Abstract:
An articulating prop to prop panels in an open position is disclosed. In one embodiment, the prop includes a protrusion that rests in a groove to lock members of the articulating prop in position. An external force causes the articulating prop members to rotate into a locked position. In another embodiment, an additional latch is disclosed which further locks the articulating prop in a locked position. An external force causes the articulating prop member to rotate out of a locked position. Shapes and interfaces of handles of the articulating prop are disclosed. Openings and pivotal axes of members of the articulating prop are also disclosed herein.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    This invention relates to apparatuses used to prop panels in an open position relative to one another. 
       Background of the Invention 
       [0002]    Vehicle panels, and especially vehicle hoods, tend to be heavy due to their composition. Although a composition of heavy materials can serve to increase rigidity and safety factors in vehicles, some vehicles require a material composition that prioritize lightweight design instead. Vehicle panels of a lightweight composition impose smaller stresses on props and hinges, which in turn may also be made lighter, thereby increasing a vehicle&#39;s fuel efficiency. 
         [0003]    Closure panel props are an apparatus used to make opening and propping a panel easier for a vehicle user. Thus, panel props must be of an intuitive, user-friendly design. The current art contains many solutions ranging in complexity and size from long rods to systems of hinges and sliding components. Rods, although reliable, tend to be heavy and require space sufficient to store the entire length of the rod. Systems of hinges, as they increase in complexity, are prone to wear or reduced performance caused by debris. Sliding components are especially prone to reduced performance caused by debris entering small spaces wherein components slide past one another. 
         [0004]    Commercial vehicles tend to utilize props which can be produced cheaply at high production rates and quantities. However, vehicles produced at low rates or quantities must utilize more practical manufacturing methods that allow props of sufficient quality to be manufactured. Traditional methods, such as casting or forging, require high initial tooling costs which can only be recovered after high quantity product output. Thus there is a need in the art for a vehicle closure panel prop which is simple, light-weight, intuitive to the user, and producible at low quantities. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    This invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available systems and methods. Accordingly, an articulating prop has been developed. Features and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims. 
         [0006]    Consistent with the foregoing, an articulating prop is disclosed. Two members are provided that share an axis of rotation. When the angle between columns exceeds a certain magnitude about the axis of rotation, a propping apparatus is provided that allows the two members to lock in position relative to one another. In one embodiment, the articulating prop utilizes a protrusion mating with a groove to lock members in position. In another embodiment, a latch is added to the first embodiment to further lock members in position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a perspective view of an articulating prop used in conjunction with a separate hinge assembly between a vehicle hood and a vehicle chassis; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  is a top-down view of a vehicle hood utilizing an articulating prop; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2B and 2C  are cross-sectional views of the vehicle hood utilizing an articulating prop of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an articulating prop used to prop a vehicle hood wherein the vehicle hood would be in a closed position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the articulating prop of  FIG. 3  wherein the vehicle hood would be in a partially open position; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a side view of the articulating prop of  FIG. 4  wherein the articulating prop is in a locked position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of components of which members and axes of the articulating prop are comprised of; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of the articulating prop and angles associated with the articulating prop&#39;s performance; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of the articulating prop in an unlocked position and a first external force used to lock the prop; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of the articulating prop in a locked position and a second eternal force used to unlock the prop; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a second embodiment of the articulating prop utilizing a latch in an unlocked position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  shows the second embodiment of the articulating prop utilizing a latch in a locked position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  shows an exploded view of the second embodiment of the articulating prop; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  shows four illustrative shapes of handles utilized in the articulating prop; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  shows two illustrative shapes of handles utilized in the articulating prop, one of which comprises curved surfaces. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of certain examples of presently contemplated embodiments in accordance with the invention. The presently described embodiments will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1A , a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the shown application, an articulating prop is used to prop a vehicle hood  102  relative to a vehicle chassis  104 .  FIG. 1B  shows a close-up view of the articulating prop used between the vehicle hood  102  and the vehicle chassis  104  of  FIG. 1A . The articulating prop is further comprised of a first member  110  and a second member  120 , which are pivotally fixed to one another by means of an axis of rotation detailed hereafter. The first member  110  further comprises a handle  112 , which in this embodiment is generally spherical in shape and rigidly fixed to the first member. This handle is used by a vehicle user to operate the articulating prop. In addition to the articulating prop, a separate hinge  108  is shown to illustrate that while the articulating prop may act as both a hinge and a prop in some applications, it may also be used adjacent to and in conjunction with a separate hinge  108  so that the articulating prop&#39;s primary function is only to prop a first body relative to a second body. The separate hinge  108  connects the vehicle hood  102  to the vehicle chassis  104  through hinge assembly bolts  109  used to fix the separate hinge  108  to a vehicle structural frame member  106 , which is welded onto the vehicle chassis  104 . Like the separate hinge  108 , the articulating prop connects the vehicle hood  102  to the vehicle structural frame member  106 . The articulating prop shown is in a locked state. