Bracket hinge device and passenger car equipped therewith

Abstract

The hinge bracket improves the aesthetics of the area adjacent the opening in the luggage compartment trim and simplifies construction. [Solution] In a bracket hinge device 25 having a hinge bracket 35 configured to move between an open position and a closed position through an opening 20, the hinge bracket 35 being surrounded by a hinge bracket cover 40 fixed to the hinge bracket, the outer side of the hinge bracket cover 40 has a portion that extends in the longitudinal direction L of the hinge bracket cover 40 in the area opposite the luggage compartment lid 30, the extending portion being configured to close the opening 20 in the open position, and the inner side of the hinge bracket cover 40 has a support portion that contacts the outer side of the hinge bracket 35, and the support portion is spaced from the extending portion of the hinge bracket cover 40 when viewed in the longitudinal direction L of the hinge bracket cover 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bracket hinge device according to claim 1 and a passenger car provided with the same according to claim 5.

Background Art

[0002] A bracket hinge device disposed in a passenger car is used to configure a luggage compartment lid, that is, a tailgate or a trunk lid, to be openable or closable with respect to the luggage compartment, as known from, for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2. For this purpose, the bracket hinge device includes a hinge bracket attached to the tailgate or the trunk lid at one end. The hinge bracket can be operatively coupled, optionally, to a motor-driven drive mechanism at an end opposite to the said end. The hinge bracket is supported so as to be capable of relative movement through an opening located in the luggage compartment trim of the luggage compartment.

[0003] From Patent Document 3, Patent Document 4, and Patent Document 5, a bracket hinge device having a hinge bracket is known, the hinge bracket being attachable to a luggage compartment lid, and the hinge bracket being configured to move through an opening defined by a wall portion and located between an open position and a closed position disposed in the luggage compartment trim of a passenger car. Since the hinge bracket is surrounded by a hinge bracket cover fixed in position with respect to the hinge bracket, the hinge bracket is essentially covered by the hinge bracket cover or hidden within the user's field of view when the hinge bracket cover is attached and particularly when the luggage compartment lid is fully open.

[0004] Finally, Patent Document 6 provides a bracket hinge device having a hinge bracket to which a luggage compartment lid can be attached, and which is configured to move through an opening between an open position and a closed position defined by a wall portion located in the luggage compartment trim of a passenger car. The hinge bracket known from the said document is formed in a telescopic (extendable) manner and is therefore not fixed in position and surrounded by a hinge bracket cover.

[0005] In operation, it became clear that, in an undesirable configuration, there is a seam in the area where the hinge bracket is adjacent to the opening in the luggage compartment trim of the luggage compartment that does not necessarily evoke an aesthetically pleasing view to the observer. Furthermore, devices known from the prior art have a complex structure in an undesirable configuration. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 2947025 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0251036 [Patent Document 3] German Patent Application Publication No. 102006028008 [Patent Document 4] German Patent No. 19734320 Specification [Patent Document 5] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 111661168 [Patent Document 6] German Patent Application Publication No. 102018125552 Specification [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The objective of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The problem is solved by a bracket hinge device having a hinge bracket to which a luggage compartment lid can be attached and which is located on the luggage compartment trim of a passenger car and configured to move between an open position and a closed position through an opening defined by a wall, wherein the hinge bracket is surrounded by a hinge bracket cover that is fixed in position relative to the hinge bracket. The bracket hinge device according to the present invention is characterized in that the outside of the hinge bracket cover has a portion that expands in the longitudinal direction of the hinge bracket cover in the range opposite to the luggage compartment lid, and the expanding portion is configured to close the opening in the open position. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the inside of the hinge bracket cover has at least one support portion that at least partially contacts the outside of the hinge bracket. In this case, the at least one support portion is spaced apart from the expanding portion of the hinge bracket cover when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the hinge bracket cover.

