Test fixture for vehicle door locks

• US 5,641,918 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Odenwald, Neill D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dombroske, George M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Noori, Max H.
• Application Number:
  US08/584,633
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 73/865.9, 73/862.01, 73/862
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/008 by doing functionality tests

Abstract

A fixture for testing a door lock mechanism activated by the lock cylinder of a vehicle door. The fixture has a frame mounted on the door by suction cups. A ram arm has an actuating piece that is to be inserted into and removed from the key opening of the lock cylinder and the ram arm is controllably moved during a test cycle to insert the actuating piece into the lock cylinder and hold it inserted while the piece is moved up and down in the lock cylinder to simulate forced entry. The test cycle can be carried out with different controlled amounts of force.

Claims

1. A test fixture for a door lock mechanism having a lock cylinder with an opening comprising:

an actuating piece of a size permitting insertion into the lock cylinder opening;

a reciprocating arm with the actuating piece at one end, said arm moving said actuating piece to insert the actuating piece into and remove it from said lock cylinder opening;

a rotary device connected to said arm, said rotary device causing said arm and attached actuating piece to move up and down while said actuating piece is in said lock cylinder opening, and

a computer operatively connected with said reciprocating arm and rotary device, said computer controlling the movements of said rotary device to form an operating cycle in which the arm moves to insert the actuating piece into the lock cylinder opening, the rotary device is actuated to move the actuating piece up and down at least once while the actuating piece is in the lock cylinder opening, and the arm is moved to remove the actuating piece from the lock cylinder opening.

2. A test fixture as in claim 1 further comprising a force applicator connected to said reciprocating arm, said applicator applying a predetermined amount of force to said arm so as to hold the actuating piece in said lock cylinder opening with said predetermined force as said rotary device moves the actuating piece up and down.

3. A test fixture as in claim 2 wherein said rotary device includes a controller, said controller controls the amount of up and down movement of the actuating piece while the actuating piece is in the lock cylinder opening.

4. A test fixture as in claim 1 wherein said rotary device comprises:

a plurality of hydraulic cylinders with pistons located therein and piston rods extending therefrom;

a rotary shaft connected to said reciprocating arm, and

a connection between the piston rods and the rotary shaft such that movement of the piston rods provides controlled rotation of said shaft.

5. A test fixture as in claim 1 wherein the computer actuates the rotary device to reciprocate the actuating piece up and down a predetermined number of times.

6. A test fixture as in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating arm is a ram arm having the actuating piece mounted at one end thereof, said ram arm being hydraulically operated.

7. A test fixture as in claim 6 further comprising a base frame to which said ram arm is connected, and a suction cup assembly for mounting the base frame to a surface of an object in which the lock cylinder is located.

8. A test fixture as in claim 6 further comprising a base frame, said ram arm comprises a fluid actuated cylinder and a movable piston located in the cylinder and having a piston rod extending therefrom, one of said cylinder and piston rod being connected to said base frame and the other of said cylinder and piston rod connected to said ram arm.

9. A test fixture as in claim 6 further comprising a base frame, said rotary device comprising a rotatable shaft to which a part of said ram arm remote from said actuating piece is connected.

10. A test fixture as in claim 9 further comprising a base frame, said ram arm comprising a fluid actuated cylinder and a movable piston located in the cylinder and having a piston rod extending therefrom, one of said cylinder and piston rod being connected to said base frame and the other of said cylinder and piston rod being connected to said ram arm.

11. A test fixture as in claim 10 further comprising a base frame to which said ram arm is connected, and a suction cup assembly for mounting the base frame to a surface of an object in which the lock cylinder is located.

12. A test fixture as in claim 1 further including a hydraulic console operatively connected between said computer and said reciprocating arm and said rotary device;

each of said reciprocating arm and rotary device being moved by hydraulic pressure; and

said computer providing control signals to said console such that said console provides hydraulic pressure sufficient to cause controlled movement of said arm and rotary device.

13. A test fixture for a door lock mechanism having a lock cylinder with an opening comprising:

a base;

a plurality of hydraulically-operated suction cups at edges of the base, said suction cups when operated acting to mount the base to a surface of an object in which the lock cylinder is located;

a rotary shaft fastened to the base;

a plurality of hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies with movable piston rods, said piston rods being connected to said rotary shaft to cause rotation thereof when said piston rods are moved in a controlled fashion;

a ram arm with one end connected to said rotary shaft for rotation of said ram arm therewith, said ram arm having a piston-cylinder assembly with a movable piston rod, said ram arm piston rod causing the other end of said ram arm to extend and retract when the ram arm piston rod is moved in a controlled fashion; and

an actuating piece located at the other end of said ram arm, said actuating piece being of a size to permit it to be inserted into the lock cylinder opening.

14. A test fixture as in claim 13 further including:

a console having a supply of hydraulic fluid and connected to providing operating fluid pressure to said suction cups to attach the base to the object, to said plurality of piston-cylinder assemblies to cause said ram arm to rotate and to said ram arm piston-cylinder assembly to cause said ram arm to extend and retract; and

a computer operatively connected to said console to provide control signals to said console such that said console provides fluid pressure to cause controlled movement of said ram arm in a cycle that includes movement of the arm to insert the actuating piece into the lock cylinder opening, rotation of the arm to move the actuating piece up and down at least once while the actuating piece is in the lock cylinder opening, and movement of the arm to remove the actuating piece from the lock cylinder opening.

15. A test fixture as in claim 14 wherein the computer actuates the ram arm to reciprocate the actuating piece up and down a predetermined number of times in a cycle.

16. A test fixture as in claim 13 wherein said ram arm comprises:

a first arm with one end fasten to said rotary shaft, said rotary shaft being generally parallel to said object containing the door lock mechanism, said first arm extending in a direction away from and generally perpendicular to the object;

a second arm extending toward the object and being generally parallel to the first arm, said second arm being fastened to the first arm at the ends remote from the object, the other end of the second arm supporting the actuating piece; and

hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies being located in each of said first and second arms.

17. A test fixture for a door lock mechanism having a lock cylinder with an opening comprising:

an actuating piece for insertion into the lock cylinder opening;

means for moving said actuating piece to insert the actuating piece into and remove it from said lock cylinder opening;

means for reciprocating said actuating piece up and down while in said lock cylinder opening, and

a controller for repeating the cycle of actuating the moving means to insert the actuating piece into the lock cylinder opening, actuating the reciprocating means to move the actuating piece up and down while in the lock cylinder opening, and actuating the moving means to remove the actuating piece from the lock cylinder opening.

18. A test fixture as in claim 17 further comprising means for holding said moving means with the actuating piece in said lock cylinder opening with a predetermined amount of force as said means for reciprocating reciprocates the actuating piece up and down.

19. A test fixture as in claim 18 wherein said means for reciprocating includes means for controlling the distance of up and down movement of the actuating piece while in the lock cylinder opening.