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2A  shows a top-down view of the vehicle hood  102  shown in  FIG. 1A , and further shows a dashed line representing the location of a cross-sectional view shown in  FIG. 2B .  FIG. 2A  is included as a reference but does not disclose any new components or an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2B  shows a side view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1A  by utilizing a cross sectional view of the vehicle hood  102  as illustrated in  FIG. 2A .  FIG. 2B  is included as a reference for the origins of  FIG. 2C .  FIG. 2C  shows a close up view of  FIG. 2B  and shows the separate hinge  108  connecting the vehicle hood  102  to the vehicle structural frame member  106 .  FIG. 2C  also shows the first member  110  of the present invention having a first pivotal axis  202  which is pivotally fixed to a first body, which is the vehicle hood  102 . The first member  110  and the second member  120  are pivotally fixed to one another by an axis of rotation  208  which is shared by the first member  110  and the second member  120 . The first member further comprises a dogleg  204  adjacent the axis of rotation  208  and a protrusion  206  which interfaces with the second member  120  in a manner shown hereafter. The second member  120  further comprises a second pivotal axis  210  which is pivotally fixed to a second body, which is the vehicle structural frame member  106 . The articulating prop shown is in a locked state. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows the articulating prop of  FIG. 2C  in an unlocked state. To make the articulating prop more readily visible, the vehicle hood and the separate hinge have been excluded from  FIG. 3 . The first member is shown to comprise a first pivotal axis which pivotally fixes the first member to a vehicle hood member  302 . The articulating prop is in an unlocked state because the protrusion  206  of the first member  110  is shown not mating with a groove  306  of the second member. The groove  306  is of a similar shape to a contour of the protrusion  206 , having a circular shape and a radius equal to an outer radius of the cylindrical protrusion  206 . The second member  120  is shown pivotally fixed to the vehicle structural frame member  106  through a second pivotal axis  210 . The first pivotal axis  202 , axis of rotation  208 , and the second pivotal axis are the same as those shown in  FIG. 2C  except that the pivotal or rotational position of each is different, thus causing the relative distance of the first member  110  to the vehicle structural frame member  106  to decrease and the distance of the second member  120  to the vehicle chassis  104  to decrease. Although not shown in this figure, the vehicle hood, to which the vehicle hood member  302  is rigidly fixed, is in a closed state. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows the articulating prop of  FIG. 3  in which the axis of rotation  208  is rotated to a different angle. As in  FIG. 3 , the vehicle hood is not shown in  FIG. 4 , with the exception of the vehicle hood member  302  which is pivotally fixed to the first member  110  by a first pivotal axis  202 . The vehicle hood is in a partially open state, the rotational angles of the axis of rotation  208 , the first pivotal axis  202 , and the second pivotal axis  210  to change relative to rotational angles when the vehicle hood is in a closed state as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5A  shows the articulating prop of  FIG. 4  in a locked position.  FIG. 5A  is shown to illustrate the origins of  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5B  shows a close-up view of the articulating prop in a locked position of  FIG. 5A . The first member  110  is pivotally fixed to the second member  120  by means of the axis of rotation  208 . The axis of rotation  208  is rotationally fixed. The first member  110  and the second member  120  are locked in position. The protrusion  206  of the first member  110  is mated with the groove  306  of the second member  120 , the groove having a radius equal to the outer radius of the protrusion. The second member further comprises a semi-circular end  500  near the axis of rotation  208 . The semi-circular end  500  allows the protrusion  206  to move freely about the second member  120  and away from the groove  306 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the articulating prop shown in  FIG. 5A . The first member  110  is shown to further comprise a first opening of the first member  604 , a second opening of the first member  622 , and a third opening of the first member  612 . The vehicle hood member  302  has a vehicle hood member opening  606 . The first pivotal axis comprises a first pivotal axis bolt  602  inserted through the first opening of the first member  604  and the vehicle hood member opening  606  and then secured using a first pivotal axis nut  608 . The protrusion of the first member  110  further comprises a first bolt  610  inserted into the third opening of the first member  612  and then inserted into a threaded handle  614 . The first bolt  610  interfaces with the groove  306  of the second member  120 . The second member  120  is shown to further comprise a first opening of the second member  628  and a second opening of the second member  618 . The axis of rotation further comprises an axle comprised of a second bolt  616  inserted into the second opening of the second member  618 , inserted into a spacer  620 , inserted into the second opening of the first member  622 , and then secured using a an axis of rotation nut  624 . The spacer  620  separates the first member  110  and the second member  120 . The axis of rotation bolt  616  and spacer  620  allow the first member  110  and the second member  120  to rotate about the axis of rotation. The second pivotal axis comprises a second pivotal axis bolt  626  inserted into the first opening of the second member  628  and then secured using a second pivotal axis nut  630 