[0009] While the present invention aims to achieve complete closure of the joint, it should be noted that this is not always possible in practice, particularly due to the need to compensate for material tolerances caused by temperature. Therefore, when referring to an opening closed by the present invention, this includes not only cases where the opening is completely closed by the expanding portion, but also gaps between the stepped portion and the wall portion due to material tolerances. However, these gaps are formed to be significantly smaller than those of joints known from the prior art, and have a maximum width of 2 mm, particularly preferably 1 mm. Furthermore, advantageously, the gaps can be provided adjacent to only one or two sides of the opening, rather than on all sides around the hinge bracket cover. Thus, advantageously, a visually appealing and customer-value functional cover of a joint known from the prior art is possible with a surprisingly simple and relatively inexpensive structure.

[0010] It should also be noted that the wall portion may be part of the luggage compartment trim itself that defines the opening, or an additional member, particularly a shade, that is positioned at the edge of the luggage compartment trim and at least partially surrounds the edge.

[0011] As previously disclosed, the hinge bracket and the hinge bracket cover are connected to each other, and in particular, the hinge bracket cover can be clipped to or screwed to the hinge bracket.

[0012] The luggage compartment lid moves from its closed position, which closes the luggage compartment, until it occupies an open position, which opens the luggage compartment, through the appropriate pivoting motion of the hinge bracket. During this movement, the hinge bracket and the hinge bracket cover that surrounds it move through an opening that is positioned in the luggage compartment trim and enclosed by the wall. The size of the joint between the luggage compartment trim and the wall is sized such that the pivoting or opening motion of the hinge bracket cover occurs essentially without contact with the wall. This advantageously eliminates noise and surface damage caused by the frictional motion of other existing elements.

[0013] It goes without saying that the hinge bracket cover, which encloses the hinge bracket, needs to have some degree of flexibility so that it can compensate for dimensional deviations due to manufacturing and the chain of very large tolerances associated with the size and number of the related components when it moves to occupy the closed position. On the other hand, the flexibility of the hinge bracket cover should not be too great so that it has sufficient mechanical stability in other respects. Therefore, the portion of the hinge bracket cover adjacent to the luggage compartment is configured to contact the hinge bracket with at least a support portion, while the portion away from that end is spaced away from the hinge bracket. Particularly advantageous is that the portion of the hinge bracket cover extending in the longitudinal direction is configured not to have a support portion. Advantageously, this provides, on the one hand, a measure to improve the rigidity of the bracket hinge device near the luggage compartment lid, and on the other hand, a measure to reduce rigidity in the portion of the hinge bracket cover away from the luggage compartment lid.

[0014] Therefore, in particular, the present invention advantageously provides a bracket hinge device having an elastically self-aligning hinge bracket cover.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the bracket hinge device of the present invention, the portion of the hinge bracket cover that expands longitudinally is formed as a continuous section or as a stepped portion projecting from the hinge bracket cover, and on the side opposite to the luggage compartment lid, it has a guide portion that cooperates with the wall. In other words, the hinge bracket cover expands continuously or, in the case of a stepped portion, leapwise with respect to the portion adjacent to the guide portion in the open position. This means that the guide portion extends essentially in the vehicle height direction of the correspondingly configured passenger car so that it at least partially contacts the wall when the luggage compartment lid is closed and is guided and oriented by the wall. The outer portion of the hinge bracket cover spaced away from this is away from the guide portion and is therefore not guided by the guide portion when the trunk lid moves. Overall, this advantageously makes it easier for the luggage compartment lid to occupy the open position.

[0016] Particularly preferably, the guide portion is positioned outside the user's line of sight or below the luggage compartment lid when viewed at the mounting location in a passenger car, in the case where the hinge bracket cover has a protruding step. Thus, the guide portion is completely covered, which further improves the aesthetic appearance of the device according to the present invention.

[0017] According to another preferred embodiment of the bracket hinge device according to the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the hinge bracket cover is such that, in the range adjacent to the wall in the open position, it is larger than the range of the hinge bracket cover spaced apart from it. Thus, the hinge bracket cover, in the fully open position and viewed longitudinally, has a lateral extension that is larger than the teeth located below and / or above the guide portion with respect to it, in the range essentially of the guide portion. This is advantageous as it provides a hinge bracket cover that is particularly visually appealing and functional.

