Patent Application
20060016048
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pivotally mountable hinge part having quick assembly members for pivotally mounting a rigid substrate, e.g. pivotally mounting a window to an automotive body, and more particularly, to a pivotally mounted hinge part including an injectable member or injector optionally pivotally mounted to the back end of an automobile inserted into a receiving member or receiver optionally mounted on a rear automotive window, to secure, e.g. releasably secure, the receiver and injector together to pivotally mount the window to the automotive body. The invention also relates to a method of using the hinge part having the quick assembly members, i.e. the receiver and the injector.
2. Discussion of the Technology
Hinges of particular interest in this discussion include a first rigid hinge part and a second rigid hinge part. A side of each hinge part has spaced protrusions having a passageway. The protrusions of the parts interlock, and in an aligned position, a pin is inserted into the passageway to pivotally mount the hinge parts. As is appreciated by those skilled in the art, the first and second hinge parts can be plates secured to the pieces to be pivotally mounted together. In other instances, the protrusions having the passageway can be formed with one of the pieces to be pivotally mounted and the other hinge part joined to the other piece to be pivotally mounted. By way of illustration, an automotive body has the protrusions on which a hinge part is pivotally mounted formed as part of the automotive body and has hinge parts that are adhesively bonded to, welded to, bolted to, or screwed to the automotive body. The other hinge part can be secured to, or formed with, the piece to be pivotally mounted to the automotive body.
Consider now the arrangement for moveably mounting windows to automotive bodies. Automobiles are presently available with side doors and rear doors. The windows can be mounted on an elevator arrangement mounted within the door to move the windows up and down, the windows can be pivotally mounted to the automotive body, e.g. quarter panels mounted as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,197, the windows can be pivotally mounted to the window opening of sliding side door, the windows can be pivotally mounted to the window opening of the rear door and/or the window can be pivotally mounted to the rear portion of the automotive body. Of interest in this discussion is the replacement of windows that are pivotally mounted in the window opening of the automotive body or pivotally mounted to the automotive body.
More particularly, in the instance where the hinge pivotally mounting the window is adhesively bonded to the rear window, the window is replaced by removing the fastener that pivotally mounts the window to the automotive door or to the automotive body. In the instance when the window is secured to the hinge by mechanical fasteners, e.g. a nut and bolt assembly, the nut and bolt assembly of each hinge is separated to replace the broken window with a new window. Windows having the hinge part secured by mechanical fastener have an additional limitation. More particularly, over tightening the nut and bolt arrangement can result in breaking the glass window. The replacement of windows that are pivotally mounted at the same pivot position as the automotive door, e.g. the rear door, such that the window can be opened and closed with the door in the closed position and can be opened with the door in the open position, is more labor intensive because the pin that pivotally mounts the hinge part for the door and for the window has to be removed to remove the broken window and inserted to pivotally mount the door and the replacement window.
As can be appreciated, it would be advantageous to provide a hinge part that does not have the limitations of the presently available hinge parts used to pivotally mount pieces together, e.g. pivotally mount windows to automotive bodies or to window openings of doors.
The present invention relates to a hinge part comprising: a first member having a first side and an opposite second side, and a channel extending from the first side toward the second side; a detachably securing arrangement having a first part and a second part, the first part of the securing arrangement accessible through the channel of the first member; a second member having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the second member comprises the second part of the securing arrangement, the first end portion of the second member and the channel of the first member sized relative to one another such that the first end portion of the second member is insertable into the channel of the first member for the first part and the second part of the securing arrangement to engage one another, and the second side of the first member or the second end portion of the second member having a shaft receiving orifice to mount the second side of the first member or the first end portion of the second member. In one nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the first member is defined as a receiver, the second member is defined as an injector; the channel is a passageway, the second part of the securing arrangement at the first end portion of the injector comprises at least one flexible finger having an enlarged portion defined as a tab, and the first part of the securing arrangement comprises a tab engaging portion to engage the tab of the at least one flexible finger.
