Patent ID: 6681448
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: E05D,E05Y,Y10T

Abstract:
A vehicle door hinge assembly for attaching a vehicle door in covering relation to a door opening provided in a vehicle body, said hinge assembly comprising:a body bracket configured to be attached to the vehicle body; a door bracket configured to be attached to the vehicle door; and, a door bracket carrier having said door bracket pivotally mounted thereon; the door bracket carrier being movably mounted to the body bracket such that, when said door bracket is attached to the vehicle door and said body bracket is attached to the vehicle body, said door bracket and the vehicle door to which said door bracket is attached move relative to the vehicle body and said body bracket between a fully closed position and a fully opened position through a multiple phase movement that comprises (a) a shifting phase wherein said door bracket carrier, said door bracket, and the door to which said door bracket is attached move in a shifting manner outwardly from the vehicle body from the fully closed position and an intermediate open position, and (b) a swinging phase wherein said door bracket and the door to which said door bracket is attached move in a swinging manner relative to the door bracket carrier and vehicle body between the intermediate position and the fully open position; said hinge assembly having motion restriction structure that restricts movement of said door bracket relative to said body bracket such that (a) said door bracket is fixed with respect to said door bracket carrier during said shifting phase such that movement of said door bracket and the door to which said door bracket is attached during said shifting phase is restricted to the aforesaid shifting manner, and (b) said door bracket carrier is fixed with respect to said body bracket during said swinging phase such that movement of said door bracket and the door to which said door bracket is attached during said swinging phase is restricted to the aforesaid swinging manner, thereby preventing movement of the door in said shifting manner from occurring prior to or during movement of the door in said swinging manner.