35 are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to ensure the bearing function.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the intermediate member 25 is pivotally supported on the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 via a hinge pin 24, and is configured to be detachably fastened to the door side hinge bracket 23 using a bolt 34.

The axis lines of the hinge pins 24 of the upper hinge UH and lower hinge LH mentioned above are aligned in the vertical direction, and the axis lines are tilted slightly forward relative to the vertical direction of the side door 3 so that the upper part is located further forward of the vehicle than the lower part.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH each include the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22, the door side hinge bracket 23, the hinge pin 24, and the intermediate member 25, and the connecting pipe 21 connects the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH in the vertical direction near the hinge pin 24.

In the figure, 38 denotes a weight-reducing opening formed in the vertical wall 22a of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, with the side door 3 open relative to the outer hinge pillar 2, the vertical wall 23a of the door-side hinge bracket 23 is fastened to the intermediate member 25 using a bolt 34 in the direction of arrow a in the figure (perpendicular to the front piece 7b of the vertical frame 7), and the side door 3 can be assembled to the vehicle body.

As shown in FIG. 6, when removing the side door 3 from the vehicle body, the bolt 34 is pulled out in the direction of the arrow b in the figure, and the fastening between the door-side hinge bracket 23 and the intermediate member 25 is released, so that the side door 3 can be removed rearward without pulling out the hinge pin 24.

Thus, the vehicle side door hinge structure of Example 1 shown in Figures 1 to 6 includes a pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets 22 attached to the hinge pillar 1 at a distance in the vertical direction, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 23 attached to the front end of the side door 3 at a distance in the vertical direction, and an intermediate member 25 having one end rotatably supported via a hinge pin 24 to either the door side hinge bracket 23 or the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 (the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 in Example 1) and the other end fastened and fixed to the other of the door side hinge bracket 23 or the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 (the door side hinge bracket 23 in Example 1) from the inside direction of the side door 3 (see Figures 1, 2, and 4).

With this configuration, when the fastening between the other hinge bracket 23 and the intermediate member 25 is released, the door-side hinge bracket 23 can be removed from the vehicle-side hinge bracket 22 without pulling out the hinge pin 24 fixed to one of the hinge brackets 22.

In this way, the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 and the door side hinge bracket 23 can be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin 24, and the side door 3 can be attached and detached from the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin 24.

In addition, since the hinge pin 24 is fixed to one of the hinge brackets 22 without the need for insertion or removal, there is no need to provide a clearance between the hinge pin 24 and the hinge bracket 22, and rattling at the hinge pin 24 portion of the side door 3 can be suppressed.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the intermediate member 25 is journaled to the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 via the hinge pin 24, and is fastened and fixed to the door side hinge bracket 23 (see Figures 3 and 4).

With this configuration, the rigidity of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 22 (so-called hinge rigidity) can be improved by using the hinge pin 24 as the pivot support.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Example 1, an upper hinge UH and a lower hinge LH are provided, each having the above-mentioned vehicle body side hinge bracket 22, the above-mentioned door side hinge bracket 23, the above-mentioned hinge pin 24, and the above-mentioned intermediate member 25, and a connecting member (connecting pipe 21) is provided that connects the above-mentioned upper hinge UH and the above-mentioned lower hinge LH in the vertical direction in the vicinity of the above-mentioned hinge pin 24 (see FIG. 2).

With this configuration, the rigidity of the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH can be improved by the connecting member (connecting pipe 21), and the door-side hinge bracket 23 can be attached to and detached from the vehicle-side hinge bracket 22 without interfering with the connecting member (connecting pipe 21), allowing the side door 3 to be attached and detached from the vehicle body.

Next, the vehicle side door hinge structure of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 12.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the side door hinge structure of a vehicle according to the second embodiment, viewed from the rear and above the vehicle with the side door open.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of only the side door hinge extracted from Figure 7, Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge of Figure 8, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 8, Figure 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hinge pin portion, and Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram of the side door when removed.

In addition, in Figures 7 to 12, the same parts as in the previous figures (the configuration on the vehicle body side and the side door side) are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations are omitted.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the side door hinge 40 includes an upper hinge UH and a lower hinge LH that are attached at a distance in the vertical direction between the hinge pillar 1 and the side door 3, and a connecting pipe 41 that serves as a connecting member that connects the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH in the vertical direction.