The present invention also provides a hinge part comprising: a receiver having a passageway extending from one end of the receiving member towards an opposite end, an opening in a side of the receiving member extending from the side to the passageway and a flexible member mounted at one end to the side of the receiving member and having a ridge at the other end, the flexible member in the unbiased position having the ridge extending into the passageway; an injector having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, the first end portion having a sloping surface toward a first end of the injector and a groove spaced from the first end, the first end portion sized to be inserted into the receiving member, wherein as the first end moves into the passageway of the receiving member, the ridge is moved against biasing action of the flexible member until the groove of the injector is aligned with the ridge at which time the ridge moves into the groove by the biasing action of the flexible member to releasably secure the receiver and the injector together, and the receiver or the injector having a shaft-receiving orifice to mount the receiver or the injector
The present invention further provides a hinge part comprising: a first member and a second member, the first and second member each having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion with a center portion between the end portions, the center portion of the first and second members having a saw tooth surface with the saw tooth surface of the first member and the saw tooth surface of the second member sized to inter lock with one another and the end portions having a securing arrangement to secure the first member to the second member with the saw tooth surfaces interlocked, and the first or the second member having a shaft engaging portion to pivotally mount the member having the shaft engaging portion.
Another nonlimiting embodiment of the invention provides a hinge part comprising: a first member having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion and a center portion between the end portions of the first member; a second member having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion and a center portion between the end portion of the second member surface; a first part of a Velcro strip secured to the center portion of the first member; a second part of the Velcro strip on the center portion of the second member; a two part first engaging arrangement, the first part of the first engaging arrangement mounting the first end portion of the first member and the second part of the first engaging arrangement mounting the first end portion of the second member; a two part second engaging arrangement, the first part of the second engaging arrangement mounting the second end portion of the first member and the second part of the second engaging arrangement mounting the second end portion of the second member; and the first member or the second member having a shaft engaging portion to mount the first member or the second member having the shaft engaging portion.
The present invention also provides an article comprising: a sheet member having a surface, the sheet member selected from the group of windows, doors, pivotally mount rigid substrates and combinations thereof and the sheet member made of a material selected from glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood, metal, composite material and combinations thereof; and at least one hinge part mounted on the surface of the sheet member, the hinge part selected from: (1) a receiver having a first side and an opposite second side, and a passageway extending from the first side toward the second side; a tab engaging portion in the passageway, wherein the tab engaging portion is selected from a nib extending into the passageway, an opening in a wall of the passageway to receive a tab of a flexible finger, a portion of the passageway having a decreasing spacing between spaced walls of the passageway as the distance from the first end of the receiver increases to a transition area where the spaced distance between the spaced wall increase to provide a ledge within the passageway, and combinations thereof, and (2) an injector having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, wherein the first end portion comprises an attachment member having at least one flexible finger having an enlarged end portion.
The present invention further provides an article comprising: a sheet member having a surface, the sheet member selected from windows, doors, pivotally mount rigid substrates and combinations thereof and the sheet member made of a material selected from glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood metal and combinations thereof; and at least one hinge part mounted on the surface of the sheet member, the hinge part selected from: (1) a receiver having a passageway extending from one end of the receiving member toward an opposite end, an opening in a side of the receiving member extending from the side to the passageway, and a flexible member mounted at one end to the side of the receiving member and having a ridge at the other end, the flexible member in the unbiased position having the ridge extending into the passageway and (2) an injector having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, the first end portion having a sloping surface toward a first end of the injector and a groove spaced from the first end.
Another nonlimiting embodiment of the present invention provides an article comprising: a sheet member having a surface, the member selected from windows, doors, pivotally mount rigid substrates and combinations thereof and the sheet member made of a material selected from glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood metal and combinations thereof; and at least one hinge part mounted on the surface of the sheet member, the hinge part comprising a member having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion with a center portion between the end portions, the center portion having a saw tooth surface with the saw tooth surface and the end portions of the member having a part of a two part securing arrangement.
The present invention also provides an article comprising: a sheet member having a surface, the member selected from windows, doors, pivotally mount rigid substrates and combinations thereof and the sheet member made of a material selected from glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood metal and combinations thereof; and at least one hinge part mounted on the surface of the sheet member, the hinge part having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion and a center portion between the end portions, a first part or a second part of a Velcro strip secured to the center portion of the hinge part, and one part of a two part first engaging arrangement positioned on the first end portion of the hinge part and one part of a two part second engaging arrangement positioned on the second end portion of the member.
