Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This inven-tion relates -to escape hatches for vehicles
and more particularly to an improved mounting arrangement for
vehicle escape hatches.
Escape ha-tches for buses, vans, and -the li~e in recent
years have been mounted in the hatch opening on an aluminum extru-
sion formed into a square or rectangular shaped ring and secured
within the hatch opening oE -the vehicle. Such rings have been of
such large manufac-turing -tolerances that it has often been diffi-
cult to effect a weather-tight seal between the ring and hatch. In
addition, manufacturing tolerances for such rings and the somewhat
flimsy construc-tion thereof has made i-t necessary to provide
special mounting plates for the escape hatches. One such escape
hatch is shown in United States Pa-tent 4,021,073, with -the mounting
plates being designated at 22 and 122. Because of such plates, it
is difficult to cover or conceal the rings with a trim molding,
and therefore the hatch moun-ting has an "unfinished" appearance.
While it would be possible to manufacture an aluminum
mounting ring of sufficiently close tolerances tha-t an effective
weathertigh-t seal between the ring and the escape hatch could be
made, the cost thereof would render the hatch very expensive.
Accordingly, I have sough-t to provide a moun-ting ring which will be
of strong and durable construction and of sufficiently close manu-
facturing tolerances -that an effective weather-tight seal between it
and the hatch may be provided. In addition, I have sought to pro-
vide a mounting ring which avoids the use of the aforesaid mounting
plates and thus enables ready association with the ring of a trim
molding to give a finished appearance to -the hatch Erame.
The invention provides in an assembly of the -type for
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mounting an outwardly opening hatch in a passenger vehicle
enclosure or the like, said assembly including a mounting ring,
said ring having an integral continuous sealing flange por-tion
having one edge thereof disposed outwardly and laying in a common
plane to form a hatch sealing edge, said mounting ring including a
locating flange for cen-tering the sealing flange wi-th a vehicle
hatch opening, said ring having an integral mounting flange portion
extending laterally outwardly from the sealing flange portion for
overlaying the outside marginal edge of the hatch opening, and a
plurality of hinge devices respec-tively connected bo-th to the hatch
and the mounting ring to permit -the hatch to be opened and closed
relative to the vehicle hatch opening, each hinge device being
disposed within the hatch opening and including a first member
fixed to the interior of -the hatch, a plurality of hinge supporting
elements integrally formed on and projecting laterally inwardly from
said mounting ring, each hinge device including second members
pivotally connec-ted to various of the mounting ring supporting
elements to enable the hatch to be raised equidistantly above the
hatch opening, the improvement comprising: a. a downwardly opening
bezel receiving pocket formed in the sealing flange of the mounting
ring, and b. a trim bezel of generally L-shaped configuration hav-
ing a laterally extending first flange adapted to overlie the inner
surface of the vehicle at the marginal edge of the opening in which
the hatch mounting assembly is disposed, said bezel including a
second flange projecting upwardly within the bezel receiving pocket
of the mounting ring whereby the trim bezel conceals the edge of
the hatch opening and trims the same.
The invention will further be described by way of example
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only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an escape hatch and myimproved mounting ring, showing the hatch in an open or ventilating
position;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line
2 - 2 of Figure 1, showing the hatch closed in solid outline and
open in phantom outline;
Figure 3 is a cross-sec-tional view taken on the line
3 - 3 of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a -top view of the mounting ring; and
Figure 5 is a cross-sec-tional view taken substantially
on the line 5 - 5 of Figure 4.
~ s shown in Figure 1, the hatch 10 is mounted by a pair
of hinge devices 12 and 14 on my improved mounting ring 16. The
hatch is shown in the raised posi-tion. The details of construction
of the hinge assemblies 12 and 14 are more particularly described
in United States Pa-tent 4,021,073. Suffice it that each of such
assemblies includes a pair of links 18 and 20 pivotally connected
at one end to the hatch through plungers 22 and 24 and pla-te 25 and
at the opposite end are connected to the mounting ring 16 as a-t 26
and 28. With the hatch in the raised position shown in Figure
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1, actuation of a latch handle 30 enables release of the hinge assembly 12 so
that the hatch may be swlmg upon the hinge assembly 14 to a Eully opened posi-
tion, allowing a passenger in a vehicle in which the hatch is mounted to escape.
The hatch assembly is normally used Eor emergency exit purposes and for ventila-
tion.
The hatch 10 is preferably formed of plastic and is provided with a
central reinforcing area 32 having four large bosses or the like 34, 36, 38 and
40 integral with the hatch lid portion 42. The central portion 32 overhangs the
vertical walls 44, 46, and complementary walls in opposite positions which are
not visible from Figure 1 to provide finger-holds at the lips 48 and 50. A
sponge-like gasket 52 is disposed within a recess around the margin of the in-
side of the hatch to bear against a sealing edge of the ring 16 as disclosed in
Figures 2 and 3.
