This invention relates generally to an endgate for a motor vehicle, and, more particularly, to an endgate and hinge assembly that allows the endgate to swing alternately about a lateral axis and an upright axis.
The tailgate at the back of a wagon, truck, station wagon, etc. is usually hinged along a lateral axis at the bottom of the tailgate to pivot downward for convenience in loading or unloading cargo. A door at the back of a vehicle hinged along a lateral axis at the top to open upward is often referred to as a hatch or lift gate.
In certain cases, it is helpful and preferred that the vehicle have an endgate that can swing like a door about a vertical axis to facilitate access to the cargo area.
A more recent need exists in the automotive industry for a hinge assembly that supports an endgate such that the gate can swing both upward and downward about a horizontal axis and like a door about a vertical axis at the option of the user.
An assembly for opening and closing a passageway into the body of a motor vehicle includes a post secured to the body at a lateral side of the passageway, an endgate for opening and closing the passageway, a hinge-striker that includes a first plate secured to the post and including mutually spaced first lugs, each first lug being formed with a hole; a second plate including mutually spaced second lugs, each second lug being formed with a hole, with the holes of the first plate being aligned with the holes of the second plate; a hinge pin located in the holes and aligned with an upright axis; and a striker, secured to and extending from one of said plates, and a latch secured to the post for releasably engaging the hinge-striker.
The hinge/striker provides in a singe component a dual function accomplished by a hinge pin that guides pivoting of the endgate about an axis and a striker surface that can be engaged by a latch, which secures the endgate in a position that closes the passageway and prevents pivoting of the endgate about another axis.
By combining the dual functions of the hinge/striker in a single component, the number of parts required to support and latch the endgate is reduced, weight and low cost are minimized, and mechanical attachment operations are eliminated.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
As shown in
An endgate hinge 50 includes a lower plate 58, which extends laterally and is formed with two mutually spaced lugs 60, 62, each lug being formed with a laterally-directed circular cylindrical hole. The holes in lugs 60, 62 of hinge 50 are aligned mutually and are aligned with the holes 40 in lugs 38, 40 of the endgate 12. A hinge pin 64 is installed in the holes of the endgate lugs 36, 38 and the holes of the endgate hinge lugs 60, 62. The endgate hinge 50 is installed in the vehicle 10 such that the aligned holes of lugs 36, 38, 60, 62 are aligned also with lateral axis 14.
The endgate hinge 50 is formed with two mutually spaced lugs 70, 72, each lug being formed with a laterally-directed circular cylindrical hole 74 and secured to lower plate 58. The holes in lugs 70, 72 are aligned mutually and are aligned also with holes in lugs 78, 80, which are formed in upper and lower arms 82, 84. A second hinge pin 86 is installed in the holes of lugs 70, 72, 78, 80. The endgate hinge 50 is installed in the vehicle 10 such that the aligned holes of lugs 70, 72, 78, 80 are aligned with upright axis 16. Arms 82, 84 are formed to provide clearance with the endgate 12 as it pivots about the upright axis 16. The endgate 12, therefore, can pivot 90 degrees between its opened and closed positions.
The outer end 88 of arm 66 and the outer end 90 of arm 84 are secured to the right-side post 22, preferably by mechanical fasteners. Lugs 70, 72, lower plate 58 and lugs 60, 62 of hinge 50, and the lugs 36, 38 of endgate 12 pivot about axis 16 at pin 86 relative to the arms 66, 68 and post 20.
An upper detent disc 138 and lower detent disc 140 are located between lugs 124, 126 and are each formed with a hole, through which hinge pin 134 passes. The lower surface of lug 124 is formed with multiple recesses 142, 143 spaced angularly about the axis of hinge pin 134. The upper surface of disc 138 is formed with a projection 144, which is continually biased toward lug 124 by a compression spring 146, located between discs 138, 140. Similarly, the upper surface of lug 126 is formed with multiple recesses 148, 149 spaced angularly about the axis of hinge pin 134. The lower surface of disc 140 is formed with a projection 150, which is continually biased toward lug 126 by compression spring 146.
When hinge/striker 120 is in the position shown in
In operation, when a rearward force is applied to endgate 12, the endgate swings about lateral axis 14 to the open position shown in
Although the term “endgate” has been used in this description, the invention is applicable also to a tailgate hinged at the top to open downward, to a lift gate or hatch hinged at the top to open upward, and to a door hinged at the side for convenience in loading or unloading cargo.
While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3387406 | Coker et al. | Jun 1968 | A |
3454299 | Hewitt et al. | Jul 1969 | A |
3567274 | Kaptur, Jr. et al. | Mar 1971 | A |
3592504 | Sandor | Jul 1971 | A |
3623764 | Jacobus | Nov 1971 | A |
4063330 | Triplette | Dec 1977 | A |
4076301 | Gergoe | Feb 1978 | A |
4823437 | Tatara | Apr 1989 | A |
4823438 | Roloff | Apr 1989 | A |
6676196 | Smith | Jan 2004 | B1 |
6942268 | Vejnar | Sep 2005 | B2 |
7007346 | Hoffman | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7080868 | McClure et al. | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7093876 | Romig et al. | Aug 2006 | B2 |
7118153 | Kitayama et al. | Oct 2006 | B2 |
7147257 | Johansen et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7150486 | Ichinose | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7165800 | Thiele et al. | Jan 2007 | B2 |
7201422 | Plett et al. | Apr 2007 | B2 |
7201423 | Ichinose | Apr 2007 | B2 |
7243973 | Plett et al. | Jul 2007 | B2 |
7258373 | Plett et al. | Aug 2007 | B2 |
20030122396 | Humphrey et al. | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20050035620 | Ichinose | Feb 2005 | A1 |
20050057063 | Thiele et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20060006680 | Johansen et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060249971 | Ichinose | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20070296226 | Gruber et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |