Vehicle hinge assembly, including a damper with fluid and hydrophobic material

Abstract

An assembly can include a panel configured to open and close relative to an opening of the vehicle. An assembly can also include a hinge assembly configured to couple the panel to the vehicle body, the hinge assembly including a damper containing a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

Description

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] This disclosure relates to a vehicle that includes a hinge assembly for a motor vehicle and, in particular, a hinge assembly for a rear locking assembly of the motor vehicle. The hinge assembly includes a damper comprising a fluid and a hydrophobic material. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Minivans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), hatchbacks, and other vehicles feature an opening defined in the rear of the vehicle body. These vehicles typically include tailgates, which are used to selectively open and close the opening at the rear of the vehicle. Some tailgates are power-operated, opening and closing through an automated system. Other tailgates are opened and closed manually by a user. SUMMARY

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a panel configured to open and close relative to an opening of the motor vehicle; and a hinge assembly configured to couple the panel to a body of the motor vehicle, the hinge assembly comprising a damper incorporating a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document concern an assembly in which: the damper includes a piston and a cylinder, the fluid and the hydrophobic material are located inside the cylinder, and a movement of the panel results in a movement of the piston relative to the cylinder.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document concern an assembly in which a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position causes the piston to compress the contents of the cylinder.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly wherein: the hinge assembly includes a first bracket configured to be coupled to the body of the motor vehicle and a second bracket configured to be coupled to the panel, and the first bracket is rotatably coupled to the second bracket.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly, wherein: the hinge assembly includes a rack and pinion, and the piston is mounted at one end of the rack.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly wherein: the hinge assembly includes a pin, the first support is coupled to the pin to allow rotation of the pin relative to the first support, and the second support is coupled rigidly to the pin such that rotation of the second support results in rotation of the pin.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document concern an assembly in which the pinion is mounted on the pin.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly wherein: the pinion includes a first lug projecting from a side of the rack opposite the pinion, and the hinge assembly includes a second lug configured to touch the first lug to prevent further relative rotation of the first and second supports when the panel is in the open position.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly where the hydrophobic material includes a hydrophobic nanoporous material.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly in which the damper is configured such that the damper is able to resist movement of the panel towards the closed position when the panel is in a fully open position.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly in which the damper is configured such that the damper exerts an essentially linearly increasing resistance force over an entirety of a movement range of the panel between an open position and a closed position.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly, where the panel is a panel of a tailgate and the opening is a rear opening of the motor vehicle.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly, wherein the hinge assembly is a first hinge assembly and wherein a second hinge assembly spaced apart from the first hinge assembly is configured to couple the panel to the body of the motor vehicle.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to an assembly, with the second hinge assembly including a damper containing a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to a motor vehicle comprising: a panel configured to open and close relative to an opening of the motor vehicle; and a hinge assembly configured to couple the panel to a body of the motor vehicle, the hinge assembly comprising a damper incorporating a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0018] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to a motor vehicle, where the panel is a panel of a tailgate.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to a motor vehicle, wherein: the damper includes a piston and a cylinder, the fluid and the hydrophobic material are located inside the cylinder, and a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position causes the piston to compress the contents of the cylinder.

[0020] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to a procedure that involves resisting movement of a panel using a damper of a hinge assembly, wherein the panel is movable relative to an opening of a motor vehicle and wherein the damper includes a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0021] In some aspects, the techniques described in this text concern a procedure whereby resisting movement involves holding the panel in a fully open position.

