Articulating hinge system for independently opening automotive doors

• US 10,487,553 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Iacovoni, Donald P., Heirtzler, Jr., Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Catherine A
• Application Number:
  US15/341,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20180119471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 2005/0475 due to absence of the B-pillar
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0479 without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/56 with successive different movements raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2015/586 with travelling hinge parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/022 allowing an additional lateral movement, e.g. for sealing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/603 using rotary electromotors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

An automotive vehicle is provided having a body with an opening without a pillar. First and second doors cover the opening, and a translatable hinge, such as a gooseneck hinge, connects the first door to the vehicle. The hinge is adapted for moving the first door away from the second door, and then allowing the first door to pivot to an open position about a single pivot axis. A striker is adapted for allowing a latch for latching the first door to move along the striker in a latched condition during translation of the hinge, and may include an elongated, angled striker bar for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body during the opening sequence.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle having a body with an opening without a pillar, comprising:

first and second doors for covering the opening; and

a translatable hinge adapted for moving the first door away from the second door and for pivoting about a single pivot axis for opening the first door relative the second door;

further including an actuator for moving the single pivot axis of the translatable hinge in a linear path of travel.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a spring for biasing a translating support supporting the hinge toward a translated position.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first door includes at least one latch, and further including a striker for allowing the latch to move along the striker in a latched condition during translation of the hinge.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the striker comprises an elongated striker bar for engaging the latch and being angled for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first door includes an upper latch and a lower latch, and further including an upper striker for allowing the upper latch to move along the upper striker in a latched condition during translation of the hinge, and a lower striker for engaging the lower latch.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the upper striker comprises an elongated upper striker bar for engaging the upper latch, the elongated upper striker bar being angled outwardly for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a rotary actuator for rotating a translating support supporting the translatable hinge in an arcuate path of travel.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the translatable hinge is adapted for moving such that one of the first or second doors moves outboard of the vehicle and away from the other door.

9. An automotive vehicle having a body with an opening, comprising:

a first door for covering the opening and including a latch including a receiver;

a hinge adapted for moving the first door relative to the opening; and

a fixed striker for engaging the latch and passing into the receiver, the striker adapted for allowing the latch to move along the striker in a latched condition during translation of the hinge;

further including an actuator for moving the translatable hinge along a linear path of travel, wherein the door includes a single pivot axis.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, further including a second door for covering the opening, wherein the first door and the second door cooperate to close the opening when both the first door and the second door are in a closed position, and the first door is translatable relative to the vehicle on a fixed path of translation such that the latch translates along the striker such that the first door is translated from the vehicle to an intermediate position for providing clearance from the second door when in the closed position, and the latch is detachable from the striker for pivoting the first door relative to the vehicle from the intermediate position to an open position of the first door.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, further including a spring for biasing a support supporting the translatable hinge toward a translated position.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises a rotary actuator for rotating a support supporting the translatable hinge in an arcuate path of travel.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the striker comprises an elongated striker bar for engaging the latch, the striker bar being angled for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the translatable hinge is adapted for moving such that one of the first or second doors moves outboard of the vehicle and away from the other door.

15. An automotive vehicle having a body with a vehicle body opening without a pillar for occupant ingress and egress, the vehicle comprising:

a first door having a first end pivotally connected to the vehicle about an axis adjacent to a perimeter of the vehicle body opening, and a second end that extends to a central region of the opening in a closed position and that extends away from the opening in an open position;

a second door having a first end translatably connected to the vehicle adjacent to the perimeter of the opening spaced apart from the first door first end, and a second end translatably connected to the vehicle adjacent to the central region of the opening at a closed position;

a fixed striker connected to one of the central region of the opening and the perimeter of the opening spaced apart from the first door end; and

a latch mounted to one of the second door first end and the second door second end, the latch including a receiver for receiving the striker;

wherein the first door and the second door cooperate to close the opening when both the first door and the second door are in the closed position, and the second door is translatable relative to the vehicle on a fixed path of translation such that the latch translates along the fixed striker such that the second door first end and the second door second end are translated from the vehicle to an intermediate position for providing clearance from the first door when in the closed position, and the latch is detachable from the striker for pivoting the second door about the other of the second door first end and the second door second end relative to the vehicle from the intermediate position to an open position of the second door;

further including an actuator for moving the translatable hinge along a linear path of travel, wherein the door includes a single pivot axis.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the fixed striker comprises an elongated striker bar for engaging the latch, the striker bar being angled for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the second door is associated with a gooseneck hinge having a translatable hinge axis.