Two-step hinge assembly for a door cover

A door assembly, comprising:

• a body panel defining an opening;
• a door cover that provides access to the opening defined by the body panel;
• and
• a two-step hinge assembly that rotatably mounts the door cover to the body panel, wherein the two-step hinge assembly comprises:
• a hinge inlet attached to the door cover, the hinge inlet defining a mating feature, wherein the hinge inlet independently rotates about a local axis of rotation of the two-step hinge assembly between a first step opened position and a second step opened position;
• a hinge neck rotatably mounted to the body panel about a main axis of rotation, wherein the hinge inlet and the hinge neck rotate together about the main axis of rotation when the two-step hinge assembly is in the first step opened position and a closed position, and wherein the hinge inlet includes one or more stopper members that are each positioned to simultaneously abut against an outer surface of the hinge neck as the two-step hinge assembly rotates from the first step opened position into the second step opened position;
• a retaining member actuated between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the retaining member engages with the mating feature of the hinge inlet when in the engaged position to secure the hinge inlet with the hinge neck, and wherein the two-step hinge assembly is in the closed position and the first step opened position when the retaining member is in the engaged position;
• and
• a biasing member exerting a biasing force upon the retaining member to maintain the retaining member in the engaged position, wherein the retaining member is urged from the engaged position into the disengaged position when an actuation force that opposes the biasing force is exerted upon the retaining member, and wherein the retaining member disengages with the mating feature of the hinge inlet when urged into the disengaged position to allow the hinge inlet to rotate independently about the local axis of rotation.

A door assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a body panel defining an opening;
• a door cover that provides access to the opening defined by the body panel;
• and
• a two-step hinge assembly that rotatably mounts the door cover to the body panel, wherein the two-step hinge assembly comprises:
• a hinge inlet attached to the door cover, the hinge inlet defining a mating feature and an inlet opening, wherein the hinge inlet independently rotates about a local axis of rotation of the two-step hinge assembly between a first step opened position and a second step opened position;
• a hinge neck rotatably mounted to the body panel about a main axis of rotation, wherein the hinge inlet and the hinge neck rotate together about the main axis of rotation when the two-step hinge assembly is in the first step opened position and a closed position;
• a retaining member actuated between an engaged position and a disengaged position and including an engagement arm, wherein the engagement arm of the retaining member is received by the inlet opening of the hinge inlet and engages with the mating feature of the hinge inlet when in the engaged position to secure the hinge inlet with the hinge neck, and wherein the two-step hinge assembly is in the closed position and the first step opened position when the retaining member is in the engaged position;
• and
• a biasing member exerting a biasing force upon the retaining member to maintain the retaining member in the engaged position, wherein the retaining member is urged from the engaged position into the disengaged position when an actuation force that opposes the biasing force is exerted upon the retaining member, and wherein the retaining member disengages with the mating feature of the hinge inlet when urged into the disengaged position to allow the hinge inlet to rotate independently about the local axis of rotation, and wherein an angle measured between an inner surface of the door cover and the body panel increases as the hinge inlet rotates about the local axis of rotation from the first step opened position into the second step opened position.