GB2308618A

GB2308618A - A hinge assembly for removably attaching a vehicle door.

Info

Publication number: GB2308618A
Application number: GB9626727A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Philip Donald Shuker
Original assignee: UPF GROUP PLC
Current assignee: UPF GROUP PLC
Priority date: 1995-12-23
Filing date: 1996-12-23
Publication date: 1997-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-23
Also published as: DE19653988A1; GB2308618B; DE19653988C2; GB9626727D0; GB9526510D0

Description

2308618 1WGE ASSEMMLY FOR A VEMCLE DOOR The present invention relates to a

hinge assembly for a vehicle door and to a process for hanging a vehicle door on a vehicle body.

In the production of motor vehicles it is desirable to temporarily mount vehicle doors on the vehicle body and then paint the assembled body and doors. The paint process usually involves immersing the body and doors in a paint bath and then subsequently placing the assembled body and doors in an oven for baking the paint. Typically the oven temperature is 2OWC.

After completion of the painting process, the doors and vehicle body are disassembled for fitment of components and are then subsequently reassembled. Disassembly of the doors from the vehicle body involves disassembling the door hinges. In one type of hinge, a single hinge pin is retracted in a downwards direction from both hinge leaves and then on reassembly a replacement hinge pin is inserted and fixed in place.

It is a general aim of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly including a pair of hinge leaves hingedly connected by a retractable hinge pin which can be temporarily retained on one of the hinge leaves during the disassembly of the hinge assembly for fitment of the doors and vehicle body.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge assembly including a pair of hinge leaves hingedly connected by an axially retractable hinge pin, the hinge pin in the assembled hinge assembly residing at an assembled position, the hinge pin being retractable 1 from said assembled position to a disassembled position whereat it is partially housed in one hinge leaf and removed from the other hinge leaf so as to permit separation of the hinge leaves, friction retention means being provided for co-operation between the hinge pin and said one hinge leaf when the hinge pin is at said disassemble position so as to releasably retain the hinge pin at said position.

Preferably said friction retention means includes an 0-ring mounted on the hinge pin or within the hinge pin bore of said one hinge leaf; the 0-ring being formed from a material capable of frictionally retaining the hinge pin at said disassembled position. The 0-ring is preferably formed from a material which is capable of withstanding temperatures to which the body and doors are exposed during the painting process so that the 0rings may be fitted prior to the painting process.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a process of hanging a vehicle door on a vehicle body using a hinge assembly as defined above.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of an assembled hinge assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the hinge assembly of Figure 1 shown in a disassembled condition.

A hinge assembly according to the present invention is generally shown at 10 and includes a male hinge leaf 12 and a female hinge leaf 14 which are hingedly connected by a hinge pin 16 which is shown at its normal assembled position.

2 The hinge leaves 12, 14 include hinge pin bores 18, 20 respectively through which the hinge pin 16 extends.

The hinge pin 16 is axially withdrawable in a downwards direction to a disassembled position shown in Figure 2 whereat its terminal or upper end portion 22 is housed within the lower portion of bore 20. The hinge pin 16 at this position is removed from the hinge leaf 12 and so hinge leaves 12 and 14 can be separated.

The hinge pin 16 is provided with an 0-ring 30 mounted within an annular groove formed in the hinge pin 16. The 0-ring 30 is formed from a resiliently deformable material, such as an elastomer or rubber, which has a high co-efficient of friction and is preferably compressible such that it co-operates with the internal wall of the lower portion of bore 20 to retain the hinge pin 16 at the position shown. Preferably the outer diameter of the 0-ring is slightly greater than the diameter of the lower portion of bore 20 such that it is compressed when received therein.

In this way, during subsequent processing of the vehicle body/door to which hinge leaf 14 is attached, the hinge pin 16 will remain in place ready for reassembly of the hinge 10.

The hinge pin 16 is provided with a further annular groove 31 for receiving a circlip (not shown) in a conventional manner.

As shown, the terminal end portion 22 projects externally of hinge leaf 22 when the hinge pin is at its assembled position. Preferably the annular groove for the 0-ring 30 is located on the terminal end portion 22 so that when the hinge pin 16 is located at its assembled position, the 0- ring 30 is also located externally of hinge leaf 14. Accordingly, after 3 reassembly of the hinge 10 the 0-ring 30 does not interfere with the normal operation of hinge 10.

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Claims

CLAIM

1. A hinge assembly including a pair of hinge leaves hingedly connected by an axially retractable hinge pin, the hinge pin in the assembled hinge assembly residing at an assembled position, the hinge pin being retractable from said assembled position to a disassembled position whereat it is partially housed in one hinge leaf and removed from the other hinge leaf so as to permit separation of the hinge leaves, friction retention means being provided for co-operation between the hinge pin and said one hinge leaf when the hinge pin is at said disassemble position so as to releasably retain the hinge pin at said position.

2. A hinge assembly according to Claim 1 wherein said friction retention means includes a friction member mounted on the hinge pin.

3. A hinge assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the friction member comprises an 0-ring made of a resiliently deformable material.

4. A hinge assembly according to Claim 3 wherein said deformable material is capable of withstanding temperatures required for baking of paint.

5. A hinge assembly according to any of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the hinge pin includes a terminal shank portion which is located externally of said one hinge leaf when the hinge pin is at its assembled position, the friction member being located on said terminal portion.

6. A process for hanging a vehicle door on a vehicle body wherein prior to painting the vehicle door is hung on the vehicle body using at least one hinge assembly according to any preceding claim, the vehicle door is subsequently removed by moving the hinge pin to its disassembled position for retention on said one hinge leaf, the vehicle door and body are painted, the painted door and body are baked and subsequently the door is re-hung onto the body by moving the hinge pin from its disassembled 5 position to its assembled position.

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