| Title of Invention | "A HINGE DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR" |
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| Abstract | The invention concerns an articulating device (10) for a motor vehicle door (12) comprising a wall (19) wherein is provided an opening (16), said opening defining a part having an outer rim (28) and an inner rim (30), said part having a cavity (34) between an outer lateral edge (38) bordering said outer rim (28) and an opposite lateral edge (40), said articulating device comprising a U-shaped hinge (22) having one end (48) integral with said door (12) and a second end (41) pivotably mounted in said cavity (34). The invention is characterized in that said door (12) is located recessed relative to said outer rim (28), said first end (48) of said U-shaped hinge being located proximate said opposite lateral edge (40), and in that the articulating device (10) comprises a flexible strip (36) linking said outer lateral edge (38) and said first end (48). |
| Full Text | Esthetic articulating device for motor vehicle The present invention relates to a hinge device for articulating a door of a motor vehicle. Motor vehicles usually have openings that can be closed by doors, which doors are generally pivot-mounted along one of the lateral edges of each of these openings. The vehicles have a wall clad with bodywork, and the openings made in this wall which open into the bodywork define an outer rim and an inner rim within the thickness of the wall. Furthermore, the hinge device comprises a U-shaped hinge so that a door can be connected to the wall, this hinge being fully set into the thickness of the wall when the door is in a closed position. To do this, the wall has a cavity which opens into the inner rim, between an outer lateral edge which runs along the outer rim near the bodywork and an opposite lateral edge. The U-shaped hinge for its part has an end secured to the door'and an opposite other end which is pivot-mounted in the cavity near the outer lateral edge. Thus, when the door is in a closed position, the hinge is housed in the cavity and when the door is opened into an open position, it pivots about one of the ends of the U-shaped hinge while the other end is carried out of the cavity toward the outside so as to allow the door to clear the recess of the opening in order not to deform that part of the bodywork that corresponds to the outer rim. Reference may in particular be made to document US 5 765 895 which describes a U-shaped hinge such as this for motor vehicle doors. However, such devices do not offer the required esthetic qualities given the differences in color scheme between vehicle bodyworks and vehicle interiors. In particular, for cost reasons, the U-shaped hinge is often in a pale color while the bodywork is in a dark color. In cases such as this, as soon as the door is moved from a closed position into an open position, the U-shaped hinge partially situated in the cavity then becomes visible from outside the motor vehicle between the outer rim and the pivoting door, especially when it is relatively pale in color relative to the bodywork. Furthermore, the cavity which is usually quite wide becomes visible and also has an influence on the perceived quality of the vehicle. Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge device which, at an attractive cost, makes it possible to ' reduce this feeling that a potential user of a motor vehicle has of perceived inferior quality. To this end, the present invention proposes a hinge device for a motor vehicle door, said motor vehicle comprising a wall in which an opening is made, said opening defining part of the side wall having an outer rim and an inner rim substantially perpendicular to said outer rim, said wall part having a cavity opening into said inner rim, between an outer lateral edge running along said outer rim and an opposite lateral edge, said hinge device comprising a U-shaped hinge which has a first end secured to said door and a second end pivot-mounted in said cavity near said outer lateral edge so that said door can be pivoted between a closed position in which it closes Off said opening and in which said U-shaped hinge is at least partially housed in said cavity, and an open position in which said door is away from said opening and in which said U-shaped hinge is at least partially clear of said cavity; and, according to the invention, in said closed position, said door is set back from said outer rim in such a way as to uncpver said cavity, said first end of said U-shaped hinge being located near said opposite lateral edge; and said hinge device comprises a flexible strip laterally connecting said outer lateral edge and said first end in order to close off said cavity in said closed .position. Thus, one feature of the invention lies in the use of the flexible strip which .extends .between the outer lateral edge and the first end of the U-shaped hinge and which conceals the inside of the cavity and the U-shaped hinge when the door is moved into its open position. Thus, by choosing a flexible strip in a dark color comparable with that of the bodywork, the contrast is less noticeable than the contrast between the U-shaped hinge and the bodywork. Advantageously, said opening is made in a back wall of said vehicle, in which there is generally a luggage compartment and, as a preference, said lateral wall part consists of a portion of a rear valence of said motor