The present invention relates to a hinge arrangement for pivotable suspension of a moveable part on a fixed part, particularly for suspension of a door or hatch on the body of a motor vehicle, which arrangement comprises at least one guide device by means of which the moveable part, after it has been dismounted from the fixed part, can be remounted in a position set before dismounting.

In car manufacturing it is desirable to be able to fit doors and hatches in the correct position on the vehicle body in the body production shop. However, this makes it difficult to carry out subsequent assembly work on these doors and hatches, and also on the vehicle body itself. It is therefore desirable, in final assembly, to be able to dismount the doors and hatches, especially luggage space hatches of the estate car type, in order to facilitate various assembly work. This makes it considerably simpler to provide the doors and hatches with locks, glass etc. Remounting of these doors and hatches in the finished state has, however, caused certain problems, since it has been necessary to carry out a new and time-consuming fitting.

It is true that it has been possible to use colour markings, for example, to obtain a good idea of how the parts should be positioned relative to each other in order to fit well, but the accuracy has been imperfect.

The aim of the invention is to permit, by simple means, a simple and accurate remounting of a previously mounted moveable part such as, for example, a hatch or a door on a fixed part such as, for example, a vehicle body.

This is achieved according to the invention in that the guide device connects the moveable part to the hinge part which is designed to be pivotable, in which respectthe guide device is detachably connected to the hinge part in a fixed position relative to this and, thus, also in a fixed position relative to the fixed part, in that the moveable part can be fixed relative to the guide device in a desired position relative to this for the purpose of achieving a set position of the moveable part relative to the guide device, and in that the

guide device can be dismounted together with the moveable part and has a guide member cooperating with the hinge, by which means the guide device together with the moveable part can be guided to and remounted in the previously set position. In this way the moveable part can be arranged simply and very quickly in the correct position relative to the hinge and fixed on this without special fitting.

An alternative embodiment of the invention to which this application relates is distinguished in that the guide device connects the hinge part, which is designed not to be pivotable, to the fixed part, in which respectthe guide device is detachably connected to the fixed part in a fixed position relative to the latter, in that the hinge can be fixed relative to the guide device in a desired position relative to the latter for the purpose of achieving a set position of the hinge relative to the guide device, and in that the guide device can be dismounted together with the hinge and has a guide member cooperating with the fixed part, by which means the guide device together with the hinge can be guided to and remounted in the previously set position.

in this definition of the invention, the parts included in the arrangement are connected to each other in a manner which is essentially the reverse of the previously mentioned embodiment. The advantages which are achieved are, however, essentially the same.

The guide device can advantageously have a first attachment piece which is intended to reach through the pivotable hinge part or alternatively through the fixed hinge part, and which is designed to cooperate with a first attachment member in order to fix the guide device on the pivotable hinge part/fixed hinge part. Furthermore, the guide device can have a second attachment piece which is intended to reach with play through the moveable part or alternatively through the hinge part, which is designed not to be pivotable, and which is designed to cooperate with a second attachment member in order to fix the moveable part on the pivotable hinge part fixed hinge part. The guide device can in this way be given a simple design and can be mounted and dismounted quickly and simply.

The invention is illustrated in greater detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawing, in which :

Fig. 1 shows, partially in section, a first embodiment of a hinge arrangement designed according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a section ll-ll in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a piece of the pivotable hinge part,

Fig.4 shows a guide device cooperating with the hinge part in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 shows, partially in section, a second embodiment of a hinge arrangement designed according to the invention.

According to Fig. 1, a moveable part 1 in the form of a rear hatch of the estate cartype, provided with a window 2, is pivotably suspended on a fixed part 3 in the form of a vehicle body, with the aid of at least two hinges 4, of which only one is shown in the drawing. Each hinge has a hinge part 5 designed in a conventional manner for fixation in the fixed part 3, and a hinge part 6 which is pivotable relative to the hinge part 5 and constitutes the attachment for the moveable part 1.

At the free end of the pivotable hinge part 6 there is mounted a guide device 7 which, with a first attachment piece 8, reaches through the pivotable hinge part 6 and is secured in this by means of a first attachment member 9 (Fig. 2). By means of a second attachment piece 10, the guide device 7 reaches with play through the moveable part 1 which, by means of a second attachment member 11 cooperating with the second attachment piece 10, is fixed with respect to the pivotable hinge part 6. Attachment devices 12 and 13 in the form of screws on either side of the guide device 7 run with play through the moveable part 1 and are in engagement with the pivotable hinge part 6 in order to further fix the moveable part 1 with respect to the pivotable hinge part 6.