[0022] In some aspects, the techniques described in this document relate to a procedure whereby resisting a movement involves resisting a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position by exerting an essentially linearly increasing resistance force over the entirety of a movement range of the panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective rear view of a part of a motor vehicle that includes a rear locking assembly, which in turn includes a tailgate. Fig. 1. The tailgate is in a closed position. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective rear view of the part of the motor vehicle, with the tailgate in a fully open position. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of a motor vehicle body and two hinge assemblies. Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary hinge assembly. Fig. Figure 5 is a view showing an arrangement of a piston and a cylinder. Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the exemplary hinge assembly made of Fig. 4 and illustrates in particular a position of a piston when the tailgate is in the closed position. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the same part of the exemplary hinge assembly as in Fig. 6 and illustrates in particular a position of the piston when the tailgate is in the fully open position. Fig. Figure 8 illustrates part of the exemplary hinge assembly, which includes a first and second tab that touch each other when the tailgate is in the fully open position. Fig. Figure 9 graphically illustrates an exemplary relationship between the damper's resistance force and the piston's position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] This disclosure relates to a hinge assembly for a motor vehicle, and in particular a hinge assembly for a rear locking assembly of the motor vehicle. The hinge assembly includes a damper comprising a fluid and a hydrophobic material. Among other advantages, which will become apparent from the description below, this disclosure is able to hold a tailgate in a fully open position and provides a relatively balanced resistance force when closing the tailgate. This disclosure also simplifies the installation compared to known designs.

[0024] Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 a perspective rear view of part of a motor vehicle 10 (“vehicle 10”) shown as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and including an exemplary rear locking assembly 12 configured to form a rear opening 14 ( Fig. 2) to selectively cover and expose in the bodywork 16 of the vehicle 10. Although Fig. Where 1 shows an SUV, this disclosure is not limited to SUVs and extends to other types of vehicles, including minivans, hatchbacks, etc. Furthermore, the body 16, as used in this disclosure, refers to the frame (including pillars) and the bodywork of the vehicle 10.

[0025] The rear locking assembly 12 in this disclosure is a tailgate 18 and includes at least one tailgate panel 20 and possibly a window. The tailgate 18 is rotatably coupled to the body 17 via a first and a second hinge assembly 24, 26 ( Fig. 3) The hinge assemblies 24, 26 enable the tailgate 18 to rotate relative to the body 16 between the closed position and the open position. Fig. 1 and the fully open position from Fig. 2. In particular, the tailgate 18 is rotatable about axis A1 between the closed position and the fully open position. Axis A1 is adjacent to an upper surface of the rear opening 14. While this document shows and describes a tailgate, this disclosure extends to hinge assemblies for other locking assemblies of a motor vehicle.

[0026] The hinge assembly 24 is in Fig. Figure 4 shows this in more detail. In this example, the hinge assembly 24 includes a damper 28. The hinge assembly 26 could be configured essentially the same as the hinge assembly 24, or alternatively, it could omit a damper. The hinge assemblies 24 and 26 could be used with a manually operated tailgate 18, or with a tailgate 18 capable of opening and closing automatically or semi-automatically using a powered assembly (i.e., the tailgate 18 can be a powered tailgate).

[0027] The hinge assembly 24 includes a first bracket 30 configured to be coupled to the body 16, and a second bracket 32 ​​configured to be coupled to the panel 20 either directly or via another structure of the tailgate 18. The first bracket 30 includes a base 34 and a first and a second arm 36, 38 projecting from opposite sides of the base 34. The base 34 is configured to be attached to the body 16. The first and second arms 36, 38 each include an opening 40, 42, which receives a pin 44. The pin 44 projects along the axis A1. The pin 44 is configured to rotate freely relative to the first bracket 30. The pin 44 is secured by projections 46 (in Fig. (Only one is visible) adjacent to the ends of the pin 44, held in place relative to the arms 36, 38. The first and second brackets 30, 32 are rotatably coupled to each other via the pin 44.

[0028] The second bracket 32 ​​includes a first and second tab 48, 50, configured to be attached to the panel 20 either directly or via another structure of the tailgate 18. Between the tabs 48, 50, the second bracket 32 ​​includes a central section 52 that projects laterally from the tabs 48, 50 into a space between the arms 36, 38. The central section 52 is spaced from the tabs 48, 50 by arms 54, 56. The arms 54, 56 include openings 58, 60 that receive the pin 44. Adjacent to the openings 58, 60, the arms 54, 56 are rigidly attached to the pin 44 such that a rotation of the second bracket and, in turn, of the tailgate 18, results in a rotation of the pin 44 about the axis A1.

[0029] As mentioned, the hinge assembly 24 includes a damper 28. The damper 28 is an assembly that includes a piston 62 and a cylinder 64. The cylinder 64 is mounted on the base 34, and the piston 62 is displaceable relative to the cylinder 64. The piston 62 and / or the cylinder 64 can actuate a seal 66 ( Fig. 5) include measures to prevent fluid from escaping from cylinder 64.

