Patent Application
20130318745
The invention generally relates to a counterbalanced hinge assembly.
Counterbalanced hinge assemblies that are used to rotatably support a decklid of a vehicle typically include at least one torque rod that extends between a pair of hinge boxes. A support member is rotatably attached to and supported by each of the hinge boxes, with the decklid attached to the support members for rotation therewith. One end of the torque rod is bent to define a wind-up end that engages one of the hinge boxes, and the other end of the torque rod is bent to define a looped end that engages one of the support members. Accordingly, the torque rod must extend across a width of the vehicle between the opposing hinge boxes. The torque rod is twisted during assembly and secured in a position relative to the hinge box to pre-load the torque rod. The pre-loaded torque rod acts as a spring to untwist, thereby applying a torque to the support member to assist in opening the decklid.
The shorter the effective length of the torque rod, the higher the stress is acting on the torque rod. Accordingly, reducing the effective length of the torque rod tends to lower the durability of the torque rod, whereas increasing the effective length of the torque rod tends to increase the durability of the torque rod. However, the effective length of the torque rod is limited by the cross vehicle width. As vehicles have gotten smaller over time, the cross width of the vehicles has also been reduced, thereby reducing the effective length of the torque rod. Additionally, packaging considerations require that the torque rod compete with other vehicular components, such as speakers, seat belt retractors, powered sun shades, etc., for space under the shelf within the trunk.
A counterbalanced hinge assembly is provided. The counterbalanced hinge assembly includes a hinge box. A support member is rotatably attached to the hinge box for rotation about a rotation axis between a closed position and an open position. A linkage system interconnects the hinge box and the support member. The linkage system includes a wind-up link and a driven link. The wind-up link is rotatably attached to the hinge box for rotation about a spring axis. The wind-up link extends radially away from the spring axis to a distal pivot axis that is laterally spaced from the spring axis. The driven link includes a first end and a second end. The first end is rotatably attached to the wind-up link at the distal pivot point. The second end is rotatably attached to the support member. A planar coil spring is coiled about the spring axis and is coupled to both the hinge box and the wind-up link. The planar coil spring is configured to apply a torque to the wind-up link to rotate the wind-up link about the spring axis to assist movement of the support member from the closed position into the open position.
A vehicle is also provided. The vehicle includes a body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an opening. A decklid is coupled to the body and configured for sealing the opening. A counterbalanced hinge assembly rotatably attaches the decklid to the body for rotation about a rotation axis between a closed position and an open position. The decklid hinge assembly includes a hinge box. A support member is rotatably attached to the hinge box and supports the decklid for rotation with the decklid about a rotation axis between a closed position and an open position. A linkage system interconnects the hinge box and the support member. The linkage system includes a wind-up link and a driven link. The wind-up link is rotatably attached to the hinge box for rotation about a spring axis. The wind-up link extends radially away from the spring axis to a distal pivot axis laterally spaced from the spring axis. The driven link includes a first end and a second end. The first end is rotatably attached to the wind-up link at the distal pivot point. The second end is rotatably attached to the support member. At least one clock spring is coiled about the spring axis and coupled to both the hinge box and the wind-up link. The at least one clock spring is configured to apply a torque to the wind-up link to rotate the wind-up link about the spring axis to assist movement of the support member from the closed position into the open position.
Accordingly, the counterbalanced hinge assembly includes the planar coil spring, e.g., a clock spring, to store and provide the torque to assist in moving the support member from the closed position into the open position. As such, the counterbalanced hinge assembly described herein does not require a lengthy torque rod that extends across a width of the vehicle, thereby freeing up packaging space within a trunk of the vehicle.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a vehicle is generally shown at 22. Referring to
The vehicle 22 includes a counterbalanced hinge assembly, hereinafter referred to as the hinge assembly 20. The hinge assembly 20 rotatably couples a decklid 24 to the body 26 of the vehicle 22. The decklid 24 seals an opening 28 defined by the body 26, such as for example, the trunk or cargo area of the vehicle 22. While only a single hinge assembly 20 is shown and described herein, it should be appreciated that the vehicle 22 may include a pair of hinge assemblies, one each on opposing lateral sides of the vehicle 22 for simultaneously supporting the decklid 24, with each of the hinge assemblies being mirror images of each other and not directly connected to each other. While the hinge assembly 20 is described and shown herein for use supporting the decklid 24, it should be appreciated that the hinge assembly 20 may be used for alternative purposes not shown or described herein.