The present invention provides in a vehicle of the type having a part that is pivotally mounted by a mounting arrangement comprising at least one hinge part mounted to a surface of the part and pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or pivotally mounted to a component mounted to body of the vehicle, the improvement comprising: a quick release hinge part comprising a first member, a second member, and a releasably securing arrangement, with the first member or the second member mounted to the surface of the part and the second member or the first member, respectively, pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or a component mounted to the vehicle body, wherein the first member has a first side and an opposite second side, and a passageway extending from the first side toward the second side; the detachably securing arrangement has a first part and a second part, the first part of the securing arrangement accessible through the passageway of the first member; the second member has a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the second member comprises the second part of the securing arrangement, the first end portion of the second member and the passageway of the first member sized relative to one another such that the first end portion of the second member is insertable into the passageway of the first member for the first part and the second part of the securing arrangement to engage one another; and the second side of the first member or the second end portion of the second member pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or pivotally mounted to a component mounted to the vehicle body.
The present invention further provides in a vehicle of the type having a part that is pivotally mounted by a mounting arrangement comprising at least one hinge part mounted to a surface of the part and pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or pivotally mounted to a component mounted to the vehicle body, the improvement comprising: a quick release hinge part comprising a receiver and an injector with the receiver or the injector mounted to the surface of the part and the injector or the receiver, respectively, pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or a component mounted to the vehicle body, wherein the receiver has a passageway extending from one end of the receiving member towards an opposite end, an opening in a side of the receiving member extending from the side to the passageway and a flexible member mounted at one end to the side of the receiving member and having a ridge at the other end, the flexible member in the unbiased position having the ridge extending into the passageway; the injector has a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, the first end portion having a sloping surface toward the first end of the attachment member and a groove spaced from the first end, the first end portion sized to be instead into the receiving member, wherein as the first end moves into the passageway of the receiving member the finger is moved against biasing action of the flexible member until the groove of the attachment member is aligned with the ridge at which time the ridge moves into the groove by the biasing action of the finger to secure the receiving member and the attachment member together; and the receiver or the injector has a shaft-receiving orifice to mount the receiver or the injector.
In another nonlimiting embodiment, the present invention provides in a vehicle of the type having a part that is pivotally mounted by a mounting arrangement comprising at least one hinge part mounted to a surface of the part and pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or pivotally mounted to a component mounted to the vehicle body, the improvement comprising: a quick release hinge part comprising a first member and a second member with the first member or the second member mounted to the surface of the part and the second member or the first member, respectively, pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or a component mounted to the vehicle body, wherein the first and second members each have a first end portion and an opposite second end portion with a center portion between the end portions, the center portion of the first and second members having a saw tooth surface with the saw tooth surface of the first member and the saw tooth surface of the second member sized to inter lock with one another and the end portions having a securing arrangement to secure the first member to the second member with the saw tooth surfaces interlocked; and the first or the second member having a shaft engaging portion to pivotally mount the member having the shaft engaging portion.
The present invention also provides a vehicle of the type having a part that is pivotally mounted by a mounting arrangement comprising at least one hinge part mounted to a surface of the part and pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or pivotally mounted to a component mounted to the vehicle body, the improvement comprising: a quick release hinge part comprising a first member and a second member with the first member or the second member mounted to the surface of the part and the second member or the first member, respective pivotally mounted to the vehicle body or a component mounted to the vehicle body, wherein the first member has a first end portion and an opposite second end portion and a center portion between the end portions of the first member; the second member has a first end portion and an opposite second end portion and a center portion between the end portion of the second member surface; a first part of a Velcro strip secured to the center portion of the first member; a second part of the Velcro strip on the center portion of the second member; a two part first engaging arrangement, the first part of the first engaging arrangement mounting the first end portion of the first member and the second part of the first engaging arrangement mounting the first end portion of the second member; a two part second engaging arrangement, the first part of the second engaging arrangement mounting the second end portion of the first member and the second part of the second engaging arrangement mounting the second end portion of the second member; and the first member or the second member having a shaft engaging portion to pivotally mount the first member or the second member having the shaft engaging portion.
