Motor Vehicle Flap Hinge for Secondary Edge Seal Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinges on motor vehicle flaps, such as tailgates, often result in insufficient gaps at the secondary closing edge, making it difficult to fit seals during manufacturing or repair, and require inefficient installation and repair processes.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design featuring a rotatable connection between the flap and pivot elements with a releasable fastening element and a spacer to increase the gap at the secondary closing edge, allowing for easier seal fitting and repair, with a stable installation position maintained by a spacer screw.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the hinge uses a fixed connection between flap element and pivot element, then the structure is simple and stable, but the gap at the secondary closing edge is insufficient for seal installation
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge transitions from a static fixed connection to a dynamic adjustable connection. The flap element can be rotated relative to the pivot element about the axis of rotation to change the gap size at the secondary closing edge, allowing the structure to adapt between a compact normal state and an extended installation state
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge is divided into separable components (flap element and pivot element) connected by a releasable fastening element. This segmentation allows the components to be moved relative to each other to increase the gap for seal installation, while maintaining a simple fixed connection during normal operation
2Ease of manufacture
If the hinge allows large gap at secondary closing edge for seal fitting, then seal installation is easier, but the hinge becomes unstable and requires additional positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge uses a dynamic positioning system where the flap element can be rotated to different positions. During seal installation, the flap element is rotated to create a large gap, and during normal operation, it returns to a fixed position providing stability. The releasable fastening element enables this dynamic repositioning
Solution Approach 2:
The axis of rotation acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables controlled movement between the flap element and pivot element. This intermediary allows the hinge to achieve both states: stable fixed connection for normal use and extended configuration for seal installation
3Reliability
If the fastening element is permanently fixed, then the hinge maintains reliable connection, but repair and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between flap element and pivot element is segmented into a releasable fastening element rather than a permanent fixed connection. This allows the hinge to be disassembled for seal replacement and reassembled to restore the reliable connection, combining ease of repair with connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening element can be temporarily released (discarded from its fixed state) to enable seal replacement, then recovered and re-fixed to restore the reliable connection. This temporary discarding and recovery of the fastening state enables maintenance while maintaining operational reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge for a flap of a motor vehicle includes a flap element which is designed to be secured to the flap. A pivoting element is designed to be secured to a body of the motor vehicle such as to be rotatable about a hinge axis, wherein in a first location the flap element is connected to the pivoting element so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis, and in a second location, which is offset relative to the first location, the flap element is connected to the pivoting element via a releasable securing element. A spacer maintains a distance between the pivoting element and the flap element in an installed position, in which the securing element is released and the flap element is rotated relative to the pivoting element about the rotational axis in comparison to a normal position.