Hinge assembly for a vehicle door

#The present invention relates to a door hinge assembly for installation in a vehicle for attaching a vehicle door to a vehicle body.

#Certain types of vehicles have adjacent doors that open in opposite handed manners with respect to one another. These adjacent doors typically latch to one another, or to an intermediate pillar of the vehicle body, for securement in their closed positions. In known designs, each of these doors swing about a pivot defined by a hinge assembly. However, in these known designs, the swing arcs of the doors overlap because of the thickness of the doors. The overlap of the swing arcs occurs because each of the doors are panel constructions having a substantial thickness. As a result, one of the doors must be opened prior to the other door. Similarly, when closing the doors, one door must be closed prior to the other door.

#An example of a vehicle with a door configuration of this type is a pickup truck with an extended cab having adjacent front and rear doors on at least one side of the vehicle. In this configuration, the front door must be opened before (and closed after) the rear door. This is because the front doors are typically used more frequently that the rear doors. A similar door configuration is often used in vehicles such as vans or sport utility vehicles that have side by side cargo doors at the rear of the vehicle. Here again, a first door must typically be opened before the other door can be opened.

#FIG. 1 is a top view showing the hinge assembly of the invention attached to a vehicle body and a vehicle door. The hinge assembly and the vehicle door are shown in the fully closed position.

#FIG. 2 is a top view showing the hinge assembly of the invention attached to a vehicle body and a vehicle door. The hinge assembly and the vehicle door are shown in the intermediate open position.

#FIG. 3 is a top view showing the hinge assembly of the invention attached to a vehicle body and a vehicle door. The hinge assembly and the vehicle door are shown in the fully open position.

#FIG. 1 shows a hinge assembly 100 which includes: a body bracket 110; a first link arm 120 pivotally attached to the body bracket 110; a second link arm 130 also pivotally attached to the body bracket 110; a door bracket carrier 140 pivotally attached to the first link arm 120 and the second link arm 130; and, a door bracket 150 pivotally attached to the door bracket carrier 140.

#As will be shown in the following figures, the door bracket carrier 140 moves relative to the body bracket 110 along a path of movement defined by the geometry of a four bar linkage defined by the body bracket 110, the first and second link arms 120 and 130, and the door bracket carrier 140. Four pivot pins 160, 162, 164, and 166 facilitate the relative movement of the door bracket carrier 140 with respect to the body bracket 110. The path of the door bracket carrier 140 is generally parallel to the door bracket 150. The door bracket 150 pivots about the door bracket carrier 140 at pivot pin 166. The door bracket carrier 140 and the link arms 120 and 130 comprise a linkage assembly that interconnects the door bracket 150 to the body bracket 110. Although in the illustrated embodiment, the linkage assembly is designed as a four bar linkage, the linkage assembly may have any other suitable design.

#FIG. 1 also shows the hinge assembly 100 disposed in a typical application where the body bracket 110 is attached to a vehicle body 10, and the door bracket 150 is attached to a door 12. The portion of the vehicle body 10 to which the body bracket 110 is attached is typically the B-pillar. An adjacent vehicle door 14 is also shown. The adjacent vehicle door 14 is hingedly connected to the A-pillar of the vehicle body, but the illustrated structure 14 could also be a fixed part of the vehicle body, such as a B-pillar, or other body component. The body 10, door 12, and adjacent vehicle door 14 are all shown in cross section. FIG. 1 shows the hinge assembly 100 and, accordingly, the door 12 in the fully closed position. The vehicle doors may latch to the B-pillars, or alternatively, the doors may latch to one another. Latches are not shown in this figure.