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of the articulating prop shown in  FIG. 6 . The first member  110  and the second member  120  are joined at the axis of rotation  208 . A first axis  702  is formed between the first pivotal axis  202  of the first member  110  and the axis of rotation  208 . A second axis  706  is formed between the second pivotal axis  210  of the second member  120  and the axis of rotation  208 . The first member  110  and the second member  120  rotate around the axis of rotation such that a first angle  704  is formed between the first axis  702  and the second axis  706 . The first angle  704  represents a rotational range of motion for the axis of rotation  208  and can be between −5 degrees and 200 degrees, where −5 degrees occurs when the vehicle hood is closed and 200 degrees occurs when the hood is open and the articulating prop is in its locked state. A third axis  708  is formed between the first pivotal axis  202  and the centroid of the first member  110  up to the dogleg  204  of the first member  110 . A second angle  710  is formed between the first axis  702  and the third axis  708 . The second angle  710  increases as the length of the dogleg  204  increases, and the dogleg  204  serves to increase the range of possible first angles  704  beyond 180 degrees, thus also increasing the range of motion of the axis of rotation  208  beyond 180 degrees. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of the articulating prop of  FIG. 7  in an unlocked state. A user typically opens a vehicle hood by lifting the hood until it reaches a certain height and then propping it. The separate hinge shown in  FIG. 1B  and the articulating prop will allow a user to lift the vehicle hood up to a maximum height. At this maximum height, the weight of the vehicle hood  802  acts in a vertically downward direction. Should a user discontinue counteracting the weight of the vehicle hood  802  by lifting it, the weight of the vehicle hood  802  would cause the first member  110  and the second member  120  to rotate about the axis of rotation  208  such that the first angle  704  would decrease and the hood would fall closed. This decrease in the first angle  704  is caused by a positive third angle  806  which is formed between the direction of the weight of the vehicle hood  802  and the first axis  702 . In order to prop the hood in an open position such that no external force is required to maintain the open position of the vehicle hood, the third angle  806  must be decreased such that it becomes negative. To accomplish this, when the vehicle hood is lifted up to its maximum height, a first external force  804  in a first direction must be applied to the handle of the first member  110 . The first external force will increase the first angle  704 , decrease the third angle  806 , and cause the articulating prop to prop the vehicle hood in an open position. The locked position is further described in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of the articulating prop of  FIG. 8  in a locked state. After a first external force is applied in a first direction as detailed in  FIG. 8 , the third angle  806  becomes negative, the first angle  704  becomes greater than 180 degrees, and the protrusion  206  mates with the groove  306 . No additional external force is required to maintain the locked state of the first member  110  and the second member  120  of the articulating prop because the weight of the vehicle hood  802  exerts a force that would tend to increase the first angle  704 . This force is counteracted by the groove  306  mating with the protrusion  206  and thus preventing any further increase of the first angle  704 . In order to unlock the first member  110  and the second member  120  from a locked state, a second external force  902  in a second direction must be applied to the handle that decreases the first angle  704  and increases the third angle  806  from a negative angle to a positive angle. 
         [0033]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention wherein the second member  120  further comprises a third pivotal axis  1002  and a latch  1000 , the latch being pivotally fixed to the second member at the third pivotal axis. The latch is in an open position and can be closed to lock the first member to the second member in a manner shown hereafter. 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 9  wherein the latch  1000  is in a closed position. The latch  1000  is rotated about the third pivotal axis  1002  until the latch  1000  mates with the surface of the protrusion  206 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the latch  1000  is shaped such that it fits the shape of the protrusion. The latch  1000  acts as a secondary locking mechanism to maintain the first member  110  and the second member  120  in their locked positions. The latch  1000  strengthens the locking power of the articulating prop to withstand unexpected external forces caused by accidental human interactions or wind. 
         [0035]      FIG. 12  shows a perspective exploded view of the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the second member  120  further comprises a sixth opening  1208 . The third pivotal axis further comprises a latch screw  120  inserted into a latch opening  1206  in the latch  1204 , then inserted into the sixth opening  1208  and secured using a latch nut  1210 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of four first members  1302 ,  1306 ,  1310 ,  1314  each having different handles  1304 ,  1308 ,  1312 ,  1316  of different shape. First member  1302  comprises a handle  1304  of spherical shape. First member  1306  comprises a handle  1308  of cylindrical shape. First member  1310  comprises a handle  1312  of rectangular prismatic shape. First member  1314  comprises a handle  1316  of polyhedral shape. The handle shapes shown are understood to be illustrative of the various shapes the handle of the present invention may comprise and are not restrictive to only the shapes shown herein. 
         [0037]      FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of two first members  1310 ,  1402  having different handles  1312 ,  1404 . First member  1310  comprises a handle  1312  of a rectangular prismatic shape. First member  1402  comprises a handle  1404  originally of a rectangular prismatic shape with curved interfaces  1406 . The curved interfaces  1406  on and between sides of the handle  1404  provide a user with a more comfortable grip, thus making the articulating prop a more comfortable device for the user to interact with. 
         [0038]    The apparatus disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.