The body 26 extends along a longitudinal axis 30 between a forward end and the rearward end. The hinge assembly 20 rotatably attaches the decklid 24 to the body 26 for rotation about a rotation axis 32. As shown, the rotation axis 32 is perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis 30 of the vehicle 22. However, the relative positions between the rotation axis 32 and the longitudinal axis 30 of the vehicle 22 may differ from that shown and described herein. The decklid 24 is rotatable between a closed position for sealing the opening 28, and an open position for allowing access to the opening 28.
Referring also to
Referring also to
A shaft assembly 42 supports the planar coil spring 40 and secures the planar coil spring 40 relative to the hinge box 34. The shaft assembly 42 is concentrically disposed about a spring axis 44. The hinge box 34 includes a first flange 46 and a second flange 48. The second flange 48 is disposed parallel with and spaced from the first flange 46. The shaft assembly 42 is coupled to, supported by and extends between the first flange 46 and the second flange 48 of the hinge box 34.
The linkage system 38 includes a wind-up link 50 and a driven link 52. The wind-up link 50 is coupled to the shaft assembly 42 for rotation about the spring axis 44 relative to the hinge box 34. The wind-up link 50 includes a first arm 54 and a second arm 56. The first arm 54 is coupled to the shaft assembly 42 adjacent the first flange 46. The second arm 56 is coupled to the shaft assembly 42 adjacent the second flange 48. The first arm 54 and the second arm 56 of the wind-up link 50 extend radially away from the spring axis 44 to a distal pivot axis 58, which is laterally spaced from the spring axis 44. The driven link 52 includes a first end 60 that is rotatable coupled to the wind-up link 50 at the pivot axis 58, and a second end 62 that is rotatably coupled to the support member 36.
The planar coil spring 40 is coiled about the spring axis 44 and is coupled to the hinge box 34 and the wind-up link 50. The planar coil spring 40 is coupled to the hinge box 34 via the shaft assembly 42. The planar coil spring 40 is configured to apply a torque to the wind-up link 50 to rotate the wind-up link 50 about the spring axis 44, thereby moving the driven link 52 and the support member 36, to assist movement of the support member 36 from the closed position into the open position. As such, the planar coil spring 40 biases the wind-up link 50 against the hinge box 34 to rotate the wind-up link 50.
The planar coil spring 40 may include a coiled spring in which the coils are disposed on a common plane, such as but not limited to a clock spring. As shown, the planar coil spring 40 includes a first spring 72 and a second spring 74. However, it should be appreciated that the planar coil spring 40 need only include a single spring. The planar coil spring 40 includes an interior end 64, 66. More specifically, the first spring 72 includes an interior end 64, and the second spring 74 includes an interior end 66. The interior ends 64, 66 are supported by the shaft assembly 42 and engage the shaft assembly 42 in interlocking engagement to prevent relative rotation between the interior ends 64, 66 of the first spring 72 and the second spring 74 relative to the shaft assembly 42. The planar coil spring 40 further includes an exterior end 68, 70. More specifically, the first spring 72 includes an exterior end 68, and the second spring 74 includes an exterior end 70. The exterior ends 68, 70 engage the wind-up link 50 for applying the torque to the wind-up link 50.
The first spring 72 includes a first spring rate, and the second spring 74 includes a second spring rate. The first spring rate of the first spring 72 may be equal to or different than the second spring rate of the second spring 74. Accordingly, the spring force supplied by the planar coil spring 40, including both the first spring 72 and the second spring 74, may be adjusted to meet requirements of any particular purpose by adjusting the spring rates of one or both of the first spring 72 and/or the second spring 74.