The present invention also provides a method of separating a first and second article, the first article pivotally mounted to the second article, the first article made of a material selected from the glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood, metal, composite material and combinations thereof, the first article having a first section of a hinge part mounted on a surface of the first article and the second article has an end portion of a second section of the hinge part mounted thereto, the first and second sections of the hinge part are detachable secured to each other by at least one flexible finger attached to the first or second section of the hinge part, and the second or first section of the hinge part, respectively, having a finger engaging portion, wherein the finger engaging portion engages the finger, comprising the steps of: moving the at least one finger away from the finger engaging portion defined as a first moving step; while moving the first and second sections of the hinge part relative to one another defined as a second moving step to separate the first and second sections of the hinge part. In one nonlimiting embodiment, the first section of the hinge part is a receiver having the finger engaging portion, the end portion of the second section of the hinge part is pivotally mounted to the second article, and the second section of the hinge part is an injector having the at least one finger; the hinge part is a first hinge part, and further comprising a second hinge part having a receiver having a finger engaging portion and an injector having at least one flexible finger and an end portion with the end portion of the injector of the second hinge part pivotally mounted to the automobile body spaced from the injector of the first hinge part and the method further comprises the step of after the practice of the first moving step, moving the at least one finger of the injector of the second hinge away from the finger engaging portion of the receiver of the second hinge and moving the receiver and the injector of the second hinge part relative to one another defined as third moving step to separate the injector and the receiver of the second hinge part.
The present invention further provides a method of securing a first article to a second article, the first article made of a material selected from glass, glass ceramic, plastic, wood metal and combinations thereof, the first article having a first section of a hinge part mounted on a surface of the first article and the second article has a portion of a second section of the hinge part mounted thereto, the first and second sections of the hinge part are detachable secured by at least one flexible finger attached to the first or second section of the hinge part, and the second or first section of the hinge part, respectively, having a finger engaging portion, wherein the finger engaging portion engages the finger, comprising the step of: moving the finger and the finger engaging portion toward and into engagement with one another to secure the first and second sections of the hinge part together.
The non-limiting embodiments of the hinge part having the quick-assembly receiving member or receiver and injectable member or injector incorporating features of the invention discussed below are directed to pivotally mounting windows to vehicular bodies, e.g. a lift gate window to the rear of an automobile, quarter panels to automotive bodies and/or windows in the window openings of a slideable automotive door; however, as will be appreciated, the invention is not limited thereto and can be used to pivotally mount any two or more parts or pieces together, e.g. a door to a door frame, a residential window to a fenestration and a lid to the body of a container to name a few. Further the invention is not limited to pivotally mounting a window to an automobile and can be used to pivotally mount a window to any type of vehicle, e.g. a land vehicle, an above or below water vehicle, an air vehicle or a space vehicle and combinations thereof. Still further, in the discussion of the invention, the window is a glass window; however the invention is not limited to the material of the window, and the window can be any type of material, e.g. plastic, clear glass, colored glass, coated glass, ceramic, glass ceramic, metal, wood, composite materials and combinations thereto. In addition, in the discussion of the invention, the window is a single piece of shaped tempered glass; however the invention is not limited thereto and can be flat tempered glass, shaped or flat annealed or heat strengthened glass, laminated glass, laminated glass and plastic plies, a pair of glass sheets separated by a spacer and combinations thereof.
The following discussion of the invention is directed to one hinge part, and the invention is not limited to the configuration and design of the other hinge part. For example, but not limiting to the invention, the other hinge part can have the quick assembly receiver and injector of the invention, or the protrusion of the other hinge part having the passageway to receive the pin to pivotally mount the hinge parts together can be formed with the piece to be joined, e.g. formed with the automotive body.
In the following discussion of non-limiting embodiments of the invention, spatial or directional terms, such as “inner”, “outer”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, and the like, relate to the invention as it is shown in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention can assume various alternative orientations and, accordingly, such terms are not to be considered as limiting. Further, all numbers expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, and so forth, used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical values set forth in the following specification and claims can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the practice of the invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass any and all subranges subsumed therein. For example, a stated range of “1 to 10” should be considered to include any and all subranges between (and inclusive of) the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less, and all subranges in between, e.g. 1 to 6.3, or 5.5 to 10, or 2.7 to 6.1. Also, as used herein, terms such as “positioned on” or “supported on” mean positioned or supported on but not necessarily in direct surface contact with. For example, a window “positioned on” or “positioned against” an opening in an automotive window does not preclude the presence of one or more other materials located between the window and the opening.
Further, in the discussion of the non-limiting embodiments of the invention, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular non-limiting embodiments shown and discussed since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and unless indicated otherwise, like reference numbers refer to like elements.
There is shown in
A flexible gasket 44 is mounted in the door 23 around opening 46 as shown in
With reference to
With reference to
For aesthetics and not limiting to the invention, a black ceramic band 81 is applied to the inner surface 52 of the window 24 to obscure, among other things, the receiver 51, the piston 68, the piston cylinder 72, the plate 78 and the latch 80.
