Molded hinge assembly

• US 4,777,699 A
• Filed: 04/16/1987
• Issued: 10/18/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford Co. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Sheller-Globe Corporation
• Inventors: Hill, David A., Coons, Melvin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Godici, Nicholas P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Edward A.
• Application Number:
  US07/038,931
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 16/225, 16/382, 16/385, 16/DIG. 13, 49/381, 296/201, 296/84 R
• US Class Current: 16/225
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/778 Windows profiled elements for making window frames B29L2031/005, windscreens B29L2031/3052
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/14 with pivotal or rotary movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/02 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 9/005 from plastics E05D1/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/13 Plastic hinge

Abstract

An improved molded hinge assembly is disclosed and is particularly adapted for pivoted vehicle window applications. The assembly allows for the pivotal mounting of a vehicle window in a window opening in a vehicle body panel while requiring little or no bonding or other affixation of the window gasket or hinge assembly to the outer surface of the window panel. Futhermore, the present invention provides a molded hinge assembly that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and to install in a vehicle window application. Such a hinge assembly can also be manufactured by reaction injection molding techniques from multi-constituent materials, such as urethane, for example, which allows molding at relatively low pressures to prevent or minimize glass breakage and provides for secure bonding and sealing between the window gasket and the window panel.

Claims

1. In a window assembly having at least one window panel having an inner surface and an outer surface and being adapted to be disposed in a window opening in a vehicle body panel, and a hinge assembly for interconnecting the window panel with the vehicle body panel for pivotal movement generally inwardly toward and outwardly away from the window opening in a direction transverse to the window panel, said hinge assembly comprising:

a mounting stud having inner and outer ends;

mounting means for fixedly interconnecting said inner end of said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel;

a flexible elastomeric hinge member secured to said outer end of said mounting stud between said mounting stud and the window panel;

said outer end of said mounting stud having an enlarged flange portion thereon, said elastomeric hinge member generally surrounding said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud; and

means for securing said elastomeric hinge member to the window panel, at least a fist outer portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently elongated outwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel and at least a second outer portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently compressed inwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening, said first and second outer portions of said elastomeric hinge member being generally adjacent said window panel, said elastomeric hinge member including an outer flange portion secured to the window panel, said window panel being secured to said outer flange portion outwardly and directly over said mounting stud so as to interpose said flange portion between the outer surface of the mounting stud and the inner surface of the window panel, said outer flange portion of said hinge member including said first and second portions, and said first and second portions being disposed outward of said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and inward of the window panel between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is integrally molded onto said outer end of said mounting stud.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is secured directly to the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein at least said first and second outer portions are of a substantially constant thickness.

5. The invention according to claim 2, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is bonded directly to only the inner surface of the window panel without the sue of a mechanical fastener device.

6. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is reaction injection molded from a multi-constituent urethane material and is integrally molded onto said outer end of said mounting stud.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is secured directly to the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is bonded directly to only the inner surface of the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

9. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is secured directly to the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

10. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is bonded directly to only the inner surface of the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

11. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is integrally molded onto said outer end of said mounting stud.

12. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric hinge member generally surrounds said outer end of said mounting stud and includes an inner portion extending inwardly from the window panel to the vehicle body panel, said inner portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently elongated generally adjacent said first portion and resiliently compressed generally adjacent said second portion between the vehicle body panel and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening.

13. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said mounting stud includes external threads on at least said inner end, said mounting means including an internally threaded fastener threadably engageable with said inner end for fixedly interconnecting said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel.

14. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said hinge assembly includes a number of said mounting studs, said elastomeric hinge member extending along the window panel in a direction transverse to said mounting studs, said mounting studs being spaced apart transversely along said elastomeric hinge member.

15. In a window panel assembly having at least one window panel having an inner and outer surface and being adapted to be disposed in a window opening in a vehicle body panel, and a hinge assembly for interconnecting the window panel with the vehicle body panel for pivotal movement generally inwardly toward and outwardly away from the window opening in a direction transverse to the window panel, said hinge assembly comprising:

a mounting stud having inner and outer ends;

mounting means for fixedly interconnecting said inner end of said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel;

a flexible elastomeric hinge member integrally molded onto and generally surrounding said outer end of said mounting stud and extending inwardly from the window panel to the vehicle body panel, said elastomeric hinge member including an outer flange portion thereon;

said outer end of said mounting stud having an enlarged flange portion thereon, said outer flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member generally surrounding said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud; and

means for securing said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member to the window panel, said window panel being secured to said outer flange portion outwardly and directly over said mounting stud so as to interpose said flange portion between the outer surface of the mounting stud and the inner surface of the window panel, a first portion of said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently elongate outwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel and between the vehicle body panel and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening, and a second portion of said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently compressed inwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel and between the vehicle body panel and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening, and said first and second portions being disposed outward from said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and inward of the window panel between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel.

16. The invention according to claim 15, wherein said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member is bonded directly to only the inner surface of the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device.

17. The invention according to claim 15, wherein said elastomeric hinge member is reaction injection molded from a multi-constituent urethane material and is integrally molded onto said outer end of said mounting stud.

18. The invention according to claim 15, wherein said mounting stud includes external threads on at least said inner end, said mounting means including an internally threaded fastener threadably engageable with said inner end for fixedly interconnecting said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel.

19. The invention according to claim 15, wherein said hinge assembly includes a number of said mounting studs, said elastomeric hinge member extending along the window panel in a direction transverse to said mounting studs, said mounting studs being spaced apart transversely along said elastomeric hinge member.

20. In a window panel assembly having at least one window panel having an inner and outer surface and being adapted to be disposed in a window opening in a vehicle body panel, and a hinge assembly for interconnecting the window panel with the vehicle body panel for pivotal movement generally inwardly toward and outwardly away from the window opening in a direction transverse to the window panel, said hinge assembly comprising:

a mounting stud having an inner end and an enlarged outer end;

mounting means for fixedlyinterconnecting said inner end of said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel; and

a flexible elastomeric hinge member integrally molded onto and generally surrounding said enlarged outer end of said mounting stud and extending inwardly from the window panel to the vehicle body panel, said elastomeric hinge member including an outer flange portion thereon, said elastomeric hinge member being reaction injection molded from a multi-constituent urethane material, said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member being bonded directly to only the inner surface of the window panel without the use of a mechanical fastener device, said window panel being secured to said outer flange portion outwardly and directly over said mounting stud so as to interpose said flange portion between the outer surface of the mounting stud and the inner surface of the window panel, a first portion of said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently elongated outwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel and between the vehicle body panel and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening, and a second portion of said flange portion of said elastomeric hinge member being resiliently compressed inwardly between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel and between the vehicle body panel and the window panel when the window panel is pivotally moved outwardly away from the window opening, and said first and second portions being disposed outward of said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and inward of the window panel between said enlarged flange portion of said mounting stud and the window panel.

21. The invention according to claim 20, wherein said mounting stud includes external threads on at least said inner end, said mounting means including an internally threaded fastener threadably engageable with said inner end for fixedly interconnecting said mounting stud with the vehicle body panel.

22. The invention according to claim 20, wherein said hinge assembly includes a number of said mounting studs, said elastomeric hinge member extending along the window panel in a direction transverse to said mounting studs, said mounting studs being spaced apart transversely along said elastomeric hinge member.