vehicle. Thus, by choosing a flexible strip in a dark color, elements internal to the cavity and, in particular, the U-shaped hinge; which are paler, do not show up in contrast to the rear valence which is generally in anthracite. As a preference, said flexible strip consists of a substantially rectangular tongue made of preformed plastic, and which can therefore be produced for an attractive cost. Although it is flexible, this rectangular tongue is preformed with a curved end to correspond to the shape it has in a situation in which the door is closed. According to one particularly advantageously specific embodiment of the invention, said tongue has a swollen end in which a rebate is formed, said swollen end being intended to be connected1 to said outer lateral edge by force-fitting said outer lateral edge into said rebate. Thus, there is no need whatsoever to provide special means for attaching the tongue to the outer lateral edge. Furthermore, the tongue is molded as a single piece with its swollen end and its rebate. Furthermore, said tongue preferably has a pierced end, the opposite end to said swollen end, said pierced end being intended to accept at least one rivet secured to said first end of said U-shaped hinge. Once again, the tongue is molded as a single piece with its pierced end so as to save on the material from which it is molded. Furthermore, according to a specific embodiment of variant, said U-shaped hinge has, from' said second end toward said first end, a first branch extended by a bottom portion at a substantially acute angle to said first branch, said bottom portion being extended by a second branch at a substantially obtuse angle to said bottom portion. Thus, 'by virtue of the substantially acute angle between the first branch and the bottom portion, the pivot point can be sited behind a lip in the cavity, thus allowing the door to clear the outer rim with a standoff, an inner wall of the bottom portion being able to rest against said outer lateral edge of the cavity. In that way, the U-shaped hinge can offer a travel of more or1 less 180° between the door-closed and the door-open position. Other specifics and Advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the description given hereinafter of one specific embodiment of the invention which is given by a way of nonlimiting indication with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view in horizontal cross section of a hinge .device according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a partial schematic view showing, in a view from the rear, a motor vehicle equipped with a hinge device as depicted in figure 1. ... Figure 1 shows a hinge device 10 according to the invention for mounting a back door 12 at the back of a motor vehicle 14 so as to close off an opening 16 opening into a luggage compartment 18. Figure 1 here shows a horizontal section taken through the bottom part of a wall 19 of the vehicle at the level of a rear valence 20 which covers it, and a U-shaped hinge 22 which connects the door 12 to ,the wall 19. The U-shaped hinge 22 is depicted'here in two positions 170° apart; a closed position' 24 in which the door 12 closes off the opening 16 and an open position 26 in which the door 12 is away from the opening 16. Reference will now be made to figure 2 before returning to figure 1 in order better to describe the subject matter of the invention. Figure 2 illustrates, in a view from the rear, part of the motor vehicle in the direction of the arrow V marked on figure 1, in which part the hinge device 10 according to the invention is situated. Here again we find the rear valence 20 and the back door 12, here in the closed position. The wall 19 covered by the rear valence 20 has an outer rim 28 and an inner 'rim 30, the two rims which are inclined with respect to one another by about 90°, being separated by a corner 32. Furthermore, the door 12 extends in a plane substantially parallel to the rear valence 20 and therefore substantially perpendicular to the inner rim 30. 'Furthermore, the wall 19 has a cavity 34 here closed off by a substantially rectangular flexible tongue 36 that will be detailed with reference to figure 1. Before that, it will be noted that the flexible tongue 36 closes off the cavity 34 substantially in the plane of the inner rim 30, between an outer lateral edge 38 adjoining the corner • 3'2 and an opposite lateral edge 40 here hidden by the door 12 but which can be seen in figure 1. Figure 1 then also shows the flexible tongue 36 closing off the opening 34 from the outer lateral edge 38 and thereby concealing the U-shaped hinge 22 when it is housed in the cavity 34. The U-shaped hinge 22 has a first branch 39 the end 41 of which is pivot-mounted inside the cavity 34 about a vertical pivot 42 positioned near the outer lateral edge 38 and which is extended by a bottom part 44 inclined at an acute angle to the first branch 39, then by a second branch 46 which is itself inclined at an obtuse angle to the bottom part -44. This second branch 46 ends in an enlarged end 48'connected directly to the back door 12. Furthermore, the tongue 36 has a swollen edge 50 in which a rebate 52 is formed and an opposite' end in which a hole 54 is made. The rebate 52 can have the outer lateral edge 38 set into it in order for these two components to be held together without any other contrivance, while the opposite end of' the tongue 36 is riveted using the hole 54 into the enlarged end 48 of the