[0030] In this example, cylinder 64 is filled with a fluid 68 and a hydrophobic material 70. As discussed in more detail below, movement of the panel 20, and in particular the tailgate 18, from an open position towards the closed position causes the piston 62 to compress the contents of cylinder 64, namely the fluid 68 and the hydrophobic material 70. The contents of cylinder 64 resist compression by the piston 62.

[0031] In this disclosure, the fluid 68 can be water, ethylene glycol, or oil. The hydrophobic material 70 can, in some examples, be a nanoporous hydrophobic material containing pore sizes of 100 nm or less. The hydrophobic material 70 can, in some examples, be a hydrophobic foam material. The hydrophobic material 70 can be dispersed within the fluid 68. The hydrophobic material 70 can be provided, for example, by metals, oxides, carbides, or carbon nanotubes. The hydrophobic material 70 can be porous and resist movement of the fluid 68 when the fluid 68 is compressed and forced to move through the pores. In particular, the fluid 68 experiences resistance due to the narrow paths of the pores and surface tension effects. The contents of the cylinder 64, in turn, resist movement of the piston 62 into the cylinder 64.

[0032] With reference to Fig. In this example, the rotation of the pin 44 is translated into a movement of the piston 62 via a rack 72 and a pinion 74. The pinion 74 is rigidly coupled to the pin 44 so that it rotates together with the pin 44 about the axis A1. The rotation of the pinion 74 causes the rack 72 to move relative to the orientation of the components in Fig. The rack 72 is moved vertically up and down. At one end of the rack 72, it is rigidly coupled to the piston 62. Fig. Figure 6 illustrates the arrangement of the rack 72 and the piston 62 with the tailgate 18 in a closed position and Fig. Figure 7 illustrates the arrangement of the rack 72 and the piston with the tailgate 18 in the fully open position.

[0033] With reference to Fig. In this example, a first lug 76 projects from the rack 72 in a direction opposite to the pinion 74. A housing 78, which surrounds the cylinder 64 and the rack 72, includes a second lug 80 that projects towards the rack 72. A contact between the first lug 76 and the second lug 80, as in Fig. Figure 8 shows a fully open position for the tailgate 18 and prevents further rotation of the tailgate 18 beyond the fully open position. Fig. 6-8 the first bracket 30 is semi-transparent for easier viewing and the second bracket 32 ​​is removed.

[0034] The properties of the damper 28, including the size and shape of the cylinder 64 and the type of selected fluid 68 and hydrophobic material 70, as well as a volume fraction of the fluid 68 and the hydrophobic material 70, are such that the damper 28 is able to resist movement of the panel towards the closed position when the tailgate 18 is in the fully open position. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the contents of cylinder 64 exert a resistance force F1 on piston 62, preventing the tailgate 18 from closing under its own weight, for example, when the tailgate 18 is in the fully open position (or any other position, such as an intermediate position). Furthermore, the damper 28 is configured such that the contents of cylinder 64 exert a substantially linearly increasing resistance force over the entire range of motion R1 of the tailgate 18 as the tailgate 18 moves between the fully open and closed positions. As shown in Figure 9, the contents of cylinder 64 exert a resistance force that increases substantially linearly over the entire range of motion R1 of the tailgate 18. Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the force exerted on the tailgate 18 to reach the closed position is essentially linear between F1 and F2 over the entire range of movement R1. F2 is a resistance force of the contents of cylinder 64 when the tailgate is in the closed position. As shown in Fig.As shown in Figure 9, curve 82, which represents the resistance force exerted by the damper 28 relative to a position of the piston 62, includes significantly steeper slopes to the left of the fully open position and to the right of the closed position, compared to the slope of curve 82 between the fully open and closed positions, which is essentially flatter and increases essentially linearly. Various factors, including the size and shape of the cylinder 64 and the type of selected fluid 68 and hydrophobic material 70, as well as a volume fraction of the fluid 68 and the hydrophobic material 70, are determined such that the portions of curve 82 exhibiting significantly steeper slopes are avoided during the opening and closing of the tailgate 18.For example, if the fully open position were moved to the left along the curve, the resistance would decrease and it would potentially be unable to hold the tailgate 18 in the fully open position. Furthermore, if the closed position were moved to the right along the curve, the resistance would increase, making it more difficult for the tailgate 18 to reach the closed position. More generally, avoiding the significantly steeper inclines on curve 82 provides a user with a sense of balance during operation of the tailgate 18.

