Vehicle door hinge structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9562382-B2
Application number	US-201514734827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Jun 9, 2015
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle door hinge structure includes a first bracket, a second bracket, a hinge arm and a compressible check structure. The hinge arm has a first end that s attached to the first bracket for pivoting movement about a first pivot axis. The second bracket is attached to a second end of the hinge arm for pivoting movement about a second pivot axis. The compressible check structure is fixed in position to the first bracket. The compressible check structure is adjacent to and spaced apart from a stop surface of the first bracket. The compressible check structure extends upward away from a surface of the first bracket in an uncompressed state. However, a movement limiting surface of the hinge arm contacts and compresses the compressible check structure during a portion of movement of the hinge arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle door hinge structure comprising:
a first bracket having a first surface that extends in a first direction and a stop surface extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction;
a hinge arm having a first end, a second end and a body portion extending from the first end to the second end, the first end being attached to the first bracket for pivoting movement about a first pivot axis that extends through the first surface of the first bracket such that the hinge arm pivots relative to the first bracket from a first position to a second position, the body portion of the hinge arm having a movement limiting surface that is spaced apart from the first surface by a first predetermined distance;
a second bracket attached to the second end of the hinge arm for pivoting movement about a second pivot axis that extends through the second bracket and the second end of the hinge arm, the second bracket pivoting relative to the second end of the hinge arm; and
a compressible check structure fixed in position along a portion of the first surface of the first bracket, the compressible check structure being adjacent to and spaced apart from the stop surface of the first bracket, the compressible check structure extending away from the first surface in an uncompressed state by a second predetermined distance that is greater than the first predetermined distance, the movement limiting surface of the hinge arm contacting and compressing the compressible check structure during a portion of movement of the hinge arm between the first position and the second position.

2. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the compressible check structure is made of an elastic material such that contact between the compressible check structure and the movement limiting surface of the hinge arm during movement of the hinge arm between the first position and the second position generates friction therebetween.

3. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the compressible check structure is spaced apart from the stop surface of the first bracket such that a gap is defined between the stop surface and the compressible check structure, and with the movement limiting surface of the hinge arm being disposed within the gap, the hinge arm is in the second position.

4. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the gap has a first overall length measured from the edge of the compressible check structure to the stop surface, and
the movement limiting surface of the hinge arm has a first width measured in a widthwise direction of the hinge arm, the first overall length and the first width being approximately equal.

5. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first surface of the first bracket defines an aperture that extends from the first surface to a second surface of the first bracket opposite the first surface, and
the compressible check structure includes a main body, a compressible portion located at a first end of the main body, and a retention portion located at a second end of the main body, the main body of the compressible check structure extending through the aperture of the first bracket, the compressible portion being located along the first surface of the first bracket surrounding the aperture and the retention portion facing the second side of the first bracket.

6. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the main body of the compressible check structure has a rectangular cross-section, and the aperture of the first bracket has a corresponding rectangular shape, the main body and the aperture being dimensioned to prevent rotation of the compressible check structure with the main body inserted into the aperture.

7. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the main body of the compressible check structure has a first side surface and a second side surface substantially parallel to one another, a third side surface and a fourth side surface substantially parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first and the second side surfaces, and
the retention portion of the compressible check structure includes a first compressible flange and a second compressible flange, the first and the second compressible flanges extending from the second end of the main body of the compressible check structure toward the first end of the main body, with respective distal ends of the first and the second compressible flanges facing the second side of the first bracket with the main body inserted into the aperture preventing the retention portion from passing through the aperture from the second side of the first bracket to the first side of the first bracket.

8. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 7 , wherein
the first compressible flange extends adjacent to the first side surface of the main body and the second compressible flange extends adjacent to the second side surface, a lengthwise extending surface of the first compressible flange and the first side surface of the main body defining an acute angle therebetween and a lengthwise extending surface of the second compressible flange and the second side surface of the main body defining an acute angle therebetween.

9. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the compressible portion has a base that is wider than a width of the aperture and is located adjacent the first side of the first bracket with the main body inserted into the aperture.

10. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
at least a portion of a first side of the hinge arm faces the stop surface of the first bracket.

11. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the hinge arm comprises a first gooseneck member and a second gooseneck member, the first gooseneck member defining the first end and the second end of the hinge arm,
the second gooseneck member having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the first bracket for pivotal movement about a third pivot axis that extends through the first surface of the first bracket such that the second gooseneck member pivots about the third pivot axis relative to the first bracket from a first position to a second position, and
the second bracket is attached to the second end of the second gooseneck member for pivotal movement about a fourth pivot axis that extends through the second bracket, the second bracket pivoting about the fourth pivot axis relative to the second end of the second gooseneck member, the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis being spaced apart from one another and parallel to one another, and the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis being spaced apart from one another and parallel to one another.

12. The vehicle door hinge structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bracket is a body bracket configured to attach to a vehicle body structure and the second bracket is a door bracket configured to attach to a vehicle door.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a body structure defining a door opening;
a door bracket rigidly attached to the body structure and having a first surface that extends in a first direction and a stop surface extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction;
a hinge arm having a first end, a second end and a body portion extending from the first end to the second end, the first end being attached to the first bracket for pivoting movement about a first pivot axis that extends through the first surface of the door bracket such that the hinge arm pivots relative to the door bra

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Dey Debraj

Classifications

• B60J5/0468

  Fixation or mounting means specific for door components (fasteners in general F16B21/00) · CPC title

• E05D5/06

  Bent flaps · CPC title

• B60J5/0479

  without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door · CPC title

• E05D3/127

  for vehicle doors · CPC title

• E05D2005/067

  gooseneck shaped · CPC title