second branch 46 of the U-shaped hinge 22. The tongue 36 which is preformed in plastic for example, has an opposite end curved towards the inside of the cavity 34 so as to keep its convex part pressing against the enlarged end 48.' The'tongue 36 is flexible so that it can deform when the- door 12 is opened into its open position 26 and the U-shaped hinge 22 then pivots in the clockwise direction with reference to figure 1. When the U-shaped hinge 22, is .moved into the open position 26, the opposite end of the tongue 36 which is secured to the enlarged end 48 of the U-shaped hinge 22 is then also pivoted through .the same travel as the enlarged end 48, the opposite end being first of all moved closer to the swollen edge 50 then further away afterwards as the U-shaped hinge 22 nears the open position 26. In the latter position in which the U-shaped hinge 22 lies at least partially outside the cavity 34, the tongue 36 is then deformed into a substantially S-shape. Furthermore, when the door 12 is then moved into its closed position 24, the tongue 36 deforms again to revert to its initial position also depicted in figure 2, in which it closes off the cavity 34 substantially in the plane of the inner rim 30. Thus, not only is the cavity 34 closed off, thus preventing debris or dust from entering the thickness of the wall 19, but, in addition, if the tongue 36 is'in a tone comparable with that of the rear valence 20, the rear bodywork of the vehicle also appears to be substantially continuous, thus enhancing the perception of the vehicle being a quality vehicle. Furthermore, the tongue 36 conceals the U-shaped hinge 22 which is generally in a lighter shade, and which would contrast with the generally anthracite color of the rear valence 20. CLAIMS 1. A hinge device (10) for a motor vehicle door (12), said motor vehicle comprising a wall (19) in which an opening (16) is made, said opening defining part of the side wall having an outer rim (28) and an inner rim (30) substantially perpendicular to said outer rim (28) , said wall part having a cavity (34) opening into said inner rim (30), between an outer lateral edge (38) running along said outer rim (28) and an opposite lateral edge (40), said hinge device comprising a U-shaped hinge (22) which has a first end (48) secured to said door (12) and a second end (41) pivot-mounted in said cavity (34) near said outer lateral edge (38) so that said door can be pivoted between a closed position (24) in which it closes off said opening (16) and in which said U-shaped hinge (22) is at least partially housed in said cavity (34), and an open position (26) in which said door (12) is away from said opening (16) and in which said U-shaped hinge (22) is at least partially clear of said cavity (34); characterized in that, in said closed position (24), said door (12) is set back from said outer rim (28) in such a way as to uncover said cavity (34) , said first end (48) of said U-shaped hinge being located near said opposite lateral edge -(40) ; and in that said hinge device (10) comprises a flexible strip (36) laterally connecting said outer lateral edge (38) and said first end (48) in order to close off said cavity (34) in said closed position. 2. The hinge device as claimed in claim I, characterized in that said opening (16) is made in a back wall of said vehicle. 3. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said lateral wall part consists of a portion of a rear valence (20) of said motor vehicle. 4. The hinge device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said flexible strip (36) consists of a substantially rectangular tongue made of preformed plastic. ; ' ' i : 5. The hinge device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said tongue has a swollen end (50) in which a rebate (52) is formed, said swollen end being intended to be connected to said outer lateral edge (38) by force-fitting said outer lateral edge (38) into said rebate (52). 6. The hinge device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in. that said tongue, (36) has a pierced end, the opposite end to said swollen end (50) , said pierced end being intended to accept at least one rivet secured to said first end (48) of said U-shaped hinge (22) . 7. The hinge device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said U-shaped hinge (22) has, from said second end (41) toward said first end (48), a first branch (39) extended by a bottom portion (44) at a substantially acute angle to said first branch (39), said botbom portion being extended by a second branch (46) at a substantially obtuse angle to said bottom portion (44). |
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| Patent Number | 279757 | |||||||||
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| Indian Patent Application Number | 7960/DELNP/2007 | |||||||||
| PG Journal Number | 05/2017 | |||||||||
| Publication Date | 03-Feb-2017 | |||||||||
| Grant Date | 30-Jan-2017 | |||||||||
| Date of Filing | 16-Oct-2007 | |||||||||
| Name of Patentee | RENAULT S.A.S. | |||||||||
| Applicant Address | 13-15, QUAI ALPHONSE LE GALLO, F-92100 BOULOGNE BILLANCOURT, FRANCE | |||||||||
Inventors:
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| PCT International Classification Number | E05D 5/06 | |||||||||
| PCT International Application Number | PCT/FR2006/050253 | |||||||||
| PCT International Filing date | 2006-03-23 | |||||||||
PCT Conventions:
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