As shown, the shaft assembly 42 includes a drive portion 76 and a driven portion 78. A clamping device 80 interconnects and secures the drive portion 76 and the driven portion 78 together for common rotation about the spring axis 44. The drive portion 76 is rotatably attached to the first flange 46, and the driven portion 78 is rotatably attached to the second flange 48. As shown in
The clamping device 80 is disposed between the first spring 72 and the second spring 74 to restrict axial movement of either the first spring 72 or the second spring 74 along the spring axis 44, and to prevent the interior ends 64, 66 of either the first spring 72 or the second spring 74 from becoming dislodged from the slots 82, 84 in either the drive portion 76 or the driven portion 78 respectively.
As shown in
The drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42 includes an outer axial end 98 that extends outboard of the first flange 46 and the first arm 54 of the wind-up link 50. The driven portion 78 of the shaft assembly 42 includes an outer axial end 100 that extends inboard of the second flange 48 and the second arm 56 of the wind-up link 50. As used herein, the term outboard is defined as being disposed farther from the longitudinal axis 30, and the term inboard is defined as being disposed nearer the longitudinal axis 30. Accordingly, the outer axial end 98 of the drive portion 76 is disposed farther from the longitudinal axis 30 than the first arm 54 of the wind-up link 50 and the first flange 46 of the hinge box 34, and the outer axial end 100 of the driven portion 78 is disposed nearer the longitudinal axis 30 than the second arm 56 of the wind-up link 50 and the second flange 48 of the hinge box 34.
A first retainer clip 104 is coupled to the drive portion 76 adjacent the outer axial end 98 of the drive portion 76. The first retainer clip 104 resists axial movement of the drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42 along the spring axis 44 in an inboard direction relative to the first flange 46. The drive portion 76 may further include a radially extending lip (not shown) that engages an inner surface of the first flange 46 in abutting engagement to resist axial movement of the drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42 along the spring axis 44 in an outboard direction relative to the first flange 46. A second retainer clip 108 is coupled to the driven portion 78 adjacent the outer axial end 100 of the driven portion 78. The second retainer clip 108 resists axial movement of the driven portion 78 of the shaft assembly 42 along the spring axis 44 in an outboard direction relative to the second flange 48. The driven portion 78 may further include a radially extending lip 110 that engages an inner surface of the second flange 48 in abutting engagement to resist axial movement of the driven portion 78 of the shaft assembly 42 along the spring axis 44 in an inboard direction relative to the second flange 48.
A lever 112 may be attached to and rotatable with the outer axial end 98 of the drive portion 76. The lever 112 is rotationally fixed relative to the outer axial end 98 of the drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42 such that rotation of the lever 112 rotates the drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42. As the clamping device 80 rotatably secures the driven portion 78 of the shaft assembly 42 relative to the drive portion 76 of the shaft assembly 42 for rotation about the spring axis 44, it should be appreciated that rotation of the drive portion 76 about the spring axis 44 simultaneously rotates the driven portion 78 about the spring axis 44.
As shown in
The planar coil spring 40, including both the first spring 72 and the second spring 74 in the exemplary embodiment shown and described herein, is twisted by rotation of the lever 112 about the spring axis 44 to generate the torque that is stored within the planar coil spring 40. During assembly, the lever 112 is rotated into position and secured in that position relative to the hinge box 34. The rotation of the lever 112 about the spring axis 44 twists the planar coil spring 40, via the interlocking engagement between the interior end 64, 66 of the planar coil spring 40 and the shaft assembly 42, between the shaft assembly 42 and the wind-up link 50, thereby generating the torque used to assist in opening the decklid 24. The hinge box 34 includes a retention feature 118 that is configured for securing the lever 112 in position relative to the hinge box 34. The retention feature 118 prevents the rotation of the lever 112 in a direction that would allow the planar coil spring 40 to untwist, and also resists lateral movement away from the longitudinal axis 30 to prevent unintentional disengagement of the lever 112 from the retention feature 118.
The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the invention, but the scope of the invention is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed invention have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the invention defined in the appended claims.
