Two way hinge for motor vehicle doors

Abstract

This invention describes a novel two way hinge for motor vehicle doors that hinges open at a 20 degree angle, then rotates upward 45 degrees. The motor vehicle door is maintained in the open position by a shock absorber/piston arrangement that is common in the automotive industry. The invention described herein can be installed by an aftermarket shop and/or sold as an easily installed kit. The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of existing hinges by allowing greater access for ingress and egress from existing motor vehicle doors in tight parking situations.

1. A two way hinge for motor vehicle doors, comprising:
 a. a fender mount, said fender mount being generally goose neck shaped and having a convex portion and a concave portion, said fender mount further having a first hole positioning plate and a second hole positioning plate, said first hole positioning plate and said second hole positioning plate being positionally opposed to each other, said first hole positioning plate having a first series of holes defined therein, said second hole positioning plate having a second series of holes defined therein, said first and second series of holes being positionally located to correspond to the particular vehicle being installed therein, said fender mount, said first hole positioning plate, and said second hole positioning plate comprising a fender mount assembly; 
 b. a first boss and a second boss being aligned in a parallel relationship and being positioned on an upper portion of said fender mount assembly, said first boss having a first hole defined therein, said second boss having a second hole defined therein, said first and said second hole being axially aligned, a pivot plate, said pivot plate being positioned between said first and said second boss; 
 c. a first threaded pin, said first threaded pin being inserted through said first hole in said first boss and being threadably engaged in said pivot plate, a second threaded pin, said second threaded pin being inserted through said second hole in said second boss and being threadably engaged in said pivot plate, said first and said second threaded pin allowing said pivot plate to pivot about axially aligned holes, said pivot plate having a third through hole defined therein, said third through hole having a counterbore defined therein, said counter bore being located on a short transverse position of said pivot plate; 
 d. a first door plate and a second door plate are positionally located by a door bracket, said first door plate and said second door plate being fixedly attached to said door bracket, said first door plate, said second door plate and said door bracket comprise comprising a door mount assembly, said door mount assembly being shaped to fit within said concave portion of said fender mount assembly, said door hinge bracket being essentially an L shaped bracket, said door hinge bracket mounting to a motor vehicle door frame; 
 e. a fender guard, said fender guard being located in proximity to said first hole positioning plate, said fender guard preventing a motor vehicle door from damaging the sheet metal of a motor vehicle, said fender guard having a tapered shape; 
 f. a third pivot pin, said third pivot pin being inserted into said counterbored hole in said pivot plate, said third pivot pin being attached to said door mount assembly and allowing said pivot plate to rotate about said third pivot pin; 
 g. said pivot plate having a beveled portion defined thereon, said beveled portion defining the horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge; 
 h. a sag adjuster means, said sag adjuster means allowing the vehicle door to be positionally aligned in the motor vehicle thereby; and 
 i. a piston mounting plate, said piston mounting plate being attached to said fender mount assembly, said piston mounting plate having a hole defined therein, a spherical bearing is fixedly attached therein, a piston assembly is inserted through said spherical bearing and fixedly attached thereon, an opposing end of said piston assembly is rotatably attached to said door mounting mount assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. The two way hinge for motor vehicle doors of claim one 1 wherein said first and said second threaded pins each have a bearing attached thereon, said bearings being inserted through said first and said second holes of said first and said second bossesrespectfully, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The two way hinge for motor vehicle doors of claim one 1 wherein said third pin is threadably engaged into said door mount assembly. 
     
     
       4. The two way hinge for motor vehicle doors of claim one 1 wherein said third threaded pin has a bearing attached thereon, said bearing being inserted into said counterbore portion of said counterbored hole of said pivot plate. 
     
     
       5. The two way hinge for motor vehicle doors of claim one 1 wherein said sag adjuster means comprises a sag adjuster plate, said sag adjuster plate being attached to said pivot plate, a sag adjuster boss, said sag adjuster boss being attached to said door mount assembly, said sag adjuster boss having a threaded hole defined therein, said sag adjuster means is threadably inserted through said threaded hole in said sag adjuster boss and allows the sag adjuster means to bear on a face of said sag adjuster plate. 
     
     
       6. The two way hinge for motor vehicle doors of claim one, 1 wherein, said two way hinge allowing allows the motor vehicle door to rotate outwards from the vehicle approximately twenty degrees firstly, clearing said fender guard thereby, then said two way hinge allowing the motor vehicle door to pivot upwards forty five degrees secondly providing easy ingress and egress from the motor vehicle. 
     
     
       7. A two way hinge for motor vehicle doors, comprising:
 a fender mount assembly comprising first and second positioning plates for mounting the fender mount assembly to a vehicle chassis;   a pivot plate mounted on an upper portion of the fender mount assembly such that the pivot plate is pivotable about a first axis, the pivot plate comprising a beveled portion defining a horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge about the first axis, the pivot plate comprising a bore extending transversely relative to the first axis;   a set screw received in the beveled portion of the pivot plate;   a door mount assembly comprising first and second door plates for mounting to a motor vehicle door frame, the door mount assembly comprising a pivot pin in the bore in the pivot plate allowing the pivot plate to rotate about the pivot pin;   a piston mounting plate on the fender mount assembly; and   a piston assembly comprising a first end pivotally coupled to the piston mounting plate by a spherical bearing, and an opposing end rotatably coupled to the door mount assembly.   
     