As can now be appreciated, the invention is not limited to mounting the receiver on a surface of the window 24, and pivotally mounting the injector to the body 32 of the automobile 22. More particularly, the invention contemplates pivotally mounting the receiver of the hinge part of the invention to the body of the automobile and securing the injector to a surface of the window. The invention further contemplates making the part to be pivotally mounted to the automobile or pivotally mounted to a component of the automobile out of spring steel and providing the part with a “C” shape (see
The discussion will now be directed to several non-limiting embodiments of the hinge part 51 having the quick-assembly receiver and injector of the invention shown in
Lower end portion or opposite side 102 of the body 96 has a pair of spaced fingers 104 and 106. The distance between the fingers increases as the distance from the body 96 increases with the fingers terminating with outwardly extending tabs 108 and 110. The width and/or thickness of the fingers 104 and 106 are sized to move toward one another under a biasing force and to move back to the unbiased position after the biasing force is removed. For example and not limiting to the invention, an injector was molded from polybutylene terephthalate (also referred to as “PBT”). The fingers had a length of about 62 millimeters (“mm”) and a width of about 20 mm with a slight decrease in the width as the distance from the upper end 97 of the body 96 toward the tabs increases. The fingers adjacent the body 96 had a spaced distance of 40 mm and a spaced distance at the tabs of 63 mm. The fingers and tabs each had a thickness of about 5 mm.
Although not limiting to the invention, the portion 111 of the body 96 between the end portions 97 and 102 is recessed within sides 112 and co-operates with the cover plate 101 (see
The receiver 94 includes a passageway 113 extending from upper side 112 through body 114 of the receiver 94. Within the passageway are a pair of projections or nibs 116 facing one another, spaced from one another and spaced from the side 118, e.g. bottom side 118 as viewed in
As can be appreciated, the invention is not limited to the process of making, or the material used in the process of making the receiver and the injector of the invention. For example and not limiting the invention thereto, the injector 92 and the receiver 94 can be made of any material, e.g. but not limiting the invention thereto metal, plastic, plastic reinforced fiberglass, composite material, wood or combinations thereof that can be flexed under a biasing force and after the biasing force is removed the fingers return to their unbiased position. Stated another way, the material selected should have a mechanical yield greater than the biasing force to be applied to the fingers. Further, the injector 92 and the receiver 94 can be made of the same material or different materials. The injector and the receiver can be made in any manner, e.g. the parts can be machined, formed, e.g. press formed, injection molded, cast, forged, extruded or pultruded, or assembled from machined or formed component parts. As can be appreciated in selecting the material and assembling the parts consideration has to be given to the structural stability of the design and material. In the practice of the invention the engaging member and receiver were formed by injection molding PBT purchased from GE Polymer. Regarding the structural stability of the design and stresses acting on the engaging member and the retentive member, computer programs are available to determine adequate design criteria. One such computer program is available from Altair Engineering of Troy, Mich., and is known by the name Hypermesh®.
The receiver 94 is securely mounted on the inner surface 52 of the window 24 (see
The receiver 94 and the injector 92 are separated or released from one another in any convenient manner, e.g. but not limiting to the invention an elongated member 120 (only one shown in
It should be appreciated that in one nonlimiting embodiment of this invention, the fingers 104 and 106 can be mechanically biased toward each other to facilitate engaging tabs 108 and 110 with nibs 116 in a manner similar to that discussed above where the fingers 104 and 106 were mechanically biased to disengage tabs 108 and 110 from nibs 116.
As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the invention is not limited to the tool to bias the fingers 104 and 106 toward one another to separate the injector 92 and the receiver 94. For example but not limiting the invention thereto, the tool can use the mechanical arrangement of a pair of pliers to move the jaws of the pliers together. To move the tabs out of their respective groove, the jaws of the pliers would be replaced with, or reshaped to have the shape of, elongated members 120. Further the receiver 94 is shown in
The hinge part of the invention having the quick assembly receiver and injector makes the removal and replacement of the rear window a simple process. More particularly, when the removal of the window is desired, e.g. to replace a damaged window, to carry cargo or for convenience, the end 74 of the piston rod 76 is removed from the plate 78, and the receiver and the injector separated as discussed above. A replacement window or the window removed is mounted to the injector by moving the fingers 104 and 106 of the injector into the passageway 113 of the receiver to move the tabs 113 into their respective groove 119 as discussed above. The end 74 of the piston rod 76 is connected to the plate. In the alternative, the end 70 of the piston 68 can be removed from the door to remove the piston 68 with the window.
