Patent ID: 8020918

Claim:
An assembly to pivotally connect an external vehicle closure panel to a vehicle body for movement about a horizontal pivot axis, the assembly comprising: a pair of hinge members for pivotally mounting the closure member for movement about the horizontal pivot axis between a closed position and an open position, comprising: (i) the first hinge member for mounting to one of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body; and (ii) the second hinge member for mounting to the other of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body; a connection member attached to the first hinge member; a support member on the second hinge member for pivotally receiving the connection member so as to allow relative pivotal movement between the connection member and the support member, thus allowing for pivotal movement of the closure panel and support of its weight; and a viscous rotary damper, the viscous damper comprises (i) a cover for fixing relative to the second hinge member; (ii) a rotor rotatably supported within the cover; and (iii) a viscous material disposed in a space between the cover and the rotor, wherein the connection member connects to the rotor such that rotation of the external vehicle closure panel between the closed position and the open position causes relative motion between the rotor and the cover of the viscous damper to provide a resistance torque for controlling the velocity of the external vehicle closure member.