Closure panel hinge assembly

Claim 2

In an automotive vehicle or the like having body structure and a closure panel movable from a generally horizontal closed position to an open position, said closure panel having an edge, an improved hinge assembly for mounting said closure panel to said body structure so as to shift said closure panel edge away from a generally vertical plane associated with said body structure as said closure panel is raised from said closed position toward said open position, comprising, first and second generally horizontally extending guide means on said body structure, a hinge strap having one end secured to said closure panel and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said first guide means to provide a first sliding pivot, a follower link having one end thereof pivotally secured relative to said closure panel to provide a first movable pivot and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said second guide means to provide a second sliding pivot, and a control link having one end pivotally secured to said follower link one end so as to provide a second movable pivot, the other end of said control link being pivotally secured to said body structure so as to provide a fixed pivot at a point such that said control link one end moves upwardly and away relative to said plane when said control link is swung about said fixed pivot, whereby, the initial raising of said closure panel from said closed position swings said control link about said fixed pivot to initially move said control link one end, and thereby move said follower link one end and first and second movable pivots, upwardly and away relative to said plane as said follower link rotates relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said control link rotates relative to said follower link about said second movable pivot, thereby shifting said closure panel edge initially away from said plane, said shifting being accommodated by said first and second sliding pivots, which simultaneously slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means, continued raising of said closure panel causing said closure panel to tilt upwardly relative to said plane to said open position as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said first and second sliding pivots continue to slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means, thereby precluding the invasion of said plane by said closure panel edge.

Claim 3

In an automotive vehicle or the like having body structure and a closure panel movable from a generally horizontal closed position to an open position, said closure panel having an edge, an improved hinge assembly for mounting said closure panel to said body structure so as to shift said closure panel edge away from a generally vertical plane associated with said body structure as said closure panel is raised from said closed position toward said open position, comprising, first and second generally horizontally extending guide means on said body structure, a hinge strap having one end secured to said closure panel and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said first guide means to provide a first sliding pivot, a follower link having one end thereof pivotally secured relative to said closure panel to provide a first movable pivot and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said second guide means to provide a second sliding pivot, and a control link having one end pivotally secured to said follower link one end so as to provide a second movable pivot, the other end of said control link being pivotally secured to said body structure so as to provide a fixed pivot at a point such that said control link one end moves in an arc initially upwardly and away from, and then upwardly and toward said plane, when said control link is swung about said fixed pivot, whereby, the initial raising of said closure panel from said closed position swings said control link about said fixed pivot to initially move said control link one end, and thereby move said follower link one end and first and second movable pivots, upwardly and away from said plane as said follower link rotates relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said control link rotates relative to said follower link about said second movable pivot, thereby shifting said closure panel edge initially away from said plane, said shifting being accommodated by said first and second sliding pivots, which simultaneously slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means in one direction, continued raising of said closure panel causing said closure panel to tilt upwardly relative to said plane as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said first and second sliding pivots continue to slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means guide means in said one direction until said closure panel reaches a partially open position where said control link one end and said second movable pivot begin to move toward said plane, whereupon said second sliding pivot slides horizontally along said second guide means in the opposite direction to accommodate said movement of said control link one end and said second movable pivot toward said plane, whereby said closure panel can tilt upwardly farther relative to said plane as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot, said further upward tilting of said closure panel precluding the invasion of said plane by said closure panel edge.

Claim 4

In an automotive vehicle or the like having body structure and a closure panel movable from a generally horizontal closed position to an open position, said closure panel having an edge, an improved hinge assembly for mounting said closure panel to said body structure so as to shift said closure panel edge away from a generally vertical plane associated with said body structure as said closure panel is raised from said closed position toward said open position, comprising, first and second generally horizontally extending guide means on said body structure, a hinge strap having one end secured to said closure panel and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said first guide means to provide a first sliding pivot, a follower link having one end thereof pivotally secured relative to said closure panel to provide a first movable pivot and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said second guide means to provide a second sliding pivot, and a control link having one end pivotally secured to said follower link one end so as to provide a second movable pivot, the other end of said control link being pivotally secured to said body structure so as to provide a fixed pivot at a point such that said control link one end moves in an arc initially upwardly and away from, and then upwardly and toward said plane, when said control link is swung about said fixed pivot, whereby, the initial raising of said closure panel from said closed position swings said control link about said fixed pivot to initially move said control link one end, and thereby move said follower link one end and first and second movable pivots, upwardly and away from said plane as said follower link rotates relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said control link rotates relative to said follower link about said second movable pivot, thereby shifting said closure panel edge initially away from said plane, said shifting being accommodated by said first and second sliding pivots, which simultaneously slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means in one direction, continued raising of said closure panel causing said closure panel to tilt upwardly relative to said plane as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot and said first and second sliding pivots continue to slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means guide means in said one direction until said closure panel reaches a partially open position where said control link one end and said second movable pivot begin to move toward said plane, whereupon said second sliding pivot slides horizontally along said second guide means in the opposite direction to accommodate said movement of said control link one end and said second movable pivot toward said plane, whereby said closure panel can tilt upwardly farther relative to said plane as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said closure panel about said first movable pivot, said further upward tilting of said closure panel precluding the invasion of said plane by said closure panel edge.

