Hinge counterbalance

Claim 2

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, means producing on said lever a primary turning moment about said second axis having an initial and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said exteNded positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, and means connecting said lever to said hinge arm, said connecting means being operative in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever to exert on said hinge arm a force of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and to alter the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 3

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, means producing on said lever a primary turning moment about said second axis having an initial and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on one of said hinge arm and said lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on the other of said hinge arm and said lever engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 4

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, means producing on said lever a primary turning moment about said second axis having an initial and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on one of said hinge arm and said lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on the other of said hinge arm and said lever engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 5

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, a crank, means supporting said crank on said vehicle body for pivotal movement, spring means biasing said crank in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said crank through said connecting link producing on said lever about said second axis a primary turning moment having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, and means connecting said lever to said hinge arm, said connecting means being operative in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever to exert on said hinge arm a force of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning momenT producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and to alter the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 6

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, a crank, means supporting said crank on said vehicle body for pivotal movement, spring means biasing said crank in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said crank through said connecting link producing on said lever about said second axis a primary turning moment having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, and means connecting said lever to said hinge arm, said connecting means being operative in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever to exert on said hinge arm a force of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning momenT producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and to alter the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 7

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, a crank, means supporting said crank on said vehicle body for pivotal movement, spring means biasing said crank in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said crank through said connecting link producing on said lever about said second axis a primary turning moment having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on one of said hinge arm and said lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on the other of said hinge arm and said lever engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 8

In combination with a hinge arm supported on a vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first axis of the latter between first and second operative positions and subjected to an external turning moment in one direction, the combination comprising, a lever, means supporting said lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to said first and said second operative positions of said hinge arm, a crank, means supporting said crank on said vehicle body for pivotal movement, spring means biasing said crank in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said crank through said connecting link producing on said lever about said second axis a primary turning moment having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on one of said hinge arm and said lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on the other of said hinge arm and said lever engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said external turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 9

In a vehicle body having an opening therein, the combination comprising, a closure, a hinge arm, means supporting said hinge arm on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first transverse axis of said vehicle body between first and second operative positions, means rigidly connecting said hinge arm to said closure asymmetrically with respect to the center of gravity of the latter, said hinge supporting said closure on said vehicle body for generally vertical bodily shiftable movement between a raised position in the first operative position of said hinge arm and a lowered position in the second operative position of said hinge arm and said closure exerting a gravitational turning moment on said hinge arm in one direction, an intermediate lever, means supporting said intermediate lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second transverse axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to the first and the second operative positions of said hinge arm, a torsion rod having a crank on one end thereof, means supporting said torsion rod on said vehicle body and restraining the other end of said torsion rod so that said crank is resiliently biased in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said intermediate lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said torsion rod through said crank and said connecting link producing on said second axis having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said intermediate lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said intermediate lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on said intermediate lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on said hinge arm engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said gravitational turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.

Claim 10

In a vehicle body having an opening therein, the combination comprising, a closure, a hinge arm, means supporting said hinge arm on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a first transverse axis of said vehicle body between first and second operative positions, means rigidly connecting said hinge arm to said closure asymmetrically with respect to the center of gravity of the latter, said hinge supporting said closure on said vehicle body for generally vertical bodily shiftable movement between a raised position in the first operative position of said hinge arm and a lowered position in the second operative position of said hinge arm and said closure exerting a gravitational turning moment on said hinge arm in one direction, an intermediate lever, means supporting said intermediate lever on said vehicle body for pivotal movement relative thereto and to said hinge arm about a second transverse axis of said vehicle body between extended and retracted positions corresponding respectively to the first and the second operative positions of said hinge arm, a torsion rod having a crank on one end thereof, means supporting said torsion rod on said vehicle body and restraining the other end of said torsion rod so that said crank is resiliently biased in one direction of rotation, a connecting link, means supporting one end of said connecting link on said intermediate lever for pivotal movement relative thereto, means supporting the other end of said connecting link on said crank for pivotal movement relative thereto, said torsion rod through said crank and said connecting link producing on said second axis having an initial magnitude and a final magnitude respectively in said retracted and said extended positions of said intermediate lever and a maximum magnitude in a position of said intermediate lever between said retracted and said extended positions, cam means on said intermediate lever defining a variable contour cam surface, and follower means on said hinge arm engageable on said cam surface and operative to traverse said cam surface in response to relative angular movement between said hinge arm and said lever, said cam means and said follower means cooperating to exert on said hinge arm a force directed perpendicularly to said cam surface of magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of said primary turning moment, said exerted force producing on said hinge arm a secondary turning moment about said first axis opposing said gravitational turning moment and the contour of said cam surface altering the direction of said exerted force relative to said first axis as said follower means moves thereacross so that the magnitude of said secondary turning moment varies in inverse proportion to the magnitude of said exerted force.