Multiple piece construction automotive door hinge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9863175-B2
Application number	US-9138407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2007
Priority date	Jul 10, 2006
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

An automotive hinge assembly adapted to facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure comprises a door component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle closure panel, a body component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body structure, such that the pivot pin structurally assembles the two hinge components, facilitates relative rotary motion between them and structurally connects the multiple press formed angle brackets so that the resulting assembly achieves a much higher material efficiency than the prior art with an associated significant cost reduction.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A vehicular door hinge assembly comprising:
a door component comprising first and second separate door brackets which are mountable to a vehicular closure panel, wherein the first door bracket is spaced apart from the second door bracket, and the first and second door brackets each have a pivot hole;
a body component configured to be mounted to a vehicular body structure, the body component including a bushing aperture configured to accept a pivot bushing;
a pivot pin that comprises a first end, a second end, a cylindrical pivot surface positioned between the first end and the second end, a first knurled portion located adjacent to the first end and a second knurled portion located adjacent to the second end, wherein each of the first and second ends comprises an upset head;
wherein the pivot pin extends through the pivot holes of the first and second door brackets and the pivot bushing such that the first and second knurled portions are secured in the pivot holes;
wherein the upset heads of the pivot pin hold the door component and the body component together to form an undetachable individual assembly to be mounted as a whole to the vehicular closure panel and the vehicular body structure; and
wherein the cylindrical pivot surface comprises a central diameter and the pivot bushing is rotatable thereabout.

2. The vehicular door hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end and the second end of the pivot pin each comprises a diameter that is less than a central diameter of the central cylindrical pivot surface.

3. The vehicular door hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the pivot pin each comprises knurling and respective first and second diameters, wherein the first diameter of the first end is greater than the central diameter of the cylindrical pivot surface and the second diameter of the second end is less than the central diameter of the cylindrical pivot surface.

4. The vehicular door hinge assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the upsetting portions is a round head having a diameter greater than the diameter of each of the first end and second end.

5. The vehicular door hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upsetting portions are formed by material upset comprising at least one of riveting or staking.

6. The vehicular door hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first door bracket and the second door bracket further comprise respective first and second hinge stops extending from first and second pivot arms, and the body component comprises first and second hinge stop formations configured to interact respectively with the first hinge stop of the first door bracket and the second hinge stop of the second door bracket.

7. The automotive hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second body brackets are structurally connected via a semi-shear feature and a matching alignment hole using press fitting, welding, bonding, riveting or staking.

Assignees

• Murray Robert John
• Gruber Rudolf
• Ng Chean Wang
• Banjongpanith Pasith
• Lad Prad
• Worden Scott
• Multimatic Inc

Inventors

• Murray Robert John
• Gruber Rudolf
• Ng Chean Wang
• Banjongpanith Pasith
• Lad Prad
• Worden Scott

Classifications

• E05D3/02 Primary

  with one pin · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05D11/06

  Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges · CPC title

• E05D5/062 Primary

  specially adapted for vehicles · CPC title

• E05D5/127

  by forcing the pin into the socket (E05D5/125 takes precedence) · CPC title