A hinge based counterbalance mechanism for operating a hinge of a closure panel of a vehicle to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a closed position and an open position about a pivot axis, the hinge drive mechanism including: a hinge having a body side portion for connecting
A hinge based counterbalance mechanism for operating a hinge of a closure panel of a vehicle to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a closed position and an open position about a pivot axis, the hinge drive mechanism including: a hinge having a body side portion for connecting to a body of the vehicle and a panel side portion for connecting to the closure panel, the body side portion and the panel side portion coupled via the pivot axis; a torsion element having a fixed end coupled to the body and a free end coupled to the body side portion, the fixed end inhibited from rotating relative to the free end and the free end able to rotate about a torsion axis of the torsion element; and a mechanical coupling mechanism coupling the free end to the panel side portion, the mechanical coupling mechanism providing for variability in torque output of the torsion element applied from the torsion element to the panel side portion as the hinge moves between the open position and the closed position.
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1. A hinge based counterbalance mechanism (16) for operating a hinge (12) of a closure panel (14) of a vehicle (10) to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a closed position and an open position about a pivot axis (18), the hinge based counterbalance mechanism including: a hing
1. A hinge based counterbalance mechanism (16) for operating a hinge (12) of a closure panel (14) of a vehicle (10) to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a closed position and an open position about a pivot axis (18), the hinge based counterbalance mechanism including: a hinge having a body side portion (12b) for connecting to a body (11) of the vehicle and a panel side portion (12a) for connecting to the closure panel, the body side portion and the panel side portion coupled via the pivot axis;a torsion element (15a) having a free end (29) and a fixed end (29) coupled to either of the body side portion or the body, the fixed end inhibited from rotating relative to the free end and the free end able to rotate about a torsion axis (28a) of the torsion element; anda mechanical coupling mechanism (22) coupling the free end to the panel side portion, the mechanical coupling mechanism providing for variability in torque output of the torsion element applied from the torsion element to the panel side portion as the hinge moves between the open position and the closed position. 2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the fixed end is mounted to a body side portion of a second hinge and a second fixed end of a second torsion element (15b) is mounted to the body side portion of the first hinge. 3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the mechanical coupling mechanism is a multi-bar linkage. 4. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the multi-bar linkage is connected to a pivot element (24) mounted on the pivot axis, the pivot element fixedly attached to the panel side portion. 5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the pivot element is operationally coupled to a drive shaft (148) of a motor (142). 6. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein the motor is mounted on the body side portion 7. The mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a mounting bracket (50) for coupling the fixed end to the body. 8. The mechanism of claim 7, wherein a torsion setting of the torsion element is adjustable via movement of the mounting bracket. 9. The mechanism of claim 7, wherein the fixed end passes through the body side portion via a passage (51) formed in a support (53) connected to the body side portion in order for the fixed end to be mounted to the mounting bracket. 10. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the torsion element is a solid rod or hollow tube. 11. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the torsion element is a coil spring. 12. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the hinge is a first hinge, the first hinge and the second hinge each has their respective body side portion for connecting to the body of the vehicle and each has their respective panel side portion for connecting to the closure panel, the body side portions and the panel side portions coupled via their respective pivot axis; the torsion element as a first torsion element has the fixed end as a first fixed end coupled to the body and the free end as a first free end coupled to the body side portion of the first hinge, the first fixed end inhibited from rotating relative to the first free end and the first free end able to rotate about the torsion axis as a first torsion axis of the first torsion element;the second torsion element has the second fixed end coupled to the body and a second free end coupled to the body side portion of the second hinge, the second fixed end inhibited from rotating relative to the second free end and the second free end able to rotate about a second torsion axis of the second torsion element;the mechanical coupling mechanism as a first mechanical coupling mechanism coupling the first free end to the panel side portion of the first hinge, the first mechanical coupling mechanism providing for variability in torque output of the first torsion element applied from the first torsion element to the panel side portion of the first hinge as the first hinge moves between the open position and the closed position; anda second mechanical coupling mechanism coupling the second free end to the panel side portion of the second hinge, the second mechanical coupling mechanism providing for variability in torque output of the second torsion element applied from the second torsion element to the panel side portion of the second hinge as the second hinge moves between the open position and the closed position. 13. The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the second hinge has a second motor mounted on the body side portion of the second hinge. 14. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the closure panel is selected from the group consisting of: a lift gate; a trunk, a hood, and a swing door. 15. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first torsion element is positioned in an aperture (26) of the body side portion such that the torsion element is free to rotate about itself at the free end. 17. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the multi-bar linkage is a four bar linkage. 18. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the body side portion by a mount member (26′) positioned external to the hinge, such that rotation of the drive shaft with respect to the mount member also results in conjoint rotation of the panel side portion about the pivot axis. 19. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the mechanical coupling mechanism has a first bar (30) mounted on the torsion element, such that the first bar rotates conjointly with the torsion element. 20. A method of opening and closing a closure panel of a vehicle between a closed position and an open position, comprising the steps of: providing a hinge having a body side portion (12b) for connecting to a body (11) of the vehicle and a panel side portion (12a) for connecting to the closure panel;providing a torsion element (15a) having a free end (29) and a fixed end (29) coupled to either of the body side portion or the body, the fixed end inhibited from rotating relative to the free end and the free end able to rotate about a torsion axis (28a) of the torsion element; andcoupling the free end to the panel side portion using a mechanical coupling mechanism (22), the mechanical coupling mechanism providing for variability in torque output of the torsion element applied from the torsion element to the panel side portion as the hinge moves between the open position and the closed position.
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