[0018] In one particularly preferred embodiment, the portion of the fully extended hinge bracket cover with increased rigidity is essentially 3 / 4 of its total length, while the portion with reduced rigidity corresponds to 1 / 4 of its total length. In another preferred embodiment, the portion of the fully extended hinge bracket cover with increased rigidity is essentially 1 / 3 of its total length, while the portion with reduced rigidity corresponds to 2 / 3 of its total length. In yet another preferred embodiment, the portion of the fully extended hinge bracket cover with increased rigidity is essentially 1 / 4 of its total length, while the portion with reduced rigidity corresponds to 3 / 4 of its total length. Alternatively, the portion of the fully extended hinge bracket cover with increased rigidity and the portion with reduced rigidity can each be configured to essentially correspond to half of the total length of the fully extended hinge bracket cover. Each starting point for setting the dimensions of the above section or its proportion to the total length of the hinge bracket cover is within the range of the hinge bracket cover adjacent to the luggage compartment lid.

[0019] Preferably, if the support portion that contacts the hinge bracket is formed as a web protruding from the hinge bracket cover, a relatively simple means of improving the rigidity over the luggage compartment lid is obtained. This is even more true if several of the support portions are provided. Advantageously, the support portion can be formed as a web protruding from the inside of the hinge bracket cover toward the hinge bracket, supported by the latter, and / or supported in a dwelling provided therein.

[0020] The above problems can also be solved by a passenger car having a luggage compartment that can be selectively opened or closed by a luggage compartment lid, which is fixed at one end to a bracket hinge device and is equipped with a luggage compartment trim, the bracket hinge device being formed according to the previously disclosed embodiments. The advantages shown therein are fully applicable.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, the wall portion and the step portion of the hinge bracket cover are adapted to form a flat surface in the open position. Thereby, advantageously, a particularly attractive form of the device according to the invention in the opened luggage compartment lid is obtained. However, it is needless to say that other visual aspects are also possible. Therefore, the transition between the step portion of the hinge bracket cover and the luggage compartment lid can be formed not as a flat surface, but particularly in the form of an inclined portion or a step portion.

[0022] As already disclosed, it is advantageous if the moving hinge bracket cover is subject to some guidance. Therefore, advantageously, the wall portion is configured to taper from the opposite side of the luggage compartment lid towards the luggage compartment lid.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the guide portion and the wall portion are arranged perpendicular to the virtual plane depicted by the luggage compartment trim. Thereby, not only good guidance of the hinge bracket cover moving through the opening is obtained, but also an aesthetic form of the step portion and the luggage compartment trim located side by side in the open position of the luggage compartment lid is obtained.

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail non-prejudicially and particularly non-restrictively while referring to the attached drawings which are not to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a part of a passenger car according to the present invention having a bracket hinge device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the bracket hinge device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a view showing a perspective view of an alternative embodiment with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of a part of a passenger car having a bracket hinge device. [Figure 4] It is a view showing a part of the hinge bracket cover from the inside. [Figure 5] This figure shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a partially formed hinge bracket cover, within the scope of the guide portion. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Figure 1 shows a portion of a passenger car 1 according to the present invention, the luggage compartment (trunk) 5 of the passenger car comprising a luggage compartment trim (trunk trim) 10 in a known embodiment. The luggage compartment trim 10 has an opening 20 having an essentially rectangular cross-section, defined by a wall portion 15. In a known embodiment, to selectively open and close the luggage compartment 5 using a luggage compartment lid 30 fixed to the end of a bracket hinge device 25 away from the luggage compartment trim 10, the bracket hinge device 25 is movable through the opening 20, manually in its longitudinal direction L, or motor-driven in the vehicle height direction z or in the opposite direction. In the position shown in Figure 1, the luggage compartment lid 30 is fully open and therefore in its open position.

