Patent Publication Number: US-11035161-B2

Title: Hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim  1  and to a hinged opening of a vehicle comprising at least one hinge of this kind. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Hinges for hinged openings of vehicles are known in numerous variations and include a first hinge part and a second hinge part, which are connected to one another via an axis of rotation so as to be movable relative to one another. The first hinge part has a slot and the second hinge part has a fitting hole through which a screw is guided, which is clamped by a shaped nut. 
     From DE 10 2009 022 939 A1 a generic hinge for a front hinged opening of a vehicle is known, which has a lower hinge part and an upper hinge part, which are connected via a clamping screw with each other. A device for adjusting the height of the front hinged opening comprises a hole in a hinge part and a slot in the other hinge part through which the clamping screw is passed and after tightening a nut the clamping screw can be clamped such that, when using a bushing, the height adjustment can be fixed and the relative mobility of the hinge parts are guaranteed. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle and a hinged opening of a vehicle comprising at least one hinge of this kind, which has a reduced length of a hinge axis with the same length of a nut thread. 
     According to embodiments of the present invention the object is achieved by providing a hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle with the features described herein and by a hinged opening of a vehicle with the features described herein. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified herein. 
     In order to provide a hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle, which has a reduced length of a hinge axis with the same length of a nut thread, a shaped nut forms a step, wherein a first part of the step is inserted into a slot and a second part of the step protrudes from a first hinge part and rests on one edge of the slot. 
     In the following, a hinge is understood to mean an assembly having a first hinge part and a second hinge part, which are connected to one another via an axis of rotation so as to be movable relative to one another. The first hinge part has the slot and the second hinge part has a fitting hole through which a screw is guided. The screw is clamped by the shaped nut. In this case, the nut in the tightened state fixes, on the one hand, the position of the screw and thereby the position of the rotation axis in the slot and, on the other hand, it allows a relative rotational movement between the two hinge parts about the axis of rotation of the screw. Tolerance compensation is possible through the slot between two vehicle parts connected to the hinge parts. For example, an installation position of the hinged opening of a vehicle on the body can be changed or adjusted through the slot. 
     In addition, a hinged opening of a vehicle comprising at least one hinge of this kind is proposed. 
     Advantageously, the thread of the shaped nut can be at least partially embedded with the first part of the step in the slot, such that the usable thread length of the nut thread remains the same and the second part of the step, which protrudes from the first hinge part, can be shortened. Advantageously, a length of the screw, which is guided through the slot of the first hinge part and the fitting hole of the second hinge part and tightened by the shaped nut, can be reduced. By nesting the shaped nut and the slot and the length reduction of the screw and of the second part of the shaped nut achieved thereby, said second part protruding from the first hinge part, the space occupied by the hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention can be reduced in an advantageous manner. As a result, damage to body components by the hinge according to the invention can advantageously be reduced or completely prevented in an accident situation in bottlenecks. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the hinge according to the present invention, the first part of the shaped nut can form a pin with an internal thread. In addition, the internal thread can completely penetrate the shaped nut. As a result, the usual usable thread length of the shaped nut can be achieved in an advantageous manner. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment of the hinge according to the present invention, the shaped nut can be mounted so as to be longitudinally movable along at least one guide element along the slot on the first hinge part. Advantageously, the guide element can form a rotation lock. By preventing rotation, the screw can be screwed into the shaped nut without another counter-holding tool. In addition, the screw can be guided with the guided shaped nut in the slot. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment of the hinge according to the present invention, the at least one guide element can be designed as a projection which runs at least next to a side edge of the slot and which guides a flattened region of the shaped nut, said region being adjacent to the projection. In this case, the shaped nut can advantageously be guided outside on a surface of the first hinge part. The at least one projection can preferably be introduced as a caulking next to the slot into the first hinge part. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the hinge according to the present invention, at least one side wall of the slot can form the at least one guide element and guide a corresponding flattened region of the first part of the shaped nut embedded in the slot. Here, the shaped nut can be guided, locked in rotation, inside the slot of the first hinge in an advantageous manner. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment of the hinge according to the present invention, the screw may have an upset end portion. By the upset end portion, an unintentional complete release of the clamping connection between the screw and the shaped nut and also a deliberate separation of the shaped nut and the screw can be prevented in an advantageous manner. As a result, a removal of the screw from the slot and the fitting hole can be prevented in an advantageous manner, such that the hinged opening connected to the vehicle body via the hinge according to the invention can be prevented from being separated from the vehicle body. Thereby, an effective theft protection can be implemented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
       Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawing, same reference numerals designate components that perform the same or analog functions. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a hinge for a hinged opening of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic perspective view of the hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention from  FIG. 1  with a first exemplary embodiment of at least one guide element, and 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic perspective illustration of the hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention from  FIG. 1  with a second exemplary embodiment of the at least one guide element. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a hinge  10 A,  10 B for a hinged opening of a vehicle includes a first hinge part  11  and a second hinge part  12 , which are connected to one another via an axis of rotation so as to be movable relative to one another. The first hinge part  11  has a slot  13 , and the second hinge part  12  has a fitting hole  14 . Through the slot  13  and through the fitting hole  14 , a screw  15  is guided, which is clamped by a shaped nut  16 . 