The guide device 7 is here designed as a pin bolt which is threaded at both ends and which has, in its first attachment piece 8 cooperating with the pivotable hinge part 6, a conical cutting 14 for cooperation with a corresponding conical recess 15 in the pivotable hinge part 6 (Figs. 3 and 4). The conical recess 15 has its base directed towards the side 16 of the

pivotable hinge part 6 against which the moveable part 1 is intended to bear.

In the pivotable hinge part 6 there is a groove 17 with side walls 18 with which edge surfaces 19 (Fig.4) of a locking part 20 arranged in connection with the conical part 14 of the guide device 7 can cooperate in order to prevent turning of the guide device 7. The top side of the locking part 20 is designed to be level with the side 16 of the pivotable hinge part 6 in order to be able to bear well against the moveable part i. In the pivotable hinge part 6 there are threaded holes 21 and 22 respectively for each attachment device 12 and 13 respectively.

As emerges from Figs. 1 and 2, the guide device 7 and the attachment devices 12 and 13 run through the moveable part 1 with so great a play that a certain mutual positional displacement between the moveable part 1 and the pivotable hinge part 6 is possible. This is of considerable importance for the moveable part 1 to be able to be set in the correct position relative to the fixed part 3. However, in this respect it is important that the heads of the screws 12 and 13, like the nut 11 and the locking part 20, or any washers cooperating with these parts, should be large enough to cover the respective openings in the moveable part 1 sufficiently in different positions.

The mounting of the moveable part 1 on the fixed part 3 is carried out in the following manner:

Before mounting of the moveable part 1 takes place, the hinge 4 has been fixed in the fixed part 3 and provided with the guide device 7, which is fixed in the pivotable hinge part 6 by means of the first attachment member 9, in which respectthe conical cutting 14 is braced in the recess 15. The second attachment member 11 has not yet been mounted. The moveable part 1 is then fixed with respect to the pivotable hinge part 6 by means of the second attachment member 11 when fitting of the moveable part 1 relative to the fixed part 3 has been carried out. As has been mentioned earlier, the number of hinges can vary, but two is a normal number. The attachment devices 12 and 13 may also be mounted if appropriate.

After fitting, the moveable part 1 can be dismounted simply by means of removing the attachment devices 12 and 13, which may have been mounted, and the first attachment member 9. The guide device is then held in the correct position on the moveable part 1 by means of the second attachment member 11.

Upon remounting of the moveable part, for example in connection with final assembly of a vehicle, the moveable part 1 is guided automatically to the correct position relative to the fixed part 3 by means of its guide device 7 and can be easily fixed by means of the first attachment member 9 and the two attachment devices 12 and 13, in such a way that the moveable part can be pivoted in the direction of the double arrow A (Fig. 1).

By means of using, as has been shown here, a conical recess 15 in the pivotable hinge part 6, the guide device 7 is guided effectively to the correct position when the moveable part 1 is remounted, but it is also possible to have instead, for example, only a pointed end on the first attachment piece 8. Rotational locking of the attachment device 7 can be achieved in other ways than has been shown here, for example by means of some form of locking plate which cooperates with the guide device 7 and with the pivotable hinge part 6. The various attachment members and attachment devices can of course also be varied in number, design and position. Instead of nuts 9 and 11, locking clips can be used for example.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the moveable part 1 can be set relative to the fixed part 3 in a plane parallel to the hinge axis. However, there is nothing to prevent the arrangement being designed in such a way that setting can take place instead in a plane of other orientation, for example in a plane at right angles to the hinge axis.

In the exemplary embodiment described, the guide member 7 is, as shown in Fig. 1 , arranged between the rear hatch 1 and the hinge part 6 which is designed to be pivotable, but it is also possible to arrange the guide member 7 between the hinge part 5, which is designed not to be pivotable, and the body 3 without departing from the concept of the invention. This second embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5. According to Fig. 5, the rear hatch 1 is connected in a fixed manner, in a way not shown in detail,

to the hinge part 6 which is designed to be pivotable, while the guide device 7 is mounted on the hinge part 5 which is designed to be fixed on the body 3. The guide device 7 is in this case detachably connected to the body 3, while the hinge part 5 can be fixed in the desired position relative to the guide device 7.

In other respects the two embodiments are identical to each other.