In this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH are configured in the same manner.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the side door hinge 40 includes a pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets 42, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 43, and an intermediate member 45, one end of which is rotatably supported by the door side hinge brackets 43 via a hinge pin 44 and the other end of which can be fastened and fixed to the vehicle body side hinge brackets 42 from the inside of the side door 3.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets 42 are attached to the hinge pillar 1 at a distance in the vertical direction, and the pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 43 are attached to the front end of the side door 3 at a distance in the vertical direction.

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge UH, showing only the structure of the upper hinge UH, but the lower hinge LH is configured in the same way as the upper hinge UH.

As shown in FIG. 9, the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42 is formed by integrally bending a vertical wall 42a located at the rear of the vehicle relative to the connecting pipe 41, an upper wall 42b, a lower wall 42c, and multiple flanges 42d and 42e.

Here, an upper wall 42b is integrally formed with the upper end of the vertical wall 42a and extends forward from the upper end, and a lower wall 42c is integrally formed with the lower end of the vertical wall 42a and extends forward from the lower end.

In addition, an upper flange portion 42d is integrally formed with the inner end of the upper wall 42b in the vehicle width direction, extending from said inner end toward the top of the vehicle, and a lower flange portion 42e is integrally formed with the inner end of the lower wall 42c in the vehicle width direction, extending from said inner end toward the bottom of the vehicle.

The upper wall 42b and the lower wall 42c are formed to be parallel to each other, and the flanges 42d and 42e are formed to abut against the bearing surfaces 2a and 2b of the hinge pillar outer 2.

As shown in FIG. 9, a recess 46 in which the connecting pipe 41 is disposed is formed in the upper wall 42b and the lower wall 42c, and the connecting pipe 41 disposed in this recess 46 is joined and fixed to the peripheral portion of the recess 46 in the upper wall 42b and the lower wall 42c by arc welding.

Furthermore, each of the flanges 42d, 42e has a plurality of bolt insertion holes 47 formed therein, and as shown in FIG. 10, each of the flanges 42d, 42e is fastened to the bearing surfaces 2a, 2b of the hinge pillar outer 2 using bolts 48 and weld nuts 49.

The weld nut 49 mentioned above is pre-welded to the inner surface of the hinge pillar outer 2 in the vehicle width direction.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, a bolt insertion hole 42f is formed in the vertical wall 42a of the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42 for attaching a bolt 50 for attaching and detaching the intermediate member 45, and a weld nut 51 is provided on the front surface of the vertical wall 42a so as to coincide with this bolt insertion hole 42f.

As shown in FIG. 9, the door-side hinge bracket 43 is formed by integrally bending a vertical wall 43a extending in the up-down direction, an upper wall 43b, a lower wall 43c, and multiple flanges 43d and 43e.

Here, an upper wall 43b is integrally formed with the upper end of the vertical wall 43a, extending inward and rearward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end, and a lower wall 43c is integrally formed with the lower end of the vertical wall 43a, extending inward and rearward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end. In addition, an upper flange portion 43d is integrally formed with the rear end of the upper wall 43b, extending upward from the rear end, and a lower flange portion 43e is integrally formed with the rear end of the lower wall 43c, extending downward from the rear end.

As shown in FIG. 9, the upper and lower flanges 43d, 43e each have a bolt insertion hole 52, and as shown in FIG. 10, the flanges 43d, 43e are fastened together to the mounting seat 7a of the vertical frame 7 as the front end of the side door 3 and to the hinge reinforcement 12 using bolts 53 and weld nuts 54. The weld nuts 54 are welded to the back surface of the hinge reinforcement 12 in advance.

As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the upper wall 43b and the lower wall 43c of the door-side hinge bracket 43 have pin holes 55, 55 for attaching the hinge pin 44, which are aligned in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the intermediate member 45 has a pin hole 45a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle for inserting the hinge pin 44. In addition, at a position offset from the pin hole 45a in the intermediate member 45, as shown in FIG. 10, a mounting hole 45b is formed for mounting a bolt 50 for attaching and detaching the intermediate member 45 to the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42.

