US Patent 7093877 Gutter mounted deck lid hinge

A link assembly forming a 6 bar linkage is integrally combined with a spring having a laterally coiled strand to form a hinge that is particularly well adapted to be installed in a small footprint. Such a unit is well adapted for installation within a peripheral channel of a vehicle body opening and to prop the closure in its open position. The present invention also provides a method for reducing packaging footprint of a vehicle closure hinge by integrating the 6 bar linkage with the laterally coiled strand, and selecting a strand shaping to reduce radial dimension of the coil and the coil cross-section while maximizing the radial dimension of material in the strand.