Automotive closure panel with pivot-mounted alignment system

Abstract

An automotive closure panel which is rotatable about a pivot axis has an axial locator insert situated within a pivot bearing insert bore to set a margin extending between the closure panel and a vehicle body. This system is particularly useful for closure panels such as tailgates having torsion bar or motorized lift assist, because such systems are not easily disassembled for the purpose of setting the closure panel margins.

1. A closure panel for an automotive vehicle body, comprising:
 a door adapted to rotate about a pivot axis, with said door having a shell;  
 a hinge half attached to a first end of said door shell;  
 a first pivot post adapted to be rigidly attached to an automotive body and operatively engaged with said hinge half;  
 a hinge bearing retainer attached to a second end of said door and having a bearing insert housed therein;  
 a second pivot post adapted to be rigidly attached to said body, with said second pivot post engaging a bore formed in said bearing insert such that the second end of the door is supported upon said second pivot post; and  
 an axial locator insert situated within said bearing insert bore and interposed between said second pivot post and an end wall of said bore.  
 
     
     
       2. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said axial locator insert is mechanically engaged with a wall circumscribing an extended section of said bore. 
     
     
       3. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said second pivot post and said bearing insert are rotationally locked. 
     
     
       4. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said bore in said bearing insert has a non-circular configuration, and said second pivot post and said axial locator insert have a common configuration allowing both the second pivot post and the axial locator insert to telescopically engage the bore of the bearing insert. 
     
     
       5. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising a torsion bar for assisting movement of said closure panel from an open position to a closed position, with said torsion bar having a first end grounded to said closure panel and a second end rotationally locked to said bearing insert. 
     
     
       6. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said hinge half comprises a generally cylindrical cup attached to said first end of said door, with said cup having a generally cylindrical insert, and with at least one axial adjustment member disposed between said cup and said insert. 
     
     
       7. A closure panel according to  claim 6 , wherein the installed thickness of said axial adjustment member and the installed thickness of said axial locator insert are selected so as to position said closure panel with approximately equal margins at each of the first and second ends of said closure panel. 
     
     
       8. A closure panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said axial locator insert comprises a flattened elongate body having a barbed extension for engaging a generally cylindrical wall extension formed in an end wall of said bearing insert bore. 
     
     
       9. A closure panel according to  claim 8 , wherein said axial locator insert further comprises a plurality of apertures formed in said flattened elongate body for the purpose of aiding the seating of said locator insert in said bore formed in said bearing insert. 
     
     
       10. A method for installing a hinged closure panel in an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
 setting a first panel margin by inserting an axial adjustment member between a hinge insert and a hinge cup at a first end of a closure panel;  
 setting a second panel margin by seating an axial locator insert into the base of a bore located within a bearing insert retained upon a second end of a closure panel;  
 telescopically engaging said bearing insert containing said second axial adjustment member with a pivot post located upon a body of an automotive vehicle proximate said second end of said panel; and  
 radially engaging said generally cylindrical hinge insert, containing said axial locator insert, with a pivot post located upon said automotive vehicle proximate said first end of said panel.  
 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said bore of said bearing insert has a non-circular configuration which is common with the configuration of said axial locator insert, as well as with the configuration of said pivot post which is located proximate the second end of said panel. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said axial adjustment member comprises a circular disc having a thickness selected according to at least the length of said panel, with the installed height of said axial locator insert also being selected according to at least the length of said panel. 
     
     
       13. A pivot-mounted alignment system for a closure panel of an automotive vehicle body, comprising:
 a hinge half, comprising a cup-shaped structure having a base adapted for attachment to a first end of a door shell;  
 a first pivot post adapted to be rigidly attached to an automotive body and operatively engaged with said hinge half;  
 a hinge bearing retainer adapted to be attached to a second end of a door and having a generally cylindrical bearing insert housed therein;  
 a second pivot post adapted to be rigidly attached to said automotive body, with said second pivot post engaging a bore formed in said bearing insert such that the second end of the door is supported upon said second pivot post by said hinge bearing retainer and said bearing insert; and  
 an axial locator insert situated within said bearing insert bore and interposed between said second pivot post and an end wall of said bore such that said axial locator insert establishes the minimum axial distance between said door and said automotive body.  
 
     
     
       14. A pivot-mounted alignment system according to  claim 13 , wherein said axial locator insert is mechanically engaged with a wall circumscribing an extended section of said bearing insert bore. 
     
     
       15. A pivot-mounted alignment system according to  claim 13 , wherein said second pivot post and said bearing insert are rotationally locked. 
     
     
       16. A pivot-mounted alignment system according to  claim 13 , wherein said bore in said bearing insert has a non-circular configuration, and said second pivot post and said axial locator insert have a common configuration allowing both the second pivot post and the axial locator insert to telescopically engage the bore of the bearing insert. 
     
     
       17. A closure panel for an automotive vehicle body, comprising: a door adapted to rotate about a pivot axis, with said door having a shell; a hinge half attached to a first end of said door shell, the hinge half being adapted to operatively engage with a first pivot post that is rigidly attached to an automotive body; and a hinge bearing retainer attached to a second end of said door shell and having a bearing insert housed therein, where a bore is formed in said bearing insert, the bore being adapted to operatively engage with a second pivot post which is rigidly attached to said automotive body, such that the second end of the door is supported upon said second pivot post, the bore including an end wall and being further adapted to receive an axial locator situated and interposed between said second pivot post and said end wall of said bore. 
     
     
       18. The closure panel of  claim 17 , wherein the hinge half comprises a generally cylindrical cup. 
     
     
       19. The closure panel of  claim 18 , wherein an outer periphery of the hinge half includes a slot formed in the generally cylindrical cup. 
     
     
       20. The closure panel of  claim 18 , wherein the cylindrical cup is configured to receive a cylindrical insert. 
     
     
       21. The closure panel of  claim 17 , wherein the bore of the bearing insert is non- circular.   
     
     
       22. The closure panel of  claim 17 , wherein the bearing retainer comprises a generally cylindrical cup. 
     
     
       23. The closure panel of  claim 22 , wherein the bearing insert is generally cylindrical and is housed within the generally cylindrical cup of the bearing retainer. 
     
     
       24. The closure panel of  claim 17 , wherein an end wall of the bore includes a cylindrical wall extension for receiving and retaining a portion of the axial locator. 
     
     
       25. The closure panel of  claim 17 , further comprising a torsion bar disposed at least partially within the door shell for assisting an upward movement of the door. 
     
     
       26. The closure panel of  claim 25 , wherein a first end of the torsion bar is coupled to the door shell. 
     
     
       27. The closure panel of  claim 26 , wherein the first end of the torsion bar is coupled to the door shell by a pinch block. 
     
     
       28. The closure panel of  claim 26 , wherein a second end of the torsion bar is coupled to the bearing insert. 
     
     
       29. The closure panel of  claim 28 , wherein the second end of the torsion bar is non- circular and is fitted into a non - circular bore formed in the bearing insert.   
     
     
       30. The closure panel of  claim 28 , wherein the bearing insert is moveably coupled to the door shell by the torsion bar. 
     
     
       31. The closure panel of  claim 28 , wherein the torsion bar is substantially straight between the bearing insert and the door shell.