Patent Application
20050264029
The present invention relates generally to hinges for vehicles and, more particularly, to a strut and hinge assembly for a vehicle.
It is known to provide a closure such as a decklid for a vehicle to open and close a rear compartment or trunk of a vehicle body of the vehicle. Typically, the deck lid is attached to the vehicle body with at least one, preferably a pair of laterally spaced hinges. Currently, the decklid hinges of the free-rise type use a large size goose-neck hinge for counter-balancing a weight of the decklid. However, these goose-neck hinges reduce trunk volume of the rear compartment by 1 to 1.5 cu. ft. This is undesired because trunk volume is a key attribute that purchasers compare when making a vehicle selection.
One attempt to maintain trunk volume and counterbalance the weight of the decklid is to use either pneumatic or hydraulic devices such as a strut. The strut is typically fixed at one end to the decklid and the other end is typically fixed to the vehicle body. However, the opening and closing effort of the decklid changes over time due to the temperature and age of the strut. In addition, the opening and closing effort of the decklid changes with the pitch angle of the vehicle, e.g., when the vehicle is sitting on a hill. Since the ends of the strut are fixed, there is no way to adjust the strut to compensate for these changes.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a strut and hinge for a closure of a vehicle that adjusts for changes in opening versus closing, temperature, age of the strut, and pitch angle of the vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a strut and hinge for a closure of a vehicle that improves opening and closing efforts of the closure due to changes affecting the strut. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a strut and hinge for a vehicle that meets these desires.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new strut and hinge assembly for a closure of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a strut and hinge assembly for a closure of a vehicle that improves the opening and closing effort of the closure.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a strut and hinge assembly for a closure of a vehicle including a hinge adapted to be connected to a vehicle body and a closure for closing an aperture in the vehicle body for allowing rotation therebetween. The strut and hinge assembly also includes a strut to counterbalance a weight of the closure when opening and closing the aperture and having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed. The strut and hinge assembly further includes an actuator connected to the second end of the strut to change a position of the second end relative to the hinge depending on whether opening or closing the closure, temperature, age of the strut, or vehicle pitch angle.
One advantage of the present invention is that a new strut and hinge assembly is provided for a closure such as a decklid, liftgate, or door of a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the strut and hinge assembly improves operator opening and closing efforts for vehicle closures such as decklids, liftgates, and doors on a vehicle. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the strut and hinge assembly has improved opening and closing efforts based on different strut endpoint positions for opening versus closing, temperature, age, or vehicle pitch angle. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the strut and hinge assembly incorporates a strut with a four bar hinge to combine the compact package size of a four bar hinge with the convenience of improved opening and closing efforts for a door of a vehicle.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings and in particular
Referring to
The body side strap 28 also includes a projection 32 such as a ball stud extending generally perpendicularly and laterally outwardly at one end thereof for a function to be described. The projection 32 is generally cylindrical or spherical in shape. The body side strap 28 is made of a rigid material such as metal.
The hinge 27 includes a closure side bracket or strap 34 to allow the decklid 26 to be attached to the strut and hinge assembly 10. The closure side strap 34 has a generally inverted “L” shaped cross-section. The closure side strap 34 extends longitudinally and has a base wall 36 and a side wall 38 extending generally perpendicular to the base wall 36. The base wall 36 includes at least one, preferably a plurality of apertures (not shown) extending therethrough. The strut and hinge assembly 10 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners (not shown) such as bolts to attach the closure side strap 34 to the decklid 26. Each of the fasteners extend through some of the apertures and corresponding apertures (not shown) in the decklid 26 and are engaged by nuts (not shown) to prevent the fasteners from disengaging the apertures. The closure side strap 34 is made of a rigid material such as metal. It should be appreciated that the fasteners are conventional and known in the art.
The hinge 27 includes a first or short link 40 to allow pivoting action of the strut and hinge assembly 10. The first link 40 extends longitudinally. The first link 40 includes at least one, preferably a plurality of apertures (not shown) extending therethrough. The strut and hinge assembly 10 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners 42 to pivotally attach the first link 40 to the closure side strap 34 at a forward end thereof and to the body side strap 28 at a forward end thereof. The first link 40 also includes a flange 44 extending generally perpendicularly and laterally outwardly near one end thereof. The flange 44 may have an aperture (not shown) extending therethrough to receive a fastener 46 such as a bolt that acts as a stop. The first link 40 is made of a rigid material such as metal.
The hinge 27 includes a second or upper link 48 to guide the pivoting action of the hinge 27 along a predetermined path. The second link 48 extends longitudinally. The second link 48 includes at least one, preferably a plurality of apertures (not shown) extending therethrough. The hinge 27 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners 50. One of the fasteners 50 is used to attach the second link 48 to the closure side strap 34 at a forward end thereof. Another one of the fasteners 50 is used to attach the second link 48 to a rearward end of the body side strap 28. The second link 48 is made of a rigid material such as metal. It should be appreciated that the fasteners 50 are conventional and known in the art.
