Trunk lid hinge and spring assembly
AssigneePerfection Spring & Stamping Corp.
InventorPeter G. Seyler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A relatively uncomplicated hinge and spring assembly for effectively counterbalancing the trunk lid of an automotive vehicle and for partially opening that lid when it is unlatched. The assembly utilizes an adjustable tension coil spring that exerts a diminishing lifting force as the lid is raised and that, at the manufacturer's/user's option, is used to counterbalance or slightly exceed the gradually diminishing unsupported weight of the lid as it moves from lowered to raised position. The lifting force is augmented over a limited arc of the lid's travel, by lateral deflection or distortion of the spring, to urge the lid into its partially-raised position when it is unlatched.
Claims16
A hinge and spring assembly for the trunk lid of an automotive vehicle, comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a body wall of a vehicle;
- a trunk lid connecting arm having a first end portion pivotally mounted upon said plate for movement of said arm between a lowered position and a fully raised position;
- said arm having a second end portion adapted to be fixed to the underside of a trunk lid for movement of said lid between closed and open positions as said arm pivots between its lowered and fully raised positions;
- a tension coil spring having one end connected to said arm at a point adjacent said first end portion and having its opposite end connected to said plate so that said spring is maintained in a longitudinally stretched and tensioned condition to exert a lifting force for offsetting the weight of a trunk lid connected to said arm;
- and means mounted upon said plate for engaging at least one coil of said spring for laterally deflecting and distorting said spring to increase its lifting force over a limited arc of pivotal movement of said arm between said lowered position and an intermediate partially-raised position, thereby urging a trunk lid into a partially-opened condition when unlatched.
An automotive vehicle having a body, a trunk compartment and opening therefor, and a lid for closing said trunk opening;
- a pair of mounting plates secured to opposite sides of said vehicle within said trunk compartment;
- said trunk lid being provided with a pair of connecting arms each having a first end portion hingedly mounted upon one of said plates for movement of said arm between a lowered position and a fully raised position;
- each of said arms having a second end portion fixed to the underside of said trunk lid for movement of said lid between closed and open positions as said arms pivot between their lowered and fully raised positions;
- and a pair of tension coil springs each having one end connected to one of said arms at a point adjacent said first end portion thereof and having its opposite end connecting to one of said plates so that springs are maintained in longitudinally stretched and tensioned condition to exert a lifting force for offsetting the weight of a trunk lid connected to said arms;
- and means mounted upon each of said plates for engaging at least one coil of each of said springs for laterally deflecting and distorting said springs and for substantially increasing their lifting force over a limited arc of pivotal movement of said lid between said closed position and a partially-opened position, thereby urging said lid into its partially-opened position when unlatched.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.