The present disclosure relates to an isolator for a torsion rod.
Many vehicles include a trunk or other storage cavity having a deck lid that is moveable between open and closed positions to selectively allow and restrict access to the cavity. A hinge assembly may facilitate movement of the deck lid between the open and closed positions. The hinge assembly may include torsion rods that urge the deck lid toward the open position.
The present disclosure provides a vehicle that may include a body, a closure member, a hinge assembly and a sleeve. The body may define a cavity having an opening. The closure member may be movable relative to the cavity to provide access to the cavity. The hinge assembly may be attached to the body and the closure member and may include first and second torsion rods extending between first and second sides of the opening of the cavity. The first and second torsion rods may urge the closure member toward an open position. The sleeve may be attached to the first torsion rod and may include an outer surface having a profile defining a plurality of peaks and valleys. The outer surface may contact the second torsion bar to prevent direct contact between the first and second torsion rods.
In some embodiments, the second torsion rod may contact two or more of the peaks.
In some embodiments, the first and second torsion rods may be angled relative to each other.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be spaced apart from first and second ends of the first torsion rod.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be an elongated member having first and second ends. The peaks and valleys may extend from the first end to the second end.
In some embodiments, the peaks may extend substantially parallel to each other.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may include an inner channel that receives the first torsion rod. The sleeve may include a slot in communication with the inner channel. The first torsion rod may be received into the inner channel through the slot.
In some embodiments, the first torsion rod may be engaged with the sleeve by a snap fit.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be formed from an elastomeric material.
The cavity may include a cargo compartment, a passenger compartment or an engine and/or motor compartment of the vehicle. The closure member may include a deck lid (i.e., a trunk lid), a tailgate or liftgate, a hood, or a door, for example.
In another form, the present disclosure provides a hinge assembly that may include first and second hinge members, first and second torsion rods, and a sleeve. The first hinge member may be fixedly attached to a closure member and movably attached to a structure defining an opening. The first hinge member may be disposed proximate a first end of the opening. The second hinge member may be fixedly attached to the closure member and movably attached to the structure. The second hinge member may be disposed proximate a second end of the opening. The first torsion rod may include a first end attached to the first hinge member for movement therewith and a second end fixed relative to the structure proximate the second hinge member. The second torsion rod may include a first end attached to the second hinge member for movement therewith and a second end fixed relative to the structure proximate the first hinge member. The sleeve may be attached to the first torsion rod and may include an outer surface having a profile defining a plurality of peaks and valleys. The outer surface may contact the second torsion bar to prevent direct contact between the first and second torsion rods.
In some embodiments, the second torsion rod may contact two or more of the peaks.
In some embodiments, the first and second torsion rods may be angled relative to each other.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be spaced apart from the first and second ends of the first torsion rod.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be an elongated member having first and second ends. The peaks and valleys may extend from the first end of the sleeve to the second end of the sleeve.
In some embodiments, the peaks may extend substantially parallel to each other.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may include an inner channel that receives the first torsion rod.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may include a slot in communication with the inner channel. The first torsion rod may be received into the inner channel through the slot.
In some embodiments, the first torsion rod may be engaged with the sleeve by a snap fit.
In some embodiments, the sleeve may be formed from an elastomeric material.
In some embodiments, the closure member may be a deck lid (i.e., a trunk lid) and the opening may be a trunk-cavity opening. In some embodiments, the opening may include an opening for any other cargo compartment, a passenger compartment or an engine and/or motor compartment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the closure member may include a tailgate or liftgate, a hood, or a door, for example.
Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the summary and detailed description, including the disclosed embodiments and drawings, are merely exemplary in nature intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application or use. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
When an element or component is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or component, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or component, or intervening elements or components may be present. In contrast, when an element or component is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or component, there may be no intervening elements or components present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed herein could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
In an exemplary embodiment and with reference to
While the cavity 14 is shown in
The hinge assembly 18 may include first, second, third and fourth hinge members 28, 30, 32, 34 (shown schematically in
The first hinge member 28 may be attached to the body 12 proximate a first end 36 of the opening 26 of the cavity 14. The second hinge member 30 may be fixedly attached to a first end 38 of the closure member 16 and may be attached to the first hinge member 28 for movement relative thereto between the open and closed positions. The third hinge member 32 may be attached to the body 12 proximate a second end 40 of the opening 26 of the cavity 14. The fourth hinge member 34 may be fixedly attached to a second end 42 of the closure member 16 and may be attached to the third hinge member 32 for movement relative thereto between the open and closed positions. In this manner, the first, second, third and fourth hinge members 28, 30, 32, 34 may connect the closure member 16 to the body 12 and facilitate movement of the closure member 16 relative to the body 12 between the open and closed positions.
The first torsion rod 20 may include a first end 44 and a second end 46. The first end 44 may be attached to the second hinge member 30. The second end 46 may be attached to the third hinge member 32 and/or otherwise fixed relative to the body 12. The second torsion rod 22 may include a first end 48 and a second end 50. The first end 48 may be attached to the fourth hinge member 34. The second end 50 may be attached to the first hinge member 30 and/or otherwise fixed relative to the body 12. As shown in
Because the second ends 46, 50 of the first and second torsion rods 20, 22 are fixed relative to the body 12 and the first ends 44, 48 move with the second and fourth hinge members 30, 34 between the open and closed positions, movement of the closure member 16 between the open and closed positions causes the first and second torsion rods 20, 22 to resiliently twist. Resistance to this twisting causes the torsion rods 20, 22 to bias the closure member 16 toward the open position. That is, when the closure member 16 is in the open position, the torsion rods 20, 22 may be in a relaxed state; and when the closure member 16 is in the closed position, the torsion rods 20, 22 may be in a twisted state. In this manner, the tendency of the torsion rods 20, 22 to untwist (i.e., move toward the relaxed state) applies a biasing force to the second and fourth hinge members 30, 34 and the closure member 16 that urges the closure member 16 toward the open position. This biasing force assists a user in opening the closure member 16 and maintaining the closure member 16 in the open position until the user applies a force to the closure member 16 that overpowers the biasing force to move the closure member 16 to the closed position.
As shown in
As shown in
The outer surface 54 may have a profile including a plurality of elongated ribs 58 that extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis A (shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2916763 | Wagner | Sep 1955 | A |
4226348 | Dottor et al. | Oct 1980 | A |
4419789 | Matsui et al. | Dec 1983 | A |
4949426 | Komaki | Aug 1990 | A |
5873619 | Lewkoski et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
6637531 | Palenchar et al. | Oct 2003 | B2 |
6846030 | Koehler et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |