Patent ID: 8756763

Claim:
A vehicle door hinge for a vehicle door on a vehicle having a vehicle frame, the vehicle door hinge comprising: a chassis mounting plate securely fastenable to the vehicle frame; a swingarm securely fastenable to the vehicle door; a bi-directional rotation mechanism connecting the chassis mounting plate to the swingarm, the bi-directional rotation mechanism being configured to allow rotation of the swingarm in a substantially horizontal plane and in a substantially vertical plane; a first bearing surface positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane; a second bearing surface positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane; and a spring attached at one end to the swingarm and at another end to either the vehicle frame or to the chassis mounting plate; wherein the first bearing surface is positioned to bear against the second bearing surface and to maintain a continuous state of contact against the second bearing surface when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially horizontal plane; and wherein the first bearing surface is positioned not to bear against the second bearing surface when the swingarm is rotated in the substantially vertical plane.