As shown in FIG. 11, the hinge pin 44 has a flange 44b at the lower end of its shaft 44a. The hinge pin 44 is disposed so as to penetrate from a pin hole 55 in the lower wall 43c of the door-side hinge bracket 43 through a pin hole 45a in the intermediate member 45 to a pin hole 55 in the upper wall 43b of the door-side hinge bracket 43, and the upper end of the shaft 44a protruding upward from the pin hole 55 in the upper wall 43b is crimped to form a crimped portion 44c, which prevents the pin from coming loose.

However, as shown in FIG. 11, a lower tubular member 56 with a flange 56a at its lower end and an upper tubular member 57 with a flange 57a at its upper end are interposed between the outer periphery of the shaft 44a of the hinge pin 44 and the inner periphery of the pin hole 45a of the intermediate member 45.

The lower flange 56a abuts against the upper surface of the lower wall 43c of the door-side hinge bracket 43, while the upper flange 57a abuts against the lower surface of the upper wall 43b of the door-side hinge bracket 43.

The upper wall 43b of the door-side hinge bracket 43 is located above the upper wall 42b of the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42, and the lower wall 43c of the door-side hinge bracket 43 is located below the lower wall 42c of the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42.

Here, the entire front and back surfaces of the upper tubular member 57 and the lower tubular member 56 are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which ensures the bearing function.

As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the intermediate member 45 is pivotally supported on the door-side hinge bracket 43 via a hinge pin 44, and is configured to be detachably fastened to the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42 using a bolt 50.

The axis of the hinge pin 44 of the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH described above coincides in the vertical direction, and the axis is tilted slightly forward with respect to the vertical direction of the side door 3 so that the upper part is located further forward of the vehicle than the lower part.

As shown in FIG. 8, the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH each include the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42, the door side hinge bracket 43, the hinge pin 44, and the intermediate member 45, and the connecting pipe 41 connects the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH in the vertical direction near the hinge pin 44.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the side door 3 is opened approximately 60 degrees around the hinge pin 44, the axis of the weld nut 51 and the bolt insertion hole 42f are oriented in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 10, with the side door 3 open relative to the outer hinge pillar 2 as described above, the bolt 50 is operated in the direction of the arrow c in the figure (direction facing forward from the rear of the vehicle) and screwed into the weld nut 51 to fasten and fix the intermediate member 45 to the vertical wall 42a of the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42, and the side door 3 can be assembled to the vehicle body.

When removing the side door 3 from the vehicle body, as shown in FIG. 12, the bolt 50 is pulled out in the direction of the arrow d (directly toward the rear of the vehicle), which releases the fastening between the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42 and the intermediate member 45, allowing the side door 3 to be removed rearward without pulling out the hinge pin 44.

As described above, the vehicle side door hinge structure of the second embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 12 includes a pair of upper and lower body side hinge brackets 42 attached to the hinge pillar 1 at a distance in the vertical direction, a pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets 43 attached to the front end of the side door 3 at a distance in the vertical direction, and an intermediate member 45 having one end pivotally supported via a hinge pin 44 to either the door side hinge bracket 43 or the body side hinge bracket 42 (the door side hinge bracket 43 in the second embodiment) and the other end fastened and fixed to either the door side hinge bracket 43 or the body side hinge bracket 42 (the body side hinge bracket 42 in the second embodiment) from the inside direction of the side door 3 (directly rearward direction of the vehicle in the second embodiment) (see Figs. 7 to 9).

With this configuration, when the fastening between the other hinge bracket (body-side hinge bracket 42) and the intermediate member 45 is released, the door-side hinge bracket 43 can be removed from the body-side hinge bracket 42 without pulling out the hinge pin 44 fixed to the other hinge bracket (door-side hinge bracket 43).

In this way, the vehicle body side hinge bracket 42 and the door side hinge bracket 43 can be separated without inserting or removing the hinge pin 44, and the side door 3 can be attached and detached from the vehicle body without affecting the hinge pin 44.

In addition, since the hinge pin 44 is fixed to one of the hinge brackets (the door-side hinge bracket 43) without the need for insertion or removal, there is no need to provide a clearance between the hinge pin 44 and the hinge bracket 43, and rattling at the hinge pin 44 portion of the side door 3 can be suppressed.

