Granted Patent B2

US 7,971,320 · App. 11/972,644 · Granted Jul 5, 2011

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A hinge assembly for supporting a door that provides access to the interior of a motor vehicle body comprising:

a body-side hinge strap secured to the body and providing a first axis;

a door-side hinge strap secured to the door and providing a second axis spaced from the first axis;

a hinge mid-strap supported on the body-side hinge strap to pivot about the first axis, and supported on the door-side hinge strap at the second axis; and

a removable lockout bracket secured to the door-side hinge strap by a first attachment and secured to the hinge mid-strap by a second attachment preventing the door from pivoting about the second axis during use.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein the lockout bracket is secured to the hinge mid-strap at a location along a length of the hinge mid-strap between the first axis and the second axis.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein the hinge mid-strap is supported on the body-side hinge strap to pivot about the first axis through a range of angular displacement that extends between a first position at which the door is closed and a second position at which the door is open.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 3 wherein the range of angular displacement is about ninety degrees.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 1

wherein the lockout bracket further comprises a first leg secured to the door-side hinge strap by the first attachment, and a second leg secured to the hinge mid-strap by the second attachment.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a nut elastically supported on the door-side hinge strap and aligned with an attachment position on the door-side hinge strap;

a first attachment and a second attachment; and

wherein the lockout bracket further comprises a first leg secured at the attachment position to the door-side hinge strap by the first attachment and the nut engaged with the first attachment, and a second leg secured to the hinge mid-strap by the second attachment.

7. A hinge assembly for supporting a door that provides access to the interior of a motor vehicle body comprising:

an upper body-side hinge strap secured to the body and including a pivot aligned with a first axis;

a lower body-side hinge strap spaced vertically from the upper body-side hinge strap, secured to the body and including a pivot aligned with the first axis;

an upper door-side hinge strap secured to the door and including a pivot aligned with a second axis that is spaced from the first axis;

a lower door-side hinge strap secured to the door and including a pivot aligned with a second axis;

a hinge mid-strap supported on one of the upper and lower body-side hinge straps to pivot about the first axis, and supported on one of the upper and lower door-side hinge straps at the second axis; and

a first removable lockout bracket secured by a first attachment to said one of the upper and lower door-side hinge straps, and secured by a second attachment to the hinge mid-strap preventing the door from pivoting about the second axis during use.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 7 further comprising a second lockout bracket secured to the other one of the upper and lower door-side hinge straps and secured to the hinge mid-strap continually preventing the door from pivoting about the second axis.

9. The hinge assembly of claim 7 further comprising a member interconnecting the upper and lower hinge mid-straps to coordinate angular displacement of the upper and lower hinge mid-straps about the first axis.

10. The hinge assembly of claim 7 wherein the first lockout bracket is secured to the upper hinge mid-strap at a location along a length of the upper hinge mid-strap between the first axis and the second axis.

11. The hinge assembly of claim 7 wherein:

the upper hinge mid-strap is supported on the upper body-side hinge strap to pivot about the first axis;

the lower hinge mid-strap is supported on the upper body-side hinge strap to pivot about the first axis, said pivoting occurring through a range of angular displacement that extends between a first position at which the door is closed and a second position at which the door is open.

12. The hinge assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

a first upper attachment and a second upper attachment;

a first lower attachment and a second lower attachment;

a second lockout bracket; and wherein:

the first lockout bracket further comprises a first leg secured to the upper door-side hinge by the first upper attachment, and a second leg secured to the upper hinge mid-strap by the second upper attachment; and

the second lockout bracket further comprises a third leg secured to the lower door-side hinge strap by the first lower attachment, and a fourth leg secured to the lower hinge mid-strap by the second lower attachment.

13. The hinge assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

an upper nut elastically supported on the upper door-side hinge strap and aligned with an upper attachment position on the upper door-side hinge strap;

a first upper attachment and a second upper attachment;

a lower nut elastically supported on the lower door-side hinge strap and aligned with a lower attachment position on the lower door-side hinge strap;

a first lower attachment and a second lower attachment; and wherein:

the first lockout bracket further comprises a first leg secured at the upper attachment position to the upper door-side hinge strap by the first lower attachment and the upper nut engaged with the first upper attachment, and a second leg secured to the upper hinge mid-strap by the second upper attachment; and

the second lockout bracket further comprises a first leg secured at the lower attachment position to the lower door-side hinge strap by the first lower attachment and the lower nut engaged with the first lower attachment, and a second leg secured to the lower hinge mid-strap by the second lower attachment.

Assignments (12)