I have discovered that hatch 10 may be mounted in a vehicle enclosure
such as in the roof or side wall without the necessity of the mounting plates 22
and 122 shown in United States Patent 4,021,073 and currently used to mount the
links 18 and 20, and a reliable seal may be effected by the gasket 52 against
the sealing edge of the ring 16, and the interior of the ring covered and con-
cealed by a trim molding, if the ring 16 is made as hereinafter described. As
shown in Figures 2 and 3, the vehicle enclosure, such as the roof 54, is provid-
ed with a hatch opening 56 framed by structural channel members 58 of the
vehicle which surround the opening. The hatch is mounted to cover this opening.
The hatch is mounted to cover this opening. To effect the mounting, the ring
16 is provided with a laterally extending continuous mounting flange 68 which
extends completely around the ring and is secured to the roof 54 by fasteners
70 which extend through apertures 72 in the mounting flange 68 and are driven
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into the channel members 58. A suitable sealer 74 may be provided between the
mounting flange 68 and the roof 54.
The ring 16 also has a continuous sealing flange portion 76 integral
with the mounting flange portion 68. The sealing flange portion has an upwardly
facing sealing edge 78 defined by a relatively narrow flat surface between a
pair of bevels 80 and 82 at the upper edge of the sealing flange portion. The
sealing edge 78 lies in a common plane and is adapted to abut the gasket 52 and
lies outwardly of the roof 54 of the vehicle with the peripheral edge 84 of the
hatch disposed outwardly of the sealing flange portion 76 as best shown in Fig-
ures 2 and 3. The sealing flange portion is centered within the hatch opening
56. To facilitate this centering, a locating flange 57 is provided which enters
the hatch opening. A peripherally continuous bezel receiving pocket 86 is dis-
posed within the inner periphery of the sealing flange portion 76 and opens down-
wardly as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. In addition, there are four bosses 88,
90, 92 and 94 formed integrally with the mounting ring into which the pivot
members 26 and 28 are received. For this purpose each of the bosses may be
drilled and tapped. The pivot members may comprise threaded elements which are
screw threaded into the threaded holes in the bosses. It will be noted that
the downwardly opening bezel receiving pocket is disposed laterally outside of
the bosses.
A trim bezel 100 is adapted to overlie the hatch opening on the inside
of the vehicle and cover and conceal the joint between the mounting ring and the
hatch opening. The trim bezel is generally L-shaped in cross-section as sho~n
in Figures ~ and 3, and includes a laterally extending leg 102 whose outer mar-
ginal edge is channel shaped as at 104 to stiffen the margin and provide a
sharp trimline where the bezel meets the headliner 106. The trim bezel is also
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provided with a second leg 108 which projects upwardly and at its upper edge is
received within the pocket 86. Fasteners 110 may be threaded through the trim
bezel and into the channel 58 to secure the bezel in place. The length of the
leg 108 may be trimmed to accommodate varying thicknesses of the roof between
the headliner 106 and the bezel receiving pocket 86 of the ring.
The mounting ring 16 is preferably formed of a glass filled nylon sold
under the trademark CARRON STX by Allied Chemical Company. This material is
glass mat reinforced nylon which flows out during stamping and may be formed by
the technique known as hot stamping, in which the material is placed between
heated dies which are brought together to shape the material. The material may
be preheated before being placed between the dies so that it will soften and
conform to the configuration of the dies. In lieu of glass filled nylon, glass
filled polypropylene may be used9 and such material is sold unde-r the trademark
AZDEk by PPG. In both cases the glass is in the form of glass fibers woven in
a mat and laminated with the nylon or polypropylene. This is to be distinguished
from a glass filled injection molding compound in which the fibers are indepen-
dently and randomly aligned in lengths up to 1/4" long. In the material I pre-
fer, the nylon woven into a mat is distributed throughout the part. The re-
sultant structure when hot stamped using glass fiber filled nylon provides a
tough, dimensionally stable, structurally strong mounting ring to which the
hatch links 18 and 20 may be directly connected.
Another family of structural or high strength plastics which may be
used are the polycarbonates marketed by General Electric under its LEXAN trade-
mark. Thc LEXAN materials may be used with or without a reinforcing glass
filler. In the case of LEXAN, the ring would be injection molded and, if re-
inforced, the filler would be randomly aligned glass fibers in lengths up to
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1/4" long.
The trim bezel is pre-ferably vacuum formed of NORYL ~trademark), a
~lame resistant plastic sold by General Electric Company meeting ASTME 162 speci-
fication. The trim bezel may be formed in various colors to complement the
color of the headlining 106.