     
       8. The two way hinge of claim 7, wherein the first and second positioning plates comprise through holes positioned to use existing holes located on the vehicle chassis for mounting the fender mount assembly to the vehicle chassis. 
     
     
       9. The two way hinge of claim 7, further comprising a fender guard on the fender mount assembly. 
     
     
       10. The two way hinge of claim 7, further comprising a sag adjuster means allowing the vehicle door to be positionally aligned in the motor vehicle thereby. 
     
     
       11. The two way hinge of claim 7, further comprising a sag adjuster plate attached to the pivot plate, a sag adjuster member extending from the door mount assembly that allows the sag adjuster member to bear on the sag adjuster plate. 
     
     
       12. The two way hinge of claim 11, wherein the sag adjuster member comprises a sag adjuster boss attached to the door mount assembly and a pin extending from the sag adjuster boss that bears on a face of the sag adjuster plate. 
     
     
       13. The two way hinge of claim 7, wherein the piston mounting plate extends transversely from the fender mount assembly. 
     
     
       14. The two way hinge of claim 7, the fender mount assembly further comprising a fender mount that is generally goose neck shaped and has a convex portion and a concave portion, the first and second positioning plates being disposed on opposite ends of the fender mount. 
     
     
       15. The two way hinge of claim 14, the door mount assembly further comprising a door bracket from which the first and second door plates extend. 
     
     
       16. The two way hinge of claim 7, the fender mount assembly further comprising a first boss, the pivot plate being pivotally attached to the first boss by a first pin. 
     
     
       17. The two way hinge of claim 16, the fender mount assembly further comprising a second boss aligned in a parallel relationship with the first boss such that the pivot plate is positioned between the first and second bosses, the pivot plate being pivotally attached to the second boss by a second pin. 
     
     
       18. The two way hinge of claim 17, wherein the first and second pins are threaded, the first and second pins being threadably engaged in the pivot plate. 
     
     
       19. A two way hinge for motor vehicle doors, comprising:
 a fender mount assembly comprising first and second ends having through holes for mounting the fender mount assembly to a vehicle chassis;   a pivot plate mounted on the fender mount assembly such that the pivot plate is pivotable about a first axis, the pivot plate comprising a beveled portion defining a horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge about the first axis, the pivot plate comprising a bore extending transversely relative to the first axis;   a set screw received in the beveled portion of the pivot plate;   a door mount assembly comprising first and second door plates extending from a door bracket for mounting to a motor vehicle door frame, the door mount assembly further comprising a pivot pin in the bore in the pivot plate allowing the pivot plate to rotate about the pivot pin;   a piston mounting plate on the fender mount assembly; and   a piston assembly comprising a first end coupled to the piston mounting plate such that the piston assembly may freely rotate, and an opposing end rotatably coupled to the door mount assembly.   
     
     
       20. The two way hinge of claim 19, the pivot plate further comprising a beveled portion defining a horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge about the first axis. 
     
     
       21. A two way hinge for motor vehicle doors, comprising:
 a fender mount assembly comprising first and second ends for mounting the fender mount assembly to a vehicle chassis;   a pivot plate mounted on the fender mount assembly such that the pivot plate is pivotable about a first axis, the pivot plate comprising a beveled portion defining a horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge about the first axis, the pivot plate comprising a bore extending transversely relative to the first axis;   a set screw received in the beveled portion of the pivot plate;   a door mount assembly comprising first and second ends for mounting to a motor vehicle door frame, the door mount assembly further comprising a pivot pin in the bore in the pivot plate allowing the pivot plate to rotate about the pivot pin;   a piston mounting plate on the fender mount assembly; and   a piston assembly comprising a first end coupled to the piston mounting plate such that the piston assembly may freely rotate, and an opposing end rotatably coupled to the door mount assembly.   
     
     
       22. A two way hinge for motor vehicle doors, comprising:
 a fender mount assembly comprising first and second ends for mounting the fender mount assembly to a vehicle chassis;   a pivot plate mounted on the fender mount assembly such that the pivot plate is pivotable about a first axis, the pivot plate comprising a beveled portion defining a horizontal rotational angle of the two way hinge about the first axis, the pivot plate comprising a bore extending transversely relative to the first axis;   a door mount assembly comprising first and second ends for mounting to a motor vehicle door frame, the door mount assembly further comprising a pivot pin in the bore in the pivot plate allowing the pivot plate to rotate about the pivot pin;   a fender guard on the positioning plate for preventing a motor vehicle door from damaging the sheet metal of a motor vehicle, the fender guard having a tapered shape;   a piston mounting plate on the fender mount assembly; and   a piston assembly comprising a first end coupled to the piston mounting plate such that the piston assembly may freely rotate, and an opposing end rotatably coupled to the door mount assembly.