Field of Invention:

This invention relates to torsion rod assisted hinges for hood and deck lids for automotive vehicles though it may have much broader applications.

Background of the Invention:

The following United States Patents show torsion rod assisted hinges for deck lids or hoods for automotive vehicles: 2,091,673 2,188,891 2,783,495

4,378,658 4,580,315 4,949,426

In each of these but 2,188,891, two torsion rods are required to assist in opening and maintaining the hood or deck lid in the open position. One end of each rod is fastened to the vehicle body and the other end is fastened to the hood or deck lid, generally through a link member, and is in a twisted tension which serves to hold the lid or hood open, but will yield to manual closing force against the lid or hood to allow the same to be swung closed. In 2,188,891 a single torsion rod is held midway between its ends locked against rotation to the vehicle body while its ends are connected to the hinge trunions of the lid or hood. In effect two torsion rods are present, one on each side of the central connection of the rod to the vehicle body,

such that the arrangement is the same as that of the other prior art except the torsion rods are shorter. The portions of the torsion rod on opposite sides of its central connection to the vehicle body are twisted in the same direction during opening and closing of the hood.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I have discovered a simple and effective way to utilize but one torsion rod which, unlike the prior art, is not locked against rotation to the vehicle body but is directly connected at opposite ends to the hood or deck lid hinge assemblies. Thus there is an economy in eliminating one torsion rod of the prior art, and the steps needed to assemble it to the vehicle is simplified thereby reducing installation cost.

In a preferred embodiment an automotive hood or deck lid is pivotally mounted to the trunk or engine compartment by two laterally spaced hinges, each comprising a pair of pivotally connected brackets, one bracket being connected to the hood or deck lid and the other to the edge of the vehicle opening. A pair of links pivotally connected together at one end extend between the brackets of each hinge. Each pair of links is pivotally connected at opposite ends to the associated brackets and arranged such that the links of one pair fold and unfold in opposite directions from the links of the other pair when the hinges are swung during opening or closing of the hood or deck lid. A torsion rod extends between the hinges and is connected at opposite ends to the links of each pair, such that upon closing the deck lid or hood, the links fold in opposite

directions twisting the torsion rod at its ends in opposite directions to tension it, and when the trunk or deck lid is opened the links unfold in opposite directions assisting the opening motions and relaxing the rod.

As herein disclosed, opposite ends of the torsion rod may be angularly bent to provide a lever arm and the rod journaled in a hinge bracket adjacent the bent end which may be connected to one of the links of each pair of links. In this case the rod itself forms the pivotal connection for the link to which the bent end is attached. Alternatively the bent end of the torsion rod may itself be fashioned as one of the links and pivotally connected to the other link of the pair. In such case the bent end of the rod may be configured as a U-shape with the distal side of the U serving as the pivot pin or axis for the connection between the pair of links.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an engine compartment and raised hood showing my improved torsion rod assisted hinges;

FIG. 2 and 3 show the hinge brackets and oppositely folding links in the closed and open positions respectively;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one form of a torsion rod for use in my invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows an alternative torsion rod and link arrangement;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a torsion rod for use in the modification of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow 8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Fig 1 I have shown a representative hood 10 for an automobile hinged along one edge 12 to an edge 14 of an engine compartment 16 to be closed by the hood 10. While a hood and engine compartment are shown it will be understood that my invention is equally applicable to a deck lid and trunk compartment. The hood is preferably mounted on the vehicle by two laterally spaced apart hinges 18 and 20, each consisting of a pair of brackets 22 and 24 pivotally connected together as at 26. Primed reference numerals are used to designate corresponding parts in this disclosure.

Brackets 24 and 24' are connected to the hood by suitable fasteners, not shown, while brackets 22 and 22' are similarly connected to the vehicle 28. These brackets may be of a variety of shapes, but in the preferred embodiment are sheet metal stamping. Each of brackets 22 and 22' has a trough shaped portion 30, one wall of which is provided with an extension 32 which provides one side of the hinge, while the other side wall of the bracket is cut out to provide a journal slot 34 and 34'

for receiving and supporting for rotation the end of the torsion rod 36 adjacent an angularly bent end 38 and 40.

The torsion rod 36 is best shown in Fig 4. In a _i 5 preferred form it is a spring steel rod having a rectilinear portion 37 angularly bent at opposite ends 38 and 40 which in a relaxed condition of the rod may be parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the remainder of the rod. However, if desired, the ends may be bent to lie on opposite

10 sides of an imaginary plane coextensive with the remainder of the rod if it is desired to increase or decrease the tensions in the rod when it is installed in the vehicle. The rod extends between the bracket assemblies and is journaled in the journal slots 34 and 34' as shown in Fig. 1 just inboard of the bent ends 38 and

15 40.

Two pairs of pivotally connected, oppositely folding links 42 and 44 are disposed in laterally spaced apart relation between the hinged edge 12 of the hood and the side 14 of the 20 engine compartment. Each pair of links is connected to and extends between its associated hinge brackets. Each pair of links consists of a pair of link members 46 and 48 pivotally connected together at one end as at 50. The free end of the link 48 is pivotally connected to the bracket 24, while the free end ' 25 of link 46 is pivotally connected through the bent end of the

* torsion rod to the bracket 22. Link 46 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore sized to receive in press fit or other secure engagement the bent end of the torsion rod. It will be noted that the bent ends 38 and 40 in effect become a part of

30 links 46 and 46'. Stops 49 and 49• are formed on the ends of

links 48 and 48* as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and overlie links 46 and 46* to limit the unfolding movement of the pair of links.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the oppositely folding action of the pairs of links 42 and 44. In Fig. 2 the link pairs are in their folded position which would be the case where the hood is closed while in Fig. 3 the link pairs have unfolded and have assumed their distended positions when the hood is opened. Moving from Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 the torsion rod is unwinding and assisting the hood to be raised, while in Fig. 3 the distended position of the link pairs serves to keep the hood open. As the hood is closed, the link pairs move from the Fig. 3 position to the Fig. 2 position and in doing so twist the torsion rod 36 between its ends to store the kinetic energy which is recovered to assist the opening of the hood. Thus a single torsion rod may serve the prior art function of two rods and by being connected at its ends to the oppositely folding links, the torsion rod need not be locked to the vehicle body as in the prior art.

In Figs. 6-8 I have shown a modification in which the torsion rod 60 has angularly bent ends which serve as the second link member of each pair of links. For this purpose opposite ends of the torsion rod are bent into U-shaped configurations having a bight or lever portion 62 and 65 and a distal end 66 and 68 which lies substantially parallel to the rectilinear portion 37' . The distal ends act as pintles and are received through complementary holes in upper links 48' and 48'" which correspond to upper links 48 and 48' respectively in Figs. 1-3. The end of links 48" and 48'" connected to the end of the torsion rod is

provided with an extending portion shaped as a stop 70 and 72 as best shown in Figs. 6 and 8 to limit unfolding of the links.

In this disclosure I have shown the torsion rod being journaled in bracket members 22 and 22* , but it will be understood that the torsion rod could be journaled in brackets 24 and 24• .

It will also be noted that when the hood or deck lid is closed, opposite ends of the torsion rod are twisted in opposite directions such that the rod is twisted in opposite directions throughout its length.

This invention may be found useful in connection with any hinged closure member that requires counterbalancing such as, but not limited to, boat or aircraft hatches, lids for drawing storage cabinets and the like.