Patent ID: 8082630

Claim:
A vehicle door hinge comprising: a base including top and bottom walls, an open side and first and second pivot attachments, a main link having first and second ends, a bend, with first and second arms extending from the bend, the first end of the main link being pivotally mounted to the base at the first pivot attachment such that the main link moves between the bottom and top walls of the base and through the open side when the main link is pivoted around the first pivot attachment, the main link having a first closed end slot disposed midway along the height of the main link and extending through the bend, a pair of second closed end slots spaced above and below the first closed end slot and a pair of open ended slots that open at the second end of the link; a control link having first and second ends, a first short leg, a bend and a second long leg, the control link pivotally mounted to the base at the first end; a drive link having first and second ends with the first end pivotally connected to the second end of the control link, the drive link passing through the first closed end slot of the main link and being pivotally secured therein; a door mounting plate having first and second ends with a plurality of spaced apart open ended slots formed therein and opening at the first end of the plate and at least one closed end slot formed between the open ended slots and the second end of the door mounting plate wherein the second end of the drive link is pivotally secured in a center one of the open ended slots; at least one idle link having a first end thereof pivotally secured in a second closed end slot of the main link and a second end thereof pivotally secured in an open ended slot of the door mounting plate; at least one of kicker link having a first end thereof pivotally secured in the open ended slot of the main link and a second end pivotally secured in a closed end slot of the door mounting plate wherein the kicker link is longer than the idle link; and wherein the control link forces the drive link to pivot in the main link when the hinge is moved from a closed to an open position with the at least one idle link and the at least one kicker link pivoting to move the door mounting plate outward away from the base and rearward from the base as the hinge is moved from the closed to the open position.