A drive assembly, in particular for driving a flap (5), includes a hinge assembly (2), comprising a first hinge part (3) connectable to a vehicle body and a second hinge part (4) connectable to a vehicle flap (5), a joint assembly (7) comprising at least a first joint part (8) hingedly connecting said first hinge part (3) with said second hinge part (4) and a first actuator (10) for driving the second hinge part (4) to move between an opened and a closed position during a normal operation. The first actuator (10) has a first end (10a) coupleable to a vehicle body pivotally about a first pivot axis (P1) and a second end (10b). The drive assembly also includes a bearing element connected (16) to the first actuator (10) and a coupling assembly (14) for coupling the first actuator (10) to the hinge assembly (2), comprising a first coupling part (15) having a first end (15a) and a second end (15b). The first end (15a) of the first coupling part (15) is coupled to one of the second hinge part (4) and first joint part (8) pivotally about a second pivot axis (P2). The bearing element (16) of the first actuator (10) is coupled to the second end (15b) of the first coupling part (15) pivotally about a third pivot axis (P3) spaced apart from the second pivot axis (P2). The drive assembly provides a possibility to move a vehicle flap drivingly between a closed and an opened position and further provides a reliable pedestrian protection function.

A hinge assembly for a door, the hinge assembly including a hinge pin arranged to be fixed to the door at one end and having a pin connector part at an opposite second end. A rotation damper connected to a damper connector part arranged to cooperate with the pin connector part for transferring torque around an axis of rotation between the damper connector part and the pin connector part throughout an opening angle of the door, such that a rotational movement of the damper connector part about the axis of rotation in at least a first rotational direction is dampened by the rotation damper. The pin connector part and the damper connection part allow an initial closing angle of rotation of the door before the damper acts on the rotation of the hinge pin, the initial closing angle being at least 2°.

A tailgate control system for a vehicle includes a spindle and a coupling member fixedly coupled to a tailgate of the vehicle, the coupling member having a slot formed therein. A portion of the spindle is coupled to the coupling member via the slot so as to enable relative movement between the portion of the spindle and the coupling member along the slot, and such that extension of the spindle causes a force on the coupling member which causes a closing motion of the tailgate. The portion of the spindle is also coupled to the coupling member such that a manually-generated closing motion of the tailgate causes a change in a position of the portion of the spindle along the slot.

A drive assembly, in particular for driving a flap (5), includes a hinge assembly (2), comprising a first hinge part (3) connectable to a vehicle body and a second hinge part (4) connectable to a vehicle flap (5), a joint assembly (7) comprising at least a first joint part (8) hingedly connecting said first hinge part (3) with said second hinge part (4) and a first actuator (10) for driving the second hinge part (4) to move between an opened and a closed position during a normal operation. The first actuator (10) has a first end (10a) coupleable to a vehicle body pivotally about a first pivot axis (P1) and a second end (10b). The drive assembly also includes a bearing element connected (16) to the first actuator (10) and a coupling assembly (14) for coupling the first actuator (10) to the hinge assembly (2), comprising a first coupling part (15) having a first end (15a) and a second end (15b). The first end (15a) of the first coupling part (15) is coupled to one of the second hinge part (4) and first joint part (8) pivotally about a second pivot axis (P2). The bearing element (16) of the first actuator (10) is coupled to the second end (15b) of the first coupling part (15) pivotally about a third pivot axis (P3) spaced apart from the second pivot axis (P2). The drive assembly provides a possibility to move a vehicle flap drivingly between a closed and an opened position and further provides a reliable pedestrian protection function.

The system comprises a lever (2) that is rotatable about a point fixed to the vehicle and articulately joined to the upper edge (6) of the leaf (1); a horizontal guide (3) through which a carriage (4) slides; push-pull means (10,11) that articulately link the upper edge (6) to the carriage (4); and actuation means (12) simultaneously linked to the lever (2) and the carriage (4), which are adapted to distribute their action on the lever (2) and the carriage (4) depending on the force to overcome in order to open and close the leaf (1), such that their action is automatically distributed on the lever (2) when greater power is required to move the carriage (4), this is essentially during the initial opening operation from the end closing position, and during the closing and locking operation from an imminent closing position.

An actuating drive includes an actuating arm pivotally supported about a pivoting axis, and movably supported between a closed position and an open position. A force storage member applies a force to the actuating arm, and a coupling device can brake or prevent a pivotal movement of the actuating arm. The coupling device includes a movably-supported first coupling element having a tooth arrangement, and the first coupling element can engage a second coupling element when a predetermined pivotal speed of the actuating arm is exceeded to brake or prevent the pivotal movement of the actuating arm. The second coupling element includes an engagement section for engaging the two coupling elements together, and includes a freewheel section separate from the engagement section. In the closed position, the first coupling element is within the freewheel section of the second coupling element, whereby the two coupling elements are decoupled from one another.

An actuating drive includes an actuating arm pivotally supported about a pivoting axis, and movably supported between a closed position and an open position. A force storage member applies a force to the actuating arm, and a coupling device can brake or prevent a pivotal movement of the actuating arm. The coupling device includes a movably-supported first coupling element having a tooth arrangement, and the first coupling element can engage a second coupling element when a predetermined pivotal speed of the actuating arm is exceeded to brake or prevent the pivotal movement of the actuating arm. The second coupling element includes an engagement section for engaging the two coupling elements together, and includes a freewheel section separate from the engagement section. In the closed position, the first coupling element is within the freewheel section of the second coupling element, whereby the two coupling elements are decoupled from one another.

A hinge for furniture or the like, which comprises a hinge arm, a hinge box that can be fixed to a door and connected, so that it can oscillate, to the hinge arm by an articulation system, that comprises a first, inner rocker which is connected, so that it can oscillate, with the hinge arm and with the hinge box by a first and a second articulation axis respectively and a second, outer rocker which is connected, so that it can oscillate, with the hinge arm and with the hinge box by a third and a fourth articulation axis respectively; the hinge further comprises a stressing lever supported so that it can oscillate by the first articulation axis of the first rocker and functionally connected to the first rocker, or supported so that it can oscillate by the third articulation axis of the second rocker and functionally connected to the second rocker.

A hinge device for the rotatable movement of a closing element, such as a door, a window, a shutter or the like, between a closing position and an opening position, includes a fixed element anchorable to a stationary support structure; a movable element anchorable to the closing element so that the movable element rotates around a first longitudinal axis between a first opening position and a second closing position; a plunger that is operatively coupled to the movable element by a coupling system configured so that along a first section of the sliding of a connecting shaft, the plunger does not slide, thereby allowing a free rotation of the movable element, and along a second section of the sliding of the connecting shaft, the plunger slides integrally joined with the connecting shaft, thereby controlling the rotation of the movable element.

A vehicle closure system for use with a vehicle closure is provided. The vehicle closure may be pivotally coupled to a vehicle body and movable from an open position to a closed position by a spindle assembly. The vehicle closure system may include a controller configured to, responsive to the vehicle closure moving to the closed position, powering the spindle assembly to retract a slide connected to a latch by a cable so that the latch moves from a secondary latch position to a primary latch position.