In addition, in the second embodiment, the intermediate member 45 is supported by the door-side hinge bracket 43 via the hinge pin 44 and is fastened to the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42 (see Figures 9 and 10).

With this configuration, the rigidity (so-called hinge rigidity) of the door-side hinge bracket 43 can be improved by the hinge pin 44 as the pivot support, and the fastening position of the intermediate member 45 can be located near the midpoint between the side door 3 and the hinge pillar 1, which is the vehicle body, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the side door 3.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned Example 2, an upper hinge UH and a lower hinge LH are provided, each having the above-mentioned vehicle body side hinge bracket 42, the above-mentioned door side hinge bracket 43, the above-mentioned hinge pin 44, and the above-mentioned intermediate member 45, and a connecting member (connecting pipe 41) is provided that connects the above-mentioned upper hinge UH and the above-mentioned lower hinge LH in the vertical direction in the vicinity of the above-mentioned hinge pin 44 (see Figures 8 and 9).

With this configuration, the rigidity of the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH can be improved by the connecting member (connecting pipe 41), and the door-side hinge bracket 43 can be attached to and detached from the vehicle-side hinge bracket 42 without interfering with the connecting member (connecting pipe 41), allowing the side door 3 to be attached and detached from the vehicle body.

In the configuration of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment,
The connecting member of the present invention corresponds to the connecting pipe 21 of the first embodiment and the connecting pipe 41 of the second embodiment.
The upper flange portion corresponds to the upper flange portion 23d,
The lower flange portion corresponds to the lower flange portion 23e ,
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments.

For example, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 and 2, a connecting pipe 21, 41 is provided to connect the upper hinge UH and the lower hinge LH in the vertical direction of the vehicle, but the connecting pipe 21, 41 is not essential because the vehicle side door hinge structure can be established even in a configuration in which the connecting pipe 21, 41 is not present.

As described above, the present invention is useful for a vehicle side door structure that includes a body-side hinge bracket, a door-side hinge bracket, and a hinge pin.

1... hinge pillar 3... side door 21... connecting pipe (connecting member)
22...Vehicle body side hinge bracket
22b: Upper wall of the hinge bracket on the vehicle body side
22c…Lower wall of hinge bracket on vehicle body side
23...Door side hinge bracket
23a…Vertical wall of door side hinge bracket
23b: Upper wall of door side hinge bracket
23c…Lower wall of door side hinge bracket
23d: Upper flange portion of door side hinge bracket
23e...Lower flange portion of door side hinge bracket
24... hinge pin 25... intermediate member 41... connecting pipe (connecting member)
42: vehicle body side hinge bracket 43: door side hinge bracket 44: hinge pin 45: intermediate member UH: upper hinge LH: lower hinge

Claims (3)

A pair of upper and lower vehicle body side hinge brackets that are attached to the hinge pillar at a distance from each other in the vertical direction;
A pair of upper and lower door side hinge brackets are attached to the front end of the side door at a distance from each other in the vertical direction;
an intermediate member having one end rotatably supported by the vehicle body side hinge bracket via a hinge pin and having the other end fastened and fixed to the door side hinge bracket from an inner side of the side door ,
The door-side hinge bracket includes a vertical wall, upper and lower walls at upper and lower ends of the vertical wall, and upper and lower flange portions attached to a front end of the side door,
the upper flange portion is provided on the upper wall, and the lower flange portion is provided on the lower wall,
The intermediate member is fastened to the vertical wall in the space between the upper wall and the lower wall.
Vehicle side door hinge structure. the intermediate member is pivotally supported by an upper wall and a lower wall of the vehicle body side hinge bracket via the hinge pin,
The upper wall and the lower wall of the door-side hinge bracket are located between the upper wall and the lower wall of the vehicle body-side hinge bracket.
2. The vehicle side door hinge structure according to claim 1. providing an upper hinge and a lower hinge each having the vehicle body side hinge bracket, the door side hinge bracket, the hinge pin, and the intermediate member;
3. The vehicle side door hinge structure according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member that connects the upper hinge and the lower hinge in the up-down direction at a position near the hinge pin.

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