COUNTERBALANCE HINGE FOR VEHICLE CLOSURE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A counterbalance hinge for a vehicle closure for use with a vehicle having an access opening, the counterbalance hinge comprising:
- a vehicle bracket for mounting on the vehicle adjacent its access opening;
a closure bracket for mounting on the closure; and
a pivot and counterbalance assembly that pivotally connects the vehicle bracket and the closure bracket for pivoting that supports the closure for movement about a pivot axis between closed and open positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle, the pivot and counterbalance assembly including a cam rotatively fixed with respect to one of the brackets and having a helical internal thread, the pivot and counterbalance assembly also including a spindle rotatively fixed with respect to the other bracket and having a helical external thread that is threaded into the helical internal thread of the cam, and a spring having a central axis extending along the pivot axis and biasing the cam and spindle with respect to each other along the pivot axis to provide counterbalancing of the closure toward one of its positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle.
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Abstract
A counterbalance hinge (20, 20′) for a vehicle closure includes a pivot and counterbalance assembly (44) having a cam (46) and a spindle (50) with a helical threaded connection biased by a spring (56,56′) that provides closure counterbalancing. In one embodiment the spring (56) is of the helical tension type and another embodiment has the spring (56′) of the helical compression type.
55 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A counterbalance hinge for a vehicle closure for use with a vehicle having an access opening, the counterbalance hinge comprising:
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a vehicle bracket for mounting on the vehicle adjacent its access opening; a closure bracket for mounting on the closure; and a pivot and counterbalance assembly that pivotally connects the vehicle bracket and the closure bracket for pivoting that supports the closure for movement about a pivot axis between closed and open positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle, the pivot and counterbalance assembly including a cam rotatively fixed with respect to one of the brackets and having a helical internal thread, the pivot and counterbalance assembly also including a spindle rotatively fixed with respect to the other bracket and having a helical external thread that is threaded into the helical internal thread of the cam, and a spring having a central axis extending along the pivot axis and biasing the cam and spindle with respect to each other along the pivot axis to provide counterbalancing of the closure toward one of its positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A counterbalance hinge for a vehicle closure for use with a vehicle having an access opening, the counterbalance hinge comprising:
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a vehicle bracket for mounting on the vehicle adjacent its access opening; a closure bracket for mounting on the closure; and a pivot and counterbalance assembly that pivotally connects the vehicle bracket and the closure bracket for pivoting that supports the closure for movement about a pivot axis between closed and open positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle, the pivot and counterbalance assembly including a cam rotatively fixed with respect to one of the brackets and having a helical internal thread, the pivot and counterbalance assembly also including a spindle rotatively fixed with respect to the other bracket and having a helical external thread that is threaded into the helical internal thread of the cam, a positioning tube rotatively fixed with respect to said one bracket and including axial internal splines, the cam including external axial splines that are slidably received by the axial internal splines of the positioning tube to prevent cam rotation with respect to the one bracket, and a helical spring having a central axis extending along the pivot axis and biasing the cam and spindle with respect to each other along the pivot axis to provide counterbalancing of the closure toward one of its positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle.
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20. A counterbalance hinge for a vehicle closure for use with a vehicle having an access opening, the counterbalance hinge comprising:
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a vehicle bracket for mounting on the vehicle adjacent its access opening; a closure bracket for mounting on the closure; and a pivot and counterbalance assembly that pivotally connects the vehicle bracket and the closure bracket for pivoting that supports the closure for movement about a pivot axis between closed and open positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle, the pivot and counterbalance assembly including a cam rotatively fixed with respect to one of the brackets and having a helical internal thread, the pivot and counterbalance assembly also including a spindle rotatively fixed with respect to the other bracket and having a helical external thread that is threaded into the helical internal thread of the cam, a positioning tube rotatively fixed with respect to said one bracket and including axial internal splines, the cam including external axial splines that are slidably received by the axial internal splines of the positioning tube to prevent cam rotation with respect to the one bracket, a helical spring having a central axis extending along the pivot axis and biasing the cam and spindle with respect to each other along the pivot axis to provide counterbalancing of the closure toward one of its positions with respect to the access opening of the vehicle, and an adjuster for adjusting the spring to control the extent of counterbalancing provided.
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Specification