FOUR BAR/SINGLE PIVOT PAINT ACCESS HINGE AND METHOD OF USE

摘要

A four-bar hinge with a removable control arm for conversion into a single pivot hinge is disclosed. The hinge is particularly useful during sealant and painting processes in the automotive industry. The hinge comprises a door half portion adapted to be mounted to a vehicular door, a body half portion adapted to be mounted to a vehicular body, a support arm adapted to be rotatably connected to the door half portion and the body half portion when the hinge is in a fourbar configuration, and additionally to be rigidly connected to the body half portion when the hinge is in a single pivot configuration, a control arm adapted to be removably connected to the door half portion and the body half portion when the hinge is in a four-bar configuration, such that when the control arm is connected to the door half portion and the body half portion the hinge functions as a four-bar hinge, and when the control arm is removed and the support arm is additionally rigidly connected to the body half portion, the hinge functions as a single pivot hinge. The method of using this hinge is disclosed.