Motor-driven modular trunk hinge
A vehicle hinge set for supporting and operating decklid closures on a vehicle include at least one primary unit, at least one secondary drive unit slidably receivable against a primary unit, and a mount for supporting the aligned primary and secondary units. The primary unit combines a decklid strap pivotably connected to the primary unit, and may include a biasing mechanism. The secondary unit is mechanically and electrically coupled for motorized displacement of the strap of the primary unit.
1. A decklid hinge for displacably supporting a decklid to and between open and closed positions over an opening defined by peripheral vehicle body structure during and after movement between the positions comprises:
at least one hinge set, each said hinge set comprising a primary unit including;
a support bracket with a mount for securing said bracket to the peripheral vehicle body structure;
a pivot pin carried cantilevered by said support bracket, at one end of said pivot pin; and
a linkage having a lever pivoted on said pivot pin and adapted to carry the decklid to and between said open and closed positions, and further comprising a drive unit with a drive mount having a support plate with a second pivot having a second pivot axis and positioning the drive unit with coaxial alignment of said first and second pivots interconnectable to the primary unit.
2. The invention as described in claim 1 , wherein said at least one hinge set comprises a pair of spaced hinge sets.
3. The invention as described in claim 1 , wherein said lever is a strap secured to the lid.
4. The invention as described in claim 1 , wherein said primary unit includes a biasing mechanism.
5. The invention as described in claim 4 , wherein said biasing mechanism is carried by said bracket.
6. The invention as described in claim 5 , wherein said bracket includes a support wall [of the primary unit] and said pivot pin carried cantilever by said support wall.
7. The invention as described in claim 6 , wherein said biasing mechanism includes a retainer bar carried cantilevered by the support wall at one end of said retainer bar; and a spring with a laterally coiled strand portion, the laterally coiled portion receiving said retainer bar within, and the retainer bar retaining a first strand end of the spring.
8. The invention as described in claim 1 , wherein said drive unit comprises the drive mount, a coupler and a drive assembly for controlling displacement of the coupler.
9. The invention as described in claim 8 , wherein the coupler slidably receives a portion of the lever at a position spaced from a pivot axis of the pivot pin on the primary unit.
10. The invention as described in claim 9 , wherein said primary unit and said drive unit are aligned coaxially with a displacement path of the coupler.
11. The invention as described in claim 1 , wherein said drive unit engages the primary unit support bracket.
12. The invention as described in claim 11 , wherein said primary support bracket includes a mount that carries the drive mount for maintaining the coupler in engagement with the lever of the primary unit.
13. A method for modularizing a vehicle decklid hinge comprises:
installing a pair of hinge sets to a peripheral body structure defining an opening and a decklid for covering the opening,
each hinge set comprising a primary unit having a support bracket including a mount engageable with the peripheral body structure, said support bracket also carrying a pivot pin cantilevered on said support bracket defining a pivot axis, and a lever pivotally mounted with said pin to the support bracket; and
installing a secondary or drive unit having a drive mount for aligning a second pivot coaxial to the pivot pin axis of the primary unit, a coupler engaging the lever for rotation about the second pivot, and a drive mechanism for displacing the coupler coaxially about said pin and the second pivot.
14. The invention as described in claim 13 , and comprising biasing said lever of said at least one primary unit with a biasing mechanism urging said lever to a pivoted position on said pivot pin.
15. The invention as described in claim 14 , wherein said biasing includes a helically coiled strand, for biasing the lever to a supported position.
16. The invention as described in claim 13 comprising guiding said displacing at a position spaced from the pivot axis of said pin and said second pivot.
17. The invention as described in claim 16 , wherein said guiding includes a track on said support plate.
18. A decklid hinge for displacably supporting a decklid to and between open and closed positions over an opening defined by peripheral vehicle body structure during and after movement between the positions comprises:
at least one hinge set, each said hinge set comprising a primary unit including;
a support bracket with a mount for securing said bracket of the peripheral vehicle body structure;
a pivot pin carried cantilevered by said support bracket, at one end of said pivot pin;
a linkage having a lever pivoted on said pivot pin and adapted to carry the decklid to and between said open and closed positions;
a drive unit with a drive mount including a support plate with a pivot having a second pivot axis and positioning said pivots coaxially as said support plate is interconnectable to at least one primary unit; and,
at least one of said primary units including a biasing mechanism
further comprising a drive unit with drive mount having a support plate with a second pivot having a second pivot axis and positioning the drive unit with coaxial alignment of said first and second pivots interconnectable to the primary unit.