Powered hinge assembly for vehicle doors

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a body with at least one opening;
• and
• an automated door system, comprising:
• a door pivotally coupled to the body by upper and lower hinge assemblies to selectively open and close the opening of the body, the upper hinge assembly including a movable hinge portion having a base coupled to the door and a fixed hinge portion coupled to a hinge pillar of the body, wherein the movable hinge portion includes vertically aligned and spaced-apart upper and lower mounting portions, and wherein the upper mounting portion is rotatably connected to the fixed hinge portion for rotation about a hinge axis of the upper hinge assembly;
• a power assist device coupled to the fixed hinge portion by a transverse connecting structure that is coupled to the fixed hinge portion by a fastener that extends parallel to the hinge axis such that a motor axis of the power assist device is rotatable about the fastener prior to tightening of the fastener, wherein the power assist device is further coupled to the lower mounting portion of the movable hinge portion by a drive shaft extending upwardly from the power assist device, wherein the drive shaft is rotationally fixed to the lower mounting portion of the movable hinge portion such that the drive shaft, the movable hinge portion, and the door are rotatable together;
• and
• a motor disposed within the power assist device and configured to drive the drive shaft for providing opening and closing movements of the door about the hinge axis of the upper hinge assembly.

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a body with at least one opening;
• and an automated door system, comprising:
• a door pivotally coupled to the vehicle body by at least one hinge assembly, the hinge assembly including a movable hinge portion having a base coupled to the door and a fixed hinge portion having a fixed base portion coupled to a hinge pillar of the vehicle body, wherein the movable hinge portion includes vertically spaced-apart upper and lower mounting portions, and wherein the upper mounting portion is rotatably connected to the fixed hinge portion for-a rotation about a hinge axis of the hinge assembly;
• a power assist device coupled to the fixed hinge portion and further coupled to the lower mounting portion of the movable hinge portion by a drive shaft extending outwardly from the power assist device;
• a motor disposed within the power assist device and configured to drive the drive shaft for providing at least one of an opening and a closing movement of the door about the hinge axis of the hinge assembly;
• wherein the hinge pillar includes spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls, each having at least one bolt-receiving opening extending therethrough, and a compression tube aligned with the bolt-receiving openings and having opposite ends abutting the inner and outer sidewalls;
• an elongated bolt extending through an opening in a fixed base portion of the fixed hinge portion and through the bolt-receiving openings and through the compression tube, the elongated bolt having an outer end engaging the fixed base portion of the fixed hinge portion and an inner end connected to an instrument panel compensator joint whereby the elongated bolt secures the fixed hinge portion to the hinge pillar and simultaneously secures an instrument panel structure to the hinge pillar.