초록 ▼

A tilt mechanism for pivoting a vehicle body panel relative to a vehicle chassis includes a pivot pin having a pivot pin axis. The pivot pin provides a single-point pivot attachment of the body panel to the chassis such that the body panel can articulate about the pivot pin axis relative to the chas

A tilt mechanism for pivoting a vehicle body panel relative to a vehicle chassis includes a pivot pin having a pivot pin axis. The pivot pin provides a single-point pivot attachment of the body panel to the chassis such that the body panel can articulate about the pivot pin axis relative to the chassis. A support member pivotably connects to the chassis about the pivot pin axis by the pivot pin. The support member has a tilt axis along a longitudinal extent of the support member. The tilt axis is perpendicular to the pivot pin axis. The support member supports the vehicle body panel weight through a pivotal connection between a support member end and the body panel. The pivotal connection allows the body panel to pivot relative to the chassis about the tilt axis via a bearing. A torsion bar is within the support member. One portion of the torsion bar is secured to the support member and another portion is secured to the body panel by a slot that receives a torsion bar end. The torsion bar biases the body panel relative to the chassis along at least an angular portion of a pivotal range about the tilt axis. The slot is hour-glass-shaped such that the body panel can pivot about the tilt axis relative to the chassis without loading the torsion bar over a specified angular range about the tilt axis.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tilt mechanism for pivoting a vehicle body panel relative to a vehicle chassis, comprising:a support member having a tilt axis along a longitudinal extent of said support member, said support member having a support member end, said support member end being adapted to pivotably connect to said

1. A tilt mechanism for pivoting a vehicle body panel relative to a vehicle chassis, comprising:a support member having a tilt axis along a longitudinal extent of said support member, said support member having a support member end, said support member end being adapted to pivotably connect to said body panel such that said body panel can pivot about said tilt axis relative to said support member, and said support member being adapted to support at least part of a vehicle body panel weight; and a pivot pin having a pivot pin axis along a longitudinal extent of said pivot pin, said support member being adapted to pivotably attach to said chassis about said pivot pin axis by said pivot pin, said tilt axis being generally perpendicular to said pivot pin axis, said pivot pin being adapted to support said at least part of said vehicle body panel weight, and said pivot pin being adapted to provide a single-point pivot attachment of said body panel to said chassis such that said body panel can articulate about said pivot pin axis relative to said chassis.