[0027] The bracket hinge device 25 includes a hinge bracket 35, which is shown symbolically only in Figure 1, and which is surrounded on the outside by a hinge bracket cover 40. For a better understanding of the present invention, the bracket hinge device 25 of Figure 1 is again shown in a cross-sectional view in Figure 2. In the upper range of the bracket hinge device in Figure 2, i.e., near the luggage compartment lid 30, the hinge bracket cover 40 has several support portions 45 that contact the hinge bracket 35 on its inside 42. Formed as webs of the same size in the embodiment shown herein, the support portions 45 have an essentially U-shaped form when viewed in the xy plane and surround the hinge bracket 35 on three sides to increase the overall rigidity of the hinge bracket cover 40 in the upper range described above.

[0028] On the other hand, no support portion 45 is provided in the area below the bracket hinge device 25, i.e., in the vicinity of the luggage compartment trim 10. Rather, the end of the hinge bracket cover 40 distal to the luggage compartment lid 30 has an expanding portion 49 on its outer side 47, which, according to the embodiment shown herein, is formed as a circumferential stepped portion 50 that separates from or protrudes from the hinge bracket 35, and a guide portion 55 extends downward in the longitudinal direction of the hinge bracket cover 40 in Figure 2 from the stepped portion.

[0029] When the luggage compartment lid 30, which is in the closed position, is to be opened, the bracket hinge device 25 moves upward through the opening 20 as shown in Figure 2. To allow the guide portion 55 of the hinge bracket cover 40 to be easily brought to the desired position, the wall portion 15 is initially tapered so that the guide portion 55 moves to a range of constant distances where it contacts the wall portion 15 laterally. In the illustrated open position of the luggage compartment lid 30, the guide portion 55 contacts the wall portion 15 on one side in the opening 20, and relative movement of the lower range of the hinge bracket cover 40 with respect to the hinge bracket 35 is desired, which may be possible due to the rigidity of the bracket hinge device 25, which is small compared to the upper range except for the vehicle height method z. In the closed position finally occupied as shown in Figure 2, the stepped portion 50 and the wall portion 10 further form a flat surface 60 that is essentially stepless and extends in the xy plane according to the embodiment shown herein. The gap 65 between the wall portion 15 and the guide portion 55, opposite the contact area of ​​the wall portion 15 and the guide portion 55, is formed by tolerances, if any, and is noticeably smaller than the conventional joints (not shown) between the wall portion and the hinge bracket. Therefore, the opening 20 itself and, if applicable, objects within it are not noticeable to an observer (not shown) within the visibility range boundary SS.

[0030] In this embodiment, it should be noted that the upper range is essentially one-third the length of the entire hinge bracket cover 40 fully extended from the hinge bracket cover 40, while the lower range is essentially two-thirds the length of the entire hinge bracket cover 40 fully extended from the hinge bracket cover 40. However, the length ratio symbolized by line BB in Figure 2 is not mandatory, and other length ratios can be set depending on the desired rigidity of the bracket hinge device 25. Thus, the relatively rigid range can be made shorter, in particular by appropriate measures, especially by positioning it closer to the luggage compartment lid 30 and / or increasing the number of parts 45 and / or geometrically adapting the parts 45.

[0031] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, which is a part of a passenger car 1 according to the present invention having a bracket hinge device 25 according to the present invention in an open position. In this embodiment, the expanding portion 49 is formed as a continuous section 70 rather than as a stepped portion 50, and the size of this section increases in the longitudinal direction L, in a hypothetical xy plane or width, from the area close to the luggage compartment lid 30 toward the opening 20. In this embodiment as well, the last listed area does not have a support portion 45.

[0032] Figure 4 shows a portion of the hinge bracket cover 25 from the inside. The hinge bracket cover 40 is fixed to the luggage compartment trim (not shown) within the scope of the luggage compartment lid 30 by a head-shaped portion formed above the hinge bracket cover. On the left and right sides when viewed in its longitudinal direction L, there are four support portions 45 arranged symmetrically, and each of these support portions is essentially L-shaped in a hypothetical xy-plane. When installed, each L-shaped support portion 45 contacts the hinge bracket 35 (not shown) with its respective contact portion 75 or contact portion 80. In Figure 4, only one support portion 45 is labeled with a reference numeral for the contact portion 75 or contact portion 80, but it should be noted that all support portions 45 each have one contact portion 75 or contact portion 80.

