Patent ID: 7076836

Claim:
A hinge system that is adapted to releasably retain a vehicle door in a desired angular orientation on a vehicle body, comprising: a pillar hinge bracket adapted to be secured to the vehicle body; a door hinge bracket adapted to be secured to the vehicle door, said door hinge bracket including first and second mounting ears and a U-shaped intermediate member extending between and interconnecting the first and second mounting ears, said door hinge bracket being movable together with the door between a first angular orientation relative to said pillar hinge bracket and a second angular orientation relative to said pillar hinge bracket; a hinge pin extending through the pillar hinge bracket and the door hinge bracket and relative to which the door hinge bracket is rotatable; a contact body affixed to the hinge pin and including at least first and second engagement points; a latching device movable with respect to the contact body, the latching device including an attachment portion, an engagement portion, and a latching portion, said attachment portion being secured to said intermediate member of said door hinge bracket, said engagement portion extending from said attachment portion and relatively away from said door bracket intermediate portion and toward said contact body, and said engagement portion providing said latching portion and being adapted to bias said latching portion into engagement with said contact body such that said latching portion is selectively engageable with the contact body engagement points so as to be releasably engaged with said first engagement point when said door hinge bracket is in said first angular orientation and to be releasably engaged with said second engagement point when said door hinge bracket is in said second angular orientation.