Back to results
US 7,802,345 B2Granted
Four-bar linkage hinge for a motor vehicle hood
AssigneeChrysler Group LLC
InventorsBob George Mathew, Curtis Scott Hargraves, Jeffrey Daniel Krzeszak, Michael James Reeves, James Chapp, Jr., Jeffrey Michael McGarry, Andrew J. Poulios
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A four-bar linkage hinge having a restraining catch arranged to prevent the hinge from opening and translating rearward when said hinge is subjected to an external force causing a transverse deflection of its linkage.
Claims18
A four-bar linkage hinge comprising:
- i) a first bar having a lengthwise extent and a second bar having a lengthwise extent extending generally alongside and adjacent the lengthwise extent of the first bar when the hinge is in a closed position;
- ii) a third bar pivotably connected at a first point to the first bar and at a second point to the second bar;
- iii) a fourth bar pivotably connected at a third point to the first bar and at a fourth point to the second bar, wherein the third point is rearward of the first point and the fourth point is rearward of the second point;
- and
- iv) a restraining catch attached to the third bar at a predetermined position between the first point and the second point, and comprised of a hooked offset arranged to engage the first bar in response to a generally transverse deflection of the first bar relative to the second bar when the hinge is in the closed position.
2 more elements
A motor vehicle body having a four-bar linkage hinge for mounting an engine compartment hood to the body, the four-bar linkage hinge comprising:
- i) a first bar having a longitudinal axis and a second bar having a longitudinal axis;
- ii) a third bar pivotably connected at a first point to the first bar and at a second point to the second bar;
- iii) a fourth bar pivotably connected at a third point to the first bar and at a fourth point to the second bar, wherein the third point is rearward of the first point and the fourth point is rearward of the second point;
- iv) a restraining catch attached to the third bar at a predetermined position between the first point and the second point, and comprising a T-shaped hooked offset arranged to engage the first bar in response to a generally transverse deflection of the first bar relative to the second bar as a result of an impact on a frontal corner of the hood when the hood is in a closed position;
- and
- wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and second bars are generally parallel and adjacent when the hood is in the closed position.
3 more elements
A four-bar linkage hinge comprising:
- i) a first bar having a lengthwise extent and a second bar having a lengthwise extent extending generally alongside and adjacent the lengthwise extent of the first bar when the hinge is in a closed position;
- ii) a third bar pivotably connected at a first point to the first bar and at a second point to the second bar;
- iii) a fourth bar pivotably connected at a third point to the first bar and at a fourth point to the second bar, wherein the third point is rearward of the first point and the fourth point is rearward of the second point;
- and
- iv) a restraining catch extending outwardly from the third bar between the first point and the second point that comprises a hook receivable in a clearance in the first bar when the hinge is in the closed position with the hook configured to engage the first bar in response to a generally transverse deflection of the first bar relative to the second bar when the hinge is in the closed position physically tying the first bar and second bar together.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.