[0033] The support portion 45 is distributed in the longitudinal direction L from the area adjacent to the luggage compartment lid 35 to the lower area B. The corresponding section is essentially two-thirds of the total length of the hinge bracket cover 40. Beyond the imaginary boundary separating the lower area, i.e., in the direction of the portion of the hinge bracket cover 40 adjacent to the luggage compartment trim 10 when installed, there is no support portion 45, and this area is formed with less rigidity than the area adjacent to the luggage compartment lid 35. Further away, there is an expanding portion 49 formed as a continuous section 70, which is essentially in contact with the wall portion 15 when installed and in the open position of the luggage compartment lid 30 (not shown here). As can be seen, portion 49 has the greatest width or expansion in the imaginary xy plane at that location. In contrast, above and below portion 49, the width or expansion is smaller, as symbolized by reference numerals 85 and 90.

[0034] Figure 5 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the partially formed hinge bracket cover 40 within the scope of the guide portion 55. For ease of viewing, the hinge bracket 35 itself is not shown, and the support portion 45 that would normally be provided is not visible in the selected portion of the figure. The expanding portion 49 is formed as a continuous section 70, and its maximum expansion or width in the virtual xy plane is within the scope of the hinge bracket cover 40 that contacts the wall portion 15 in an installation state of the luggage compartment lid 30 not shown here. On the other hand, this still allows for smaller expansions of the upper portion 85 or the lower portion 90, and enables the movement of the hinge bracket cover 40 with virtually no obstruction, and therefore with low noise, but spatially controlled by the guide portion 55.

[0035] It should be noted that the portion of passenger car 1 shown in Figures 1 and 3 is, so to speak, depicted on its right side. However, the above explanation also applies to the left side, which is not shown here and is similarly equipped with the bracket hinge device 25 according to the present invention. Its structure corresponds to the structure of the bracket hinge device 25 which is mirror-symmetric to that shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3 in the longitudinal center plane (xz plane). Furthermore, the present invention may also encompass the following embodiments: 1. A bracket hinge device (25) having a hinge bracket (35) to which a luggage compartment lid (30) can be attached and which is located on the luggage compartment trim (10) of a passenger car (1) and configured to move between an open position and a closed position through an opening (20) defined by a wall (15), wherein the hinge bracket (35) is surrounded by a hinge bracket cover (40) fixed in position to the hinge bracket, - The outer side (47) of the hinge bracket cover (40) has a portion (49) that extends in the longitudinal direction (L) of the hinge bracket cover (40) in the range opposite to the luggage compartment lid (30), and this extending portion is configured to close the opening (20) in the open position. - The inner side (42) of the hinge bracket cover (40) is provided with at least one support portion (45) that is at least partially in contact with the outer side of the hinge bracket (35), and - The at least one support portion (45) is spaced apart from the expanding portion (49) of the hinge bracket cover (40) when viewed in the longitudinal direction (L) of the hinge bracket cover (40). A bracket hinge device characterized by the following features. 2. The bracket hinge device (25) described in 1. above, characterized in that the portion (49) that widens in the longitudinal direction (L) of the hinge bracket cover (40) is formed as a continuous section (70) or as a stepped portion (50) protruding from the hinge bracket cover (40), and on the side opposite to the luggage compartment lid (30), it is provided with a guide portion (55) that cooperates with the wall portion (15). 3. The bracket hinge device (25) according to 2. above, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of ​​the hinge bracket cover (40) is larger in the area adjacent to the wall portion (15) in the open position than in the area of ​​the hinge bracket cover (40) spaced away from there. 4. A bracket hinge device (25) according to any one of 1. to 3. above, characterized in that the support portion (45) that contacts the hinge bracket (35) is formed as a web protruding from the hinge bracket cover (40). 5. A passenger car (1) having a luggage compartment (5) which is selectively openable or closed by a luggage compartment lid (30) and equipped with a luggage compartment trim (10), wherein the luggage compartment trim (10) is equipped with an opening (20) defined by a wall portion (15), and a part of a bracket hinge device (25) having the luggage compartment lid (30) at one end is movable through the opening, in the passenger car, A passenger car characterized in that the bracket hinge device (25) is formed according to any one of the above 1. to 4. 6. A passenger car (1) having a bracket hinge device as described in 5. above and any one of 2. to 4. above, characterized in that the wall portion (15) and stepped portion (50) of the hinge bracket cover (40) form a flat surface (60) when in the open position. 7. The passenger car (1) according to 5. or 6. above, characterized in that the wall portion (15) tapers toward the luggage compartment lid (30) from the opposite side of the luggage compartment lid (30). 8. A passenger car having a bracket hinge device according to any one of 5. to 7. above and any one of 2. to 4. above, characterized in that the guide portion (55) is in contact with the wall portion (15) in the open position. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1. Passenger car 5. Luggage compartment 10. Luggage compartment trim 15 Wall 20 openings 25 Bracket hinge device 30 Luggage compartment lid 35 Hinge Bracket 40 Hinge Bracket Cover 42 Inside 45 Support part 47 Outside 49. Expanding part 50 steps 55 Guide section 60 Flat surface 65 gaps 70 continuous intervals 75 Contact part 80 Contact part 85 parts 90 portions BB upper / lower range boundary L Longitudinal direction SS Visibility Range Boundary x, y, z coordinates in the Cartesian coordinate system according to ISO 4130-1978