[0035] It is understood that terms such as "approximately", "essentially", and "in general" are not intended as unlimited expressions and should be interpreted in accordance with how a person skilled in the art would interpret them. Furthermore, terms such as "backwards", "above", and "below" are used herein for explanatory purposes only and refer to the normal operating position of a vehicle.

[0036] Although the various examples feature the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to these specific combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another of the examples. Furthermore, the various figures accompanying this disclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be enlarged or reduced to show certain details of a specific component or arrangement.

[0037] It will be understood by the person skilled in the art that the embodiments described above are exemplary and not limiting. That is to say, modifications to this disclosure would fall within the scope of the patent claims. Accordingly, the following patent claims should be read carefully to determine their actual scope and content.

[0038] According to the present invention, a motor vehicle is provided comprising: a panel configured to open and close relative to an opening of the motor vehicle; and a hinge assembly configured to couple the panel to a body of the motor vehicle, wherein the hinge assembly includes a damper comprising a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the panel is a panel of a tailgate.

[0040] According to one embodiment: the damper includes a piston and a cylinder, the fluid and the hydrophobic material are located inside the cylinder, and a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position causes the piston to compress the contents of the cylinder.

[0041] According to the present invention, a method comprises the following: resisting movement of a panel using a damper of a hinge assembly, wherein the panel is movable relative to an opening of a motor vehicle and wherein the damper comprises a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

[0042] In one aspect of the invention, resisting movement involves holding the panel in a fully open position.

[0043] In one aspect of the invention, resisting a movement includes resisting a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position by exerting a substantially linearly increasing resistance force over an entirety of a movement range of the panel.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle assembly comprising: a panel configured to open and close relative to an opening of the motor vehicle; and a hinge assembly configured to couple the panel to a motor vehicle body, wherein the hinge assembly includes a damper incorporating a fluid and a hydrophobic material. [2] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the damper contains a piston and a cylinder, the fluid and the hydrophobic material are located inside the cylinder and a movement of the panel results in a movement of the piston relative to the cylinder. [3] Assembly according to claim 2, wherein a movement of the panel from an open position to a closed position causes the piston to compress the contents of the cylinder. [4] Assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The hinge assembly includes a first bracket configured to be coupled to the vehicle body and a second bracket configured to be coupled to the panel. The first bracket is rotatably coupled to the second bracket. [5] Assembly according to claim 4, wherein: the hinge assembly includes a rack and pinion and the piston is mounted at one end of the rack. [6] Assembly according to claim 5, wherein: the hinge assembly includes a pin and the first bracket is coupled to the pen to allow rotation of the pen relative to the first bracket, and the second bracket is so rigidly coupled to the pen that a rotation of the second bracket results in a rotation of the pen. [7] Assembly according to claim 6, wherein the pinion is rotatably mounted on the pin. [8] Assembly according to claim 7, wherein: the pinion includes a first lug that projects from a side of the rack opposite the pinion, and The hinge assembly includes a second lug configured to touch the first lug to prevent further relative rotation of the first and second supports when the panel is in the open position. [9] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a hydrophobic nanoporous material. [10] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the damper is configured such that the damper is able to resist movement of the panel towards the closed position when the panel is in a fully open position. [11] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the damper is configured such that the damper exerts a substantially linearly increasing resistance force over an entirety of a movement range of the panel between an open position and a closed position. [12] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel is a panel of a tailgate and the opening is a rear opening of the motor vehicle. [13] Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly is a first hinge assembly and wherein a second hinge assembly spaced apart from the first hinge assembly is configured to couple the panel to the body of the motor vehicle. [14] Assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second hinge assembly includes a damper comprising a fluid and a hydrophobic material.

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