Although not limiting to the invention and with continued reference to
In the discussion of the invention, the hinge part of the invention and the hinge part of the door are mounted on the same cylindrical member 41 by the same pin. The invention contemplates mounting the hinge part of the door and the hinge part of the invention on separate cylinders using the same pin or different pins. Further the invention contemplates mounting the receiver or the injector on the inside surface or the outside surface of the window.
As can now be appreciated, the quick release receiver and injector of the invention are contoured and fitted to blend in with the shape of the window and the contours of the automotive body parts to provide an atheistically pleasing appearance, an aerodynamically acceptable shape and to reduce stress on the parts of the hinge due to changes in contour. These features are well known in the art and no further discussion regarding these matters is deemed necessary.
With reference to
The receiver 134 has a passageway 145 having an opening at side 146 of the receiver 137 and extends into body 147 of the receiver to three passageways 148, 149 and 150 separated by members 155 and 158. Although not limiting in the present invention, in the particular embodiment members 155 and 158 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of alignment member 154. The passageways 148, 149 and 150 extend through the body 147 to side 151 opposite to side 146. The outer passageways 148 and 150 each have a nib 152 to capture the tabs 144 of the fingers 139 and 140 in a manner discussed below to releasable secure the injector 132 and the receiver together. The middle passageway 149 receives the alignment member 142. Although not limiting to the invention, receiver 134 has a side cavity 153 to reduce the amount of material needed to form the receiver. End 154 of the alignment member 142 has rounded or mitered corners, and end 156 of the fingers 139 and 140 is rounded for ease of insetting the alignment member and fingers in their respective passageways, and for moving the tabs of the fingers 139 and 140 over their respective nib 152 to move the fingers toward one another. After the tabs 144 move over their respective nib, the fingers 139 and 140 move to their unbiased position. As the fingers move toward their unbiased position, outwardly facing groove 157 of the fingers 139 and 140 move over the adjacent nib to lock or secure the injector 132 and the receiver 34 together. The ends 156 of the fingers 139 and 140 are provided with the holes 120 to allow for biasing of the fingers 139 and 140 toward one another so as to move the tabs over its respective nib as the receiver and the injector are separated. With the nibs 152 in its respective groove 157 of the fingers 139 and 140, plate member or shoulder 159 of the injector 132 is in the passageway 145. The alignment member 154 facilitates the alignment of the fingers with their respective passageway. The shoulder 159 of the injector in the passageway of the receiver 134 and the alignment member 142 in the passageway 149 reduces rocking of the injector 132 and the receiver 134 relative to one another.
There is shown in
In the arrangement of
As can be appreciated, the invention is not limited to the non-limiting embodiments of the quick assembly hinge discussed above, and the invention contemplates arrangements having one or more receivers and/or one or more injectors. For example but not limiting to the invention, hinge part having the quick assembly receiver and injector shown in
The receiver 202 has a pair of passageways 230 and 232 extending from the side 208 to the side 210. A wall 238 separates the passageways 230 and 232 and has on each side a pair of spaced nibs, namely nibs 240 and 241 on one side of the wall 238 and facing the passageway 230, and nibs 243 and 244 on the wall and facing the passageway 232. As shown in
The fingers 217 and 218 of the injector 204, and the fingers 222 and 223 of the injector 206 can be removed from their respective passageways in any convenient manner, e.g. by moving the fingers, e.g. fingers 217 and 218 away from one another and/or the fingers 222 and 223 away from one another, e.g. using the groove arrangement, e.g. horizontal groove 186 and vertical groove 192 shown in
As can be appreciated, the position of the receiver 202 and the injectors 204 and 206 can be interchanged. For example, but not limiting to the invention, a receiver can be pivotally mounted to the body of the automobile, and another receiver secured to the glass. An injector having a pair of spaced fingers with outwardly facing tabs at opposite sides secures the two receivers together to pivotally mount the window on the body of the automobile.
Other embodiment of the hinge part having the quick assembly receiver and injector of the invention contemplates different arrangements to secure the tabs of the injector in the receiver. For example, but not limiting to the invention, and with reference to
The tabs 267 of fingers 263 and 264 are removed from portion 258 of passageway 253 in any convenient manner, e.g. by moving an end of an elongated rod (not shown) through the side of the receiver 252 into each of the openings 259 and 260, respectively into engagement with the tabs 267 of the fingers 263 and 264. The rods are moved toward one another to move the tabs 267 to a position such that tabs 267 can move through portion 254 and the injector and the receiver can be moved away from one another to separate them. As can be appreciated the tabs can be provided with holes for a more positive engagement between the end of the rod and the tabs.