     According to various embodiments of the present invention, the shaped nut  16  forms a step, wherein a first part  16 . 1  of the shaped nut  16  is inserted into the slot  13  and a second part  16 . 2  of the shaped nut  16  protrudes from the first hinge part  11  and rests on an edge of the slot  13 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the first hinge part  11  and the second hinge part  12  have mutually facing surfaces, between which a washer  18  is arranged. In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the screw  15  is designed as a stepped screw, which includes a larger diameter in a first portion guided in the fitting hole  14  than a threaded portion  15 . 1  guided in the slot  13 . 
     The two hinge parts  11 ,  12  are clamped between the screw head  15 . 3  and the shaped nut  16  such that the position of the screw and thereby the position of the axis of rotation is fixed in the slot but a relative rotational movement between the hinge parts  11 ,  12  is still possible. The screw  15  has an upset end portion  15 . 2 . Here, the shaped nut  16  and the two hinge parts  11 ,  12  are arranged between the screw head  15 . 3  and the upset end portion  15 . 2  of the screw  15 . As a result, disengagement of the hinged opening of a vehicle connected to a hinge part  11 ,  12  is made more difficult by a body component connected to the other hinge part  11 ,  12 , and an effective theft protection is implemented. In addition, an unwanted complete release of the screw can be avoided in an advantageous manner. Between the upset end portion  15 . 2  and the shaped nut  16 , the threaded portion  15 . 1  has a sufficient clearance to allow the release of the connection, which allows a displacement of the screw  15  and the shaped nut  16  along the slot  13 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first part  16 . 1  of the shaped nut  16  forms a pin with an internal thread, which completely penetrates the shaped nut  16 . Thereby, the expansion of the shaped nut  16  can be reduced along the axis of rotation maintaining the same thread length. The shaped nut  16  completely covers the slot  13  in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. A further embodiment is also conceivable in which the shaped nut  16  covers only the width of the slot  13  but not the entire length of the slot  13 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the shaped nut  16  is mounted so as to be longitudinally movable along at least one guide element  20  along the slot  13  on the first hinge part  11 , wherein the guide element  20  forms a rotation lock. 
     The first embodiment of the hinge  10 A according to an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 2  differs from the embodiment of the hinge  10   b  shown in  FIG. 3  by the at least one guide member  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the at least one guide element  20  is designed as a projection  20 A which runs at least next to a side edge of the slot  13  and which guides a flattened region of the shaped nut  16 , said region being adjacent to the projection  20 A. In the illustrated first exemplary embodiment, the second part  16 . 2  of the shaped nut  16  resting on the outside of the first hinge part  11  is disposed between two projections  20 A, each extending along a side edge of the slot  13 . The projections  20 A can be easily inserted into the first hinge part  11  by caulking. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , at least one side wall  20 B of the slot  13  forms the at least one guide element  20  in the illustrated second exemplary embodiment and guides a flattened region of the first part  16 . 1  of the shaped nut  16  embedded in the slot  13 . In the illustrated second exemplary embodiment, both side walls  20 B of the slot  13  each guide a flattened region of the first part  16 . 1  of the shaped nut  16  embedded in the slot  13 , such that the shaped nut  16  is guided in the slot  13  in a manner locked against rotation. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       10 A,  10 B Hinge 
       11  First hinge part 
       12  Second hinge part 
       13  Slot 
       14  Fitting hole 
       15  Screw 
       15 . 1  Thread section 
       15 . 2  Compressed end area 
       15 . 3  Screw head 
       16  Shaped nut 
       16 . 1  First part 
       16 . 2  Second part 
       18  Washer 
       20  Guide element 
       20 A Projection 
       20 B Sidewall