US 8,756,763 B1Granted

Vertical door conversion kit

AssigneeVertical Doors, Inc.

InventorDemetrius Calvin Ham

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A vehicle door hinge for a passenger or driver side vehicle door. The hinge has a chassis mounting plate securely fastenable to the vehicle frame, a swingarm securely fastenable to the vehicle door, a bi-directional rotation mechanism connecting the chassis mounting plate to the swingarm and allowing rotation of the swingarm in a substantially horizontal plane and in a substantially vertical plane, first and second bearing surfaces positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism and to bear against each other when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane, and not to bear against each other when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially vertical plane, and a spring attached at one end to the swingarm and at the other end to the vehicle frame or to the chassis mounting plate, for counter-balancing the weight of the vehicle door when the swingarm is rotated in the vertical plane.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle door hinge for a vehicle door on a vehicle having a vehicle frame, the vehicle door hinge comprising:

a chassis mounting plate securely fastenable to the vehicle frame;
a swingarm securely fastenable to the vehicle door;
a bi-directional rotation mechanism connecting the chassis mounting plate to the swingarm, the bi-directional rotation mechanism being configured to allow rotation of the swingarm in a substantially horizontal plane and in a substantially vertical plane;
a first bearing surface positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane;
a second bearing surface positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane;
and
a spring attached at one end to the swingarm and at another end to either the vehicle frame or to the chassis mounting plate;
wherein the first bearing surface is positioned to bear against the second bearing surface and to maintain a continuous state of contact against the second bearing surface when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane;
and
wherein the first bearing surface is positioned not to bear against the second bearing surface when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially vertical plane.

7 more elements

A vehicle door hinge for a vehicle door and vehicle frame, the vehicle door hinge comprising:

a chassis mounting plate securely fastenable to the vehicle frame;
a swingarm securely fastenable to the vehicle door;
a bi-directional rotation mechanism connecting the chassis mounting plate to the swingarm, the bi-directional rotation mechanism being configured to allow rotation of the swingarm in a substantially horizontal plane and in a substantially vertical plane;
a sag adjuster screw guide positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane;
a sag adjuster screw positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane, and to bear against the sag adjuster screw guide when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane, and to maintain a continuous state of contact against the sag adjuster screw guide when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane, and not to bear against the sag adjuster screw guide when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially vertical plane;
and
a spring attached at one end to the swingarm and at another end to the vehicle frame or to the chassis mounting plate.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/427,728Filed 22 Mar 2012 · continuation
Priority: 20 May 2002
Granted: 24 Jun 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

E05D 3/10
With two or more pins: with non-parallel pins
E05D 5/062
Bent flaps: specially adapted for vehicles
E05Y 2900/531
Type of wing: doors
E05D
Hinges or suspension devices for doors, windows or wings

Family

Application60/382,281Us provisional application · filed 20 May 2002
Application10/305,522Parent of this division · filed 26 Nov 2002
Application10/722,235Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Nov 2003
Application11/421,568Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jun 2006
Application12/476,140Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jun 2009
Application13/090,155Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Apr 2011
US 8,151,417 B1Parent of this continuation
US 7,941,897 B1Parent of this continuation
US 7,552,514 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,059,655 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,845,547 B2Parent of this division
Application10/722,235Parent of this division
US 2003/0213102 A1Published application
US 2005/0022342 A1Published application
US 2006/0200947 A1Published application
US 8,756,763 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.