With reference to
The injector 272 includes a plate member 282 having a bottom surface 284 and an opposite upper surface 285. The upper surface 285 has the groove 281 spaced from end 286 of the plate member 282. Portion 288 of the upper surface 285 between the groove 281 and the end 286 of the plate member 278 slopes downward for ease of inserting the end 286 into the housing 274 of the receiver 271. Remaining portion 289 of the upper surface 285 of the plate member 282 on the other or left side of the groove 281 as viewed in
In the practice of the invention, but not limiting thereto, the end 286 of the injector 272 is moved into the housing 274 of the receiver 271 and moves the flexible finger 276 upward as shown in phantom in
With reference to
Adjacent the end 348 of each of the fingers is a cutout 356 to engage the receiver 334 in a manner discussed below. As shown in
The receiver 334 has a passageway 370 for receiving the engaging arrangement 344 of the injector 332. End 371 of wall 372 of the passageway 370 terminates short of end 374 of the receiver. A portion of the wall 372 has a pair of spaced grooves 376 (one shown in insert 12A) along passageway 370 that align with the spaced grooves 346 of the engaging arrangement 344 of the injector 332 when the injector and the receiver 334 are in the engaged position discussed below and shown in
With reference to
The injector 332 is released from the receiver 334 in any convenient manner. For example, but not limiting to the invention, by inserting an elongated member 386 shown in
The plate member 342 and the engaging arrangement 344 of the injector 332 and the passageway 370 of the receiver are sized such that the plate member 342 following the engaging arrangement into the passageway engages the inner walls of the passageway. In this manner, the ends of the fingers 352, 353 and 354 in surface contact with the inner walls of the passageway are biased upward about the bending location 358 into the biased position and move to the unbiased position after the ends of the fingers exit the passageway to move the cutouts 356 of the fingers over the side 374 of the passageway. Further minimizing the spacing between the inner walls of the passageway 370 and the outer surface of the plate member 342 of the injector 332 minimizes rocking to the injector and receiver relative to one another.
As can be appreciated, the outline of the receiver and injector should be configured to take into account the outline and surface of the window to which they are being mounted. For example but not limiting to the invention and with reference to
The receiver and the injector shown in
As can be appreciated, the cutouts should be of sufficient depth to engage the end 371 of the wall 372 of the passageway 370 and the flexure of the fingers sufficiently rigid to avoid the cutouts from disengaging the end 371 as a result of vibrations. Further in those instances where the automobile is used on a rough or rocky terrain, the injector 332 may be secured in the receiver by a screw 396 shown in phantom in
Shown in
Shown in
The members 442 and 444 are secured together in any convenient manner to prevent pulling the Velcro arrangement apart, e.g. by the screw and bolt arrangement shown in
With reference to
With continued reference to
With specific reference to
In the practice of the invention and not limiting to the invention, the upper body 542 of the injector 534 is secured to the section 548 of the automotive body 498 in any usual manner, e.g. by welding by a machine screw 550 as shown in
In the above discussion, the tabs of the injectors of the non-limiting embodiments of the invention did not extend beyond the outer walls of the receiver. As can now be appreciated, the invention contemplates having portions of the tabs extending beyond the walls of the receiver, e.g. but not limiting to the invention, as shown for the hinge part 580 in
Because the tabs are easily accessible, it is recommended that a shim 600 be inserted into the passageway 596 between the fingers 586 and 587. The shim is moved into the passageway of the receiver until hole 602 in the shim is aligned with hole 604 in the receiver. A screw (not shown) is mounted in the holes to secure the shim in position between the fingers 586 and 587 of the receiver to maintain the tabs 590 of the injector in the holes 592 of the receiver and prevent inadvertent separation of the injector from the receiver. The shim 600 is removed from between the fingers of the injector in any usual manner, e.g. by reversing the steps practiced to insert the shim between the fingers.
As can be appreciated, the components of non-limiting embodiments of the hinge part having the quick assembly receiver and injector can be interchanged with one another to provide additional non-limiting embodiments of the hinge part of the invention.
The form of the invention shown and described above represents illustrative non-limiting embodiments of the invention. It is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the teachings of the invention defined by the claimed subject matter that follows.