The strut and hinge assembly 10 includes a strut, generally indicated at 52, to power the decklid 26 to an open position by applying a force to the hinge 27. The strut 52 is of a gas spring type. The strut 52 includes a reservoir tube 54 that provides a reservoir for a damping fluid. The reservoir tube 54 may be fixed or movable relative to the body side strap 28, the closure side strap 34, or the vehicle body 14. The strut 52 also includes a cylindrical piston rod 56 extending along a central axis of the reservoir tube 54 and is attached at one end to a conventional valved piston (not shown) slidably mounted in the reservoir tube 52. The piston rod 56 may be fixed or movable relative to either the body side strap 28 or the closure side strap 34. In the embodiment illustrated, the piston rod 56 is connected to the body side strap 28 by suitable means such as a connector 58 pressed onto the projection 32. It should be appreciated that the strut 52 applies a force to counterbalance the weight of the decklid 26. It should also be appreciated that the strut 52 may be used with either a single pivot or multi-link hinge.
The strut and hinge assembly 10 includes an actuator 60 to move one end of the strut 52 to change a position or moment arm of a closure side or body side strut endpoint between an open position and a closed position. The actuator 60 is of an electric type to act upon either the first end or the second end of the strut 52. In the embodiment illustrated, the actuator 60 is connected to the closure side strap 34 by suitable means such as a fastener 62. The actuator 60 has an extendable and retractable or moveable member 64 to move the closure side strut endpoint of the strut 52. In the embodiment illustrated, the moveable member 64 is connected to the reservoir tube 54. The actuator 60 may have a guide slot 66 to guide the moveable member 64 in any suitable manner, for example, in a linear manner. The actuator 60 has a force of approximately 600 Newtons to 800 Newtons acting through an angle of about 120 degrees with an actuation range of about 30 to 50 millimeters. In one embodiment, the actuator 60 receives a signal from a switch (not shown) at the full open position and from a switch (not shown) at the full closed position to change the strut endpoint position. In another embodiment, the actuator 60 receives a signal from an electronic controller (not shown). It should be appreciated that the actuator 60 may be attached to the body side strap 28. It should also be appreciated that the actuator 60 may be an electro-mechanical or purely mechanical device. It should further be appreciated that the actuator 60 could act in a linear motion or be on a bell-crank type mechanism.
Referring to
Referring to
The strut and hinge assembly 110 includes a hinge 127 to pivotally connect the door 126 to the vehicle body 114. The hinge 127 is of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,705 to Lang et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The hinge 127 includes a body side bracket or strap 128 to allow the hinge 127 to be mounted to the vehicle body 114. The strut and hinge assembly 110 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners (not shown) such as bolts to attach the body side strap 128 to the vehicle body 14.
The hinge 127 includes a closure side bracket or strap 134 to allow the door 126 to be attached to the strut and hinge assembly 110. The strut and hinge assembly 10 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners (not shown) such as bolts to attach the closure side strap 134 to the door 126.
The hinge 127 includes a first or outboard link 140 to allow pivoting action of the strut and hinge assembly 110. The strut and hinge assembly 110 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners 142 to pivotally attach the first link 140 to the closure side strap 134 and to the body side strap 128.
The hinge 127 includes a second or inboard link 148 to guide the pivoting action of the hinge 127 along a predetermined path. The hinge 127 also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of fasteners 150. One of the fasteners 150 is used to attach the second link 148 to the closure side strap 134 and another one of the fasteners 150 is used to attach the second link 148 to the body side strap 128.
The strut and hinge assembly 10 includes a strut 152 to power the door 126 to an open position by applying a force to the hinge 127. The strut 152 is of a gas spring type. The strut 152 includes a reservoir tube 154 that provides a reservoir for a damping fluid. The reservoir tube 154 may be fixed relative to the body side strap 128, the closure side strap 134, or the vehicle body 14. The strut 152 also includes a cylindrical piston rod 156 extending along a central axis of the reservoir tube 154 and is attached at one end to a conventional valved piston (not shown) slidably mounted in the reservoir tube 152. The piston rod 156 may be fixed or movable relative to either the body side strap 128 or the closure side strap 134. In the embodiment illustrated, the reservoir tube 154 is connected to the closure side strap 134. It should be appreciated that, in one embodiment, the strut 152 is located above or below the link 140 with the strut 152 positioned during opening in such a way as to provide a self-opening force to the door 126, provide a hold-open force at full-open, and during closing to provide a self-closing door. It should also be appreciated that the strut 152 acting on the door 126 through the moment arm distance from the strut line-of-force to the hinge instant center provides a moment on the door 126 which overcomes friction so as to self-open/close the door 126.
The strut and hinge assembly 110 includes an actuator 160 to move one end of the strut 152 to change a position or moment arm of a closure side strut endpoint between an open position and a closed position. The actuator 160 is of an electric type to act upon either the first end or the second end of the strut 152. In the embodiment illustrated, the actuator 160 is connected to the body side strap 128. The actuator 160 has an extendable and retractable or moveable member 164 to move the closure side strut endpoint of the strut 152. In the embodiment illustrated, the moveable member 164 is connected to the piston rod 156. The actuator 160 may have a guide slot 166 to guide the moveable member 164 in a linear manner.
Referring to
The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.