Claims

1. A bracket hinge device (25) has a hinge bracket (35) to which a luggage compartment lid (30) can be attached and which is located on the luggage compartment trim (10) of a passenger car (1) and is configured to move between an open position and a closed position through an opening (20) defined by a wall (15), wherein the hinge bracket (35) is surrounded by a hinge bracket cover (40) which is fixed in position relative to the hinge bracket, - The outer side (47) of the hinge bracket cover (40) has a portion (49) that extends in the longitudinal direction (L) of the hinge bracket cover (40) in the range opposite to the luggage compartment lid (30), and this extending portion is configured to close the opening (20) in the open position. - The inner side (42) of the hinge bracket cover (40) is provided with at least one support portion (45) that at least partially contacts the outer side of the hinge bracket (35), - The at least one support portion (45) is spaced apart from the expanding portion (49) of the hinge bracket cover (40) when viewed in the longitudinal direction (L) of the hinge bracket cover (40), and the expanding portion (49) of the hinge bracket cover (40) is formed as a stepped portion (50) that protrudes from the hinge bracket cover (40) and has a guide portion (55) that contacts the wall portion (15) on the side opposite to the luggage compartment lid (30), and the wall portion (15) of the luggage compartment trim (10) and the stepped portion (50) of the hinge bracket cover (40) form a flat surface (60) in the open position. A bracket hinge device characterized by the following features.

2. The bracket hinge device (25) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of ​​the hinge bracket cover (40) is larger in the area adjacent to the wall portion (15) in the open position than in the area of ​​the hinge bracket cover (40) spaced away from there.

3. The bracket hinge device (25) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support portion (45) that contacts the hinge bracket (35) is formed as a web protruding from the hinge bracket cover (40).

4. A passenger car (1) having a luggage compartment (5) equipped with a luggage compartment trim (10) and a luggage compartment lid (30) that can be selectively opened or closed, and a bracket hinge device (25) having the luggage compartment lid (30) at one end, wherein the luggage compartment trim (10) is equipped with an opening (20) defined by a wall portion (15), and a part of the bracket hinge device (25) is movable through the opening, in the passenger car, A passenger car characterized in that the bracket hinge device (25) is formed according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The passenger car (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the opening (20) defined by the wall portion (15) tapers toward the luggage compartment lid (30) from the opposite side of the luggage compartment lid (30).

Images