Claim 5

In an automotive vehicle or the like having body structure and a closure panel movable from a generally horizontal closed position to an open position, said closure panel having an edge, an improved hinge assembly securable to said body structure as a unit for mounting said closure panel to said body structure so as to shift said closure panel edge away from a generally vertical plane associated with said body structure as said closure panel is raised from said closed position toward said open position, comprising, a hinge box adapted to be secured to said body structure, first and second generally horizontally extending guide means secured to said hinge box, a hinge strap having one end adapted to be secured to said closure panel after said hinge box has been secured to said body structure and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said first guide means to provide a first sliding pivot, a follower link having one end thereof pivotally secured to said hinge strap to provide a first movable pivot and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said second guide means to provide a second sliding pivot, a control link having one end pivotally secured to said follower link one end so as to provide a second movable pivot, the other end of said control link being pivotally secured to said hinge box so as to provide a fixed pivot at a point such that said control link one end moves upwardly and away relative to said plane structure when said control link is swung about said fixed pivot after said hinge box, first and second guide means, hinge strap, follower link and control link have been secured as a unit to said body structure and said closure panel has been secured to said hinge strap one end, and a resilient means joined between one of said hinge strap, control link and follower link and said hinge box so as to provide a force tending to rotate said hinge strap upwardly relative to said plane about said first sliding pivot, whereby, the initial raising of said closure panel from said closed position swings said control link about said fixed pivot to initially move said control link one end, and thereby move said follower link one end and first and second movable pivots, upwardly and away relative to said plane as said follower link rotates relative to said hinge strap and closure panel about said first movable pivot assisted by said resilient means and said control link rotates relative to said follower link about said second movable pivot, thereby shifting said closure panel edge initially away from said plane, said shifting being accommodated by said first and second sliding pivots, which simultaneously slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means, continued raising of said closure panel causing said closure panel to tilt upwardly relative to said plane to said open position as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said hinge strap and closure panel about said first movable pivot assisted by said resilient means and said first and second sliding pivots continue to slide horizontally along said first and second respective guide means, thereby precluding the invasion of said plane by said closure panel edge.

Claim 6

In an automotive vehicle or the like having body structure and a closure panel movable from a generally horizontal closed position to an open position, said closure panel having an edge, an improved hinge assembly securable to said body structure as a unit for mounting said closure panel to said body structure so as to shift said closure panel edge away from a generally vertical plane associated with said body structure as said closure panel is raised from said closed position toward said open position, comprising, a hinge box adapted to be secured to said body structure, first and second generally horizontally extending guide means secured to said hinge box, a hinge strap having one end adapted to be secured to said closure panel after said hinge box has been secured to said body structure and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said first guide means to provide a first sliding pivot, a follower link having one end thereof pivotally secured to said hinge strap to provide a first movable pivot and its other end pivotally and slidably connected to said second guide means to provide a second sliding pivot, a control link having one end pivotally secured to said follower link one end so as to provide a second movable pivot, the other end of said control link being pivotally secured to said hinge box so as to provide a fixed pivot at a point such that said control link one end moves upwardly and away relative to said plane structure when said control link is swung about said fixed pivot after said hinge box, first and second guide means, hinge strap, follower link and control link have been secured as a unit to said body structure and said closure panel has been secured to said hinge strap one end, and a resilient means joined between one of said hinge strap, control link and follower link and said hinge box so as to provide a force tending to rotate said hinge strap upwardly relative to said plane about said first sliding pivot, whereby, the initial raising of said closure panel from said closed position swings said control link about said fixed pivot to initially move said control link one end, and thereby move said follower link one end and first and second movable pivots, upwardly and away relative to said plane as said follower link rotates relative to said hinge strap and closure panel about said first movable pivot assisted by said resilient means and said control link rotates relative to said follower link about said second movable pivot, thereby shifting said closure panel edge initially away from said plane, said shifting being accommodated by said first and second sliding pivots, which simultaneously slide horizontally along said respective first and second guide means, continued raising of said closure panel causing said closure panel to tilt upwardly relative to said plane to said open position as said follower link continues to rotate relative to said hinge strap and closure panel about said first movable pivot assisted by said resilient means and said first and second sliding pivots continue to slide horizontally along said first and second respective guide means, thereby precluding the invasion of said plane by said closure panel edge.